Audience tired of lazy portrayals of Bollywood’s stereotypes

Rethinking cultural portrayals in Hindi cinema

Indian cinema, especially Bollywood, has long played an important role in shaping how different cultures and communities are represented on screen. However, it has also faced repeated criticism for relying on simplified and exaggerated portrayals of regional, linguistic and minority groups.

Indian cinema, especially Bollywood, has often relied on stereotypes to show the country’s many diverse communities. For decades, instead of portraying people with depth and authenticity, filmmakers have reduced entire cultures into exaggerated, sometimes even laughable traits.

These portrayals may seem harmless or funny on the surface, but they carry a deeper issue. When millions of people watch films that present simplified versions of real communities, it affects how those communities are seen in everyday life. It shapes opinions, reinforces ignorance and often leads to misunderstanding and prejudice.

Recently, the 2025 romantic comedy Param Sundari, starring Sidharth Malhotra and Janhvi Kapoor, has reignited this conversation. The film, meant to be a light-hearted romance, has been heavily criticised for how it portrays a Malayali woman. Janhvi Kapoor’s character is shown climbing a coconut tree, supposedly to represent her “South Indian” roots. While the scene may have been intended as charming or quirky, it sparked outrage online, especially among Malayalis who felt their identity was once again reduced to a tired stereotype involving coconuts, jasmine flowers and strange-sounding names.

Malayali influencers and cultural commentators pointed out several problems. The name of Janhvi’s character, for example, was seen as both unrealistic and slightly insulting. Her accent was off, the Malayalam words were mispronounced and the cultural setting was completely inaccurate. Many asked why a Malayali actress was not cast, or why no language coach was hired if the goal was to tell a genuine story. The general feeling was that once again, Bollywood had used a culture as a backdrop, decorative and exotic, rather than real and respectful.

This criticism is not new. Over the years, Bollywood has often turned regional and minority identities into punchlines or background colour. Punjabis are always loud and love dancing, Bengalis are shown as overly intellectual and emotional, Goans are painted as party animals, and South Indians strict and overly traditional.

These portrayals may seem funny or light-hearted in comedies, but when they appear repeatedly across films, they become the main way many viewers understand those communities. For people who belong to those groups, it feels like their identity is being used without care or accuracy.

While Bollywood has often been criticised for relying on stereotypes, there have also been films that have portrayed Indian communities with greater nuance and attention to detail. These films tend to focus on individual experiences rather than using exaggerated cultural markers to define characters. For example, Masaan, Piku, Wake Up Sid, Dear Zindagi, and 12th Fail depict everyday lives across different parts of India, offering more grounded portrayals of family dynamics, personal struggles and social pressures.

Mary Kom by Omung Kumar, released in 2014, which tells the story of the Olympic boxer from Manipur, attempted to bring attention to an athlete from a region that has historically been underrepresented in Hindi cinema. While the decision to cast a non-Northeastern actor in the lead sparked debate, the film highlighted the challenges faced by athletes from marginalised regions.

Similarly, Sujoy Ghosh’s Kahaani, that hit the screens in 2012, featuring Vidya Balan, presented a female protagonist who leads a suspense-driven narrative without being reduced to gendered or cultural stereotypes. Her role was defined by her actions and decisions within the story, rather than cultural markers.

Films like Dostana (2008), Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan (2020), and Badhaai Do (2022) introduced LGBTQ+ themes into mainstream cinema. While portrayals have varied in accuracy and depth, these films contributed to broader visibility for queer characters within the commercial space.

The Lunchbox (2013) explored loneliness and connection within Mumbai’s middle class, avoiding exaggerated depictions of the city’s culture. Court (2014), a Marathi-language film, focused on the legal system and social hierarchy in a realistic and understated manner, receiving international recognition for its approach.

Article 15 (2019), inspired by real events, addressed caste-based discrimination through a police investigation. Though the film sparked discussions about perspective and narrative framing, it brought caste issues into mainstream conversation.

Sports films like Chak De! India (2007) and Dangal (2016) also included characters from different regions and backgrounds, portraying them as part of a broader national narrative. These stories used sport as a backdrop to highlight regional identities, gender roles and social challenges without leaning heavily on stereotypes.

As conversations around representation continue to grow, both within India and globally, audiences are increasingly aware of how cultural portrayals shape public perception.

The strong reactions to Param Sundari reflect a wider demand for more thoughtful, informed storytelling, one that treats communities not as set pieces but as people with real voices.