The upcoming film ‘Luka Chuppi’ has five songs and none of them are original compositions. Yes, none of them. This isn’t just surprising but downright embarrassing for a musically rich country like ours wherein several musical geniuses have showcased their talents. Our music is known to be an integral part of everything we do. Be it engaging in poojas, marriages, expressing our dissent or patriotism, music is everywhere. But when such a great art form is reduced to nothing more than rehashing and stealing just for the sake of cash grab, it kills something deep within our hearts (at least mine).
Though none of the songs recreated for this movie are masterpieces even in their original forms, it is still terribly disturbing to see this trend of film producers not going for original music. Music in Indian films has always been an essential part of the narrative because it is integrated with the story line, which is quite a rarity in Hollywood except for in musicals. Lack of original compositions in a movie gives a sign that maybe the movie itself doesn’t have anything new to offer and the music is nothing but an attempt to bring people to the theatres.
With a weird song like “Coca-Cola” in which the actress herself announces that she’s not a bottle of Coca-Cola but a “Whiskey ki Bottle”, after which both the hero and heroine again start singing coca-cola, the music comes across as something which is lacking basic logic. Another song called “Photo”, has the hero singing that he looks at his lover’s photo over a hundred times, though he meets her every day. What the hell on earth is happening!
And obviously these songs have been ruling the charts. I even tried to rant on the comments section of the “Coca-Cola” song but I got zero likes and zero comments, so here I am. Maybe, just maybe, the movie would actually turn out to be good considering the talents involved. Otherwise it looks like a bleak road to mediocrity.
A democracy sustains because of its population. Safeguarding the rights of all the minority groups is one of the most important credentials for a democratically elected government. As the fourth pillar of democracy, media becomes the undisputed voice of the voiceless. The voiceless refers to the ones who are generally underrepresented in political, economic and social orders. These minority groups from time immemorial have been influenced and manipulated in the way a majoritarian government wants.
Often, history has given us examples where good influence has raised revolutions by minorities or the oppressed communities. As Karl Marx mentioned in his book Communist Manifesto,“All previous historical movements were movements of minorities, or in the interest of minorities,” even the struggle to uproot a different nation by Muslim league was brought upon to protect the interest of a minority group. (Its implication and morality is another debate.)
To analyze the effects of media on minority, it is necessary to study their representation in the first place. So, the way in which the media projects minorities must be looked at. From a very Indian perspective, media representation of minorities has been minimal in art, cinema and culture.
The mainstream movies of ’70s , ’80s and ’90s came with patty-bun formulae of a male protagonist fighting against a male antagonist with a pinch of masala and romance in between. This gave little space for accommodating the interest of minorities. Nevertheless, when India got independent, there was an attempt to project the wrath of partition and lives of Muslims and the poor in India with films like “Garm Hava” and “Do Beegha Zameen”.
Bollywood, during the years after Independence, was blessed to have an artist named Guru Dutt, who in that era directed “Pyaasa”, a beautiful movie which elucidated the misery of prostitutes. Relative to the time it was made it, it is a very unconventional but remarkable step to represent a community which is generally used to project sexual desires and sensuality in movies. But this was short lived as the audience-pulling capacity of such films was very low.
With the onset of the late 90s, new directors came to project underrepresented groups and sensitive issues in mainstream movies. Veterans like Mani Ratnam who with his trilogy ‘Bombay’, ‘Roja’ and ‘Dil Se’ gave a new perspective to the grievances of Muslims and inter-religious couples in India.
But the real wave of unconventional projection came way too late in the early years of the 21st century with the exodus of directors like Anurag Kashyap, Prakash Jha and Nandita Das. The issue of the LGBT community, which for a very long remained ignored, were subtly catered to the mainstream audience in the 2016 with the film “Kapoors and Sons”. The rareness of minority representation can be understood by the movie “Finding Fanny” which portrays Anglo-Indian people exclusively, it was the only mainstream film to feature A-rate Bollywood actors in a movie themed on Anglo-Indians in many years.
