On the evening of February 13, what the television viewers experienced during the spine-tingling discussion on two different news channels was nothing less than tub-thumping. The panelists were popular political faces for the viewers. They were appearing wholly not in a relenting mood. They were for sure not taking a softer line. What happened earlier on News 18 was repeated on News 24 also.

The anchors were undeniably different but looked sullen and dejected with the criticisms of the spokespersons. In the first instance, the Congress party spokesman with the surname of Kheda could not bear the intermittent interference while answering the question pointed at him.

In a fit of disgust and anger, he poured down all his outbursts crossly. In the second instance, BJP spokesman Sambit Patra could not bear the words of the NCP leader Nawab Malik. Things started to heat up quickly. Before they come face to face, they decided to take a different approach of leaving the show. The viewers were known to the annoying arguments typically carried on between the two politicians more often.

In both cases, the party spokespersons left the chairs after their rambling arguments. It seems they are not tolerating each other as vocal fighting has been becoming a necessary factor for developing encouraging impression for the political party in the ensuing parliamentary elections.

The news channels, particularly the Hindi ones, are not bereft of creating related noisy scenes. The English news channels are not as much boisterous for the panelists were different there. The viewers interestingly sit before the television set for understanding the political views but unfortunately, they get clamour, blare and glare. They do not always receive important information. The channels might secure their ratings but the common viewers only kill their time in looking at the political parties authorised spokespersons’ row.

Wherever the politics persists the row is impending, it is as true as the clouds laden with water roar immeasurably before the heavy showers start falling on the parched ground. Whether it is the Corporation’s House or the Assembly’s House or the Parliament’s Lower House, noise, arguments and din continue till the time it functions. In all my experience what I can say is that stay tuned for the next such adventure of the spokespersons.

The post Television News Channels’ Talks Turn Into Tub-Thumping appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

Every youngster these days celebrates Valentine Day in school and college. Cards and flowers are exchanged, and people ask “Will you be my Valentine?”

But, what is the actual story behind Valentine’s day? Why it is celebrated? Are we even celebrating it correctly?

History says that Valentine’s Day is celebrated on the death anniversary of a Roman saint called Valentine. He was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. During this time, there was no culture of marriage or family, it long term relationships. The culture at the time was to have short term relationships and not to have families. One of the reasons for this was the Roman King Claudius. He believed that single men made better soldiers. Saint Valentine did not agree with King Claudius. So, he started preaching a culture of marriage and family life. He used to officiate marriages for young lovers in secret.

Someone once asked Saint Valentine why he was against Claudius, and why he supported marriage and family. He then replied that he was much inspired by Eastern philosophy that venerated these institutions. He also realised that Claudius was doing an injustice to people in his society.

When Valentine’s actions were discovered by Claudius, he put the saint to death. Later, after Claudius’ death, Valentine’s followers and the couples who got married because of him started celebrating Valentine’s Day.

So, if someone asks “Will you be my Valentine?” it might indirectly mean “Will you marry me?“.

After the spread of Christianity and modern Western culture, this culture of marriage and family life was converted into new expressions of love—greeting cards and flowers. And we Indians unthinkingly follow this western tradition without knowing the truth behind it. If we look at it, we Indians don’t even need to celebrate Valentine’s Day, because we all know the importance of marriage in Indian culture.

Featured Image source: Joe Haupt/Flickr.

The post Did You Know The Real Story Of Valentine’s Day Begins In Ancient Rome? appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

On 14th February 2019, when the world was busy celebrating and spreading love, India was at the receiving end of a ghastly terror attack in Pulwama.  More than 40 CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) personnel were martyred, when a suicide bomber from Jaish e Mohammed (allegedly a Pakistan based terror outfit) rammed his explosive-laden SUV into the force’s bus.

As the news broke out, the entire nation mourned and also became aggressively critical of Pakistan. Every News channel was trying hard to deliver the worst news of the year in the best way possible, to lure viewers into watching their so-called ‘éxclusive’ coverage. They were just trying to cash in on the ‘soul-shattering’ tragedy, by keeping their audience engaged. Amidst the wave of grief that engulfed our country, for once, I did expect the media to show its sensitive side; but I was left utterly disappointed. I was really hoping that the media for now, at least, would show some sensible stories, bereft of political biases, while prioritizing the Nation. As I  switched on my television, I found myself listening to the same cacophony of news anchors and panelists.

The entire country was grieving the loss, and it was perhaps not the appropriate time to indulge in a Congress-BJP debate. For Indian media, it was just another ‘breaking news’, that they were trying to present as usual. I will need to write a lot of other articles to describe, what the discussion should have been about instead of what it was. In short, all I want to say is that in a moment like this, people don’t really want to hear loud debates and political allegations/attacks, at least for a while. Times like these are critically sensitive, and the media should refrain from directing the focus of masses on provoking and glorifying war.

Featured Image Source: ANI

The post Was The Indian Media’s Coverage Of Pulwama Totally Insensitive? appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

“Main apne sapnon ko apni asliyat se nahi, apni asliyat ko apne sapnon se match chahta hoon (I don’t want my dreams to match my reality, I want my reality to match my dreams)…”

Hope is what keeps this world alive. Hope is what lets that one drop of sweat never be the last. Hope is what injects life into a tattered soul. This is what Zoya Akhtar’s “Gully Boy” yearns to emphasise poetically.

A young chap named Murad, whose only dream is to become a rapper, lives each day of his life only to make his dreams a reality. However, the his family’s financial situation demands that he look for 9-to-5 stability. Therefore, being aware of the bleak scenario, Murad does what is he is ‘supposed’ to do with the vigor to break away from the dream-killing system.

This novelty in thought is conceived in a grief-stricken setting of a home where the mother laments the polygamous instinct of the father, and all Murad lives by is his talent. He voices his anger outside where his process of shining as a star rapper continues. It carries on because of his friends and Safeena. The contrast in these two worlds, where thoughts are formed and executed, is portrayed vividly by the director. Murad’s demeanor changes drastically as he steps in and out of his house.

However, the same dichotomy is muddled as he infuses his words with any and every situation he comes across. Whether it is his father or staring at teary eyes, he feels pain, and purges through his lyrics. For instance, the fact that he says “Kaun bola, mujhse na ho payega (Who says I can’t)?” or “Kyun hai yeh doori, yeh majboori (Why is there yearning, why is there obligation)?” throws enough light on the needless pain humans suffer due to their fears.

Akhtar crafts these visceral points in the plot quite subtly in order to deepen the impact. In other words, it is the effect of bringing in human emotions on one level and puncturing class differences on another. Her character, Murad, is a master of observing life at its harshest, and this ability is further backed by the characters MC Sher, Safeena, and Sky. So, by the time this struggling artiste goes on to win a contest, the film has already connected with hearts, hollowed up by unfulfilled desires.

Ergo, “Gully Boy” may seem like a journey from gutters to glory, but it encapsulates all of one’s soul and urges it to reach its true destination. The amazingly composed screenplay, powerful songs, and remarkably artistic skills of Zoya Akhtar and Ranveer Singh make for a fitting tribute to Mumbai based MCs, Naezy and Divine. Further, Akhtar’s soul-searching endeavour since “Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara” (2011) and “Dil Dhadakne Do” (2015) is held paramount yet again in this work of hers. Speaking of the lead actors, “Gully Boy” does carve an exemplary benchmark for Ranveer Singh, as well as Alia Bhatt, whose character Veera went on a self discovering spree in “Highway” (2014). Lastly, there is a ride taken outside of one’s comfort, only to find who one really is and all that remains is a revelation that makes the film worth a watch.

Featured Image source: YouTube.

The post ‘Gully Boy’ Dares You To Dream Again appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

Everyone loves an underdog story. In a country that runs more on emotion and less on logic, making a movie about an underdog has mostly been successful. Even the ones that didn’t make money at the box office – like ‘Maalamaal’ – have achieved a cult following over the years. In such a scenario comes Zoya Akhtar with her film ‘Gully Boy’, a film about the underground music scene in India.

