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Superhit Drishyam is remade in multiple languages, has a sequel, and everything to reinforce the fact that honour resides in a woman's body? Shame on the makers.
Superhit Drishyam has been remade in multiple languages, has a sequel, and everything to reinforce the fact that honour resides in a woman’s body? Shame on the makers.
Whenever anyone asks me what I think of Drishyam (1 and 2) I am always conflicted.
Do I think it’s a good movie, well directed, well acted, well produced, with a plot that is different, suspenseful, and a well written story that pulls you in? Yes to all of that.
And yet, when I thought about how all this dramabaazi was happening because of a reason so flimsy and patriarchal, it became intolerable to sit through.
How can brilliant filmmakers and superstars, who can now afford to take creative and financial risks, who know the influence that movies have in India, just throw away their power like this?
Like Spider-Man, I believe with great power comes great responsibility. Why can’t they use that to make movies that change perspectives and question outdated thinking rather than to reinforce it?
Our movies are quite famous for being escapist, so all those saying that movies only show the reality of society, and shouldn’t be expected to have an “unrealistic” plot, such as the girl telling the boy to get lost, are the same people who should go take a hike and clear their heads.
What if the movie showed the girl being unfazed by the boy’s threat, confided in her family, and they stood by her to take the boy to court?
What if it showed girls that a video made without their consent and leaked is not reason for them to be shamed, but that it is for the boy who did that to feel ashamed!
Imagine how such a storyline would have impacted young girls and women who are faced with such threats in real life.
Not realistic? Oh? But this movie about this ordinary man outwitting the entire police force, not once but two times, is realistic?
The fact that that it was remade in multiple languages and resonated with a pan-Indian audience, even when the actors and directors changed but the storyline remained the same, is actually scary because it says a few things about us: that things are the same everywhere, that patriarchy lives deep in our bones and blood, that the ‘honour’ of a family rests solely on the girl, so much so that people root for a man going to ridiculous lengths to protect this ‘honour’.
The saddest part is showing an adult woman, a mother, beg a stupid teenage boy to leave them alone, when all that was needed was tell him to go to hell. Women, really, you need to get ducking furious instead of scared when faced with a situation like this!
The Great Indian Kitchen was made by a newbie filmmaker with actors who aren’t superstars. It showed life and society in stark reality, but it also showed a woman taking her power back.
Is that too much to ask from movie veterans now?
I don’t care if I am being a spoilsport who can’t take movies ‘lightly’ anymore because I hold influencers to higher standards now and because I can’t go back to being my old patriarchally conditioned self again.
Karishma has been writing short stories since she was 8 and poetry since she was 12. She ended up studying Zoology, then Montessori, and then psychology, always feeling ‘’something was missing’. She worked in the 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.
It is shameful that in today's world too, women are abused and even killed for giving birth to a girl, and the infant's life is also of no value.
Trigger Warning: This deals with domestic violence, suicide, and violence against women, and may be triggering to survivors.
I am so glad that the esteemed courts are now giving the much-required verdicts regarding certain ideologies that were not at all entertained earlier. I mean we all have studied this much biology at our school level and it is our duty (our generation) to educate our elders about it.
Why someone have to lose a life to bring such awareness to the society. Delhi High Court gave this judgement concerning a case that filed by the deceased daughter’s parents against her in-laws. She committed suicide as she was harassed and tortured for dowry and giving birth to two daughters.
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