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One has to compromise to make a film, either with the body or with the conscience, Niloufer memorably says at one point. It is a statement of fact, not a moral judgement.
Upon the recommendation of a friend, I recently watched the Amazon Prime series, Jubilee. I found the series beautifully made and very aesthetic. Clearly a lot of painstaking research went into creating not only the visuals but also the characters of the time. The music also is gorgeously reminiscent of the time. While I was riveted by how faithfully the era is recreated, I also was left with a vague sense of dissatisfaction with the story and the characters.
It is quite likely that the women characters – Niloufer, Sumitra Devi, Kiran and Ratna represent the different shades of womanhood very accurately for the time. However, I couldn’t help but feel a certain sense of indignation for each of them – and in case you have not watched the Amazon Prime series yet, be warned – spoilers ahead.
Niloufer (played by Wamiqa Gabbi) is not manifestly powerful or successful but she is the woman with the most agency. She is unapologetic about being born in a brothel and about being a courtesan herself. She is makes use of whatever resources she has at her disposal, whether it is an offer from a pimp at the railway station or from a producer to be his mistress.
She is fun loving and feisty, and refuses to be a victim. She has mobility and makes things happen for herself. She needs money and is perfectly straightforward about it. She loves unabashedly, and lives life with that irrepressible sparkle in her eye.
Sumitra Devi (played by Aditi Rao Hydari) is the reigning star of the silver screen. She is married to one man, but loves another and must star in a film with a third whom she dislikes.
She is beautiful, talented and has a head for business too. She must negotiate with various agencies for better terms for her business as well as to steer things her own way at least partly. Things never really seem to look up for her – even as she enjoys great commercial success from the movies she stars in, she is a lonely, tragic person.
Kiran (played by Sukhmanee Lamba) ministers to the wounded in a camp for refugees streaming in from the newly created Pakistan soon after Partition. She is the daughter of the man with political ambition who isn’t afraid to use his power for personal gain. She also wants Jay and is content to let circumstances – and her father’s strong arm tactics – to deliver Jay to her.
Ratna (played by Shweta Basu Prasad) is the wife of Binod who is first a lowly employee and then Madan Kumar, the breakout star of the silver screen. She goes along with whatever life throws her way: at first an ordinary existence and then the wife of a superstar with money and massive fame, and finally losing everything to endure the shame of scandal.
She is seen to have zero agency and is seen to live entirely via the men in her life. Her personhood is subsumed by the lives of the men around her. She displays neither resentment nor anger when she finds out about her husband’s affair. Even as she takes the bold step of secretly giving away her jewellery to the young brother in law with ambitions of being a singer, her actions are still very much in service of the men in her life.
One has to compromise to make a film, either with the body or with the conscience, Niloufer memorably says at one point. It is a statement of fact, not a moral judgement. This is not a confession, merely a pragmatic woman speaking about extracting the best from the hand life dealt to her. In this sense Niloufer is a feminist for her times; making her own choices in ways she deems best for herself.
Sumitra is seen to be at the mercy of her emotions for the most part – though economic considerations will guide her actions now and again. Both Ratna and Kiran are seen to operate within the decisions that the men in their life make for them. We see them take no action that is of much consequence.
While the women characters in Jubilee are well written and fleshed out there is something common among them in the end. More often than not, they are reacting to what happens around them and what the men do, rather than acting on their own. The men are the driving force, the decision makers. In the end, even the effervescent Niloufer, sits helplessly dialling a phone in her bridal finery – again waiting for a man to act (or not).
By and large women today have more agency than they did in the 40s and 50s, but so much remains unchanged for us. Men still retain much of the decision making power in a lot of women’s lives. Our value in society is still tied to marriage and motherhood. Married women are perceived as more ‘respectable’ and single women are still hounded to get married in order that they may be ‘fulfilled’.
Jubilee’s Niloufer, Sumitra, Kiran, Ratna show us that the more things change, the more they remain the same.
All images source: YouTube/ Jubilee trailer
A former lawyer, now freelance writer, fauji wife, mother, singer, knitter and lover of my own cooking, I have altogether too many opinions and too few convictions. The more I learn the more I am 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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