I can safely say that most mainstream audiences got their first full blown taste of underground music with the ‘Sacred Games’ anthem ‘Kaam 25’. A few months down the line, comes ‘Gully Boy’, a film where Ranveer Singh plays the titular character; it is the story of how he becomes what he does from being Murad from Dharavi.

For a film that’s based in Dharavi, Zoya does a great job. It’s a great relief to see that the director doesn’t want to make a poverty porn film – we have had that a couple of times in this decade and in the previous one. ‘Salaam Bombay’ was criticised for being too violent, ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ was criticised for being poverty porn, and then there are so many other films accused of being that. However, Zoya captures a civilization that’s happy with what it has, and will fight hammer and tongs if someone tries to take it away from them.

She happily captures her protagonists dancing in the streets (full hat tip to her for not having Ranveer and Siddhant on the same X in the choreography) and doesn’t tell the audience about the dirt, the grime, the fragility of their lives. In fact, she takes a potshot at the concept of poverty porn early on in the film. If this film were Ranveer Singh’s debut, he’d be an instant classic. In this film, we see the Ranveer Singh of his audition days.

Bur for someone who has spent his lifetime in a locality that’s a kilometre away from another hutment area like Dharavi, ‘Gully Boy’ is a bit of a letdown. To really understand what goes in these hutments, I’d recommend watching the criminally underrated ‘Striker’, starring Siddharth and Aditya Panscholi (that guy gives a performance of a lifetime). Crime, death and violence is a reality that hutment dwellers face every day. That all this makes just a romanticised appearance in ‘Gully Boy’ is a matter of concern.

The film also suffers from the ‘sab theek ho jayega’ complex. Some characters seem too good to be true. Some relationships seem confusing, but the one thing that’s missing is the real struggle that Ranveer’s character would have gone through – that of money. Money is tight for any class in India, and more so for the ones living in hutments. The fact that money doesn’t get any reference in a film about underdogs is telling. Either the filmmaker knows something that government surveys don’t show, or they just thought of brushing it away.

The post Review: Does ‘Gully Boy’ Portray The Realities Of Dharavi Wrong? appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

The raw texture in every aspect of the narrative, a “not- to- miss” mention of almost every sensitive, yet muted and pinching, point of the characters through its songs, and a constant presence of lyrical silence which speaks paralleled volumes with immensely strong dialogues, is what makes Gully boy an epic that it is.

Of course, needless to add, its perfect protagonists played by Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt, and the supporting star cast, added incredible energy, not just on screen, but within the viewers too.

The movie revolves around the niches of the Mumbai slum, and its haunting reality, majorly from a perspective that puts forth an economically weak Muslim family’s lifestyle. It’s a treat to watch, Murad, played by Ranveer Singh, who’s relentless urge to change his life and his pain, only talk in silence through his writings; a domestically abusive father; a supportive mother; Murad’s childhood sweetheart Safeena, who is fearless and an aspiring young surgeon herself, and his old and new friends who struggle with him in their own ways, to make him the ‘Gully boy’ that he finally is.

The movie is so well knitted, and almost every dot connects so aptly with the other, that no one individual can be called the ‘star” of the narrative. Each of them has put their best foot forward. The only one who does look a misfit and is loosely crafted is the character of Sky, played by Kalki. Director Zoya Akhtar, perhaps, wanted to put a point across to showcase Murad’s growth, but then the strings get broken soon after, as far as Sky is concerned.

Of all that I have understood from his process of preparing for a role, Ranveer Singh has nailed it yet again, while trying to sync the ghetto character of Murad thoroughly into his soul. What speak for him are his wet vulnerable eyes, his silence, the depth in his poetry, and his heart that beats for rap, and indeed his lady love Safeena. In those handful moments when he does get vocal, kudos to the dialogue writer, Vijay Maurya, who has simply brought more shine to the star.

I have loved Alia Bhatt for the transformation she brings to her own character, similar to what she did in Highway, Raazi, and now in Gully boy. The articulation of how a Mumbai girl from a conservative family, and a gundi of sorts would speak, has been done exactly to the point by the young actress. Together they portray a sweet couple, deeply in love, progressive, possessive and the biggest strength for each other.

Siddhant Chaturvedi, who plays Murad’s mentor, MC Sher, has stolen my heart away and so has Murad’s old friend Moin, played by Vijay Verma. Both these relationships individually have been beautifully crafted by Akhtar and Reema Kagti, the co-writer for the movie. The core message and characters they carry with them is the big heart of a true friend, who is bravely ready to give it all to let Murad live the passion of his life. They put to life the reality of giving with open hands, that too when they do not have anything in themselves, apart from their own sheer talent. Remarkable.

Gully Boy’s music is not the routine list of songs played for you, but an interesting fusion of poetry and beats that introduces you to the horrific realities of a minority lifestyle, crime, politics and to the self- scripted norms of the society that the wise youth does not relate to.

Every word of the movie is written with such depth, that each of it melts down into a new poetry that the dreamer is ready to shout aloud. That’s how the dreamer Murad is. In the middle of all his life’s challenges, his career build ups and with his hard work, he’s able to turn his struggles into opportunities, to live his contrasting dream.

Few deep dug messages that I could establish are how valuably poor the richer counterparts are, and vice versa. The scenes where Murad drives his owner’s car as an almost graduate sitting next to the daughter who’s a graduate herself. The silent discrimination is a hit on the soul, both ways. In a similar situation when the owner’s daughter sits in the car crying and there’s a hard-hitting poetry that goes through Murad’s mind, which is a slap on umpteen self-created lines we draw in the name of class and strata. These create staunch walls within our society for no reason.

One of Murad’s relatives tells him to sing ghazals instead if music is the only thing he wishes to pursue. Safeena is beaten up by her mother when she puts forward her basic youthful demands to move out- party and talk to boys. The jaded, experienced lot of elders in our society have created a phenomenon, which they think cannot and shouldn’t be altered for any reason, which stops the younger lot to even dream. This goes against the souls of today’s generation.

Making a shift from her earlier creations of larger than life riches, and all the talks about the urban pain points, Zoya Akhtar has filmed a very different reality. Her gift of getting into sharp specifications, deep messaging is evident here as well.

The movie for me, is inspiring, allowing me to dream more.

The post Review: If A Push Is All That Your Dream Needs, Go Watch Gully Boy! appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

“Enter the Void”, a 2009 English psychedelic thriller, is more of an intellectual exercise by Argentine filmmaker Gaspar Noe, made in the form of a cocktail of blood, sperm, and tears. The film takes the average movie-goer (who lives under the illusion of a sober disciplined world) on a different trip. Starring Nathaniel Brown, the film is an experiment where Gaspar Noe makes the audience experience the film from the first-person viewpoint of the character Oscar. Like his other movie “Irreversible”, “Enter the Void” is a cinematic experiment in which Gaspar Noe says he wanted to make the audience uneasy by putting them into the shoes of a young lad who immerses himself into potent psychedelic substances like DMT.

The film begins with a POV shot of Oscar (Nathaniel Brown) and his younger sister Linda (Paz de la Huerta). The brother-sister duo look out at the glittery city of Tokyo from the balcony of their small apartment as they chat. The storyline of the film appears to be a simple family drama—an American family consisting of father, mother, son, and daughter. The father and mother die in a car accident while the kids make a narrow escape. They promise to be there for each other, but the little girl is taken away to a foster home. As the young boy grows up, he is determined to bring back his sister. He sells drugs and even sleeps with his friend’s mother for the extra money. Imagining the whole story from the narrative of a typical Bollywood flick, it is supposed to be a flat melodrama (minus the drugs and sleeping with friend’s mother, which the Censor Board would have loved to chop off had it released here). But Gaspar Noe works his magic on the plot.

With long takes, incredible colour schemes and lighting, shaky camerawork, and, of course, the background score, the film makes it increasingly disturbing for the average audience to immerse into without feeling like they’re tripping. With the first-person viewpoint, Oscar’s perspective, the film provides a sort of spiritual journey, with ‘out of the body’ experiences through ambient look, feel, and sound. It’s no less than a dose of DMT.