Now, when we move to the west, this divide is even more visible. The dark chapter of racism and segregation still haunts The United States. Hollywood, the mecca of art and cinema, has cultivated a narrative of segregation “implicitly” though its movies. Before the dawn of 21st century, Black Americans could barely be seen in Hollywood movies. And when they were, they were stereotyped as either comedians or villains. A very typical representation that everyone who has watched a Hollywood movie of ’90s or early 2000s would remember is black men roaming around in shady backyards waiting to pick-pocket or murder somebody. That picture of black men in the mainstream has done a lot of damage to their projection in general in front of the world.
Black women, if present on screen, were either maid servants or cabre singers or dancers. In 2013, Lee Daniels directed a movie called “The Butler”, story of a black butler in the White House since Dwight Eisenhower’s tenure who lived to see Barack Obama enter the White House as the first African American US President. The movie won a lot of accolades but couldn’t shine well among masses. This taboo got broken as late as in 2018 when Marvel released “Black Panther”, a full featured film with all black American characters. It was a breakthrough as it featured blacks with such attention and dignity for the very first time. It surpassing the 1 Billion mark on box office is a highlight of our changing cult.
Women, if considered a minority in terms of representation, were for a very long ousted from being casted as leads. But in 2017, DC Comics’ “Wonder Woman” garnered the 1 Billion mark at the box office, making it the 1st film with a woman protagonist to do so. LGBT community also saw a positive change in acceptance when “Call Me By Your Name” won academy awards in 2018.
News media has helped change the perspective through which people look at minority and liberate minorities to think independently. The New York Times, Washington Post, Guardian, etc. have a very liberal approach towards society and projects minorities with political correctness. Their teams also consists of a very diverse demographic to welcome every view point.
But this sort of representation can have dire consequences too. To exemplify this, in 2017 artist Kendrick Lamar came up with his album “Damn”. “I’ll prolly die anonymous, I’ll prolly die walking back home” read the lyrics of one song. This was to encompass the fear people of colour face in a predominantly White America. Few days later, a Muslim woman while heading back home from a mosque, was killed by a white teen in a manner discussed in the song. The fears being talked about in such songs has a very negative connotation. Their belief in institutions like the police also fades away. The polarization and misunderstanding between law enforcement agencies and blacks is very vivid already with police officials killing 142 African Americans in 2017 over trivial matters.
However, Lee Daniels’ “The Butler” and Marvel’s “Black Panther” represent a shifting trend in Hollywood.
If we consider books, renowned authors have used the might of their pens to orchestrate the pain and anguish of minorities profoundly, often aiding them to stand up and raise their voices. Among others “Funny Boy” by Shyam Silvadurai raised important questions of sexual identity and existence.
Literature or culture is made up of the contemporary society. And a society can’t sustain without plurality of cultures. Even when the media is audited by the majority, responsibility lies on them to project each and every voice irrespective of their quantitative composition so that they find their due acceptance along with everyone else. And as Ayn Rand rightly said “Individual rights are not subject to a public vote; a majority has no right to vote away the rights of a minority; the political function of rights is precisely to protect minorities from oppression by majorities”.
The taboo topic of menstruation has gradually made its way to the public discourse and now even to the Oscars. The moment is indeed worth cherishing. Ten teen aged girls from Oakwood School, North Hollywood raised $3,000 to donate the pad-making machine, with the help of GLI (Girls Learn International), an NGO in Los Angeles, and Action India, Delhi, after they came to know that girls in rural Indian schools drop out because of periods. Eventually, they decided to make a documentary on the issue, which led to the inception of the Oscar winning short film ‘Period.End Of Sentence‘. It is directed by award winning filmmaker Rayka Zehtabchi , and co-produced by Guneet Monga’s Sikhya Entertainment.
This short Netflix movie has won accolades for depicting the story of women like by Sneha (a strong willed woman trying to enter police force to break free from the shackles of forced marriage) among others, in a remote village outside Delhi. The documentary goes about chronicling the fight of these women against the deeply rooted stigma of menstruation; and how they empower themselves by learning to manufacture and market their own pads, when a sanitary pad vending machine is installed in the village.
However, the film slightly disappoints at the restricted narrative that has dominated the Western feminist notions of women’s realities in the Global South – “here are some poor, uneducated women; they have a problem; someone else has a solution that we implement for their betterment”.
