Questioning the ‘Superwoman’: Gender Image portrayal in Indian Mainstream Media since 1990’s

Abstract

This paper highlights how a new stereotyped image of an individual Indian woman is projected in the mainstream media and the way this redefined image becomes a convenient site for negotiation between the traditional past and the contemporary market driven society. It also calls this homogenous feminine image a myth and shows how large sections of women remain outside this new image. The objective is to raise a question whether media is just reasserting the interplay of neo-liberal and patriarchal values or contributing to any meaningful empowerment of women.