Herstories in Contemporary Indian Films

The notion that being a man is more valuable than being a woman is promoted in films and television. Studies prove that children who watch movies and television are more likely to believe that boys and men are superior to girls and women. This impacts boys, who are taught from an early age to exhibit masculine characteristics and actions. Moreover, male attitudes and behaviors are influenced by the relative invisibility of women in the mass media. Over the last several decades, Indian films have witnessed a significant transformation in the way women are portrayed through films. With a focus on several typical Indian films, this article examines the rapidly changing positions of women represented in Indian films and their impact on patriarchal Indian culture. This article examines four films about women in various roles—The Great Indian Kitchen, Netrikann, Nerkonda Paarvai, and Aruvi—and the influence they have on society in general. The main objective of this article is to connect the changing roles of women in Indian films with the changing status of women in India, since films are a mirror of societal developments. This research looked at empirical information on how media influence perceptions of gender roles and actions based on those perceptions. Women in contemporary films are depicted as more self‐assured, assertive, and career‐oriented than in the past. Filmmakers should strive for gender parity in films. Despite rising awareness of the need for both girls and boys to overcome traditional gender norms, content creators have been hesitant to adopt gender‐sensitive methods of presentation.