2 (2014), Deadpool 2 (2018), and Avengers: Infinity War (2018). The Manic Pixie Dream Girl The term "Manic Pixie Dream Girl" was coined in 2007 by film critic Nathan Rabin to describe a female character who exists solely "to teach broodingly soulful young men to embrace life and its infinite mysteries and adventures." The Manic Pixie Dream Girl improves the life of the male protagonist and makes him a happier and better person, but she has no apparent character arc or complex story; she is simply a plot device. A list of notable instances of the Manic Pixie Dream Girl trope can be found on the article for Manic Pixie Dream Girl. Damsel in Distress Damsel in distress serves as a character in trouble who needs the assistance of a male character to get over her problems. In the “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”, after being fatally poisoned by her step mother, Snow White’s seven dwarf friends mourn her death, “until a handsome prince restores her to life with a kiss.” Many of Disney’s fairy tale movies, portray the princesses as damsels in distress, whilst enhancing their male protagonists’ masculinity, as they rescue these princesses. They are further cleaved to the stereotype of only yearning to find their true love. Similarly with the story of “The Sleeping Beauty” where a beautiful princess cursed to sleep, can only be woken up by her true love’s kiss. Even though the story gets its name from the princess, she is helpless and needs a “sword-wielding prince, bursting with testosterone, who chops his way through the forest” to kiss and wake her up from her sleep. The Item Girl Mostly popular in Bollywood cinema, the Item girl is “the sexist representation of women subjected to the male gaze.” The 1970’s introduced Item numbers to Bollywood, which is still prevalent today. Actresses who dance to item numbers usually make guest appearances, and aren’t crucial to the story. An item girl dances her way “trying to get through the main lead’s heart with their piercing eyes and body movements, trying to hypnotize everyone watching them.” Actress Helen’s dance to ‘Mehbooba’ and ‘Ae Mera Dil’ in ‘Sholay’ is an example of an item number. Actress Malaika Arora rose to fame with her performance in Chaiyya Chaiyya in 1998, Anarkali Disco Chali in 2012, and her performance in Munni Badnam in 2010. Actress Mallika Sherawat in Jalebi