The short film (just like the Bollywood flicks Padman and Toilet) becomes the story of one-man’s revolutionary invention to solve what he sees as the crux of women and girls dilemma during menstruation- shame and taboo associated with buying ‘modern’ disposable pads that compels them to use a piece of cloth(which is backward). But is that all there is, to it?
Bleeding with dignity is not just about convenient usage that disposable pads advertise incessantly. Arunachalam’s idea has stumbled upon the socialist concept of seizing mass production from the hands of capitalist corporations and giving it back to the local communities (often placing them in debt). There however is a severe lack of imagination when as a society we just stop at this particular point.
The journey is towards menstruator’s right to self determination and informed consent over what they choose to bleed hygienically over. Like shown in the movie, conversations on menstruation often just end with a disposable pad revolutionizing women and girls lives. The fact, however, remains neglected that a lot of them are still not aware of the composition of these disposables, whether or not they are safe for use and disposal, and the other available alternatives to bleed on.
Why do we still shy away from talking about cloth pads, menstrual cups, period panties etc? We don’t talk about the difficulties of accessing resources for the upkeep of menstrual hygiene products. We never talk about why our governments don’t care to regulate the markets to prevent monopoly of companies that profit by commodifying women’s bodies. Nor do we demand better inclusive and affordable health and sanitation policies.
So while we celebrate the ‘Oscar’, let’s also talk about the whole picture , not just a group of women in a remote north Indian village. Period poverty and stigma exists worldwide, and menstruation equity calls for an open dialogue for and with the women suffering from such hardships. Menstruators in public schools(especially in poor countries), streets and prisons and other marginalized groups face the worst of this global negligence. Campaigns to end this are being led by youth beyond borders and nations. Our oppression is inter-sectional and complex, so the solutions must not be one-track and disposable.
Women are intelligent and smart, they can read and create, they can earn and be part of a good workforce but; they cannot run as fast, they cannot lift as much and they cannot make it on the field. The above given lines sums up how the society sees women and their potential. The Crazy Ad by Nike shatters the stereotypes and dents the notion that women are physically inferior.
We as a society now acknowledge that women have similar mental faculties as men do, but we still think she cannot play that straight drive as well, needs a man to lift her heavy baggage and say things like “ladki hai kitna karegi.” The hypocrisy is well captured by the advertisement wherein it points out how the so called effeminate aspects are also butchered apart.
“If we show emotions, we are dramatic and if we want to play against men then we are nuts.”
The aforementioned line that is directly quoted from the advertisement indicates how patriarchal standards do not spare the emotions or the strength, either you are too masculine for a woman or too effeminate for a sports person. All this ties us down and echoes in the ears of every female athlete that; it is for the men; by the men and of the men. If it is a man’s world then field, courts, tracks and ground cannot include women and assimilation is also a detested reality because women simply are not strong enough.
Asking for equal opportunities and standing up against unfairness is crazy because women do not play quality game and certainly do not belong here. Playing is a favour that society does to women so, if women stand up for themselves then it’s considered ungratefulness and utter disregard. Women outperforming is an impossible event. It can be denied to the extent of women not being accepted as women. Underperform and you do not belong here, outperform and you are flawed, calmness is lack of passion and anger is lack of grace, women as leaders is beyond imagination and women who do not lead are not strong enough. This hypocrisy points the spectrum wherein women will just never fit in at any stage or level. They will be too much, too less, too demanding or too sacrificing.
The advertisement does not stop at denting and challenging stereotypes, it questions clothing standards, and motherhood versus athletics. Hijab does not make you a less strong fighter and motherhood does not make you a less committed athlete. You can wear full clothes or wear nothing and still ace it. You can choose to be pregnant and still slay the track. You can take your child on the field to cheer for you and not leave the field to be with the child.
Sania Mirza was criticised for her clothes when she entered the world on tennis.
It is a hard hitting advertisement which beautifully summarises the prejudices, bias, stereotypes and challenges that athletes from all walks of life had to face before making it big. Women were incapable of running marathons, they ran and women were becoming less lady-like by being athletes and they still had successful families. Rules and stereotypes existed, the so called crazy women broke it, bent it and did things their way. It attacked the social behaviour of putting women in boxes and comparing them to unmatchable thresholds which are mostly patriarchal in nature.
