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Do you ever long for the good old days of Indian TV, when female characters had things to do, and real stuff to say?
In a lot of ways having limited channels in the early days of television was a boon as the audience had options of quality television serials which is quite different from the filth that is being doled out on prime time TV in India today.
There were people who were actually thinking how to make good storylines, characters and plots. I am talking about the late 80’s and the early 90’s, though movies around that time were in quite a slump.
We had some great woman characters on TV who were complex and more importantly individuals by themselves and not caricatures. Shows expanded thought, kept you hooked and one came back for more the next week.
Mandira Bedi played a fiesty young journalist on national TV before she became known for something as inane as noodle straps. Shanti played to the imagination of many young girls growing up in India in the 90’s.
Image source: http://www.outlookindia.com/people/mandira-bedi/6884
Priya Tendulkar breathed life into her character of Rajni that was popular across the country. Though the show didn’t complete a year on television, it is still fresh in the minds of the fan.
Before men in drag and Kapil’s brand of sexist comedy became popular there were shows like Hum Paanch. Though being led by a strong female cast, the show had a following across genders and all ages. The series portrayed women in all hues and as their complex selves instead of pigeon holing them into gender assigned boxes.
Today it seems we have traveled backwards as the leading lady of a popular Indian TV show turns into a FLY!
Image source: https://imgflip.com/i/14it22
Top pic from the serial via youtube
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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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