Audiences should reject misogyny in movies, says Rahul Bose

Mumbai: Actor-director Rahul Bose believes people need to view films through the lens of gender and see if men and women are given equal importance in stories that are brought on the big screen.

"It is very important for people to relook at movies through lens of gender and ask ourselves are we taking certain misogynistic attitudes for granted and not thinking about it at all?" Rahul told PTI.

The 18th Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival with Star has instituted an award for 'Oxfam India - Best Film on Gender Equality'.

Rahul, who was part of a panel discussion on cinema as an influencer on gender based social norms, feels an award to honour a film showing gender equality is a great move.

"An award like this will start to create awareness that we need to see films in the light of gender (and raise questions like) are men and women treated same? Do they have same importance in a story? Does our writing process give them equal importance?"

Rahul says while there has been a considerable rise in films with female protagonists, there's a long way to go before Bollywood treats men and women equally.

"Things are moving in the right direction if we look at recent movies... But they need to be sustained for a long lasting change. There's still a long way to go."

The "Dil Dhadakne Do" actor says audience should outrightly reject misogyny in films.

"Audiences should reject misogyny in movies and if they don't watch such films then producers won't make them. The audiences need to be taught that will you accept such misogyny in real life? If not, then don't watch it as well. It is the responsibility of art to turn the society into more compassionate and civilised."

Agreeing with the actor, Nisha Agarwal, CEO Oxfam India, says, "The panel discussion was so exciting to see all these amazing women, who are all trying to break the social norms and create new positive society norms of what society would look like and what gender equality would mean."