Seven decades since Independence, it's high time our films reflected gender parity, a crucial cornerstone of a just society | Independence Day 2022
The tendency to box films which are either helmed or headlined by female professionals as 'women-oriented' has only damaged the possibility of all-round growth
Let me tell you about a brand new rom-com which I quite enjoyed. Wedding Season, directed by Tom Dey, is about a personable pair of desis in New Jersey, looking for their dream partner just so they can get their pushy parents off their back. When Asha and Ravi meet, it’s cute. Strike one. Going by standard rom com rule number two, they have to be oblivious of each other’s charms to begin with, which these two, well played by Suraj Sharma and Pallavi Sharda, duly comply with.
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But the nicest thing of all, apart from the obvious spark between the two, is that they are handed out parity by the writers: she has a real job, formerly in high-flying finance, now in micro-loans, and he is looking for a way to come clean about where his heart really lies. They are equals, whichever metric you apply.
You already know about this other film, which I did not enjoy at all. Aanand L Rai’s Raksha Bandhan is also about finding the right match, but it’s all askew: the heavy lifting is done by an older brother for his four younger sisters, who are portrayed as these helpless creatures, incapable of harbouring a single independent thought. Akshay Kumar is meant to be an adarsh bade bhaiyya, but the concern he is seen lavishing upon said behens is strictly to do with “procuring” proper grooms for these “difficult” girls. How is labelling young women “fat” and “dark” acceptable in this day and age? Under the guise of a socially-relevant film, which supposedly speaks out against dowry, it ends up infantilising its characters, as well as the viewers.
Here we are, in 2022, trying to deal with the ravages of the pandemic, the after-effects of climate change, the rapidly changing rules of engagement. What does India at 75 need, more than anything else? Ways to negotiate a world trying to rebuild itself, with acceptance, openness,and compassion. Gender parity is a crucial cornerstone of a just society, and one of the most effective ways of talking it up is through cinema. If representation is key, who would you rather see: a young woman with intelligence and emotional acuity, or one who is dependent on the patriarch for every single thing?
Rating: 5