In most cases, films include female characters only to give the male lead someone to protect. They are rarely represented as individuals with their own thoughts or ideas, and are often reduced to mere plot devices that allow the male protagonist to prove his heroism and display his machismo.
While Bollywood has a long list of such films, this troubling trend seems to be seeping into the Malayalam film industry as well.
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After a successful run in theatres, Officer on Duty was recently released on Netflix. And upon watching it, one realizes just how deeply misogynistic the film is and spreads regressive ideas to a wide audience.
The film appears to hold an intense hate for its female characters, making it one of the most misogynistic pieces of mainstream Indian entertainment in recent times.
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What’s most shocking is that this film comes from celebrated writer Shahi Kabir, who had previously impressed audiences with the excellent Malayalam procedural Nayattu. It’s hard to understand how someone who delivered such a nuanced film could create something as misguided as Officer on Duty.
In this film, young girls are raped, molested, and murdered solely to give the male lead a reason to prove his worth as a hero.
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Kunchacko Boban plays Hari, a volatile police officer, and the film makes this very clear. Yet despite his many mistakes, the blame is somehow shifted onto his wife.
Worse still, simply by virtue of being the protagonist, Hari is expected to receive the audience’s sympathy.
Not only does Officer on Duty cruelly kill its female characters one by one, but it also seems determined to exempt its male characters of any real accountability.
It’s as if women have to be murdered in order for men to evolve.
The problem with such films is that when watched by the masses, they normalize toxic, misogynistic behaviour and contribute to broader social issues. It might be “just a story,” but the impact runs much deeper than intended.