The most interesting part of the storytelling is its disruptive narrative that does not follow a linear chronological order. Filled with flashbacks and flash forwards, the film reflects multiple journeys of the characters, all leading up to the main plotline. This shows a gradual shift in the character from an innocent teenager to a strong bold adult. “Enter the Void” is a cinematic experience.

Summing up my experience, “Enter the Void” is a must-watch for every audience craving an unusual cinematic trip with neon-lit long takes, and, whoever wants to explore blood, sperm, and tears with a dose of psychedelics.

The post Movie Review: ‘Enter The Void’ Is A Psychedelic Trip You Definitely Want To Take appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

“Trust takes years to build, seconds to break and forever to repair”

The 21^st century has proven itself to be the golden era, in terms of the rapid progress in all the countries. In every country, each and every sector- railways, defense, education, agriculture, has been enhanced over the years. Media works as the most powerful tool nowadays by providing us with the strongest and weakest points, and the annual agenda of a country. However, it is not a new revelation that most of the fuss we are fed, is entirely fake.

In a developing nation, such as ours, journalism is highly influenced by politics. When strikes, elections or flash mob protests take place, the news which common people are engaged with is heavily politicized. The days of impartial news reporting are pretty much over. It could be well observed that some news channels are politically biased. Hence, the majority of the reports are partial. Fox News channel is biased towards the Republican party in the US, and MSNBC clearly favors the Democratic party. These reports are not absolute for sure.

Misleading headlines is the worst that newspapers do to a reader’s trust. Media portrays every second news with a very misleading title, in order to make it appealing. As a result, people are left fooled and frustrated, after going through the whole report. Bollywood gossips on news channels and page 3 on papers are the most moulded stories of all times. A large section of the society is quite interested in reading information like that, thus, in turn, they benefit the publishers, irrespective of the genuineness of the report.

Another source of crime reports is Savdhaan India, Gumraah, Crime Patrol which run on entertainment channels, but claim that their content is based on true stories. As per me, these are the most dangerous reports that people take into account. There was a period when groups discussed joyful events, while now, most of the discussions revolve around crime episodes. Such episodes provide ideas to commit a clean crime.

All these things have created an atmosphere of distrust within people who believe that true knowledge is power and fake news has ruined the sanity of such power and damaged a reader’s intellect. In order to get rid of this distrust, a solid layer of belief should be engraved within the society.

To do this, firstly all readers should be well aware of the fact that most of the news is nothing but avoidable junk. Many people still do not know that they are being fed the wrong information. Information plays a key role in national fraternity. Therefore, awareness must be spread about the reality of any news that is shown. An organization of highly well-informed people can be set up to interest common people, in training them to differentiate between real and fake news. Also, this would weaken the TRP of such content through a message to the media, that we, the viewers and readers of news, will not tolerate any nonsense.

A Wrong Information Works No Less Than Junk Food For The Gut Of The Brain

The young generation of all the countries spends most of its time on social media. It is a known fact that political parties and celebrities have their own social media managers who look out to influence online users. Such sponsored reports are completely biased and there is no proof for them to be real. People are often seen fighting on comment threads, and sometimes, those arguments are just blown out of proportion. The power of youth should not be wasted on such trash. Means to check such fake news must be maintained by websites.

Having the option of autocorrecting fake news or deleting it, would be very helpful. Also, elders must keep an eye on what influences their children. If a piece of information is found provocative or unreal, it must be reported by online users immediately. Online portals must be considered reliable only after putting them to multiple tests. This will help real news portals gain prominence on the internet. Also, this will help the youth believe in what is truest to knowledge.

Calls and messages related to jobs, lottery worth crores, are a whole new level of lies. Although the government runs advertisements to avoid them, greed drags people to fall into this pit. As a result, many true calls from banks and offices are avoided. Many job opportunities are left untouched. Strict checking is the need of the hour. A very helpful solution would be applying for an RTI to know which company has sent you an offer. RTI officials have to be very active.

The discussion platforms on news channels, intentionally target particular religions and communities every other day. This often creates unnecessary societal and communal rifts. A particular religion or caste is continuously made to feel isolated in our nation because of this. Broadcasting rules must make it very clear that no religion or community must be targeted under any circumstances by any media. It is not wrong to discuss national issues regularly, but dissecting a religion on national television, again and again, can cause serious problems, which can be detrimental to our nation harmony.

All I want to say in the end is, that the information that media spreads is the tool on which our moral, social and national machinery works. Oiling it with truth and clearing the clutters of fakeness is highly important for mankind. And to do this, strict rules must be made by BCCI, awareness must be spread among common people, a powerful organization of well-informed people must be made to keep in check whether a report shown is real or not.

RTI offices must be made active. In this era of fake news, to restore the trust of the public, we have to really resist our urges to read catchy gossip columns and train ourselves to discard distrustful news channels.

The post Restoring Trust In The Era Of Fake News Will Be Quite A Task appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

व्यापार एक बहुत ही बेहतरीन चीज़ है। आज हर व्यक्ति कहीं ना कहीं से कोई व्यापार ही कर रहा है। कुछ वक्त पहले देश के प्रधानसेवक नरेन्द्र मोदी ने यह बात बहुत ही जोश के साथ कही थी कि उनके खून में व्यापार है, जिसपर भिन्न-भिन्न प्रकार की प्रतिक्रियाएं आई थीं। अब जब देश का प्रधानसेवक ऐसी बात कह रहा हो तो इस बात को बहुत आसानी से समझा जा सकता है कि व्यापार का कितना ज़्यादा महत्व है। व्यापार या कारोबार हमेशा से हर समाज की बहुत बड़ी ज़रूरत रही है क्योंकि इसके बिना समाज चल ही नहीं सकता।

समाज में बहुत से व्यापार मौजूद हैं। हर व्यक्ति अपने मन का व्यापार कर रहा है, कोई व्यापार से करोड़ों का मालिक बना तो कोई अरबों का और ना जाने कितने तबाह भी हो गए। फिर भी जिसके भीतर कारोबार की चाहत है वह व्यक्ति व्यवसाय ही कर रहा है। ऐसे ही प्रमुख कारोबारों में से एक कारोबार “नफरत का कारोबार” भी है। इस व्यापार की ‘मीडिया’ और ‘सोशल मीडिया’ नाम की दो प्रमुख मंडियां हैं, जहां से नफरत का सामान बाज़ार में पहुंचता है।

नफरत के कारोबार का प्रमुख उद्देश्य समाज में मोहब्बत को खत्म करना और समाज के दो सबसे खास तबको को विभाजित करना है ताकि बहुत आसानी से वोटों का ध्रुवीकरण हो सके। यह कारोबार सबसे ज़्यादा सोशल मीडिया पर दिखता है, जहां प्रत्येक व्यक्ति अपने दिल की भड़ास निकालता है।

सोशल मीडिया एक ऐसा पार्क बन गया है कि जहां पर व्यक्ति जो चाहे लिख सकता है, उसे कोई रोकने या टोकने वाला नहीं होता। शायद इसी बात का भरपूर फायदा यह कारोबारी उठाते हैं, जिनके ऐसे-ऐसे पेज चल रहे हैं, जिसपर वे नफरत भरी बातें लिखते और दिखाते हैं, जिससे उसके सामने वाला तबका मचल जाता है और फिर वह काउंटर करता है।

इस तरह के फेसबुक के पेज हैं, “भक्तो के पापा, कट्टर हिन्दू, आई.एम विथ बरखा दत्त, आई. एम विथ रवीश कुमार, हल्ला बोल, आज़ाद भारत, कश्मीरी पंडित्स-हिन्दूज़, आरक्षण हटाओ देश बचाओ, आई.एम विथ शहला रशीद, आई एम विथ रोहित सरदाना, आई एम विथ सुधीर चौधरी, आई एम विथ अंजना ओम कश्यप”आदि अन्य तमाम नामों से यह पेज चल रहे हैं, जो एक दूसरे को मिर्च लगाने वाले पोस्ट अपडेट करते हैं।

