Women’s characters have more often than not been measured by the length of their skirts, or the amount of skin they choose to “flaunt”. Hell, even the former tourism minister Mahesh Sharma had cautioned female tourists in 2016 to not wear skirts for their “own safety”.
So on Monday when an Indore-based model and blogger took to Twitter to narrate an episode of sexual harassment she faced for wearing a skirt while riding in the city, in the most perverse manner, things made sense. This is what the woman posted on her Twitter account: “This happened today. Two guys tried to pull my skirt while I was on my activa and said, “Dikhao iske niche. Kya hai?” (Show us what’s underneath).
This happened today. Two guys tried to pull my skirt while I was on my activa and said, “dikhao Iske niche Kya hai?” I tried to stop them and lost control and met with an accident. pic.twitter.com/V02hb62vwE
— A (@SharmaAakarshi) April 22, 2018
At this point in time, we won’t blame you if a niggling question crops up in your mind. Where do these men come from? What makes them think they can get away with this?
Well, there could be many answers to that but we thought of bringing to your notice this bit of news dating back to 2015. The Telegraph, UK, reports how a 32-year-old man accused of stalking two women in Australia escaped conviction after arguing he was influenced by Bollywood movies to believe that doggedly pursuing a woman would eventually cause them to fall in love.
To elucidate, we bring to you a rich legacy of Bollywood songs that promote “casual misogyny”.
Take these few songs for example:
1. Yeh Ladki badi magroor hai from Parwane
Yeh Ladki badi magroor hai,
Isse apne jawani pe garoor hai,
Hum iska garoor todenge
Isko na kahi ka chodenge!
(Translation: This girl is a snob, she is proud of her youth, we will tame her, we will ensure that she is of no use to anyone).
This song from the 1993 film Parwane celebrates stalking, molestation and rape threats with such consummate ease that you will be left breathless. A generation grew up humming this song. Need we say anything more?
2. O Lal Dupatte Wali from Aankhen
O laal dupatte waali, tera naam to bata
O kaale kurate waali tera naam to bata naam to bata,
Tera naam to bata, tera naam to bata
(Translation: The one with the red scarf, tell me your name. The one with the black top, tell me your name.)
This song from the Govinda-starrer 1992 film Aankhen garnered a cult following. And for good reason, it generated a generation of stalkers/harassers, who would grow up to address their crushes with the colour of the clothes they were wearing.
3. Aanchal ke andar kya hai from Khal-Naaikaa
Aanchal ke andar kya hai
Aanchal ke andar choli
Aanchal ke andar
Jaipur ki choli mein
Raisham ka band hai
Choli bhi pasand choli
Wali bhi pasand hai
(Translation: What’s underneath your dupatta? What’s under your blouse? Your blouse from Jaipur has a silk detailing. I like the blouse and the one wearing it)
This song from the Jeetendra-starrer Khal-Naaikaa has one pointed question for the lady: What is under your aanchal? Released in 1993, this movie stuck to one formula – Be as inappropriate as you can and everything else sounds like music.
Also Read: How To Be A Supportive Colleague: 5 Lessons Courtesy Bollywood
4. Angna Mein Baba from Aankhen
Angna Mein Baba Duaare Pe Maa
Angna Mein Baba Duaare Pe Maa
Kaise Aaye Gori Ham Tumhare Ghar Maa
Are Angna Mein Baba Duaare Pe Maa
Angna Mein Baba Duaare Pe Maa
Kaise Aaye Gori Ham Tumhare Ghar Maa
(Translation: Your father is in the courtyard. Your mother is at the door. Tell me how am I going to come into your home?)
Another song from the 1993 film Aankhen is deceptively innocent as it maintains the theme of two lovers wanting to spend time with each other, but soon (from 2.11 onwards) the guy thinks it’s okay to look under the skirt because, well, she just invited him in and specified that her parents won’t be there. Guys, she easy.
5. Chunari Sambhaal Gori Udi Chali Jaye Re from Baharon Ke Sapne
Chunari sambhal gori udi chali jaye re
Ye (chunari sambhal gori udi chali jaye re
Mar naa de dank kahi najar koyi hay)
(Translation: Take care of your scarf, girl. It’s flying away. This scarf should not be the reason someone’s wandering eye stings you)
We can’t trace back to the origin of this cautionary tale of how the aanchal or the chunaari must be in place at all costs, but this Rajesh Khanna and Asha Parekh-starrer 1967 classic foretells something sinister. What might that be? It’s the “nazar” of people that might sting her.
Also Read: Why Bollywood Will Never Understand Abhay Deol
6. Galat Baat Hai from Main Tera Hero
Chhote Kapde Pehan Ke Yun Nachna
Toh Galat Baat Hai
O Chhote Kapde Pehan Ke Yun Nachna
Toh Galat Baat Hai
O Khote Nainon Se Humko Yun Takna
Toh Galat…
(Translation: Dancing while wearing short clothes is not okay-x2. Ogling at me with perversion in your eyes is not okay)
Well, who would have thunk it that even in 2014 our creative liberties allowed us to go only so far that we come up with lyrics like this carefully crafted item from the Varun Dhawan-starrer Main Tera Hero. The lyricist had probably woken up in an era where woke people weren’t frantically condemning sexist lyrics on social media and times were simpler because offence was a faraway concept.
