Gender Stereotypes and the Reimagining of Women in Indian Advertising: A Case Study

This article critically examines the changing representation of women in Indian advertisements between, with a focus on how gender roles, beauty perceptions and how the notions of agency are constructed and transformed within consumer culture. Drawing from feminist media theory and semiotic analysis, the article explores the shifts in the portrayal of women across parameters such as occupation, decision-making, financial dependence, and beauty ideals. Taking Tanishq advertisement as a case study, the article argues that there is a gradual departure from traditional depictions of women as dependent, emotional and ornamental toward more autonomous and self-assured portrayals reflecting changing socio-cultural values in contemporary India. The advertisements mirror broader discourses on gender equality, women?s empowerment and consumer modernity, where jewellery transitions from a symbol of patriarchal possession to one of personal expression and independence.