They are not on the same pedestal of investment as men’s games are but are expected to produce such results. If they do produce those results then the womanhood of the lady is defied. You either get to be a good sportsperson or a good woman. Good women do not play sport and good sportsperson cannot be good women. We condition men to be strong, fast and aggressive because it is desirable and a requisite in sport whereas, women are stopped from going out or playing and lifting after their periods. Despite the conditioning, we feel women inherently cannot make it big in sport. It is inherent or, is it us, the society?
The video is also very inclusive in terms of sports representation in region, race and religion. It shows various sports, different athletes of nationality and religion with one commonality that is “Craziness.” The struggles might change with the circumstances, the manifestation might be varied but, the reality of facing resistance and the spirit of making it big remains constant and consistent in every female athlete’s life.
Advertisements like these are one of the major reasons why Nike continues to be a favourite amongst female athletes. It is in line with the spirit of Nike upholding body positivity by signing plus size models for the brand, shattering religious boundaries by coming up with a Burka clad women and showing women around the world that they belong on the field, with their skin and identity.
The obstructions and the shackles exist to hold them down and chop their wings. These kickass women have learnt to fly with the weights and by outgrowing the chopped wings. In the era of toxic marketing and potential masculinity being sold as desirable, it is refreshing to see something so strong and raw. It breaks down the layers of bias and asks these women to take the negative notion of crazy and change it to being a winner, always and every single time. Don’t Wait, Just do it!!
That films are an integral part of our life is no hyperbole. Cinema, because of its wider reach and accessibility, is no less than a mirror which helps us reflect on a host of issues.
The likes of media platforms such as YouTube have allowed amateur filmmakers and students to come forward and voice their concerns regarding anything and everything under the sun. From blood donation to physical disability to the ever-growing problem of child abuse, countless videos are being churned out by students in with an intent to mobilise public opinion and bring about a desirable change.
Here are a few notable mentions that have student filmmakers behind the camera.
1. Disability Is Only A State Of Mind
Made by the students of IP University (BJMC), Batch of 2015, the seven-minute film throws ample light on how a student with physical disability is looked down upon by his own classmates. Furthermore, the film also brings to light the stigma associated with disability. The protagonist is repeatedly tormented by his own batchmates before proving his mettle in the most unusual manner.
The film would go well with those searching for some badly-needed inspiration. It portrays the journey of a 19-year-old from the depths of the oblivion to the heights of self-confidence.
Despite some crude camerawork, the message conveyed within the film is loud and clear. Also, the background music (by Swiss musician Adrian Von Ziegler) complements the melancholic atmosphere created within the film.
2. The Saviours
Made by the students of Vivekananda Institute of Professional Studies, this one sheds ample light on the positives surrounding blood donation. Despite being shot on a shoestring budget, the camerawork and background score are top notch.
The film begins with a dramatized representation of an accident. The five minute long sequence featuring the accident is quite impactful and makes the viewer feel moved. The short film beautifully portrays the need to inculcate a sense of sensitivity towards accident victims. The fact that there’s a severe dearth of blood donors in India has been brought to light in this documentary. It is not just any other piece of videography delivering a social message, but attempts to call to the sensitivity and empathy of the viewer.
3. Juju: An Incredible Life In CIMR
Helmed by Chandy Nanar from the North Eastern Hill University at Shillong, Juju brings the viewer closer to Joy Mathew, a lad man suffering from mental ailments. The short film, produced in collaboration with Central Institute for Mental Retardation (CIMR) shows us the inspiring journey of Mr. Joy Mathew; he is the heart and soul of the documentary.
The narratives shows how he not just overcame mental ailments, but also the stigma associated with them on his way to becoming a mature and confident individual. The documentary features interviews with his mother (who happens to be a doctor) and father (who is an advocate).
For those feeling bogged down and unmotivated, the film comes as a breath of fresh air and would surely make you forget all your hardships. Simply put, the film not only motivates the viewer but also reinstates an age-old saying that nothing is impossible.
