Bollywood has never understood the gravity of its influence. Be it regressive movie plots or sexist and misogynistic dialogues, Bollywood never takes accountability for its movie’s impact on the larger audience. From promoting regressive stereotypes and spreading misinformation, Bollywood has failed our society many times. And ‘Chupke Chupke,’ a multi-starrer movie, is one such example that misconstrued sensitive subjects like surrogacy and perpetuated regressive stereotypes, particularly regarding women.
The movie, released in 2001, featured Salman Khan, Rani Mukerji, and Preity Zinta in lead roles but unfortunately failed in its portrayal of significant societal issues. Here are at least 8 reasons why the film missed the mark:
Women’s Only Purpose = Give A Kid to the Family
This movie crosses all the limits when it comes to promoting a regressive take about women. It overglorifies how a woman’s only purpose in life is to give a child to the family. Rather than taking a stand against this regressive perspective, the movie reinforces societal norms that dictate a woman’s worth based on her ability to conceive. Unfortunately, the movie brands infertile women as ‘bad wives’ and ‘bad daughters-in-law.’
Misinterpretation of Surrogacy
From time to time, Bollywood has failed miserably to handle sensitive topics. The tragic misrepresentation of surrogacy in ‘Chupke Chupke Chori Chori’ shows a lack of understanding of the complexities and medical procedures involved. It bizarrely implies that surrogacy necessitates sexual relations with the surrogate. Have the makers heard of IVF?
Faking Pregnancy for the Family
Rather than shattering the taboo about surrogacy, the movie promotes it. How Raj and Priya fake the pregnancy to the whole family rather than telling them is problematic. The movie should have shown how the couple earned the support of the family rather than hiding it. What a missed opportunity!
Lack of Informed Decision-Making
The characters in the movie, Raj and Priya, appear shockingly uninformed about surrogacy. Instead of depicting a careful, medically guided decision-making process, the film suggests an ill-conceived notion that surrogacy can be agreed upon through casual conversations and handshakes.
Emotional Exploitation
The emotional manipulation showcased in the movie, where Priya drugs her husband and encourages him to have sex with the surrogate, is deeply unsettling. This scene exploits the emotions and vulnerability of all the characters involved, treating them merely as pawns in an ill-conceived narrative.
‘Chori Chori Chupke Chupke’ missed a critical opportunity to educate and enlighten its audience on surrogacy and the broader issue of women’s rights and societal expectations. Instead, it regrettably reinforced stereotypes and perpetuated misinformation, leaving a lasting negative impact on its viewers. It serves as a reminder of the importance of responsible and accurate representation in the realm of cinema.