EPISODE 2: ADULTHOOD OR BOLLYWOOD ?

changing the subject of the unit.

Yesterday night, I had a discussion with an indian friend of mine. She was telling me this new heartbreaking rape case in India, socially as huge as the "bus incident". I was completely appalled by the story. 

We talked a lot how the indian political response was taking the issue the wrong perspective. They are trying to protect indian girls, forcing them to be home by a certain hour or demonizing them for wearing skirts. My friend was saying that in this patriarchal society, the problem is cultural, based on traditional values. From the moment they are born, boys get praised for their existence only, whereas girls are seen as less valuable. 
"Obviously", it leads uneducated men to think that women are just here to make their existence better, sexual desire included. 
Consent is not even a topic on the table, the word of a woman meaning nothing. 

She also pointed the fact that the entertainment industry is perpetuating the rape culture through films, series. 
Then, we noticed that most of the bollywood movies are pretty much the same with the way the characters would me and, eventually fall in love. More than being an endorsement of the patriarchal society, they would legitimate the rape culture and its symbols. 

The guy would try to chase the girl. She would say no, at the first and maybe at second attempt and after weird moments of harassing and hazardous meetups, she would eventually say yes. 
Throughout the film, their toxic relationship is veiled by beautiful clothes, music and spectacular choreography. 

Before having this discussion, I only saw Bollywood as beautiful statement from the indian film industry, praising the indian culture (fashion, architecture, music) through particular filming angles, and bold colours/lighting, very much different from Hollywood, therefore taking musical comedy to another level. 

I would like to make this, my research proposal for this unit for different reasons. First of all, it has nothing to do with my culture (african or french background) and it appears to be challenging. 
Second of all, as a feminist myself, I want to question and unveil problematics on issues that people are still fantazing about, such as the glamourous Bollywood world.