4. Young India
Made by Green Emerald Productions, Vivekananda Institute of Professional Studies and shot in a moving bus, this short film attempts to instill a sense of responsibility within the hearts of the urban youth.
The film begins with two friends talking while waiting for the bus to arrive. After the bus arrives and both protagonists board it, some unwelcoming frowns and stares by their co-passengers can be seen greeting them. A couple of women can be seen muttering words of wisdom but their words are as fragile as their actions. A few comments are passed and a few unwelcoming gestures are made by the co-passengers The movie holds a mirror to the paradox that India is.
The film showcases a caring side of the Indian youth. Youngsters in our country may have embraced the western culture with both their hands, but that, by no means, gives you an indication that the youth has lost its values and faith.
5. Seat No. 39
This has been directed by Naveen Sharma and Deepak Sharma. Without the shadow of a doubt, Seat No. 39 is one of the most touching short films you’d ever get to see. The protagonist is recollecting the events that made his train journey from Ahmedabad to Delhi memorable.
The opening shot of the film shows the protagonist sitting in a hostel room with countless fragments of broken thoughts flying through his mind. The story then enters into the flashback mode with the protagonist recalling how he met a beautiful lady co-passenger during the train journey to Delhi.
What stands out in the short film is the sweet and innocent depiction of romance. The entire scenario has a certain degree of naivety. This naivety adds a significant amount of charm to the entire story. There are moments wherein you want to cry. The film is driven by human emotions and in the end, the viewer is left with mixed emotions.
“A work of art is always sold before it’s stolen,” I said.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, it’s almost certain that whoever steals such an expensive piece would have already found a buyer for it. Or more likely, the thief would have been hired by some collector to steal the piece for them. So Gayatri, in a way you’re right. It’s not like someone can filch a Van Gogh and put it on eBay.”
“And how many times has a Van Gogh painting been stolen?” Sheena asked.
“Several times. Van Gogh’s works have been stolen several times.”
I could see that I had them hooked. The class no longer wanted to discuss Van Gogh’s vertical strokes or his reluctance towards mixing colours on the palette or the story behind his masterpieces. No, now they only wanted the trivia and controversies surrounding the artist.
“One of Van Gogh’s works, Blossoming Chestnut Branches, was stolen from Foundation EG Bührle gallery in 2008 but was found just nine days later in a parked car in Zurich. The Ramparts of Paris was stolen in Manchester in 2003, but it, too, was recovered in a matter of days.”
Their mouths were now agape; they were eating my words and swallowing them whole, digesting them.
NETHERLANDS – JANUARY 01: Vincent Van Gogh. Self-portrait. Oil on canvas (1889). 65 x 54,5 cm. (Photo by Imagno/Getty Images) [Vincent Van Gogh, Selbstportrait. Gemaelde. 1889]“Congregation Leaving the Reformed Church in Nuenen is another work that’s gone missing – this one, along with the View of the Sea at Scheveningen, was stolen from the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam in 2002. They were both recovered in 2016 in Naples.”
“So have all the stolen paintings been recovered?”
“Well, no. Poppy Flowers, a painting he created in 1887, three years before he committed suicide, is still missing. It was once stolen in 1978, but was recovered after a couple of years. Then, it was reported stolen again in 2010 from the Mohamed Mahmoud Khalil Museum in Giza. It hasn’t resurfaced since. Gone, vanished.”
I could see them leaning forward, eating up my words. I went on. I had them exactly where I needed them.
“It’s missing, but the rumour mill has been working overtime since then…”
I paused deliberately.
“What are the rumours?” someone asked eagerly, just as I’d hoped.
“Well, some people have traced the path the painting could have taken – from Cairo to Dubai to Hong Kong. It’s said that it purportedly got sold for over sixty million US dollars to a private collector.”
“Is Poppy Flowers more coveted because of its chequered history?”
“That is one of the reasons, yes. After all, it has been stolen twice, and is still missing!” My confidence was rising. I had been preparing for this moment for months now. When I started teaching here, I couldn’t have delivered this lecture so convincingly. Now they trusted me, all eighteen of my students. I could sell them a fake Van Gogh tomorrow and they’d lap it up as the real deal on my say so.
