REPRESENTATION OF MIDDLE-AGED AND ELDERLY WOMEN IN BOLLYWOOD

Abstract

Media is said to reflect the culture in which it exists. The interaction between culture and media often gives rise to certain stigmas and stereotypes or propagation of prejudiced ideologies and behaviors. The aim of this paper is to analyze the how media deals with the phenomenon of ageing from a gendered perspective. Moreover, through instances from popular Bollywood movies with elderly female characters and a detailed review of the movie Leela with two middle- aged female protagonists, it will see how Indian cinema represents middle-aged and elderly women, simultaneously focusing on their negative portrayal of ageing women as well as the efforts that have been made to re-shape and re-invent their characters in order to challenge the stereotypes and stigmas attached to ageing. The description of representation will also aim to   look into the discourses on ‘successful ageing’.