Bollywood veteran actress Shabana Azmi has praised director Zoya Akhtar, saying she portrayed Katrina Kaif in a respectful and sensitive manner in the film “Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara,” especially in the scene where Katrina’s character emerges from the water and wears a bikini. Shabana clarified that Zoya’s use of the camera did not objectify Katrina’s body, but rather portrayed her as a working and independent woman. According to the Indian Express, Shabana explained that the issue of objectification of women in films has always bothered her. She says that the camera’s focus determines the director’s interest. If the camera focuses directly on the body, it is objectification. However, Zoya used the camera in long shots and did not zoom from the left foot to the face, thus avoiding the goal of merely making a woman look attractive. Shabana also said that Bollywood features item numbers and other scenes where women are used solely for glamorization, often without any significant role in the film’s story. She says such scenes send a negative message to society and even impact young children when they sing these songs in plays or programs, and others around them encourage them, thinking it’s a joke. This Zoya Akhtar film, released in 2011, stars Katrina Kaif as a diving instructor. Shabana praised Zoya’s sensitivity and filmmaking approach, which doesn’t portray women as mere showpieces. Citing an example, Zoya pointed out that in the bikini scene, she positioned the camera precisely according to the emotional need and the story, making Katrina’s character appear strong and confident, rather than merely a subject of a gendered gaze.