I cast my eyes across the small classroom to look at all of them, one by one. I’d heard that the word con comes from confidence, which is really a state of mind more than anything else. I had been at poker tables, played high odds, and I could endorse that the centuries-old adage – you don’t play the cards, you play the opponents – was spot-on. Whoever blinked first lost.
“There are two other reasons that make this painting precious,” I continued, and saw heads nodding in anticipation. “One – not many people across the world have seen it since it left Italy in the seventies, because Egypt wasn’t on the world map for art lovers. That increases the curiosity value around it, which always hikes up the price. Secondly, some art publication once claimed in an article that Poppy Flowers was a personal favourite of the master himself – that can’t be confirmed, of course, but you probably know that some people will believe anything they read in print.”
I could feel the interest of the room rising, becoming more intense and focused. The questions came rapidly now.
“What size is it?”
“It’s not very big; twenty-six inches by twenty-one. Oil on canvas. It’s got yellow and red poppies against a dark background.”
“Where do you think it could be?”
Exactly the question I had been waiting for.
“Well… there was some serious bidding in the clandestine art world in Hong Kong, and in the end, it is rumoured to have been bought by some erstwhile Nawab from India, an art patron. The Nawab died soon after, bequeathing his prized collection to his son, who turned out to be a real loser – a classic story of riches to rags.” I stopped and smiled. “But like I said, these are just rumours.”
“You have got to be kidding me!” Sheena exclaimed.
“The Nawab’s prodigal son is said to have either pawned or sold the collection for cash, and then never managed to recover any of the paintings from…”
Well, this wasn’t exactly true. I had a shortlist of four people – two businessmen who were art collectors, a politician and an erstwhile Nawab. Four possible suspects, right here in India. But my students didn’t need to know all that.
“How will the owner know if what they have is an original? Will a fake Van Gogh be easy to spot, Mr Rueben?”
“Not necessarily. Many painters can replicate a Picasso or a Rembrandt or a Van Gogh so brilliantly that a lay person can’t even tell the difference.”
“So there’s no way to establish if the Poppy Flowers that belongs to someone in our country – if it is still in India – is the original one?”
“Of course, there is,” I said. “That can be determined by any Impressionist era expert, or by someone who specialises in Van Gogh’s works,” I slipped myself in without quite saying it outright. “There is a certain style, and then there is the age of the painting itself… But that doesn’t mean that a rookie can identify a fake…”
“What, according to you, would be its value, if it was really an original?”
“The approximate value is currently put at fifty to fifty-five million US dollars, but the real value, I’d say, can go up to around 150 million US dollars. It really depends on how much interest the painting generates, and how many buyers there are.” Once again, I was being economical with the truth. I knew the painting was worth 200 million US dollars, because it already had a buyer in Japan. I knew that the deal had already been made. I also knew who was selling the painting to him. And I could tell you who was being paid to deliver it to the seller – Professor Albert Rueben, a Vincent van Gogh expert, erstwhile Fine Arts professor at Hautes études commerciales aka HEC, Paris. And no, I was never an arts professor at HEC. But the office clerk here in Delhi had had a motorcycle accident the day he was meant to send the mail asking for references from HEC. When the poor man returned to work, everything had already been taken care of, the references received and filed by the temporary staff. I don’t need to tell you that the clerk’s accident wasn’t just a piece of good luck. Neither was the temporary member of staff helpful without a reason. The person who had been managing everything for me in the background wasn’t doing it all for charity either. So, there it was – the only reason for my sudden interest in Shri Vincent van Gogh.
Excerpted from “The Heist Artist” by Vish Dhamija, with permission from HarperCollins.
Aligarh Muslim University Students Union (AMUSU) is very active in conducting various useful programmes for the benefit of the AMU fraternity. AMUSU recently conducted two unique and significant programmes. One on the endangerment of mother tongues, and the other on the idea of ‘the University’.
Gowtham K, cabinet member, AMUSU, has taken pains to organise this programme on behalf of the students’ union. The programme started with a Kirat (recitation) by first-year B. A. student Syed Ur Rahman. It contained two parts: Aecture on significance of citizen Journalism, and a digital workshop on Adobe Premium Pro.
