Indian cinema has bought into idea(s) of Hollywood in more than one ways. Except making films in Indian languages—no matter how polluted by English they already are, Indian movies sound and look more and more like non-Indian films. The way contemporary characters dress both men and women usually are some version of the fashion from the west, slowly erasing one of the most Indian aspects of Indian movies. The vibrancy of Indian color is still maintained, but the elegance of wearing Indian outfits as a choice of home-wear, casual-wear, professional and everyday wear, especially for women, which are climate appropriate, is fast being made to seem a choice for the poor and economically backward classes.
Increasingly, Indian cinema makes movies of a “certain genre”, rather than masala films. While former employs usually one or two emotions in narrating its story, the latter exposes audiences to a range of emotions through storytelling. And now, there are “franchise films” replacing one-time unforgettable characters, best remembered through one remarkable performance. So, as opposed to Anand, Zanjeer and Sholay that brilliantly immortalized characters in the first attempt, there are now Munna Bhais and Golmaal Returns and Jolly LLB 2—that keep returning to capitalize on their first successes.
However, Jolly LLB is more about the judiciary system than just about one lawyer, so the character is new, as is his situation from the earlier movie of the same title, released in 2013. And the one thing very typically Indian about the movie is its location of action– the Indian courtroom.
The movie, promoted as a comedy, certainly does help you maintain an amused expression for the most part of the film. But despite the fact that Bollywood thinks that it has broken the “old mold”, of masala films, it is simply creating new stereotypes. Here are some that stood out for me in Jolly LLB 2:
First: In the last few years, a few things that have become staple in Bollywood films. Women have become the gender of choice to sell alcohol to public as a fun, normative thing to do. Usually this involves them getting drunk, doing silly things and sometimes throwing themselves on men. But Jolly LLB 2 reached a new height when they showed a mother of a six-year old drinking and passing out in front of her child. Not once were the consequences of such an act even considered in the courtroom drama that talked constantly about “the right thing to do”. No commentary on what happens to children who see their parents, especially mothers, getting drunk and passing out in front of them. So, now instead of bars, alcohol is right at the center of the family, normalizing it, even encouraging it as a marker for a healthy family. Because, there were no repercussions, and no undesirable outcome of a mother drinking in front of her son.
Second: While in earlier movies it was a Naina living in New York or a Rani from Rajouri Garden who drinks in Paris to deal with her broken heart after she is abandoned by her fiancé, today it is a Shruti from Janakpuri, a regular Delhi graduate from middle class family, who is shown drinking to celebrate her wedding planning business, as if mithai and chai, an age old way of celebrating does not fit us anymore. But in Jolly LLB 2, it is Pushpa Pandey, an MA in Sanskrit at that, who has a thing for “angrezi sharab” such that despite a spat with her husband she gets up to down an entire bottle while her child sleeps in the same room. So, this love of alcohol is now presented as a norm.
Third: For all the hu-ha about feminism and movies, Pushpa Pandey is a real parasite. No, I mean really, she just takes and takes, without giving. She does not work, does not cook, talks to her husband like he is her sidekick, even though she has no special quality or ability except an obsession with western, especially designer clothes. Despite her MA in Sanskrit she utters Gucci a few times in the movie, and then to celebrate her anniversary buys a designer dress. In fact, in the beginning of the movie, she does not let her husband in the house because he has not yet bought her these designer clothes. Jolly has to break into his own house with the help of his neighbor and despite being a Brahmin “makes up” with his wife by giving an example from Mahabharata and offering her alcohol. When their six year old child demands to be taken the toilet, Jolly says, “mummy to talli ho gayi” and helps the child. The modern Indian woman can take and demand, but has no responsibility to give.
Fourth: Sufi songs are beautiful. They touch the heart. I could listen to them forever. But lately there have been too many and often it is the Hindus that are ready with their sajdahs and taveez who grace these songs. I would like to see a Muslim walk into a temple, a Christian resting his head at Krishna’s feet in our secular country. I feel minorities are underrepresented in temples. Or we could have a Shiv Bhajan playing as a Muslim young woman is shown praying in a temple, or see a Christian dancing to a lively rendition of Hanuman Chalisa.
Fifth: I thought movies today were about “reality” more real than before, then we should show various aspects of reality. So, if Jolly is riding a scooter, sometimes he should be shown wearing a helmet, sometimes not, and well, sometimes we should show the consequences of not wearing a helmet as well. Make it a part of the plot, so while the audience learns that offering alcohol to your wife is a prerequisite for a healthy family life, so is wearing a helmet for the safety of the body and eventually family.
Given the current direction of Bollywood it is hard to expect that they will make any course correction in the near future. So brace yourself for more ugliness in the future.
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