Abstract
The study based upon content analysis, mainly compares gender
representations through male gaze, framing, and camera lens in
Indian and European music videos from year 2009 to 2013 It is an
analysis of sixty music videos, thirty from each industry,
comprising the top six chart busters from each year of the
chosen time frame. The theoretical framework of this research is
embedded in the nexus of Laura Mulvey’s male gaze and
“looked-at-ness”. . It observes the sexual depiction of lead
characters through dressing style, on- screen gender presence
as well as gender representation in popular music videos.
Findings reveal that Hindi songs were shot with stronger
male gaze slant as compared to American/British songs and
more screen time was given to females in both music industries
yet individually, Hindi songs were more centralized on female
leads. Both Indian and European music videos featured
females in provocative sexual apparels while displaying
seductive behaviors, while majority of singers/heroines were
barely or semi-clad yet males were usually fully dressed in almost
all observed songs. Results also reveal that most of the songs were
sung by male singers/leads but the focus of the videos remained
primarily on female characters and their bodies. This study
provides an important approach for future researchers, as the
manufactured reality of gender through the contemporary Eastern
and Western music industry is strikingly different from the real
gender trends and practised culture in the respective societies,
which needs to be further investigated in the context of
globalization.
Henna Saeed, Amir Ilyas, Sana Haroon, Attia Zulfiqar. (2013) Gazed representation: Analysis of gender portrayal in Hindi and English music videos, Journal of Media Studies, Volume 28, Issue 2.
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