Cinema has been a mirror reflecting the times and scenarios a nation is going through. Movies, ideally, should effectively present changing times and cultures, be it the massive shift in the professions the women are exposed to or even the household abuses that the women of today have stood against. From playing decorative objects in movies, if not victims or martyrs, to becoming a strong force, women have come a long way in movies abroad. The film actress in major movie industries has graduated from being the show piece to the woman of substance and strength who stands for her rights, raises her voice against injustice, fights for her dignity and self-respect and also rebels when she has to. Unfortunately though in Bangladesh women centric movies are becoming increasingly rare.
However things were not so bad even a few decades back. From the ‘70s to the ‘90s in the last century, fans of Bangladeshi cinema (Dhallywood) got so many women-oriented movies. After release of those movies in the theatres, they became super hits and earned so many awards at home and abroad.
Viewers may remember the names of movies Golapi (Bobita) and her associates sold flour, Jorina (Shabana) struggled against poverty and Nobitun (Kabori) fought against the evils of society in the absence of her sailor husband. Another character named Joygun (Dolly Anwar).
You might not remember these characters if you were born in the 1990s. Yes, they were four spirited women from four popular Bangladeshi movies from yesteryears _ Golapi Ekhon Train-e, Bhat De, Sareng Bou and Surjo Dighal Bari respectively. Nowadays, viewers rarely come across movies where women are at the forefront of campaigns for social justice or gender equality.
Women-oriented movies have been disappearing gradually from Dhallywood since the early 1990s.
Once, we had talented directors like Subhash Datta, Amjad Hossain, Alamgir Kabir, Moshiuddin Sharker, Sheikh Niyamat Ali, Chasi Nazrul Islam, Azizur Rahman and Abdullah-al-Mamun. Those eminent directors made many films where female characters had strong personalities. The stories were based on women with strong personalities like Joygun in Surja Dighal Bari, Nobitun in Sareng Bou, Golapi in Golapi Ekhon Train-e, Jorina in Bhat De, Sakhina in Sakhinar Juddho, Mala in Padma Nadir Majhi, Alo in Alor Michchil.
These fantastic movies and their actors and directors earned name and fame for themselves and the country. Those days are gone. The future of Bangladeshi movies is at stake for not making such movies anymore. These days, what do we see? 19 years have already gone by in the 21st century. We, the viewers, have only seen two or three women-oriented movies where strong female characters are portrayed like Matritto, Meghla Akash, Megher Kole Rode and Palabi Kothay.
Also recent time a few of movies were released in the country like Rani Kuthir Baki Itihas, Bijli, Mayaboti. But we can’t say those are women oriented movies at all.
The 20th century was the golden era for the Bangladesh film industry. Dhallywood gave us so many classic movies, talented actors and directors.Many movies were also made from classic literature where women are the main characters, like Devdas, Parineeta, Rajlaxmi, Srikanta, Bish Brikhho, Ramer Sumati, Chanpa Dangar Bou, Hangar Nadi Grenade, Subhada, Saat Bhai Chanpa etc. Actresses like Bobita, Shabana, Kabori, Champa, Rozina, Anwara and Anjana played the main roles in those movies, which became classics, too.
Dhallywood also had many female directors in those days, like Kabori, Sujata and Rosey Afsari, who made films where women characters were portrayed properly. In the late 90s, Nargis Aktar made three women- oriented movies like Meghla Akash, Megher Kole Rod and Char Sotiner Ghar. Bollywood (Mumbai) and Tullyganj (Kolkata) are still making women-oriented Hindi movies like Monikurnika, Chapak, Padmavat, Queen, Tanu Weds Monu, Pa, Dirty Picture, Kahani, Chandni Bar, Astitvya, Fashion, Mary Kom, Cameli and English Vinglish; or Bangla movies like Dahan, Unishe April, Alo, Chokher Baali, Bariwali, Antaheen, Aro Ekbar, Abahoman, Goynar Baxo, Japanese Wife, Anuronon, Rater Rojoni Ghonda, and more. Then, why should we lag behind in continuing to make such films?
Perhaps, our studios do not have the latest technology or equipment for making quality films. But we do have so many talented actors, directors, writers, cinematographers and technicians to make movies like Surjo Dighal Bari again.
And we also have Subarna, Champa, Moushumi, Shabnoor, Poppy, Mimi, Shomi, Bipasha, Joya and Momo to portray any kind of strong female role, just as Shabana, Bobita and Kabori did in the past.
Popular culture must not be shaped by man’s perspective all the time, and it was therefore important to encourage more women directors, artists and storytellers. Our cinema is still largely a product of the male gaze, for the male gaze. Cinema is a tool we can use to have a conversation about perspective and conditioning. It can force us to think differently, see a different point of view. Women are 50 percent of the population; we have a particular way of seeing things, but it is the male perspective that has dominated for so long in cinema. This perspective has led to discrimination against women, violence against women. Our popular culture justifies this perspective, and makes stalking seem like love, makes harassment and abuse of women okay. Director wanting to make female oriented films have complained that the censors have a problem with a female point of view; they’re just not comfortable with something that questions or disturbs the status quo.
Nowadays these production houses are not active once made such type of classic movies. Even actors of those movies are not making movies, like Alamgir Pictures, Amjad Hossain Cholochitra etc even Rajluxmi, SS Production, Bobita Movies are not investing in the industry to make like this films.
We only need inspiration, willingness and logistic support or investors. The question is: who will take the lead?
The writer is a journalist working
for The Independent