How Commercial Cinema's Male Gaze Objectifies Actresses Like Janhvi Kapoor
A critical discussion surrounding the impact of the "male gaze" and systemic objectification of female actors in commercial cinema has highlighted the professional toll experienced by actresses, drawing local attention in Koramangala. The analysis focuses on the stark double standards in mainstream Indian cinema, using the career trajectory of actress Janhvi Kapoor as a primary example of these industry-wide contradictions.
The critique contrasts Kapoor's work in Hindi cinema with her recent transition into big-budget Telugu commercial films. In Hindi films like Mili and Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl, Kapoor portrayed female characters defined by agency, ambition, and emotional depth. However, in major Telugu commercial releases such as Devara: Part 1 and Peddi, her roles are described as shifting from empowered characters to visual commodities.
In the film Peddi, the camera functions as an intrusive gaze rather than a tool for storytelling. The visual language of the film frequently fragments the actress's body, focusing heavily on her waist and chest instead of presenting her as an active participant in the story.
Additionally, the narrative of Peddi reportedly employs sexual violence against the female character as a convenient plot mechanism. This trauma is used primarily to motivate the male hero's anger and fuel his moral crusade. When the heroine later confronts the protagonist about the trauma, his justification—that violence is his way of expressing love—is framed as something for her to accept and understand, rather than as a warning sign.
This narrative choice exposes a recurring hypocrisy in commercial filmmaking, where the same violation is treated as monstrous when done by a villain, but romanticized when done by the superstar protagonist.
While critics frequently accuse female actors of "selling out" to secure lucrative roles alongside major stars like Ram Charan or N T Rama Rao Jr., the discussion argues that this blame is misplaced. Entering the pan-Indian commercial ecosystem is often a strategic calculation rather than a purely artistic choice. To access the industry's largest budgets, widest releases, and most powerful star vehicles, actresses must accept an implicit bargain where they serve as glamorous interludes between action sequences to enhance the male hero's appeal.
