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Nandita Sharma feels that women should not need to "take permission" for their choices, and is angered by the fact that daughters are brought up to be dependent in our society.
Nandita Sharma feels that women should not need to “take permission” for their choices, and is angered by the fact that daughters are brought up to be dependent in our society.
Women’s Web is powered by an incredible community of (now) 3000 contributors, who bring their experiences, views and knowledge to share with others in the community. Every month, we recognise three of them as the Authors of the Month. This July 2018, Nandita Sharma is one of our three Featured Authors of the Month. You can view Nandita Sharma’s writing at Women’s Web here.
Authors are often asked this question, but everyone has their own reasons, very personal to them. So, why do you write?
Writing to me comes naturally. It is in fact, in my genes. My father is a writer and the inspiration was there right from a very tender age. I write as it is the perfect food for my soul’s hunger pangs apart from travelling. It is my space where I can pen down my deepest emotions. It is more like unburdening yourself on the paper.
What do you enjoy reading? Does any of it help your writing?
I enjoy reading stuff where I can connect to the subject on some level. Writings for example like Khalid Hosseni’s ‘The Kite Runner’ and works by Ruskin Bond, are great examples of writings from the heart. Yes, they have actually helped me to a large extent in the way thoughts can be articulated and presented to the reader apart from their strong visual imagery and keen observation as writers. I call their works as learning libraries for budding writers.
When it comes to writing on/for/about women, what questions and issues drive you the most?
Writing about women, the issues that drive me the most is the problem with our upbringing where most women in Indian families are not taught to be mentally strong and take a stand on their own whenever the need be. We still come across numerous examples where the norm is that daughters should carry on being unloved just for the sake of her children and moreover, to escape the social stigma. The voices are being raised and curbed subsequently but I as a writer feel that our pen should never cease to bring the reality to the fore and that too, without a peck of hesitation.
Could you narrate an issue or incident in your life which you think was gender related, and you handled it in a way that has made you proud.
Yes, that was one of the male members in my in laws family objected to my going out to work and earn. However, I did not hesitate to go ahead with my preferences and inclination as an independent thinking women, keen to create her own identity.
What are the things you would like to write about in the future for Women’s Web?
I would like to write about transgender women and their lives, the changing relationships between parents and their off springs and the need to do away with that ‘requisite permission’ for most women to make choices.
Thank you!
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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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