The lecture by Prof. M. Shafey Kidwai was thought provoking. He introduced us to the current scenario of being in a ‘post-truth’ era and how things are changing. He raised concerns as to why the contemporary media is not able to do its most important duty of questioning. In a humorous remark, he mentioned that instead of media raising questions they are involved in giving answers. He also said that citizen journalism is gaining popularity because mainstream journalism has started to give selective news rather than a complete picture.
While recalling the role of media he asserted that when mainstream media is doing the two tasks of informing and entertaining, it has drastically failed in empowering people. The lecture raised many important questions, and our professor also instilled in us a vision to get involved in citizen journalism. He said that a person need not have a degree or diploma in journalism but if one has a flair for writing and common sense, one can be a citizen journalist.
Cabinet member Nishant Bhardwaj also stressed on the importance of citizen journalism as mainstream media is failing in many ways. He reinstated that the role of journalism is to give a new direction to any nation. He asked all the participants to involve themselves positively in citizen journalism. He also asked both men and women to equally involve themselves in citizen journalism, to debunk the myth that journalism is only for males.
Arsalan Mohammad, who manages Bytes Today, took the digital workshop after that. He gave an introduction on how to prepare video in Adobe premiere pro. He gave an introduction to the different platforms citizen journalists can get into like Youth Ki awaz, and so on. He also gave examples of different movements like the Arab Spring which were popularised by citizen journalism. He gave an introduction to video, some important aspects like B-roll, colour correction, the rule of the thirds, and more. While introducing the concept of MoJo (mobile journalism) he also encouraged every participant to start doing journalism using mobile devices.
The programme ended with the Tarna of the university, as is the tradition. Many students did take time to thank and congratulate Gowtham K. for such a useful workshop. Such workshops are how AMU students union are taking steps to bring more variety into the university and empower and equip students for the betterment of the nation.
It certainly would be no overstatement to say that today, a youngster’s life has become as complicated as it possibly can. The degree of parental pressure to succeed on the academic front is immense. Also, a vast majority of parents still nurture this belief that choosing a conventional career path is the only way to succeed in life. The slang “mera beta engineer banega” (My son will become an engineer) has still got a considerable amount of steam left in it. Parental pressure often ends up robbing children of the small joys they come across in their lives.
Wake Up Sid is one of the most well made coming-of-age comedy dramas that aptly portrays the current breed of youngsters.
I remember watching this film as a 15-year-old teenager. The film established an instant connection with college-goers then because of its sincere take on the issues and challenges faced by urban youth.
10 years down the line, let us take a quick look at 10 major takeaways from the film.
1. Life Is Tough, But Friends Make It Better For You
No matter what you are going through, friends are always there to help you. It goes without saying that family occupies the centre stage, but friends too are an important building block of your life. Going out and partying with friends is just a single aspect of friendship. On a broader note, no matter what problem you’re facing, personal or professional, friends are always there to calm you down and for you to fall back on.
2. It’s Never Too Late To Pursue Your Passion
This was my most important takeaway after watching the film. Siddharth (Ranbir Kapoor’s character in the film) takes his own sweet time to understand that photography can also be taken up as a profession. He keeps taking photographs while hunting for a job and it is his passion that ends up getting him a job as a photographer at a lifestyle magazine.
3. Making An Unconventional Career Choice Isn’t A Bad Idea
Not everybody can (and has to) become a chartered accountant or a doctor. It is absolutely fine if you are not planning to go the conventional way. No profession in life is easy as there are challenges everywhere, but in the long run, it is your interest and passion that help you sustain your profession. Sid, too, is able to rekindle his love his love for photography in the film.
4. Your First Paycheck Is Always Special
Ah, nothing can beat the joy one feels on receiving the first salary! Just like Sid goes running to meet his father to show him his first paycheck, sharing our first share of hard earned money with our parents and dear ones gives joy unparalleled.
5. You Do Feel Bad When You Fail But Your Friend Clears The Exam
Let us just accept it. No one wants to fail, not even the most ignorant souls within the classroom. It really hurts when, despite putting in all hard yards, one fails the semester exams. But it hurts even more when your friend clears the exam and you don’t. You know the lesson – never believe a friend when he says, “Arre bhai, tu chinta na kar. Fail honge toh saath mein” (Don’t you worry! If it comes to failing, it’ll be the both of us).
