Monalisa on objectification of women: ‘Regional cinema has lacked aesthetic treatment at times’

Mumbai, Aug 30 (AHN) Actress Monalisa has opened up about the objectification of women in the entertainment industry.

Speaking exclusively to AHN, she drew a comparison between mainstream Hindi cinema and regional films, saying that while skin show is also common in Hindi cinema, the way they are presented can make a difference. Monalisa said that Hindi cinema also features skin show, but the way such scenes are filmed can make them appear more aesthetic to the audience.

“I think in Hindi cinema, even when there is a lot of skin show, the way it is shot is often very aesthetic. Because of the way it is presented, people may not feel that it looks wrong,” she said.

Talking about regional cinema, particularly Bhojpuri films, Monalisa acknowledged that the industry has sometimes lacked the same kind of aesthetic treatment. “I would say that perhaps regional cinema, particularly Bhojpuri cinema, has lacked that aesthetic treatment at times,” the actress said.

The ‘Nazar’ actress further explained that the same visual can create a different impression depending on how it is filmed and presented. According to Monalisa, elements such as showing the waist or a little skin can be handled differently when they are shot in an aesthetically appealing manner. “If the same thing is shot beautifully and aesthetically, whether you want to show the waist or a little skin, it can look different,” she added.

Monalisa concluded by emphasizing the importance of presentation when it comes to portraying women on screen. “So, I think presentation is also very important,” she said.

Monalisa’s comments come months after the makers of “Peddi” faced criticism over the portrayal of Janhvi Kapoor’s character, Achiyamma, opposite Ram Charan. The film sparked a debate on social media over what several users described as the hypersexualisation and objectification of the female lead. Certain scenes in the film drew attention for repeatedly focusing the camera on Janhvi’s cleavage and waist. Another widely discussed sequence showed Ram Charan’s character kissing her without her consent and later explaining the gesture as his way of expressing love.

The portrayal also drew reactions from several members of the film industry, who questioned the treatment of the female character and raised concerns about the objectification of women on screen.