A Contemporary Take On India’s ‘Item Girls’

[Editor’s Note: A few months ago, Aishwarya Arumbakkam burst through my front door with an intriguing idea in the hopes of photographing my mother as a part of it. She had been selected to have her works featured as part of a recent workshop at London’s ‘Wilding Festival’ where 28 artists from eight countries worked with different media such as films, animation, illustration, ceramics, sculpture, photography and fashion to create a work inspired by Emily Wilding Davison, a militant activist who fought for women’s suffrage in Britain.

Her idea to redefine real, modern-day women via stereotypical ‘reel’ definitions of the wildly misogynistic portrayal of ‘item girls’ in Bollywood captured my imagination immediately. As expected, the project proved to be as exquisite in execution as it was in conceptualisation. The following, then, is our personal selection of five particularly special photos from Arumbakkam’s ‘Items.’]

As explained by the photographer:

“‘Items’ is a colloquial way of referring to an item number or an item girl. It is also used as a disrespectful term of address towards physically attractive women in everyday context.

An item number is a music and dance spectacle that appears in ninety percent of commercial Indian films. It showcases beautiful women (the item girl) in revealing clothes, dancing provocatively to a sexually charged, high tempo song in the company of over powering men. It is interesting to note that the item number includes all male characters from the film, but never includes any female character from the rest of the film. Also, the item girl has no connection to the rest of the film and never re-appears in it. She is used as a blatant tool to increase the marketability of the film.

My work plays with these patriarchal and one-dimensional stereotypes of women that has been created and encouraged by popular Indian media and people. In my work, we see real women, from our everyday lives, wearing iconic costumes worn by various item girls. However, the mise en scène works towards portraying them as strong, independent individuals, who are not conforming to the bias imposed upon them. It was amazing to work with each of these women, who took back the stereotypes and made them their own.

The medium I used is black and white photography. The series comprises of eleven 1st edition Silver Gelatin Prints, each photographed with a different woman.”

I. Mera Naam Chin Chin Chu:

Photographed with Pratima Sonni, 36, Physiotherapist & Fitness Trainer.

Based on Mera Naam Chin Chin Chu (My name is Chin Chin Chu), 1958.

Pratima runs a fitness studio along with her mother Kala Soni at Juhu, Mumbai. She also practices as a physiotherapist specialising in post injury rehabilitation. For Pratima, fitness is not just about the physique, It’s about developing a core strength within an individual. A strength that provided an anchor point for one’s physique, mind and way of living. Perhaps, that’s why, Pratima enjoys working with people from all walks of like rather than just athletes and models.

II. Halkat Jawani:

Photographed with Simran Singh, 34, Hair Stylist.

Based on Halkat Jawani (Careless Youth), 2012.

Simran runs a mobile hair salon called “The Chair”. Probably, the next time you meet her, she might not be doing the same. The only constant with Simran is the change. Working from the age of 17, Simran has edited and produced documentaries, founded and run by South East Asia’s first LGBT pride store, owned a pink Royal Enfield and a jeep, set up stall in Goa’s Saturday night flea market and now styles hair. She currently lives in Versova, Mumbai, with her girlfriend.

III. Chikni Chameli:

Photographed with Nanda Verma, 42. Maid.

Based of Chikni Chameli (Sexy, Smooth Chick), 2012.

Nanda Verma is a single mother who works as a maid at several households in Mumbai. She single handedly supported and brought up her two daughters, son, mother-in-law, cat, dog after her husbands demise due to an alcohol overdose. All her children are educated and one of them is now employed. She also owns a house in the neighbourhood of Bandra in Mumbai.

IV. O Haseena Zulfo Wali:

Photographed with Albina Aher, 35, Transgender Activist & Urmi Jadhav, 28, Dancer.

Based on O Haseena Zulfon Wali (Oh beauty with tresses), 1966.

Abhina was born as Abhijit Aher in Mumbai. Both her parents were government employees. At seven, Abhina first crosses over by donning her mothers ghungroos and dancing. For many years after that day, Abhina struggled with gender and identity issues. One day while at college, she stumbled upon Bombay Dost, a queer magazine. It was then that she understood that she wasn’t alone. Through Bombay Dost, she got introduced to and started working for the Humsafar Trust. Around the same time, Abhina began to openly cross-dress. Through the process of working with various hijra communities, Abhina met Shenaz Nani, her Guru. She guinded Abhina through her sexual transformation. Abbina is now a proud member of the transgender hijra community. She works for India HIV/AIDS Alliance in Delhi as a programme manager for Pehchan. Pehchan works to build the capacity of 200 cummunity-based organizations for men who have sex with min, transgenders and hijras in 17 states in India: thereby being more effective partners in the government’s HIV prevention programme. Abhina is now a Guru in her own set of discipline. Urmi is one of them.

V. Sheila Ki Jawani

Phothgraphed with Magaret Da Costa, 55, Professor.

Based on Sheila Ki Jawani (Youthful Sheila)

Magaret teaches and heads the Advertising & Marketing Communications Course at Xaviers Institute of Communication, Mumbai. A human resource specialist, she is passionate about training and facilitating learning among her students - mostly young adults. She also conducts workshops for corporate firms. She lives in a beautiful, old house in the heart of Colaba along with her husband, son, daughter and her personal watchdog.

[You can view the project in its entirety as well as Aishwarya Arumbakkam’s other work by visiting her personal website, where this post first appeared.]