इन सबमें इन दोनों विरोधियों की जंग तो होती ही है साथ में वह लोग भी इसमें कूद जाते हैं, जो इन दोनों में से एक को अपने पक्ष का समझने लगते हैं और जाने-अनजाने में वह लोग भी नफरत फैलाने का कारण बनते हैं, जिनके ज़हनों से प्यार को खत्म करने के लिए यह व्यवसाय हो रहा है ताकि वक्त आने पर राहुल, राहुल के साथ चला जाए और रहमान, रहमान के साथ जाए। यह दोनों एक दूसरे की नफरत में अंधे हो जाएं ताकि कारोबारी इसी फैलाई हुई नफरत के ज़रिए सत्ता का सुख भोगते रहें।

इसके साथ इन व्यापारियों के ऐसे गुट भी सोशल मीडिया पर सक्रिय रहते हैं, जिनका काम सिर्फ और सिर्फ टारगेट यूज़र की पोस्ट पढ़ते ही उस यूज़र को अपशब्दों से नवाज़ना होता है। यह टारगेट यूज़र “ओम थानवी, असगर वजाहत, रवीश कुमार, बरखा दत्त और इन जैसे अन्य लोग होते हैं, जिसका सीधा सा उदाहरण कई बुद्धीजीवियों की हत्या और हाल ही में महात्मा गांधी के पुतले को गोली मारने की घटना है।

इस बात से अंदाज़ा लगाया जा सकता है कि नफरत कहां तक पहुंच गयी है, जो लोग छिपकर गांधी जी पर अपनी भड़ास निकालने के साथ गोडसे की जय-जयकार किया करते थे, वहीं लोग आज खुलेआम और बिना किसी डर के गांधी जी के पुतले को गोली मारकर अपनी शक्ति से समाज को परिचित करवा रहे हैं।

इस कारोबार की जड़ें इतनी गहरी हो चुकी हैं कि आए दिन इन जड़ों से तीन तलाक, गौरक्षा, घर वापसी, मीटबंदी, शहरों के नाम बदलना आदि विषय निकलते रहते हैं, जिससे इस कारोबार में मुनाफा होता रहे। इस कारोबार की यह ज़बरदस्त बात ही है कि आज लोग अपने दुख से इतना दुखी नहीं होते जितना कि दूसरों की खुशी से।

इस कारोबार की चपेट में आए लोग दूसरे के दुख से बहुत ज़्यादा खुश होते हैं, तभी कोई मंहगाई, बढ़ती बेरोज़गारी, शिक्षण संस्थानों के हालत, ट्रेनों का पटरी से उतरना, तेज़ी के साथ पेट्रोल के दाम बढ़ना, बच्चों का सड़कों पर भीख मांगना, किसानों की हालत और व्यापार में मंदी, शिक्षा का स्तर आदि के बारे में नहीं पूछता और ना ही पूछना चाहता है क्योंकि इससे ज़्यादा खुशी तीन तलाक बिल, मीटबन्दी, शहरों के नाम बदलने से और लिंचिंग से मिल जाती है। इस तरह इस कारोबार में दिन दूनी रात चौगनी की रफ्तार से तरक्की हो रही है।

The post “नफरत के व्यापार की दो मंडियां हैं मीडिया और सोशल मीडिया” appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

“Apna Time Ayega”

It’s been four days since the movie “Gully Boy” released and this anthem seems to have taken over the entire country.

Such is the power of storytelling in this movie about dreams and destiny that the music and dialogues resonate with you long after you leave the cinema hall.

However, this is not another movie review dissecting the nuances and applauding the flawless direction. This is a heartfelt letter of gratitude to Zoya Akhtar for creating Murad Ahmed and the entire gully gang. This is an acknowledgement for providing us with a sharp and brutal lens of classism which diminishes caste and religion to nothingness.

Murad Ahmed is a practising Muslim and he wears his religion on his sleeve. His Surma filled eyes are brimming with a hope of breaking free. Right before he performs in the final round, he offers Namaz and then heads to the arena. He is that stereotypical Muslim that you have seen in every Bollywood movie ever – his father is a polygamist and is abusive, his mother is helpless and he speaks in a typical slang. Yet, he touches a raw nerve as no Muslim protagonist has in any mainstream Bollywood movie.

What the audience connect with is his relentless commitment to break free. His struggle to find his place in this world which tells him every day that he’s destined to perish in anonymity. His journey of finding his voice while being surrounded by hardship reminds one of their own inner demons.

He measures a lavish washroom and realizes that his entire home is not even as big as a rich man’s bathing area. It is his mother’s biggest dream to see her son graduate and work in an office; it is also his biggest joy and privilege to be able to go to college and be a graduate. Yet, his hard-earned achievement is treated as a parameter of diminishing value of a degree by a privileged man who has never had to think twice before paying the tuition fee for his children.

Moin is Murad’s childhood friend. He’s a drug-peddler, car thief and obviously, a mechanic. His professional credentials are exactly what you associate with a Muslim from a slum. Yet, when he aggressively tells Murad that children are better off with him as labourers than they were in a pit dying, you feel like you’ve been punched in the gut.

His sense of right and wrong is blurry as he has never had the chance to rise above the hustle for survival. During the scene where he requests Murad to take care of his children, we are all a drug peddler or a car thief.

In that moment, we are all Moins.

MC Sher is introduced as the first beam of hope. His confidence and swag inspire Murad to follow his dreams.

Yet, you are only introduced to Shrikant when you enter his dingy home in a chawl. His alcoholic father and the responsibility of young siblings are his reality far flung from his persona of Sher.

During that moment, Murad and Shrikant are one person.

During that moment, neither does Murad’s taweez matter nor does Shrikant’s Marathi slur.

Gully Boy takes us to the most poverty-stricken, dirty streets of India’s economic capital. It takes you to those slums not so far from your own home which remain ignored and even suspected. Gully Boy takes you inside your own conscience and leads you to check your own privilege.

You root for Murad and cheer for him before he holds the mic for his final performance, with sheer disbelief being reflected in his surma-lined eyes.

When Murad raps “Apna Time Ayega” as Gully Boy for the first time before an enthusiastic crowd, you feel his energy vibrating in your pulse. During that moment, we all are Safeena – nervous and proud.

When Murad stands on the stage and his parents are overwhelmed with emotions, you stand up and applaud because he has transcended the barriers of his own destiny.

Your feelings shift from absolute hate to heartbreaking pity for Murad’s father as he begs his son not to forego what he believes is the only shot he has for a slightly better future than himself.

You want to bail out Moin for his petty crimes. You want to hold the police back and let them know about why he did that.

You smile to yourself when Murad refuses an alcoholic drink. You are proud that he stuck to his values.

“Gully Boy” makes you forget about the caste or religious divides. “Gully Boy” makes you realize that what matters is survival and the privilege to dream.

During these horrific times, “Gully Boy” reminds India of what it stands for – one dream, one nation.

The post Dear Zoya Akhtar, Thank You For Creating Murad And The Gully Gang appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

Last weekend, a bunch of my friends and I made the fortunate decision of watching Zoya Akhtar’s “Gully Boy”. Sadly, due to the manner in which a majority of Bollywood movies have been made in the recent past, I am a great sceptic of movies being churned out by our industry – I wish this was not the case though. So, there I was sitting and watching Emcee Sher and Gully Boy, and my doubts about Bollywood, Indian rap and for that matter, Ranveer Singh’s sanity were all turned into shreds. Simply put, Gully Boy is a masterpiece.

Zoya Akhtar has shown that long gone are the days of reality and reel belonging to different paradigms – India has the appetite to see true reflections of itself, and the box office success of this film goes to prove this.

