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The post-pandemic paraphernalia have forced us into imagining “normality” in a different sense.
Till the early months of 2020, the only big bad C we all dreaded was cancer, till corona grappled the world and dynamics changed. A crisis that turned into a pandemic and questioned the human worth and societal diktat.Needless to say, ‘social distancing’ , ‘self-isolation’ and ‘quarantine’ became the most Googled terms. And suddenly, we were thrown into #thenewnormal. Given the unprecedented health risks, the virus did ring an alarm bell and disrupted the human race. However, deep down, I, would like to succumb to the fact that it humbled the human mind forever. What started initially as #21daystogoodlife has gradually turned into a quarter of a year of some mindful thinking, self-introspection and coming to terms with ‘the new normal’.
While laboratories across the globe are battling it out to find a vaccine to eliminate Covid-19, the human mind has had to deal with its own share of battles. So, what is this ‘new normal’? And, the questions is, where do we go from here? Here’s my take on how I see the post-pandemic world:
If your way of greeting people was by giving the best bear hugs in the world, wait till you hug someone the next time; for the new normal doesn’t entail close contacts. Annoyingly enough, the warm, fuzzy feeling of a hug is a thing of the past. The idea of not having physical greetings suddenly, looks alien. Lets not forget, that, hereon, the human behaviour will be constantly under the scanner and people will have to come up with new, innovative ways to let each other know that ‘we care’. While, rebuffing the handshake will no longer considered as rude, the Indian signature ‘Namaste’ will rule the world. Moreover, it’s time to connect with people more on the emotional front than physical.
In addition, ‘freelancing’ could altogether get a new lease of life and more entrepreneurial opportunities could open exciting avenues could easily be the way forward and flexible, the new lifestyle. Well, you may miss the physical office space and ‘hanging out’ with your co-workers for after hours , but, who said, things were going to be the same in post-corona world. For now, it is time to upgrade your WiFi connections , get under the sheets and log in for the day because your HR would still be monitoring you remotely.
With the augmented dependency on virtual life, imagine hoteliers giving you a virtual experience of restaurant dining. From gaming to social meetups, adapting the new digital life are set to throw challenges for the service sector. However, many of us have rejected digitalisation owing to privacy concerns but hasn’t the virus taught us to have faith in the system? Eventually, digitalisation will transform human behaviour, robotics and artificial intelligence will take a new leap and we will have to make way for endless integrated technologies.
Instead of the palmists, the airport authorities would rather be more interested in your hands on account of hand hygiene and along with the immigration stamps, how about getting a ‘safe to travel’ or a health approved stamp on your passports?. Also, don’t be surprised if you get the business-class experience on your economy ticket as the seats next to you would be vacant and airlines would only allow 1 person per row going forward. Perks of social distancing?
In the new normal, with the possibility of remote working and less travel would mean fewer vehicles on the road. This means, we can expect less pollution and more green recovery. While we may take some time to come to terms with our new post corona world, where even common flu can raise eyebrows, rest assured, a new human race would evolve in the aftermath. Positively, the pandemic has given us scope to prepare for a future where gratitude shall overpower and humbling would be the new normal experience.
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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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