I am analyzing the most viewed Bollywood music videos on YouTube using the Sex Role Perspective. While analyzing with the Sex Role Perspective, I will utilize 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 “Moto” by Diler Kharkiya.
Link to video: Moto (Official Video)| Ajay Hooda | Diler Kharkiya | Anjali Raghav | Latest Haryanvi Song 2020
Evaluating Masculinity
- Reinforcing stereotypes
- A man steals the main female character’s purse, and one of the main male characters stops him and slaps him. This scene portrays stereotypically masculine traits of aggression, forcefulness, and willingness to take risks. Additional scenes of the two main male characters sitting on their convertible car and riding a motorcycle reinforce these traits.
- The two main male characters are competing to win over the main female character, portraying the male characters as competitive and ambitious.
- Resisting stereotypes
- The two main male characters have a very close friendship and show this by hugging each other, kissing each other on the cheek, pinching each others’ faces, laughing together, and more. This portrays these two characters as affectionate and warm towards each other, stereotypically feminine traits.
- The two main male characters are constantly joking around and laughing, and they wear outfits that are very colorful. These things portray them as cheerful and childlike, stereotypically feminine traits.
- The two main male characters are shown in the kitchen cooking together with aprons on in one scene. This scene defies generally masculine stereotypes and shows the male characters in a more domestic, stereotypically feminine role.
Evaluating Femininity
- Reinforcing stereotypes
- Throughout the music video, the main female character is not susceptible to flattery.
- Throughout the music video, there are reoccurring scenes of the female character sitting on a throne smiling for the camera, with the wind blowing her hair. This is a stereotypical feminine scene that portrays her as cheerful and warm. Presenting her in this way is also somewhat objectifying, as emphasis is put on her physical appearance alone.
- Resisting stereotypes
- The female character tends to be more serious in most scenes compared to the male characters and is shown going about her day alone in most scenes. Unlike the male characters, she is portrayed as independent, self-sufficient, and having a strong personality in this way, all stereotypically masculine traits.
Shared by: Seela Raj
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