Yet, what stood out the most for me was the brilliant music of the movie. Whilst such hip-hop, which avoids the easy road of meaningless lyrics and gaudy productions was always present, “Gully Boy” has done a great job in publicising such music. Songs from the movie by Dub Sharma, Divine and Naezy to name a few, have captivated its audiences. Something to note is that most songs were made before the movie, and have been around for a while. Kudos to these great artists for having created an impressive work of creative collaboration.

All this of course made the visit to cinema worthwhile, but the aspect that really resonated with me the most were the lyrics of the songs. These songs prove to all that Indian rap is not only based on hollow themes such as wealth, ‘cool’ quotients and women, a theme which reeks of wonton misogyny, but is now slowly becoming what it is truly supposed to be – a medium to express the voices of a few people.

Songs such as Azadi, Jingostan and Apana time ayega act as a potent representation of the maladies that our society is plagued with. Whether it be the spread of communal hatred, casteism, rampant corruption or pollution, the lyrics of these songs leave no stone unturned at bringing the attention of the listener to these wrongs with cold piercing lyrics. For example, here is just one stanza from the song Azadi:

“Haan both bete chupchaap
Kya ghante ka insaaf
Desh kaise hoga saaf
Inki niyat main hai dag
Sirf pakadte rahenge baat
Alag shakal wahi jaat
Vote na milne par ye khass
Phir gayab pure saal.”

With the use of just eight lines and a catchy beat, one verse of this song got me thinking about how dysfunctional our democracy might just have become. Not that other incidents or news pieces have not made me think so, but the manner in which a single song is able to bring an individual’s rapt attention towards a particular societal predicament, in this case our electorally obsessed politicians with inept skills in policy making, is something we should respect.

Another song from the movie, Jingostan, portrays the acidic hyper-national rhetoric accurately – and even takes pot shots at it whilst doing so. Having heard these songs, I am sure that in the coming days that this art form, along with many others, will sharpen and become effective mediums of protest.

These songs, and the number of people who have now started listening to them, go to show that we Indians are not ones to remain quiet. Whether, it be casteism, communalism, corruption or pollution, we will not stay quiet about it, nor will we not sit around as we see our polity being plagued by it – we will break free from them.

Bikhu Parekh, a political theorist and a member of the House of Lords, had written recently that a major pillar of Indian democracy – protest – had been discredited by the incoming of protests with no real Constitution. I think Divine, Dub Sharma and the countless other rappers would beg to disagree. The medium might have changed, but the flame of protest continues to stir. After all, azadi toh hum leke rahenge (we will definitely reclaim our freedom).

The post Bolo Azadi: ‘Gully Boy’ Redefines The Idea Of Rap And Protest In India appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

“Ours is essentially a tragic age, so we refuse to take it tragically.”

These are the opening lines by DH Lawrence’s book “Lady Chatterlay’s Lover”. It can be quoted as the best example for the situation of women in Indian cinema. Filmmakers are constantly moving the scale up for making male dominated and absurd movies. In the process, they are portraying a wrong image of women in the  movies. And we, as audience, are cordially accepting it; we are not just accepting but loving such films.

This is the 21st century, where Indian women are self-employed, doing jobs in private and government sectors, winning gold medals for India in various sports, contributing more in civil services than they did in last several years, representing India in various countries, flying fighter jets and sailing on infinite. However, Bollywood films are portraying women as creatures desperate for love. Their ultimate goal is to find love and love only. As if women don’t have other things to do. They don’t play, they don’t have other aims, etc.

Racism had also been a part of Bollywood. Actresses with fair skin only had been given roles; roles were not given based on acting skills. Beauty is measured by fairness of skin. Acting skills are overlooked in Bollywood majorly.

Actresses are given less roles as compared to male actors and sometimes even their scenes are not related to the story. And in some scenes, women have to show their bodies more than necessary.

Bollywood makes a direct impact on the life’s of audience. This is a serious issue we need to understand. This is a disease we need to cure or else it will ruin the lives of people as well as the talents in our country.

The post Everything That’s Wrong With Portrayal Of Women In Indian Cinema appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

Dr. Narthaki Nataraj is one of the most accomplished Bharatnatyam dancers of today and a torchbearer engaged in preserving the dance compositions of the legendary Tanjore Quartet. By showcasing her flawless skill on an international platform, she is also giving the trans community much needed recognition. Dr. Narthaki will be honoured with the Padma Shri Award this year for her immense contributions to the field of art. I caught up with her for a long and interesting conversation, where she talks about how she continues to make this world a better place for the LGBTQ community through art and culture. She tells me how her journey began, and the challenges and prejudices she had to face in order to find acceptance as an artiste. Here are some excerpts from the interview.

Bijasmita (B): How difficult was it to come out as transgender in a conservative society like ours?

Dr. Narthaki Nataraj (NN): India is, culturally, a rich and diverse nation. In Tamil Nadu, we have different traditions pertaining to different religions. In my native town of Madurai, at that time, people were more conservative and it, definitely, was not easy to come out as transgender in society. During my childhood days, I yearned for acceptance and to mingle with mainstream society, but the transgender community was largely ignored and turned a deaf ear to. Though we wanted to live with our family and friends as integral parts of society, we were not permitted to. The irony is that the same people who worship Ardhanarishvara as a transgender deity do not find it in their hearts to accept the living forms of the same community. “Why do you neglect us?”, “Why do you avoid us?”, “Why do you insult us?” These are some of the questions the trans community can never expect to be answered.

B: What were the difficulties and challenges you faced during your childhood and how did your family react to you embracing your new identity?

NN: When my family and neighbours came to know, I couldn’t comprehend why everybody suddenly wanted to have nothing to do with me. This question has been posed many times before, but each time, I find myself at a loss for words to describe the pain and anguish I went through, at that time. I felt sad, angry and frustrated by the behavior of my family and at their inability to understand my feelings. I hated my parents and my brother for not standing up for me, back then. Because of the discrimination, my best friend Shakti and I left home, determined to carve out a niche for ourselves in this society.

The attitude of the society towards the trans community made me a little sympathetic to my family.They were ostracised because they gave birth to a child who felt she was a woman born in the wrong body. I was struggling to establish my own identity and in the ‘80s and ‘90s. It was difficult to fight for our dignity in a hostile world. My brother’s friends would tease me and my family was unable to do anything in the face of such strong hatred. It almost made me feel sorry for my family. But now, I no longer feel anger or hatred towards anyone.

B: How did you begin your journey as a dancer?

NN: Strictly speaking,that was not my decision (laughs). God chose that path for me. He sent Shakti to guide me in this world. They say that a person is known by the company they keep and, in that regard, I consider myself blessed. We are very different from each other. She is disciplined and punctual while I am a free bird, spontaneous, and erratic. I am her world and she lives and breathes only for me. I love silk sarees, diamonds, jewels, and make-up, but she has no such worldly desires. We want to mingle with this society and, to make my mark, I chose art. Though we are unlike the binary majority, we still have a lot to give to the world of art. Dogs bark, yet the caravan goes on.Hence, criticisms never mattered much to us.This is the life of a transgender person. Then, I decided to excel in art and make society acknowledge me. I forget myself when I dance. I feel like I am flying, out in the open skies, free from judgement. I am grateful to God for everything I have and there is nothing else that I could wish for.

NN: Nayaki Bhava is the only unique enchanting Bhakti Bhava, unique to Indian culture. “Nayaki Bhava” talks of “Madhuryabhakti Bhava”. “Madhurya” means God is the Male of this universe. Here, men, women, and every other living creatures are Female. We are proud because God loves us. “Madhurya” denotes “motherhood”, and the “Nayaki” suggests “lover”. The search of the Soul – Jeevatma – for the Supreme – Paramatma – is the underlying current that runs through the entire process of self realization in Indian art and culture. We all are ‘Jeevatma’ (female forms) and the God only is ‘Paramatma’ and the thread connecting these two is ‘bhakti’, ‘art’ or ‘rituals’. I chose dance, God chose me. I chose femininity, God chose transgender.

