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There is sexism in the comedy industry - and plenty of it. Watch this video by Daniel Fernandes, in conversation with Aditi Mittal and Karunesh Talwar.
There is sexism in the comedy industry – and plenty of it. Watch this video by Daniel Fernandes, in conversation with Aditi Mittal and Karunesh Talwar.
One thing that stumped me when I learnt about the prevalence of sexism in the comedy industry was how deeply rooted it actually is – and it’s everywhere. Before these conversations and the revealing of sexual harassment charges against Arunabh Kumar from TVF, I was in the happy delusion that the comedy industry was a place where people were socially aware, decent people, not racist and definitely not sexist.
I believed these were the responsible people of the society who spoke against these stigmas with the aid of comedy. I thought that since these ‘newer’ people started calling out sexist jokes, they obviously wouldn’t be sexist people. Now I realise how ridiculously ideal were the notions I had about these people.
There was and has been a lack of women in every industry and I believed this was the case here too and it would remedy itself with time. However, with time the only thing that seemed to happen was that the ugly bits came loose.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YohCam4mNw
In this video, the three comedians talk about ‘boy gangs’ and how these groups of men have become an army for validating each other instead of being welcoming and helping the scene grow. Funnily enough, if a committee has even 50% of females, it is generally referred to as ‘womanly’, ‘women dominated’ and how the men working with them are ‘outnumbered’ like they were being hunted upon by the women. And if there is a group of women, they are generally called the ‘clique’ and ridiculed for being one.
But if men do it, it’s the ‘usual’ and nothing out of the ordinary. I thought this level of hypocrisy did not exist in the comedy circuit; surely the people I watched on YouTube and follow on Instagram would not be a part of it? Maybe they are, maybe they aren’t but it was oddly disappointing for me to see this in the group of people that I relate to and laughed with.
Another thing that is talked about in the video and made me tremendously sad is that the scene has become worse for young women after these revelations, instead of becoming better. The only silver lining to these incidents was that the picture would improve for female artists and now even that looks dodgy.
What is your take on stand up comedy videos and their evolution in India?
New Delhi, India I like to read, write, and talk. A feminist through and through, with a soft spot for chocolate. read more...
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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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