Abstract
The paper aims to analyze the way in which films have transformed traditional gender roles, particularly in relation to changing societal norms that have hitherto portrayed women as homemakers and men as heads of families. In the beginning, cinema propagated orthodox images, which positioned women mainly as mothers and wives, while men were always shown as commanding heads over women. But modern films are abandoning such portrayals for more complex ones that consider social relations as they are today. A critical review illustrates how female characters have taken on the roles of CEOs, entrepreneurs or breadwinners, resulting in more of an escape from house chores into decision-making positions as film is a changing tool in society. Culturally, this equality in filmography reflects the acceptance of alternative gender identities and behaviors by which leadership or family responsibilities are untied from conventional sex roles. Within this context, films mirror and shape cultural change by depicting women in essential positions while men play a caring part, thus creating an egalitarian view of female-male relationships.
Keywords: – Gender Identity, Film Representation, Cinema and Society, Women Empowerment, Masculinity and Caregiving, Cultural Shifts, Gender Equality, Gender Dynamics in Film, Media and Gender.
Jerald J Kocherry1*, Asghar Ali Ansari2