Resenting the Stereotype

There is this concept that goes in the mind of many, mostly women, who are feminist activist in our society, that women are used and treated like as commodities. No one seem to be caring where all this came from and who are the one who think and treat women as commodities ? Of course, there are men in this world, who  treat women as if she is a commodity and worst part of all this is there are women in this world in every society, who are convinced; they are right. ‘In a modelling world, women are viewed as commodities. They come and go fast because there are new models lining up to join this industry. Her life is short that what they are considered as a commodities.’ I do remember , something close to this, Susmita Sen saying in one of her early interview, when she was freshly crowned miss universe - 1994. She was confident in her believe and smart in understanding the  fast moving business trend around her. She was the much like beauty in most of my friends circle and each of them had a solid reason, why they preferred her over her close rival Aishwarya, who won Miss world in the same year. But, I paid more attention to the fact, how short her own life was in entertainment industry; as compared to her so called rival Aash. This lasting ability in the entertainment industry is all made me like her as the one over her competitor, who resent the women as commodity in different way. Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell,makes us think hard for lasting in this short running show business for almost twenty years.

I remember reading Uma Thurman, ‘in Hollywood they say you last here until you are 25, I lasted until I am 35. So, I lasted here ten more years, I am still happy.’ Halle Berry, who won her Oscar only when she was 36, meaning it was the beginning of her career. Now a days, Jennifer Lopez garners all the media attention, even for her hot dress up sense; which can give run for a competition to those who are half her age in the industry. She is forty-five now.  Karisma Manandhar, Madhuri Dixit and Nicole Kidman are still in the industry after twenty years in this short shelf life show business. But Meryl streep, Judi Dench and Helen Mirren lasted longer than the pretty face girls suppose to last in this very industry with their praiseworthy work, professionalism and sheer determination.

Is this just women, who are objectified in entertainment industry ? ask Priyanka Chopra who is one of the top ranked actress in Bollywood now. She denies it sharply and added in one of the talk show with Koffee with Karan, ‘men in Bollywood is as objectified as women.’ Now a days, men in entertainment industry needs to tone their body, bare their chest, dance to lure their women audience as much as the women in olden days were required to be nothing more than eye-candy on the screen. Men in Bollywood now have to have six-pack-abs, and they have to be ready to open their shirt on screen any time, even if; it has nothing to do with the script. Good look and toned body has nothing to do with acting and yet they are in and out of the industry in no time. Exception is in every field of life.

But, why is that, when Shahrukh, Salman and Aamir show their bare-toned chest and muscle they are wowed and woman who dare wearing revealing clothes, are condemned ? Bipasha Basu, Rekha Thapa, Jharana Bajracharya, Malaika Arora and Mallika Sherawat should be lauded for their effort to daring so, at the same time maintaining their dignity and lasting in the industry longer than some thought they would for pretty face, who dress boldly. There are stories supporting enough, directors in the entertainment industry exploits men as much as they do to woman.  But, the question is women are objectified as commodity is what hits in our mind. Does this mean women cry too much ?

I remember watching a show where Leonardo Dicaprio was resenting for being liked as ‘so good looking guy’ as if; he is nothing more than a ‘sweet meat loaf’. He sure was edibally good looking in Titanic and The Beach but watching his third movie The Aviator tells us how much he resented being liked nothing more than a ‘good looking guy.’ He is bang on his work but my Leo had dropped his good look behind. Men also resent for being taken as nothing more than sweet meat loaf ? It was hard for me to accept in the beginning but he made it easy for me to understand.

Have't we heard that ‘Brad Pitt syndrome’, this means good look not for acting. Brad Pitt really had to work hard to break that good look and serious actor. Here in Bollywood Deepika Padukone also had to go through that same norms and phase, as Leo said, sweet meat loaf, now she is one of the highest paid actress in Bollywood, as he has entered in the club of 600 corod money making in box office.

Is accepting challenge is only expected from Men ? Is struggle and tolerance is only for men ? what if, if we have to face the harsh challenge ? what if we expect struggle for everyone ? My mind spins heavily when I try to understand how come a man of 45 years trying to have sex with a 12 year old  girl who gets faint in earlier effort can't leave her even after she bleeds heavily ? How come what numbs us is pleasure for them ? what is brutal and barbaric for us bring pleasure for them ? Can we have answer to all the question we seek ?

I do remember reading Al Pacino once who had slept with an old lady to fund his desire to sustain in the movie industry and the lady GaGa did not talk much about the fact that she was raped when she was a teenager. Entertainment and glamour industry teaches us so much. Rape which in number one reason behind the crime that happens based on violence against women cases in every report. Sexual violence like rape is entertainment and pleasure for men but torture for women.  Everybody struggles in their life and everyone has to struggle in life. Some has to struggle for short period some had to go through the same for longer than one expects to last it.  So are you the victim or hero of your story ? It seems its your decision, where you want to put your story on the entertainment or on page # 5 ? Now the question is do the people in Page number 5 have to compete with entertainment page or our intellect in the media will think seriously on this subject matter ?