Independence Day 2023: Here’s a look at all the cliches from which Hindi cinema has won its hard-fought independence

To coincide with India’s 76th Independence day, here’s a look at all the cliches from which Hindi cinema has won its hard-fought independence. In a dramatically transformed movie industry, many taboos have been trashed and some cinematic staples have been summarily shown the exit door.

Certain cancelled cliches that leap to the eye now seem obsolete. The doting mother always offering gajar ka halwa, the dependent sister who has to be protected by the hyper-masculine brother, the hero always standing first in class. The effete giggling gay, the hero’s sidekick, the golden-hearted vamp, the monsoons-propelled lovemaking ... all gone the way of the dodo. But there are some more changes which run deep.

Independence from...

Narrow definition of masculinity

Recent films have expanded the definition of masculinity from the narrow confines it was long constrained within. Unlike the unidimensional, masculine leading man of yore, Ranveer Singh in Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani plays a new-age lover who learns kathak dancing in solidarity with his fiance’s father, a dance instructor, after the latter is insulted because of his ‘strange’ passion. Moreover, Singh is shown to be secure enough in his masculinity to perform in public to the estrogen-soaked Dola re dola number, unabashedly shaking his kamar a la Madhuri Dixit-Nene and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. And no, the scene is not played for comedy.

The quintessential Hindi film ‘hero’ was fully equipped to best any situation. However, Ayushman Khurrana’s films have him playing leading men who are disadvantaged from the conventional viewpoint — he suffers from erectile dysfunction in Shubh Mangal Saavdhan, is complexed about his bald head in Bala and is a phone sex worker who replicates a seductive female voice in Dream Girl. Their box-office success has vindicated the potential of unconventional male leads.

Khurrana also portrayed the love story of regular gay men in Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan. It’s well nigh impossible to imagine Amitabh Bachchan or Dharmendra essaying the typical Khurrana role. 

Independence from...

Cliche of the submissive, sexually hesitant leading lady

Long after the heyday of Meena Kumari and Nutan, today’s leading ladies are happily shouldering films, but not by emphasising self-sacrifice or suffering. Instead, they are successful sportswomen (Mary Kom), solo honeymooners (Queen), competent corporate women (Piku), surrogates with agency (Mimi) and independent scientists (Mission Mangal). The delicate flower reliant on male chivalry is passe. Alia Bhatt essayed the role of an Indian spy in Raazi and a brassy brothel keeper in Gangubai Kathiawadi.

For decades the syntax of cinematic romance always stopped short of mentioning sex… Remember the feather motif in Mughal-e-Azam? But, nowadays, in the most matter of fact manner, Taapsee Pannu sleeps with her lover before and after being married to another man in Manmarziyaan. 

Earlier, sex was attributed to stormy nights and undersized Turkish towels. From Dhool Ka Phool (1950s), Aradhana (1960s), Julie (1970s) to Mujhe Insaaf Chahiye (1980s), premarital sex has been repeatedly freighted with guilt and grief. In a marked departure, today’s leading ladies are shown to initiate premarital sex. Popular heroines like Deepika Padukone (who takes the lead and sleeps with a befuddled Arjun Kapoor in Finding Fanny) or Anushka Sharma in Jab Tak Hai Jaan (who reveals: “Alag alag accent ke bandon ke saath sex karna hai”) play sexually active and assertive women.

Independence from...

Straight-laced relationships

The simple triangles of old have given way to cliche-breaking relationship conundrums. Consider this: In De De Pyar De, Ajay Devgn and Tabu play a separated couple who still strike romantic sparks though he has a young girlfriend. 

Rocky Rani... too posits that a woman can want a relationship based on lust even as Alia pointedly ogles Ranveer’s bare chest.

Extramarital relationships once had to crash and burn as in Silsila (1981). Today’s films offer a more considered view. Karan Johar’s Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna dared to show Shah Rukh and Rani Mukerji consummating their passion while still married to other people. The film’s romantic culmination is reached with Shah Rukh proposing to Rani!

However, as long as there is a herd mentality, cliches will exist. Excessive violence, abusive language, sensuality for the shock value , new cliches are gaining ground even as one sees the shattering of the carapace of the older ones.

Independence from... Cliched behaviour on personal lives

The desire for Garboesque exclusivity is no longer prevalent among young stars thanks to their obsessive updating of their own social media and their visibility at malls and TV shows during film promotions 

Ironically, on the sets, they are now more inaccessible -- make up rooms have been replaced by vanity vans, film publicists by personal managers, and one-to-one interviews by group interviews. 

Also, there's no more washing of dirty linen in public. In an age of personal branding and image consultants, emotional outbursts in the press have given way to carefully worded admissions and philosophical non sequiturs about life lessons learnt, yadda yadda. Hrithik Roshan-Suzanne Khan and Aamir Khan-Kiran Rao broke up after decade-long relationships but we had been spared the details as all parties zipped their lips.

However, as long as there is a herd mentality, cliches will exist. Tentpole pictures with expensive action sequences have recently been box-office bonanzas and unleashed a spate of sequels and similar CGI-heavy action adventures. Excessive violence, abusive language, sensuality for the shock value... new cliches are gaining ground even as one sees the shattering of the carapace of the older cliches.