A RESEARCH REPORT

ON
UNDERSTANDING THE PORTRAYAL OF CHRISTIAN CHARACTERS
IN BOLYWOOD FILMS
Submitted by: Anupriya Mathai (III BA CEOEP)

1. INTRODUCTION
Movies are often described as having the power to influence individual beliefs and values. In
(Cape, 2003), the authors assert movies’ influence in both creating new thinking patterns in
previously unexplored social phenomena, especially in children, as well as their ability to
update an individual’s existing social boundaries based on what is shown on screen as the
”norm”. The Christian characters that Bollywood had over the decades have been varied and
colourful as well as dark and violent. Hence the focus of this study is to analyse the portrayal
of the minority group characters, specifically Christians in the Bollywood films produced in
the post and pre liberalisation era. Bollywood with liberalisation has ushered in a world view
that slowly changed the way the audience or the films perceived the characters. As a result, the
symbols of stereotype of a Christian character changed over the years. The purpose of the study
is to understand how the image of Christian characters are perceived by the audience due to the
influence of media and highlight the stereotypical ideas formed about them over the period of
time.

2. REVIEW OF LIERATURE
- According to Vermeer A S, University of Iowa (2014) - ‘Searching for God-portrayals of
religion on television’, media (television in this case) plays a major role in the production of
American cultural narratives. It has become a highly influential platform for both the
presentation and discussion of religious issues that matter to the younger generation of
America.
- According to Das S S in the study "Bollywood and Liberalization", she says that the economic
liberalisation played a major role in the Bollywood industry. Economic liberalisation provided
Bollywood a global exposure and gave plenty of economic and financial facilities. To cater the
audience of all kinds in India and abroad, filmmakers started experimenting with the concepts,
music, fashion, location etc. The focus of the filmmakers were more on the exhibition, as with
more exposure the sensibilities changed of how people perceive the concept or the characters.

2. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.
3.1 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM:
The problem is to understand the portrayal of Christians in Bollywood films and its influence
on people. To find its effect in the way people form the impression of Christians and their
personality in general.

3.2 OBJECTIVES:
-To analyse the portrayal of Christians in the Bollywood in the past two decades.
-To understand the impression created by Bollywood movies of Christian characters.

3.3 RESEARCH QUESTION:

How are the Christians portrayed in Bollywood movies and what are the stereotypical ideas
associated with their identity?

3.4 RESEARCH DESIGN:

Qualitative descriptive research design using the criteria of analysis of movies selected by the
researcher.

3.5 SAMPLING:
A sample of total 8 Bollywood movies are taken as a sample sub divided on the basis of pre
liberalisation and post liberalisation period.

3.6 TIME DURATION:

The duration of this research study is 2 months.

3.7 LIMITATIONS:
-This studyuses qualitative descriptive method and thus involves self-analysis of the movies
chosen as the sample.
-The time duration for the study is 2 months.
-The researcher’s bias and subjectivity can also be a limitation.

4. DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

1. Mrs. D'Sa in Anari (1953)

Hrishikesh Mukherjee's Anari showed her a benevolent landlady who treats her naive tenant
Raj Kapoor who is a simpleton as her son. Mrs. D'sa is shown as a god fearing and bold woman
who is shown more as a protector to his son like tenant.Her attires are very simple and sober
throughout the film complimented with a rosary

2. Bobby in Bobby (1973)

Bobby is shown as a young, gentle yet bold teenager.The role of Dimple Kapadia as Bobby
was perceived by the audience as very sensuous and appealing unlike the cliché female
characters. Yet she also played the role of a gentle, helping and caring daughter in nature.

3. Anthony Gonzalves in Amar Akbar Anthony (1977)

The character of Anthony is of a likeable, socially conscious scamp who runs quasi-legal
operations and makes God his 'partner' by donating half his income to charity. Anthony in some
scenes is also seen in typical 'mawali'or goon attire. Anthony is seen taking the role of a father
for a scene where he wears the priestly attire with a cross around his neck.

4. Albert Pinto in Albert Pinto Ko Gussa Kyu Aata Hai (1980)

Saeed Mirza' Albert Pinto Ko Gussa Kyu Aata Hai revolves around Albert Pinto played
brilliantly by Naseerudhin Shah. Albert is a car mechanic who looses his temper every now
and then. He is portrayed as an angry young man with his unique ideologies.

5. Michelle McNally in Black (2005)

Black is a story of a deaf and blind girl Michelle McNally played by Rani Mukherjee and her
journey of completing her graduation. Michelle is shown as a typical Anglo Indian girl with a
great faith in God and Bible. Despite her disabilities she is shown to be a true believer who
regularly visits to church.

6. Jenny Pinto in Ajab Prem ki Gajab Kahani (2009)

Jenny Pinto played by Katrina Kaif was of a naive and simple Goan Catholic Christian girl.
Jenny and her family is shown speaking Hindi in Goan accent. Jenny's religiosity plays a
prominent role in her character and she is often seen seeking her solutions in prayers in the
chapel. Jenny unlike the other normal Goan Christians is a strictly against consuming non veg
food.

7. Veronica Malaney in Cocktail (2012)

Deepika Padukone who played the role of Vronica is seen wearing short dresses, hung around
with boys, partied all night and she drank to infinity which was anything but "sanskari". We
could see her as a character who loved dancing at the clubs, took charge of her sexuality boldly,
a very helpful friend and totally carefree.

