When referring to a person, often a woman, who enters into a romantic connection with another individual for the primary purpose of acquiring financial gain, the term “gold-digger” is used. The American slang of the 20th century can be traced back to the beginning of gold digging, which can also be understood as the chase of partners for their riches.
The term, on the other hand, can be interpreted as being particularly gendered because it is frequently used in circumstances in which a woman is looking for financial security, but it might not be used in the same way when men are looking for partners because of their beautiful appearance, their youth, or other characteristics. In a world where sexism is already ubiquitous, this serves as more proof to demonise women. In addition to bringing to light the differences in the expectations and evaluations of society, this also acts as evidence to demonise women.
Through the years, Bollywood has also functioned as a reflection of this world, with a majority of female characters either in the black or white area. This has been the case throughout the years. There were infrequent images of confident, crafty, and manipulative female characters who want wealthy partners for their own profit. Bollywood typically portrayed the cliché of the humble, moral, and unselfish lady. However, there were also occasional depictions of the opposite. The latter, on the other hand, was never more than a supporting position; it also lacked any complexity or possibility for atonement. Within the context of “Kal Ho na Ho,” we witness Camilla’s persona with a backing track that actually says, “she wants your money.” Simi Garewal portrays a vengeful lady in the film “Karz,” who not only uses marriage and deception to acquire what she wants, but also murders her husband in order to obtain the money that he has. In films such as “Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham,” Anjali, who comes from a lower class family, is accused of “gold-digging,” and the accusation is only dropped when she demonstrates her innocence by proving to be a devout, selfless, “sanskaari” daughter-in-law. These are some of the ways in which the concept has been expanded over the years.
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The gold-digging cliche has been utilised by writers for a very long time as a means of avoiding portraying female antagonists or placing them in inferior roles without providing them with any chance for character development. On the other hand, males, despite the fact that they are thought to be attracted to women for the purpose of monetary gain, are always given a redemption story or an appropriate history to support their intentions and behaviour. This is where the stunning Tara Khanna comes into play.
The bold and brave character of Shobhita Dhulipala, who appears in the web-series “Made in Heaven,” shatters all of the preconceptions that Bollywood writers have constructed over the years regarding what a woman who is ‘greedy’ for money should be like. After witnessing Tara go to extraordinary lengths in order to attract the attention of her boss and ensure that he marries her, the writers further explore the gold-digging cliché daringly, without any regret. The show, however, really shines when it comes to the manner in which they portray her on screen.
The writers of the show enables us to observe the journey that led her to the current state of affairs that she is in to build a sense of empathy for the character. When she was a child, her mother gave her and her sister the advice that they should prioritise financial success since it is the source of happiness. In addition to enrolling in etiquette classes with the intention of becoming more “upper class,” Tara also witnesses her sister marrying for love, which ultimately leads to turmoil among the family. As a result, Tara takes the other path without feeling any shame.
However, we end up feeling compassion for her rather than passing judgement on her because we see her struggling to assimilate into a community that she has never been a part of. This is something that we see her doing when she gets married. She also uses her ‘new-money’ responsibly; where in addition to taking care of her mother, she also uses the money that she earns to pay for her niece’s education. We are able to overlook her purpose for entering the Khanna family through marriage because of her goal to start her own business and her unwavering love for it. As a result, a relationship is established between the audience and Tara Khanna. Eventually, when she discovers that her husband is having an affair with her best friend and the secret is revealed, she causes a disturbance at her friend’s house. After the couple confronts each other, Adil changes the blame game and degrades Tara by stating how she would never get above her “class”. We have a dual perspective on what it means to be a “gold-digger.” On one hand, we are aware that Tara chose this life decision for herself in an immoral manner, but on the other hand, we feel sorry for her because of the marriage predicament she is currently in. As a result, the show oozes confidence with regard to the writing of Tara Khanna’s character arc, in which they do not shy away from displaying her wicked side at any point in time; yet, they also contrast those actions with reason, making her character more humane rather than merely evil.
The bold and brave character of Shobhita Dhulipala, who appears in the web-series “Made in Heaven,” shatters all of the preconceptions that Bollywood writers have constructed over the years regarding what a woman who is ‘greedy’ for money should be like. After witnessing Tara go to extraordinary lengths in order to attract the attention of her boss and ensure that he marries her, the writers further explore the gold-digging cliché daringly, without any regret. The show, however, really shines when it comes to the manner in which they portray her on screen.
The writers of the show enable us to observe the journey that led her to the current state of affairs that she is in to build a sense of empathy for the character. When she was a child, her mother gave her and her sister the advice that they should prioritize financial success since it is the source of happiness. In addition to enrolling in etiquette classes with the intention of becoming more “upper class,” Tara also witnesses her sister marrying for love, which ultimately leads to turmoil among the family. As a result, Tara takes the other path without feeling any shame.
However, we end up feeling compassion for her rather than passing judgment on her because we see her struggling to assimilate into a community that she has never been a part of. This is something that we see her doing when she gets married. She also uses her ‘new-money’ responsibly; where in addition to taking care of her mother, she also uses the money that she earns to pay for her niece’s education. We are able to overlook her purpose for entering the Khanna family through marriage because of her goal to start her own business and her unwavering love for it. As a result, a relationship is established between the audience and Tara Khanna.
Eventually, when she discovers that her husband is having an affair with her best friend and the secret is revealed, she causes a disturbance at her friend’s house. After the couple confronts each other, Adil changes the blame game and degrades Tara by stating how she would never get above her “class”. We have a dual perspective on what it means to be a “gold-digger.” On one hand, we are aware that Tara chose this life decision for herself in an immoral manner, but on the other hand, we feel sorry for her because of the marriage predicament she is currently in. As a result, the show oozes confidence with regard to the writing of Tara Khanna’s character arc, in which they do not shy away from displaying her wicked side at any point in time; yet, they also contrast those actions with reason, making her character more humane rather than merely evil. However, the moment that truly stands out is when she realizes that her married life is about to come to an end. At that point, she is seen lying in a bathtub filled with gems while wearing red lipstick and is adorned with jewelry.
In light of this, Tara Khanna comes to terms with who she truly is and is seen to have pride in it. She also acknowledges the motives behind her prior actions and embraces them. It is at that time that we start to be supportive of the character, and despite the fact that we are aware that she is not perfect, we are almost inclined to defend her side. This is when Tara Khanna finally comes full circle as the brazen lead of the show, and Bollywood at last provides us with our very own fully developed grey female protagonist with a redeemable arc who, at the same time, is also an unapologetic gold-digger.
