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 “Chittiyaan Kalaiyaan” by Meet Bros Anjjan.  

Link to video: ‘Chittiyaan Kalaiyaan’ FULL VIDEO SONG | Roy | Meet Bros Anjjan, Kanika Kapoor | T-SERIES

Evaluating Masculinity

  • Reinforcing stereotypes
    • In the flash mob that forms in the opening scene, all of the men are playing the drums, which shows them in a more forceful role, compared to the women dancing.
    • The main male characters are shown in a very stereotypically masculine light, wearing sunglasses and dark colored clothing and rapping. In general, these main male characters are portrayed as being dominant and having strong personalities.
    • While most of the female background characters are either waitresses or bystanders, many of the male background characters are police officers and construction workers. This reinforces general stereotypes about masculinity and careers, portraying male characters as being more self-sufficient, forceful, and analytical.
  • Resisting stereotypes
    • Some of the male background characters are shown as quite childlike. For instance, one man is wearing a clown costume and blowing a fan in the main female character’s face.
    • There are a few instances where male background characters are shown to be cheerful and warm, stereotypically feminine traits.

Evaluating Femininity

  • Reinforcing stereotypes
    • The main female character is portrayed as very cheerful and warm.
    • In general, the clothing worn by the female characters is much more revealing, and camera angles draw attention to this and contribute to stereotypical objectification of female characters.
  • Resisting stereotypes
    • The singer of the band and the leader of the dancing flash mob in the opening scenes of the music video are both women. This shows female characters as acting as leaders and being independent, stereotypically masculine traits.

Shared by: Seela Raj
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