Ah, Holi. The festival of colours, joy, and togetherness. A time for laughter, community, and letting go. But somewhere between the gulaal and the gujiya, Bollywood decided to turn Holi into a different kind of spectacle.  

And we’ve been letting it slide. 

Every year, as Holi approaches, the same pattern plays out: men feel entitled to cross boundaries with Bura na mano, Holi hai as the perfect excuse. Unwanted touch, aggressive colour smearing, chasing, groping. Normalised, ignored, brushed aside. 

So let’s talk about it. Because this is not Holi. 

Bollywood’s Wet Sari Problem 

In old-school Bollywood, Holi was about community, togetherness, and love, like in Sholay’s "Holi Ke Din”, where men and women celebrated as equals. 

A few decades later and suddenly, Holi scenes in Bollywood are now softcore fantasy sequences with the sheer, body-clinging white, drenched head to toe.  

The way Bollywood presents Holi today sends a clear message: 

• Women’s bodies are the main attraction. 

• Consent is optional if it’s ‘just Holi.’ 

• If you don’t like it, you’re ruining the fun. 

The Holi Playbook in Bollywood 

Aaj Na Chhodenge in Kati Patang 
The song literally translates to "We won't let you go today," with the male protagonist insisting he won’t stop, even as the female lead looks visibly uneasy. Playful or just straight-up pressure? 

Ang Se Ang Lagana" in Darr  
Lyrics about touching every part of the body while women are shown being chased, grabbed, and smeared with colour despite resisting. Consent? Never heard of her. 

Do Me a Favour, Let's Play Holi in Waqt  
A woman literally says ‘Don’t touch my blouse’ in the song and she’s met with more force, more “fun.” If Bollywood scripts it this way, what message does that send to real-life Holi celebrations? 

Balam Pichkari in Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani  
Everyone’s fave Holi song, right? Now rewatch it. Deepika’s character is in a wet, plunging top while Ranbir flirts relentlessly, and there’s a scene where he peers down her blouse. Cute? Or just another case of Bollywood equating festivity with forced intimacy? 

 
The Real-World Impact 

Bollywood sets the tone, but we keep the script running for:  

• Men assume touching without consent is part of the festival. 

• Women feel unsafe but are told they’re overreacting. 

• If you protest, you’re labelled as a killjoy who doesn’t know how to have fun. 

And we see the results every single year: 

• Reports of molestation and harassment skyrocket during Holi. 

• Women are told to stay home, dress in dark colours and avoid unknown crowds. 

• Many opt out of playing altogether, not because they don’t love the festival, but because they don’t feel safe. 

Sound familiar? 

Holi Wasn't Always Like This 

In pre-colonial India, Holi was celebrated with folk songs, traditional dances, and equal participation. Women played freely without the fear of being objectified. 

Even Bollywood’s early Holi songs, like Rang Barse from Silsila, focussed on the spirit of celebration rather than making women the centrepiece of male desire. 

So where did things go wrong? 

Somewhere down the line, cinema prioritised the male gaze over genuine cultural representation. And that distortion trickled down into reality. 

This Isn’t About Cancelling Bollywood. It’s About Accountability. 

Bollywood is one of the biggest cultural influencers in India. Whether we admit it or not, films shape public perception. And when you glorify non-consensual behaviour as flirtation, you normalise it in real life. 

So what can Bollywood do differently? 

• Start portraying Holi without objectification. Women don’t need to be drenched in see-through saris for Holi songs to be iconic. 

• Show consent as part of the fun. A Holi song can be flirty without crossing the line. 

• Shift the male gaze. Holi can still be visually stunning without reducing women to wet props. 

• Stop justifying harassment under playfulness. There’s nothing “fun” about forcing touch on someone who’s uncomfortable. 

But This Is Also About Us. 

We can’t just blame Bollywood. Because we, yes, we play a role in keeping this toxic cycle alive. 

How? 
When we laugh off harassment because it’s just Holi. 
When we tell women to wear dark colours instead of telling men to behave. 
When we let men use Holi as a loophole for boundary-breaking. 

And that needs to stop. 

We need to start calling it out. If you see someone getting uncomfortable, step in. 
We need to teach consent. Yes, even during Holi. Especially during Holi. 
 
Bollywood needs to do better. But so do we. 

This year, let’s do better. 

 

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