Check out 16 Return-To-Work Programs In India For Ambitious Women Like You!
Dear Comrade is a breath of fresh air from masala movies. It also has some lessons we can take away from. Here are five take aways from Dear Comrade.
Dear Comrade is like a breath of fresh air from masala movies. It deals with several issues while also imparting some important lessons. Here are some of them.
Do movies mirror real life or does real life (in some cases) start seeming like it is taken out of a movie?
It is bit of a chicken and egg situation here. However, there is no denying the fact that movies and film stars have great influence on a wide section of audience. Especially in a country like ours where heroes are worshipped (sometimes like Gods).
Now, naturally, it becomes a medium which, when used sensibly, can serve a purpose of effecting a change in the society. Some film makers and actors use it responsibly to tell stories that might trigger certain changes or at least start a conversation around important topics.
Dear Comrade is one such film which talks about an important topic of sexual harassment at workplace, especially for women. It isn’t a flawless movie but a lot of scenes in it worked for me, personally.
Spoilers ahead
Here are 5 takeaways from this movie that resonated with me, as a viewer and especially as a woman:
In this movie, the character, Bobby, played by Vijay Devarakonda promises the woman he loves to be her “comrade.” True to his words, he fights for her (Lilly, played by Rashmika Mandanna) till the end but never from the fore front. That position he, very gracefully, leaves to his lady love because ultimately he realises it is her life and she is rightfully in charge of it.
Likewise most of us are quite capable of handling situations singlehandedly. But what we wish for is that someone who has our back in times of need. Not someone who will hold our hand and lead us through. Or someone who will abandon us in crisis but that special someone who shines the light in the dark tunnel so that we can find our own way out.
A husband/boyfriend who stands by his wife/girlfriend when she is fighting for a cause she believes in.
Believe me, most women have a spine to stand all alone and fight for their convictions but they do wish to lean on a comrade every once in a while.
Here is a rare occurrence in any Indian film. The hero tells his heroine, “The moment you start loving me more than cricket (which refreshingly happens to be her profession), I will walk away from your life.”
He understands that cricket is her passion, her first love. And more importantly accepts it without questioning it or giving disclaimers like “But family should be your first priority” or “But it’s your age to get married now.”
In fact, the moment she is contemplating marriage with him, he responds with concern about her career and how she should think about it first.
We all can do with some men like this in our lives. Fathers, brothers, boyfriends, husbands who give equal importance to ambitions of women in their life.
And no, we don’t need reminders about prioritising family and work life balance simply because we chose one over the other. We made a decision after thinking it over. Period.
Everyone has flaws and also the capacity to overcome them when the need arises.
In Dear Comrade, Bobby has anger-management issues. But he works hard on it for someone special in his life. He is able to overcome it to a great extent.
Lilly is scared of confrontations and fights. But when situation demands courage from her, she finds it (even though it takes her time and effort to get there).
It is refreshing to see unapologetically imperfect characters on screen when cinema mostly either preaches idealism. Or celebrates negative/grey characters.
Yes, people cry. But this is depicted in a very skewed fashion in movies.
While the female protagonists are shown crying very often, the males, on the other hand, rarely ever do. They might be shown shedding that rare tear or misting up.
Popular cinema caters to this notion that macho men don’t cry. Why? Aren’t men allowed to express their emotions freely?
There is nothing wrong in beating up twenty people on street but how can a hero cry! If he does then he immediately falls under the category of Devdas.
In this movie, for a change both the lead actors cry their hearts (and sometimes lungs) out. Not just that, they are shown as emotionally vulnerable and sensitive people. They hurt. And they nurse a heartbreak.
They grit their teeth and bear the pain. Also, they suffer insufferable silences in-between. They go through a whole gamut of emotional highs and lows and also have moments of complete breakdown.
There is nothing wrong with it either on screen or in real life. Our emotions and feelings are what makes us human. If they are considered weaknesses then there is something wrong with our perception, idea of strength and its portrayal on screen.
In Dear Comrade, there is a lovely scene where Lilly asks “Have you people ever asked me what I want?” referring to all men in her life who want different things from her.
Even when she finally decides to speak against her abuser, it is only after she is fully ready to fight it out. Until then she does not want any kind of confrontation. It is her choice to remain silent. She has her right to choose despite having a man in her life who is fully willing to supply her in her fight for justice.
This has to be noted because things like sexual harassment are very sensitive issues and the victims have to be allowed the freedom of time and space to recover completely and also to decide the next course of action on their own.
Did you watch Dear Comrade?
What did you think about it?
Please let me know in the comments below.
Picture credits: YouTube
Writer| Poet| Self-published author| Oral Surgeon| A woman who believes that subtlety is strength, feminine is formidable, beauty is in benevolence and vulnerability is validation of strength of character. For more read www.soumyabharathi. read more...
Stay updated with our Weekly Newsletter or Daily Summary - or both!
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.
Please enter your email address