Breaking Down the Bollywood Stereotypes in Hindi Films

Some of the best films ever made are from the Indian Bollywood film industry, and it’s one of the most popular film industries in the world today. However, many of these films fall prey to common stereotypes about India and Indians that aren’t accurate or fair representations of the country and its culture. So which Bollywood stereotypes are true? Which are false? And what can we do to ensure films are more culturally accurate in the future?

Most common roles

In 2017, Indian films made up roughly 90% of India’s total box office revenue. And many of these films still featured some variation on a similar set of roles: a male protagonist with his female love interest, lots of comic relief from a wacky sidekick or family member, an antagonist/rival/villain (who may also be love interest for another female character), and a bumbling police officer. [4] These stereotypes persist because audiences expect them to; filmmakers are under no obligation to challenge what works for their target audience. As long as people keep going to see them, you’ll continue seeing these roles on screen.

Why do these stereotypes matter?

Over a decade ago, Aamir Khan starred in one of Bollywood’s biggest blockbusters ever: Lagaan. The film was an unabashed sports drama that took place during colonial times, but it was also more than that. It took on class issues (the title refers to a tax Indian peasants had to pay) and casteism as well. Khan’s character ended up changing his mind about abolishing slavery when he learns that his low-caste coach would be affected by such a law change. This is perhaps one of India’s biggest stereotypes and yet, it has been explored in only one major Bollywood film so far—and that was nearly 15 years ago.

How can we break down these stereotypes?

In order to have diverse characters on screen, we need more writers who are open-minded. We also need a larger pool of actors that directors can choose from. If a director has only Indians with light skin and straight hair to cast for his or her next project, he or she will keep casting people with those traits over and over again. In addition, studios might want to consider hiring story consultants. For example, many LGBT+ youths in India aren't portrayed on screen because directors fear an adverse reaction from audiences—even though some movies with gay characters have received great reviews worldwide.

Does this extend beyond cinema?

While you probably already know that people who work in certain professions often are pigeonholed on screen, it may come as a surprise to learn just how prevalent stereotypes are. For example, because they’re not commonly thought of as hard workers, donkeys (of all things) have been featured regularly as part of menial labor sequences. What’s more surprising is that although female characters usually command much larger roles than their male counterparts, actresses are still painted with broad brushes. Rather than acting out story lines and character development for actresses on screen, directors tend to make snap judgments about personalities based on hair color—as if having red hair or green eyes instantly transforms you into a party girl or boy-crazy Lolita.