If you ask me who I am, I don’t know. I don’t know whether I am a male or female. I am for God. And if you continue to ask me who I am, I will answer ‘I am a God’. Everything lies here only. If you do bad to others, then it’s in the form of ‘Rakhshasa’, and if you can purify your soul, you become a God. That’s all. That’s the “Madhuryabhava”. I chose this specialisation and I like to learn and read more and more about it just to escape from everyone and stay away from useless questions.

B: You became the first Indian transgender woman to be awarded the Padma Shri, and also, you are the first transgender person in India whose story has been featured in a school text-book (11th standard,Tamil Nadu state syllabus). How do these achievements feel?

NN: During the ‘80s and ‘90s, no one was ready to come out and express themselves as transgender. The fear of social isolation always prevailed. Nowadays, the scenario has changed a little. We are from Madurai and Madurai is the land of the fictional heroine Kannaki. Madurai is slowly becoming a place where people can express themselves freely. But even now, when we introduce ourselves as being transgender, some people continue to hurt us with their reply and behavior towards us. We want to know why they are so reluctant to accept us. When will society stop gossiping about our whole community? Only, time can tell.

B: What are your future plans for your dance school, the Velliyambalam School of Dance?

NN: Four years ago, we established a Trust. I want to pass on the experiences I have gained in my life to those willing to pursue dance. Our life is a relay race, my Guru passed on the compositions of the Tanjore Quartets to me and I want to pass it on to those worthy of it.

B: You have travelled all over the world, performing at different events in the UK, US, and some European countries. What are the differences you found in those countries and ours when it comes to accepting transgender people?

NN: In foreign countries, your anatomy is never equated with what you have to offer. I would often wonder if life would be any different there, and when I visited those countries, I was touched by the way people treated me and recognized my art. I was very hesitant and wondered if people knew I was transgender, and if they did, I wondered if their attitude towards me would change. But nothing of that sort happened and nobody seemed to bat an eyelid when I told them about my gender identity.

B: In your 2017 TEDx Talk, you spoke about the discrimination faced by you and Shakti. What are the changes you hope to see in the Indian education system as a transgender person, for the transgender community?

NN: Shakti and I were very good students. She would secure the first rank and I used to get the fifth or sixth rank. But we were always judged for our bodies rather than our academic achievement. But it’s all in the past. Today, I am happy that the children of the same school study from books that have our stories in them. Only education can break the barriers of social insensitivity. In an educational institution, no person should face harassment due to their gender identities.

NN: We are all human beings with families and loved ones we care about. I didn’t decide to be transgender; nobody does. This is an anatomical mistake and we ended up coming into the world in the wrong bodies. As I said, we are ready to worship a transgender deity, but deny basic rights and freedom of expression to living, breathing trans people. Now, after the decriminalization, male dancers who considered themselves gay or more inclined to femininity are coming out, openly, to the society.More importantly, the youth of today accept them for who they are. It is a step towards a great revolution, and people, today, love us and fight for our rights. The male dancers who, until now, hesitated to truly express themselves have found their outlets.

B: You are so immensely inspiring. Whom do you look up to as a role model?

NN: (Laughing) I am a huge fan of Bollywood on-screen heroines like Padmini and Vyjayanthimala. We would watch their films over and over again and would try to imitate their styles of dancing. If we couldn’t get the steps or the expressions right, we would go to the theatre, yet another time, to watch the film again.

B: Do you have a message for the parents of transgender children?

NN: I would like to reiterate that there is nothing you can do but accept it. Gender identity is not something one can choose consciously. My family faced music of a different sort, but today, that is not the case. If you still continue to believe you can change your child, or ostracize them for the way they express themselves, you will lose your child.

B: And what would you like to say to the LGBTQ community on standing up for their rights and their rightful place in society?

You must respect yourself first, love yourself, keep working hard, and then nothing can stop you from achieving what you want. No barriers can keep you from succeeding if you remain true to what you believe in.

Author’s Note: We are grateful to the Cultural Secretary of University of Hyderabad; Mr. Aravind S Kumar, for giving us the chance to conduct this interview and helping us in translating the content.

Featured Image source: Wikimedia Commons.

The post I Dance Because I Love To, The Padma Shri Followed: A Chat With Trans Artist Narthaki Nataraj appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

The book exposes the reader to an intensive show of electrifying inveigh and to the power of literature. Based in the medieval era, it presents a bold and naked portrayal of words and expressions, through a dramatic theater of narrative poetry.

The book allows you to venture into a deeper and broader spectrum of literature, and manipulation of its art. A work of fiction, it is not confined to the boundaries of existence which drowns you in an imaginary world knitted by the author, falling into her web of words. It narrates a poetic tale of an empire; from its rule over the skies to its downfall to ashes.

It highlights the love and hatred of a woman, courage of a lover, and the strength and cunningness of a king. It also unveils the truth behind the two universal brothers – life and death. The story revolves around a prince’s courageous riposte to his father — the King, and the cunning conspiracy framed by the King in return.

It also puts light on the ancestral roots of modern-day problems and comprehensively mentions the shackles of pride and greed that bind and compel us to commit sins. It is a leaf with venations of mythological tales that aspires to touch the souls of the readers.

The post Book Review: The Naked Mystery By Simranjeet Kaur appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

It’s not a hidden secret anymore that Republic TV is the mouthpiece of the country’s ruling party. Recently, in an attempt to disrupt social harmony, it cried foul.

A few days ago, Bhartiya Yuva Morcha (BJYM) protested on campus against a planned visit by AIMIM chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi, even though the lawmaker had cancelled his visit. But Republic TV sent its crew for reporting this event.

No other national media went to cover the story but the so called Nationalist Republic TV. In my opinion it went to do jingoism and attack the Muslim community over this issue.

But when the scuffle happened between Republic TV crew and University authorities, Republic TV went on to say that their crew has been heckled and then showed the doctored video on their news channel. And quite an interesting fact: the whole video is available on internet. Now, you need to understand why Republic TV is always playing dirty games. One probable answer could be that it wanted to be in good books of the ruling party .

It must be noted that 14 students of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) including current and former office-bearers of the Aligarh Muslim University Students’ Union (AMUSU) were booked on sedition charges and other IPC sections on Wednesday for allegedly raising anti-national slogans on the campus. However, police didn’t find any proof.

So the motive of Republic TV is fulfilled. Now it can play it as a breaking news and other newspapers too will cover it – 14 AMU students booked under anti-national charges and this will definitely harm the social fabric.

Now police said that they have found no substantial evidence against them, then why were cases of sedition registered?

Think over it; sedition charges are not charges of petty crimes, it will definitely harm their career and this will lead to those people loosing their faith in democracy !

The post AMU Row: How Republic TV Is Disrupting Social Harmony appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

It’s been more than a week since the movie ‘Gully Boy’ released and the hype around it is gradually fizzling out. Initially, it was predicted that the movie would make over  ₹200 crore in the domestic market, however, later the speculations deescalated to ₹150 crore. Well, considering the fact that the movie was made at a budget of nearly ₹50 crore, it is already a solid hit, and the final tally including the foreign revenue would lead up to a great result. But the main issue concerning me is whether this wave of ‘street hip-hops’ will sustain in the future or not.

Divine is currently enjoying probably the most bright phase of his career, due to the unprecedented success of the aforementioned film’s soundtrack. Nevertheless, it can be argued that his past work was way more personal and straight from the heart. After all, he is particularly known for bringing out the hidden facets of his heart and include them into his raps; while Naezy, who was curiously missing from the soundtrack of this movie, also has a very strong fan base. Interestingly, Divine is not only a huge fan of him but also considers him to be the real icon of ‘Gully Rap’ and his guru.

While the latter is more personal in his content, the former is more inclined towards depicting the happenings around his surroundings by giving his voice to the unheard. Both of these rappers are in a place where they would easily manage to remain relevant as long as they keep composing their spectacular music.

Rappers like ‘Kaam Bhaari’ and ‘Spitfire‘ need to steadily make great content if they wish to be a part of this rap culture for a long period of time. They are just 20-year-old boys who are yet to explore their creative potential.  There’s a chance that they might not be able to live up to the expectations, but I hope that these guys have a bright future, especially ‘Spitfire’ whose ‘Asli Hip Hop‘ from the movie’s soundtrack is simply a  lyrical brilliance.

