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A tribute to one of the earliest and most accomplished icons of Indian feminism – Vina Mazumdar.
Vina Mazumdar who passed away last week at the age of 86, was one of the frontrunners of the women’s movement in India. Born into a Bengali family, Vina Mazumdar was a well-educated academic who has served in an important role in the Committee on the Status of women in India (CSWI). She was instrumental in bringing out a well-researched report called Towards Equality, which highlighted the plight of Indian women.
Vina Mazumdar was a well-known champion of women’s rights in the 1980s and 1990s and she became the founding director of the Centre for Women’s Development Studies (CWDS) as well as the founding member of the Indian Association of Women’s Studies (IAWS).
Her views on women’s empowerment in India have laid the foundation for the progress of women in our country. She has also published her memoirs titled Memoirs Of A Rolling Stone.
Why we find her inspiring:
– For her commitment to women’s issues
– For her well-informed and well-researched opinions on social issues
– For not letting conventions define her and for being a fighter till the end
*Photo source: Culture Unplugged.
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People say that women are the greatest enemies of women. I vehemently disagree. It is the patriarchal mindset that makes women believe in the wrong ideology.
The entire world celebrates International Women’s Day on March 8, 2024. It should be a joyful day, but unfortunately, not all women are entitled to this privilege, as violence against women is at its peak. The experience of oppression pushes many women to choose freedom. As far as patriotism is concerned, feminism is not a cup of tea in this society.
What happens when a woman decides to stand up for herself? Does this world easily accept the decisions of women in this society? What inspires them to be free of the clutches of the oppression that women have faced for ages? Most of the time, women do not get the chance to decide for themselves. Their lives are always at the mercy of someone, which can be their parents, siblings, husband, or children.
In some cases, women do not feel the need to make any decisions. They are taught to obey the patriarchal system, which makes them believe that they are right. In my family, I was never taught to make decisions on my own. It was always my parents who bought dresses and all that I needed.
14 years after her last feature film Dhobi Ghat, storyteller extraordinaire comes up with her new film, Laapataa Ladies, a must watch.
*Some spoilers alert*
Every religion around the world dictates terms to women. The onus is always on women to be ‘modest’ and cover their faces and bodies so men can’t be “tempted”, rather than on men to keep their eyes where they belong and behave like civilized beings. So much so that even rape has been excused on the grounds of women eating chowmein or ‘men will be men’. I think the best Hindi movie retort to this unwanted advice on ‘akeli ladki khuli tijori ki tarah hoti hai’ (an alone woman is like an open jewellery box) came from Geet in Jab We Met – Kya aap gyan dene ke paise lete hain kyonki chillar nahin hain mere paas.
The premise of Laapataa Ladies is beautifully simple – two brides clad in the ghunghat that covers their identity get mixed up on a train. Within this Russian Doll, you get a comedy of errors, a story of getting lost, a commentary on patriarchy’s attitude towards women, a mystery, and a tale of finding oneself, all in one. Done with a mostly light touch that has you laughing and nodding along.
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