Research Symposium

BIO

Ashlynn Richards is a first-year psychology major from Orlando, Florida. She has a particular interest in film and sociology, especially in how the film industry depicts society through its treatment and development of characters. She enjoys analyzing the ways movies reflect social issues, cultural values, and human behavior. In the future, she hopes to continue exploring the connections between psychology, media, and society.

Framing the Feminine: Exploring and Examining Female Characters in Bollywood

Abstract

Cinema is an important cultural artifact that both reflects and influences the society from which it originates. This research project analyzes the portrayal of female characters in Bollywood, a popular film industry in India, where society has traditionally held misogynistic views towards women. This research specifically focuses on how female film directors portray their female characters. Through a research method known as “film coding,” research assistants of this project gather quantitative and qualitative data. This method collects data of female speaking characters in selected films regarding their physical appearance, behaviors, and other indicators exhibited by these characters. However, preliminary findings showcase a trend of female directors defying traditional gender norms and expectations in their characters. An increased number of women are seen in professional careers and exhibiting socially taboo behavior, such as dating and drinking. Notably, 58% of female characters coded engage in taboo behaviors without as much scrutiny as before. In the future, the findings of this project will hopefully be useful to improve filmmakers’ representation and treatment of Indian women, both on and off the screen.

Keywords: Women, Film, Bollywood