Though this underground hip hop culture has earned a lot of admirers, yet, it remains to be seen, if these admirers/fans will actually stick around and further explore this genre. One aspect which is quite heartening to witness is that rap, in general, has rocketed into the limelight, and is not only confined to the streets of Mumbai. A rap song from my city, Hyderabad, called ‘Miya Bhai‘ has garned over an astonishing 80 million views in just over three months of its release. This is clearly a great thing for this genre in particular, as it shows that people are actually willing to absorb different styles of rapping with different lingos and different sensibilities.

The post What’s Next For The Gully Boys? appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

As a kid, I remember listening to mythological stories from my grandmother before I slept. I used to really look forward to these moments, when I was tucked in at night and my grandmother would narrate Lord Krishna’s tales of courage, mischief, integrity and honesty. She would often feel so sleepy that she deliberately skipped a few episodes, and I would (as I had memorized all the tales) point out that she had missed that particular tale.

She would laugh, and ask that why I insisted on hearing the same stories when I had memorized them so well myself – I do not think I had an answer to those questions at the time. But probably, now I have a better understanding of the relevance of stories in our lives.

Art, for me, is all about stories. There are stories hidden beneath every nook and cranny of our world; there are stories in music, in dance, in paintings, in books, in poems and in our minds and our hearts. We all want to be a story that is told to future generations, we all do have a story that we cling on to dearly. The best part about a story is that different people learn or interpret the same story differently.

But, why am I suddenly blabbering about stories? The biggest and one of the most commercially viable art forms – cinema – is all about storytelling. I want to talk about (not review, no this is definitely not a review but a mere compilation of my observations) this brilliant yet poignant movie, ‘The Breadwinner.’

The Breadwinner is directed by an Irish filmmaker Nora Twomey, and co-produced by Angelina Jolie. It is an animation movie about a family trying to make the ends meet in a war torn country – Afghanistan. This is also the story of Parvana, an 11-year-old girl, who sometimes throws a tantrum but otherwise she is apprehensive, scared and timid. This is a child who is raised in a land covered with blood.

The story begins with the protagonist, Parvana, sitting with her father on the floor of what seems like a grocery market. They are trying to make a living by selling some odd mix of goods like clothes, jewellery, bottles, flowers, etc. A few minutes into the movie, and I am hooked as Nurullah (Parvana’ father) tells Parvana, “stories remain in our hearts, even while all else has gone.”

This is after Parvana throws a fit about how she is too old to be hearing stories. This is followed by a simple yet stunning story through which Nurullah narrates the history of Afghanistan to his daughter. I believe that through this story Nurullah tries to convey to Parvana that there was a time when Afghanistan lived in peace and stability. The introduction to ‘the land of Ariana’ is magnificent and alluring for the viewer. It contrasts the present ignorance prevalent in Afghanistan with its past glory and achievements.

Parvana’s father, a former teacher, lost his leg in the war that Afghanistan fought against the Russians, her mother, Fattema is a writer and Parvana has a younger brother Zaki and an elder sister Soraya.

On one unfortunate day, Parvana’s father is taken away to the prison by the Taliban, as he is charged with breaking the sharia law by teaching the women in his house. The capriciousness of a country muddled in war is almost heart wrenching and difficult to comprehend at times. There are moments in the movie when despite the viewer feeling the despair in the air of Afghanistan, the sheer hopelessness combined with helplessness is hard to grasp.

One of the major themes outlined in the movie is the absolute powerlessness of women under the Taliban regime; as women are not allowed to go out of their house, unless accompanied by a male member. In one such incident, when Fattema goes out with Parvana to look for her husband, she is beaten black and blue for breaking the sharia law.

To exist as a woman is akin to a curse in this land where women are reduced to slaves by birth. As a result of this, they can neither buy food, nor fetch water by themselves and have no other way but to starve themselves to death. In fact, they are almost always treated as invisible creatures, who are not paid heed to unless they have a man with them.

The absurdity of this situation is hard to comprehend, and it is even harder to put yourself in the shoes of these women. In the middle of this quagmire, an idea sparks in Parvana’s mind, she wakes up and with a heavy heart, cuts her beautiful long hair with a scissor; and dresses up like a boy all set to earn some money for her family.

Fortunately, Parvana has a chance meeting with her ex-classmate Shouzia who is a girl but is also dressed like a boy (and calls herself Deliwar). Shouzia is a delightful girl, like a ray of hope amidst the darkness of oppression and violence. These two girls, disguised as boys, find a way to deal with the cruelties of their time and place.

They steal candies, share their aspirations and dream for a better future. More than anything, they understand what liberty and freedom mean for the first time in a long time; as a boy (under the regime) they can go anywhere without anyone’s help and can earn a living, make sure that their family is fed. These two adolescent girls manage to find a confidante in a place where their identity remains under wraps.

Despite providing her family with food and water, Parvana is worried about her imprisoned father. She is relentless in her efforts in looking for her father. The inspiration that one can draw from this character is immense, as this 11-year-old puny little girl shows fortitude like no other person. Meanwhile, her mother writes a letter to her cousin living in Mazar-i-Sharif, requesting him to take them away from Kabul.

Fattema is so disillusioned and despondent that she does not even hope to see her husband again; and yet tries to save her children before they too go away in this war. She writes at the end of the letter, “we are all capable women, and will not be a burden to you.”

This definitely highlights a strong streak of independence that is layered under the tyrannical regime of Taliban.

As the army prepares to attack the Taliban, the movie gains pace and there is much more turmoil within Parvana and her family’s life. Parvana’s mother receives a positive response from her cousin in Mazar-i-SSharif, and instructs her children to pack their bags and leave day after tomorrow.

Realizing that they will be leaving their native place, Parvana takes another chance to find her father. She promises to come back before they are to leave for Mazar-i-Sharif. But as the war is approaching closer, Fattema’s relative comes sooner than expected and they must leave with him while Parvana is still gone.

There are two parallel roads that Parvana and Fattema have taken, they face challenges and are struggling to find and protect their loved ones.

The movie ends on this beautiful yet melancholic note, “we are a land whose people are its greatest treasure.” It leaves me in tears.

The sheer vulnerability and chaos that is a part of the very fabric of the movie makes you really feel the struggles of people residing in a war zone. There are generations in Afghanistan that have not witnessed stability, peace and order in their country. Here we are, living in peace and yet not living in peace.

Those countries that are not at war without, they are still at war within. It is this irony about the world that we live in, that troubled me at the end. It takes us a full-fledged war to realize the worth of a human life. Else, we continue to wage violence on the basis of region, religion, caste, gender, colour, etc. This definitely leaves me angry on our inability to value peace and order within our society.

But, there is something more that the story brings forward. The movie alternates between the life of Parvana and her family, and a story that Parvana recites to her little brother. Stories become this family’s way to move to a different plane, to find some peace amidst utter chaos and to relieve themselves just for a few moments.

The family of Parvana share their grief and turn it into laughter through the fascinating and mythical stories recited by Parvana. Parvana takes refuge in this story whenever she is indignant and furious about the world that she inhabits, and about the dehumanizing behaviour of men towards women under the Taliban regime.

There is a frame where Parvana and her friend sit on an old tank, to watch the sunset and talk about their dreams. The juxtaposition of dreams of children sitting on an old army tank reflects the bizarreness that lies at the core of war. It outlines the ability of people to hope against all odds, and throws light on the loss of childhood among children living in war torn regions.

Towards the end, when Parvana is struggling to find her father, and she hears guns and bombs at a distance; she begins to recall the story. Parvana gains courage in tribulation through her story. The background score of the movie was in line with the screenplay. It was mostly melancholic, and gained pace whenever Parvana recited her stories.

The animation of the stories recited by Parvana was rudimentary and yet effective, they had elements of humour; which felt almost ridiculous given their situation. The humour in the stories was deliberate and eerie, may be to reveal some hidden traces of a child left within this brave little girl.

