Racism, Colorism and Gender Dysphoria in Bollywood Films

The Problematic Portrayal of Women in Naseeb Apna Apna

The 1981 Bollywood film Naseeb Apna Apna focuses on the marriage of Chandu, a dark-skinned woman with unconventional physical traits, to the fair-skinned Kishan against his wishes. Throughout the film, Chandu faces constant humiliation and ridicule from her husband due to her appearance. Some of the most disturbing instances involve Kishan dismissing and punishing Chandu for trivial reasons such as applying cow dung on the floor or putting on his shirt. He is ashamed of her and does everything in his power to distance himself. While Chandu accepts the mistreatment with a smile, the constant humiliation takes a psychological toll.

Colorism and Patriarchal Norms

Kishan’s dismay with the marriage stems solely from Chandu’s dark complexion and unconventional looks. In one scene, he berates her appearance, saying “even a dog’s tail can be straightened but not her hair.” Such dialog indicates how colorism and patriarchal beauty standards were deeply ingrained in Bollywood productions of the time. Chandu’s physical traits are used as justification for Kishan’s disgust and authority over her. She is expected to endure constant disrespect and find value only through serving her husband, reflecting deeply problematic social norms.

The Objectification of Chandu

In a desperate attempt to win his affection, Chandu undergoes a makeover arranged by Kishan’s new wife Radha, coating her skin in thick layers of fairness cream to lighten her complexion. Only then does Kishan start respecting her devotion. The scene blithely suggests one’s worth depends on their ability to conform to patriarchal beauty standards through artificial means. It reduces Chandu to an object that gains value through modifying her appearance for her husband’s pleasure. Such portrayal normalizes the objectification and oppression of women.

The Hypocrisy of the Male Protagonist

While relentlessly humiliating Chandu for her appearance, Kishan engages in his own deceitful acts. In a display of unchecked entitlement, he marries another woman named Radha without divorcing Chandu and ultimately leaves her abandoned at a train station. Yet he remains oblivious to his deep transgressions and hypocritically scolds others.

Double Standards and Lack of Accountability

When his brother-in-law flirts with Chandu, Kishan waves his finger in her face, threatening to kill her if she interacts with any man. But he faces no repercussions for his own actions, from secretly remarrying to abandoning his legal wife. The film depicts Kishan as righteous in his anger while normalizing his disturbing behaviors. This highlights prevalent double standards that hold women exclusively responsible for protecting family values and male honor.

Prioritizing Convenience over Ethics

Upon learning of Kishan’s deceit, Chandu meekly accepts her fate as a kept mistress to continue serving him. In a tone-deaf moment, she affirms their spousal relationship is fated despite his betrayal. Rather than confronting the mistreatment, she prioritizes easing Kishan’s comfort over basic ethics. Such portrayal discourages women from asserting boundaries, even in openly abusive dynamics, and implies it is their duty to sacrifice dignity for a man’s convenience.

Problematic Endings and Lingering Issues

The film’s conclusion sweeps Kishan’s transgressions under the rug while punishing the ambitious Radha. It underscores how colorism and sexism pervaded popular media for decades afterwards.

Superficial Redemption and Convenient Death

Radha dies by suicide after realizing Kishan’s affection for Chandu, depicting career-oriented women as villains. Meanwhile, Kishan faces no real consequences and is “redeemed” through finally acknowledging Chandu’s value once her complexion is lightened. Their reunion glosses over the abuse and betrayal, implicating viewers in normalized violence against women.

Long Term Impact of Toxic Depictions

Decades later, Naseeb Apna Apna’s regressive lessons continue affecting attitudes. Colorism persists in Bollywood, often reduced to comic relief instead of confronting discrimination seriously. Storytelling also maintains expectations that women endure mistreatment silently. If popular culture seeks to empower society, problematic tropes must be identified and transformed to avoid perpetuating harm.

Addressing Systemic Issues through Conscious Storytelling

While dismantling deeply entrenched prejudices will take consistent, long term efforts across all sectors, media plays a powerful role. Conscious storytelling can help shift cultural norms by portraying diverse, fully formed women who assert agency rather than endure abuse silently.

Avoiding Harmful Stereotypes

Creators must recognize how commonly used tropes like the self-sacrificing woman normalize oppression. Instead, heroines could demonstrate the full breadth of human emotions and set healthy relationship boundaries. Diverse representations would also challenge narrow beauty standards used to dehumanize women.

Promoting Critical Thinking

Raising societal awareness requires sparking thoughtful discussions around complex issues like colorism and patriarchy. Strategically crafted plots could examine how systemic discrimination manifests while inspiring reflection on intrinsic human dignity beyond superficial attributes. Impactful heroes question, rather than reify, the status quo.

Collaborating for Lasting Change

A joint effort across media, education, and social sectors can help curb the propagation and internalization of prejudices from an early age. Storytellers collaborating with experts and grassroots organizations could craft multidimensional narratives that empower diverse communities and foster empathy. Together, we can revolutionize popular culture for a more just and compassionate future.