'Bollywood Focuses On Upper Body': Akashaditya On 'South Navel Fetish' Claims

Ahead of the release of their upcoming film Dulhaniya Le Aaegi, Brazilian-born Bollywood actress Larissa Bonesi and director Akashaditya Lama appeared on host Siddharth Kannan's podcast. The wide-ranging discussion turned into an exchange regarding the fine line between glamour, sensuality, and objectification in Indian film industries.

On "Item Numbers" and Regional Fetishes

The conversation began with Siddharth raising the issue of dance tracks that objectify women. Reflecting on her time in India, Larissa noted, "I have seen a lot of this in India, especially when they say like she's an 'item girl.'"

Siddharth steered the conversation towards regional filmmaking habits, pointing out that several actresses who worked in South Indian films have openly spoken about directors focusing heavily on an actress's midriff.

He said, "I've heard some actresses who have done films down South, they say South directors have a navel fetish." Larissa replied, "Really?" Siddharth questioned her, "Have you experienced that?" Larissa replied, "No."

Turning to director Akashaditya Lama, Siddharth pressed further, asking if the Hindi film industry held a similar obsession. Siddharth said, "It's on record, live. Hindi film mein aisa kuch hai fetish? [Is there a similar fetish in Hindi cinema?]"

Akashaditya said, "I think it's the upper part of the body maybe. Lekin mujhe aisa lagta hai ki agar main hamari film ki baat karu, this is not an item song. We have never used that term also because this is a promotional song. Ye objectify nahi hai. Glamorous alag thing hai. You should not be sleazy. Maine pehle samjha ek sleeziness and ek sensuousness mein kya fark hai."

(English: "I think it's the upper part of the body maybe. But I feel if I talk about our film, this is not an item song. We have never used that term either, because this is a promotional song. This isn't objectification. Glamour is a different thing. You should not be sleazy. I first understood the difference between sleaziness and sensuality.")

To illustrate his point on how perspective shapes portrayal, Akashaditya drew a comparison between classical literature and pulp fiction.

Akashaditya Lama said, "Jaise Maine aapko bata raha hoon, ek chota sa example deraha hoon. Ajeeb sa hai. Kalidas jo hai unhone saundarya ka varnan kiye hai agar aap padhenge kis khubsoorti se. Hum jab teenage mein the, ek Mastram the, same cheez the. Woh bhi unko describe kar rahe. Kalidas jo hai woh female ke khubsoorti ko...ek ek part ko describe kiye hai...man woman ke relationship ke bare mein, one-night stand ke bare mein ek kavita hai, and itni khubsurat kavita hai, agar aap usko padhenge toh aapke rongte khade hojaenge. Aapko rongte khade hojate hai. Aapko usse pyaar hojaega. It's on how you describe."

(English: "As I am telling you, let me give you a small example. It might sound unusual. If you read the classical poet Kalidasa, look at how beautifully he described physical grace. When we were teenagers, there was Mastram [pulp fiction], which covered the same topic. He was describing it too. But Kalidasa described a woman's beauty... every single feature... there is a poem about a relationship between a man and a woman, about a one-night stand, and it is such a beautiful poem. If you read it, it gives you goosebumps. You get goosebumps. You fall in love with it. It all depends on how you describe it.")

He further added that the film industry and society at large are steadily evolving.

Akashaditya said, "Over the period of time, logo ke soch badal rahi hai, hamare industry bhi badal rahe hai. Bohot sare padhe likhe log bhi arahe hai. Unke nazariya and bolne ka tareeka change hua hai. Mujhe lagta hai ek samay mein as a part of India kuch kuch pockets mein the jahan aurton ko jaise objectify karte the, ab wahan pe bhi nazariya change hogaya."

(English: "Over time, people's mindset is changing, and our industry is changing too. A lot of educated people are joining the industry. Their perspective and way of speaking have changed. I feel that at one point in certain pockets of India, the way women were objectified was prevalent, but now the perspective has changed even there.")

Siddharth referenced prominent actresses such as Malavika Mohanan, Taapsee Pannu, and Pooja Hegde, who have previously spoken publicly about camera angles and the framing of women on screen. Addressing this point, Larissa emphasised the role of camera direction and individual choice:

"They want to showcase; it's their choice, but it's a bit scary at times because there's a very thin line being seductive, being sexy, being beautiful, and being vulgar. Maybe the change of the angle can change the look of the song," added Larissa.

Source: NDTV Trending