The movie is about a subject that has elements of injustice, brutality, violence and oppression; and yet, the movie does leave you feeling hopeful. One of the key takeaways for me is that mental strength can trump physical strength in the most trying circumstances, as the mind has the power to take you away to a better world.

The mind is also capable to hope, aspire and dream in the bleakest of situations. Parvana’s story also throws light on wars, borders, Taliban, oppression of women in Afghanistan and the dismal state of the people in a war prone region. How war tears apart the social fabric of a region, how it normalizes the death of a child and forces people to move out of their homes.

The essence of the story lies in the little moments of nobility, laughter and fun that people still see around them. This bitter-sweet mixture of human emotions is one of the most heart-rending aspects of this movie. Also, the movie and the story that are recited by Parvana can be interpreted in several ways; and that is the essence of this movie.

I think this movie reiterates the idea that storytelling is the most powerful way to put ideas into the world.

Featured image source: Movieclips Indie/YouTube.

The post ‘The Breadwinner’ Is A Poignant Tale Of Survival And Strength In Bleak Times appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

“Cut your hair otherwise you will not be allowed to sit at the annual examinations,” warned the cross teacher. The junior class student was scared of this strict warning. He persuaded his parents to be prompt in taking him to a saloon. His trepidation over disregarding the teacher’s instructions was more a niggling point than learning a book lesson. However, the little boy’s tension was released after the haircut.

Long hair was never acceptable at the school in any manner. It was a proven tradition that extreme hairstyles were never endured by educational institutions. What was commonly acceptable were the hairstyles basically akin to the military haircuts that are often short, easy to style, and simple to maintain.

Face shape and hair shape determine our choice among hairstyles like induction cut, burr cut, regulation cut, buzz cut, crew cut, brush cut, high & tight, high and tight recon, military fade, high skin fade, low fade, and military undercut are practised by the barber. Besides there were also police cut hairstyle, business cut hairstyle, bus cut hairstyle and African cut, Ivy League haircut hairstyle.

Why do we curse our restriction to stick to short hair? Even in foreign countries this problem stands solved through guidelines insisting on the school or the working place or another place in sporting short hair. One 18-year-old girl from London said she was once sent back home from her working place (a cloth shop) with the strict warning of taking out the braids she had put on.

The employer reminded her that this was not the approved look. Her hair in an afro style was also forbidden describing it as distracting. Another female said her school in the United Kingdom banned extreme hairstyles. They might be accepting cornrows, she thought. The New York City Commission on Human Rights in its guidelines disallows targeting people on the basis of their hairstyles, classing it as racist discrimination.

The procedure protects the rights of New Yorkers in schools, workplaces and public places. Hairstyles like locs (a hairstyle where the hair that one would normally comb or shed locks on itself, creating rope like strands), afros (a hairstyle worn naturally outward by people with lengthy or even medium length kinky hair texture or specifically styled in such a fashion by individuals with naturally curly or straight hair) and cornrows (traditional African styles in which the hair is braided very close to the scalp using an underhand upward motion to produce a continuous raised row) have no place in the defined rules. We find shades of such hairstyles at the Ardh Kumbh Mela on the confluence of three rivers in Allahabad.

The post What’s The World’s Problem With Experimental Hairstyle? appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

A couple of days before, some malicious content went viral on social media claiming that batsman Suresh Raina has passed away in a road accident.

However, this not something new, as in the past we have witnessed several such instances, where fake was spread to instill disquiet in the society such as usage of spying chip in the newly introduced 2000 rupees note, fake cases of mob lynchings forwarded on WhatsApp, and the most recent being the one on Trump’s resignation.

Such pseudo news stories are highly sensitive in nature, as they often result in far-reaching consequences. This is a serious threat to the democratic set up of our country, which ensures freedom of speech and expression to each one of its citizens. As general elections are nearing, we may come across many propaganda fake news pieces.

Also read: Restoring Trust In The Era Of Fake News Will Be Quite A Task

India has been ranked first in a survey conducted by Microsoft across 22 countries on fake news. According to the survey, as many as 64 % of the Indians have encountered fake news as against the global average of 57 %.

It is high time that the social media platforms, the concerned ministry and the civil society as a whole come up with a pragmatic solution to tackle the menace of fake news. The stakeholders can learn a thing or two from the Kashmiri youth who developed a website called  “Stop Fake in Kashmir“, in September 2018.  The website will act as a watchdog to keep a check on unverified news circulated on the social media where users can upload a link or screenshot of the news they want to verify.

The post The Menace Of Fake News Is A Threat To Democracy appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

Jingostan Zindabad! Jingostan Zindabad! These words reverberate in your ears much longer, even when you have left the cinema hall, as one unknowingly keeps on humming the song. Such is the impact of that song; and no song has felt more relevant in recent times. This film has come at a time when hyper-nationalism is in full force in the country. The songs in this film have the tone of the likes of Anna Bhau Sathe, Namdeo Dhasal and  Tukaram as the songs are unapologetic, unfiltered, voice of the voiceless and rebellious in nature.

The film opens with Moeen, an unapologetic small time thief who survives on car robbery and drug peddling. Accompanying him are Murad, an under-confident last year student and his classmate Salman, who is often mocked for being womanish – one gets the feeling that it is a reference to Salman Khan similar to the one in “Haider”.

Murad’s home is no different from a regular, stereotypical, poor household which yells parent abuse, husband abuse and abject poverty from the top of its lungs; except that the scream is often portrayed through the eyes of Murad and his mother Razia. Murad’s love interest Safeena is an extremely brilliant, passionate medical student and one who is extremely possessive about her boyfriend. Those small talks between Safeena and Murad show that her career is of primary importance to her, more than anything else probably even more than Murad indicating the slow change in psyche of the modern Muslim woman with education.

Every time the society’s discriminatory system shows that there is a line which Murad should toe and never cross e.g when Murad has replaced his father as a driver and once on duty he could not control himself while listening to music and tries to enter the pub, but the bouncer shows him the door, may be saying that he just does not belong there. Songs like “Kaisi ye Majboori hai, Socho kitni doori hai,” connect with the listener instantly and comment sharply on the capitalist system of the country while also raises some pertinent questions about the concept of “development”.

It also shows that not just the labour class but also the “capitalist” is affected by it, as he also has alienated himself in the process of making money at all cost. For e.g when Murad’s boss’s daughter returns from the pub dejected and weeping, Murad cannot even console her and that is reflected in the lines “Sach to yeh hai ki main kahaan aur  tum  kahaan.” There are very strong scenes which challenges the prejudices against women. For e.g  MC Sher’s (mentor and friend to Murad) introductory scene “Ah tujhe chhedne ki talab hai tu nakli wala marad” lines are a tight slap to people like BJP MP Kuldeep Singh Sengar involved in the Unnao rape case.

Even Safeena, who is a daughter of a doctor is living a double life, as the medieval values are still dominant in her family but when she rebels against those values, her mother, who is a woman herself resorts to physical violence. This shows that while it is true that men made this discriminatory gender-biased system, women themselves have ensured that this system survives for thousands of years. Then there is a song like “Azaadi”, a true gem which whips the ruling political dispensation and business houses with its lyrics.

The film is actually a commentary on the socio-economic and political situation of the country. The only difference here is that while the film’s dialogues and scenes subtly comment on it, the songs directly take on the capitalist and casteist mentality in our society. The language used in the film is not the usual Hindi spoken in Hindi cinema, as the proletariat have developed their own language which may sound derogatory and classless to the “Brahmanical” mentality but it is original and rebellious in nature.

Songs like “Jingostan”, “Azaadi” and “Kaisi ye majboori” will be etched in the hearts and minds of the audiences for years to come. The film ends with the song “Apna time aayega” probably hinting that this 21st century will be a century of the proletariat and what has been snatched from us will return back to us!

The post ‘Gully Boy’ Aptly Reflects The Class Distinction In Our Society Today appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.