I will be analyzing the most viewed Bollywood music videos on YouTube using the Sex Role Perspective. While analyzing with the Sex Role Perspective, I will be utilizing the items for evaluating masculinity and femininity as presented by Hyde (1995, p. 134), and these specific items will be italicized. In this post, I will be discussing the music video for “Rowdy Baby” from the Bollywood film Maari 2. 

Link to video: Maari 2 – Rowdy Baby (Video Song) | Dhanush, Sai Pallavi | Yuvan Shankar Raja | Balaji Mohan

 

Evaluating Masculinity

  • Reinforcing stereotypes
    • In the first scene of the music video, the main male and female characters each pick up a pair of shoes with faces drawn on them. On the man’s shoes, a serious face with sunglasses and a mustache is drawn on. This face could be interpreted as portraying a strong personality, which is a trait stereotypically associated with masculinity.
    • The main male character wears sunglasses for the majority of the music video, which likely are masking the expression of emotions on his face and thus presenting him as less affectionate, a stereotypically feminine trait, and more individualistic or forceful, stereotypically masculine traits.
    • In one scene, male background dancers wearing red suits appear and dance in a more fast and forceful manner than female background dancers do in other scenes. The combination of the red clothing and more forceful-like dance moves reinforce masculine stereotypes of aggression and forcefulness.
  • Resisting stereotypes
    • The male character is always present next to the female character throughout the music video, putting the majority of his attention towards her, which makes him seem less dominant or independent and more warm and loyal, which are stereotypically feminine traits.
    • The male character shows warmth, tenderness, and affection towards the female character through actions and words. For instance, he sings a line which the female character also sings that says, “I’m your little puppy; take me, take me.” Such words show warmth, tenderness, and affection, typically feminine traits, coming from a man.

 

Evaluating Femininity

  • Reinforcing stereotypes
    • In the first scene of the music video, the female character picks up a pair of shoes with a face drawn on that has long eyelashes and pink lips and a gentle look to it. This face could be seen as portraying the stereotypical traits of being feminine and gentle or tender. 
    • In the opening of the music video, female background dancers appear, mostly wearing clothes that are pink and purple in color and dancing in a cheerful way. This is a presentation of a stereotypically feminine image.
    • In several instances, the female character is seen touching the face of the male character in a warm and affectionate way, reinforcing these stereotypically feminine traits.
    • A few times, the male character picks up or holds the female character, presenting the female character as stereotypically childlike and yielding.
  • Resisting stereotypes
    • In many of the scenes, the main female character does similar or the same dance moves as the male character. In general, the female character’s dancing is not overly feminine or objectifying, and her dancing even shows characteristics typically associated with masculinity, like forcefulness.
    • The clothing which the main female character wears is largely parallel to what the male character wears in most instances, with mostly pants and long sleeves being worn and similar color schemes. She does not wear clothing that is revealing nor that noticeably has the purpose of objectification. Thus, the main female character’s clothing largely defies general stereotypes.
    • In one instance, the male and female characters are shown staring intently at each other, but it was the female character who initiated this staring. Unlike what is commonly seen in media, the female does not passively look away or show licensed withdrawal but rather initiates an intense staring at the male character, showing untypical forcefulness and assertiveness from the female character.

Shared by: Seela Raj
Image Credit: https://www.filmcompanion.in/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Film-Companion-Rowdy-Baby-Lead-Image-3-min-1280x720.jpg