Why Must Fashionable Women Be De-Glamourised To Be Taken Seriously In Indian Politics?
The political scenario of our country is obsessed with appearances. Political parties try and put a lot of stress on looking the part rather than actually being right for it. You know which other industry is also all about looks? You guessed it, Bollywood. And while both of them seemingly operate in different universes, when they do meet, politics seems to demand that Bollywood abandon its glamorous image and tone down any sort of fashion statement anyone might want to make.
The latest example is Urmila Matondkar.
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One of the most celebrated actresses of the 90s, Urmila Matondkar is a household name in our country. From playing a hopeful actress in Rangeela to a butt-kicking, high waisted jeans wearing beauty in Daud, Urmila’s contribution to Bollywood fashion is epic. A natural beauty, Urmila is unapologetically stylish in her own right. With Rangeela, she was a sexy siren and she had no qualms about being exactly that.
That brings us to today when she announced her AICC candidacy on Instagram.
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And while who she joined was unimportant, we will keep the politics out of it, we were taken aback to see a stripped down, almost boring version of Urmila for this. Gone were the figure-hugging jumpsuits and glamorous bags and instead we got a covered to the neck blouse and a saree that looks like its made of cotton.
The image sparked a conversation among the women in the office. Why do all the Bollywood actresses have to be stripped off of their glamorous selves in order to be taken seriously in politics? Why can’t a bold and fierce personality like Urmila be herself to get into public service?
As compared to India, here are some UG congresswomen stepping into the office. We will let you be the judge:
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The way former actresses are put into an “acceptable” uniform when they are running for office goes beyond our logic. There are so many fabulous pantsuits our leaders can wear. Even in a saree, adding some colour and finesse wouldn’t harm anybody. We strongly believe that our female politicians need to be in their original element. A former successful actress? We won’t judge a gorgeous salwar suit. The daughter of a political family? We won’t judge a double-breasted jacket either!
Fashion plays a big role in defining, especially if you want to resonate with the younger generations. In addition to the badass ladies, our political scene can use some more sequins, right?
