Populism, Mainstream Cinema, and Misogynistic Fatphobia

The Indian film industry has often banked on derogatory comments aimed at women’s physiques to invoke casual humor in movies. Misogynist acts like “playful body-shaming,” passing slanderous remarks on a woman’s physique, and using her weight as an excuse for male protagonists to “abandon” her reinforce negative gender stereotypes that have been in society for a long time. The demeaning rhetoric employed in such dialogues frequently plays on pre-existing societal prejudices and preconceived notions regarding gender disparities. When mainstream movies portray women as less intellectual or incapable than men based on their weight or physical appearance, they appeal to individuals who already hold such beliefs, thus establishing resonance with a particular section of the audience and reinforcing the marginalization of overweight women as an ostracized section of society. This article aims to analyze such populist narratives in high-grossing mainstream Indian films and examine how they acts as catalysts to normalize discriminatory culture in cinema.