8. Angie in Finding Fanny (2014)

The character of Angie played by Deepika Padukone, is of a Goan Catholic Christian girl born
and brought up in Goa, she is an orphan and a young widow. She is shown to be a religious
and obedient daughter.

5. FINDINGS
- The character of Mrs. D’sa in ‘Anari’ was of simpleton Christian woman who is god-loving
and motherly in nature indicating the idea of a good Samaritan woman.
- Mrs. D’sa is shown to be rough in words with a Goan accent to her Hindi.
- The character of Bobby from 'Bobby' became a sensation for her outfits which can symbolise
the Goan Christian lifestyle.
- Despite her loud voice and melodrama, Bobby was shown to be a conforming partner to her
lover.
-Anthony from 'Amar Akbar Anthony' is portrayed as a happy go lucky person who prefers to
live at the edge of the law, ready to have a hand fight if required.
- The accent to Hindi spoken by Anthony in the film is of Goan Christians.
-Albert in 'Albert Pinto ko Gussa Kyu Aata Hai' is the role of a angry young man who has his
own unique ideologies and principles.
- Albert is quite rough in his words and actions and hardworking and helpful towards.
- Michelle in ' Black' is shown as a violent and vulnerable character as a child, but later is seen
as a fine young lady with elegance.
- Michelle is also portrayed as a lady with great faith and love for God.
- Jenny in ' Ajab Prem ki Gajab Kahani' is a simpleton Goan Christian girl who is strict to his
principles and hates people who eat non veg.
- Jenny is often seen seeking solutions for her problems at the chapel.
- Veronica in 'Cocktail' is portrayed as a young and bold party girl, who believes in her
independence. She is also often seen wearing clingy cloths with a bottle liquor in the film.
- Vronica is portrayed as an understanding and helpful friend and but totally opposite to a '
sanskari' Indian girl.
- Angie in ' Finding Fanny' is seen again as a young middle class Goan Christian orphan widow
who is very responsible towards her mother in law.
- The wardrobe used for Fanny's character is simple yet bold.
- The cinematography used in 'Black', 'Ajab Prem ki Gajab Kahani' and 'Finding Fanny's are
done parts of Shimla, Goa and Ooty giving a green and lush mood to the scenes and to give the
vibes of Portuguese Christian lifestyle.
- Over the course of time, the portrayal of Christian characters have changed slightly yet not
so positively.

6. CONCLUSION:
From the research it can be concluded that linguistically and behaviourally, the Christian
characters had been generalized in a manner that had made a stereotypical image of this
minority ethnic group by the mass media, especially the Bollywood films. Thus it is high time
to give a reality check to portrayal of religion and ethnic groups and give a more realistic view
to the audience. The stereotypes formed with time can be resolved only with a more realistic
portrayal of the characters, something to which the audience specially the group of people being
portrayed can relate to, due to the exhaustive impact of movies on the lives and minds of
audience.
7. BIBLIOGRAPHY:
“Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s Anari- Expressions of a Director” - Radhika Sharma and Garima
Shrivastava- (2014)
http://iisjoa.org/sites/default/files/iisjoa/2014/PDF/12%20Radhika%20Sharma%20and%20Garima%2
0Srivastava.pdf

“Bobby(1973) film”- Wikipedia (last edited on September 13,2017)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_(1973_film)
“Anari(1959)- naïve hero in a naïve movie” published on November 11, 2009
http://www.letstalkaboutbollywood.com/article-anari-1959-naive-hero-in-a-naive-movie-
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“Finding Fanny”- Wikipedia (last edited on Auguest 15, 2017)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finding_Fanny
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http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/movie-reviews/finding-fanny/movie-
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“Black: Bhansali’s passion, pain and pleasure”- Sita Menon on February 4, 2005
http://www.rediff.com/movies/2005/feb/04black.htm
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“Bollywood and Liberaliaztion” by Soumya Suvra Das retrieved on September 21, 2017

http://www.academia.edu/6337927/Bollywood_and_Liberalization

“Myth about Goan Stereotypes in Bollywood”- Sachin Chatte, Navhind Times on October 11,
2014

http://www.navhindtimes.in/myth-goan-stereotypes-bollywood/

“Christian Brothers: More Stereotypes from Bollywood”- Diptakirti Chaudhuri on July 09,
2007

http://diptakirti.blogspot.in/2007/07/christian-brothers-more-stereotypes.html?m=1

“Quirky Parsis and Drunk Christians”- Charla Miriam Levy on January 22, 2016

https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/quirky-parsis-and-drunk-christians/296471
“In dire need of reality check- Christianity in Bollywood”- Tushar Sasi retrieved on September
18, 2017

http://filmysasi.com/bollywood-christianity/

“Which are some famous Bollywood Christian characters?”- Madhav Srimohan on December
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https://www.quora.com/Which-are-some-famous-Bollywood-Christian-characters

“The Transformation of Reel Stereotypes to Realistic Portrayal”- Yogesh Pawar on August 31,
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http://www.dnaindia.com/lifestyle/report-the-transformation-of-reel-stereotype-to-realistic-
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“Amar Akbar Anthony”- Wikipedia retrieved on September 9, 2017

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amar_Akbar_Anthony
Vermeer, Alicia Suzanne. "Searching for God: portrayals of religion on television." MA
(Master of Arts) thesis, University of Iowa, 2014.
http://ir.uiowa.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5301&context=etd