6. Saying No To Your Comfort Zone Is Necessary
It goes without saying that living on “Daddy ka cash” is tempting. As a student, most of us aren’t bothered about where the money is coming from. But once we start earning, we understand that earning money isn’t as simple as it appears to be.
We aren’t aware of several hardships and take things for granted. Sid too, like every other urban youngster, nurtures a “chalta hai” (It’s fine, whatever) attitude towards life, but things take a turn when the realization dawns upon him that he’ll have to fend for himself.
7. Mom Always Helps, No Questions Asked
That is a universal truth. Through travels, tribulations, hardships, differences, our mothers always have our back. The film succeeds in portraying the mother-son bond wherein Sid’s mother wants him to return despite the fact that he is careless and takes everything for granted. She even pays a secret visit to Aisha’s apartment when Sid isn’t around to hand her some money and essentials.
8. Running Away Is Never An Option
There comes a time in everybody’s life when coming to terms with your situation is the only choice you have. Handling your problems on your own not only makes you independent, but also adds significantly to your confidence and self-worth.
Sid realizes this after he moves in to live with Aisha, and it proves to be life-altering for him. It’s also important to spend time with self, learn to enjoy solitude and make most of it; knowing oneself adds a substantial amount to our individuality.
9. If You’re Passionate About Something, Your Parents Will Eventually Understand
Parents always want their children to succeed in life, which is understandable. They want their children to have a life of their own, to be independent. Their protective instinct for their children, sometimes, clouds their better part and makes them be stern. But, they eventually always understand because nothing makes them happier than seeing their children content.
Sid is always at sixes and sevens with his father but runs all the way to his office after he receives his first paycheck. He tells his father about his love for photography and how he has been able to carve out a career out of it. They embrace and even the viewer is filled with hope.
10. Finally, Love Doesn’t Always Mean Checking Boxes That Are Normal
Love doesn’t happen with planning. More often than not, it knocks at your door unannounced, when you least expect it. Aisha and Sid expected something else altogether from their respective partners, but they ended up finding solace and love in one another. Love happens when and the way it has to; it’s not a planned endeavour. So, it’s essential to just breathe and go with the flow.
पिछले दिनों जब मैं फेसबुक पर ‘औघड़’ की समीक्षा पढ़ रहा था, तब किसी ने लेखक के बारे में लिखा था, “आपको जब UPSC नहीं बांध पाया, तो बाज़ार क्या खाक बांध पाएगा।” इसके साथ ही मेरी उत्सुकता किताब के प्रति बढ़ती गयी। जैसे ही किताब मेरे हाथ आई तो दूसरी दुविधा मेरे साथ उत्पन्न हुई, क्योंकि अगले दिन मेरी परीक्षा थी। फिर भी किसी तरह खुद को समझाया और पहले परीक्षा दिया और उसके पश्चात ‘औघड़’ पढ़ना शुरू किया।
ग्राम्य जीवन को जीता है ‘औघड़’
औघड़ की पूरी कहानी मलखानपुर और सिकंदरपुर गांव के इर्दगिर्द घूमती नज़र आती है, जिसका मुख्य पात्र बिरंची कुमार उर्फ बिरंचिया है। बिरंचिया इतिहास में मास्टर करने के बावजूद भी बेरोज़गार है, जिसका आलम यह है कि वह दिनभर आवारागर्दी और लफंगई करते रहता है।
गांव मे जिस तरह से जातिय भेदभाव देखने को मिलता है, उसे लेखक ने बखूबी अंजाम दिया है, जिसमें लेखक जाति की जड़ को तलाशते हुए कहता है कि हिंदुस्तान में ऊंची जाति के बारे में पता करना तो आसान है लेकिन नीची जाति की खोज आज भी जारी है।
यहां हर एक जाति के नीचे एक छोटी जाति बसती है, जैसे यादव के नीचे बनिया, बनिया के नीचे चमार आता है। क्षत्रिय के लिए तो दोनों नीच जाति के हैं और सबसे ऊपर आती है ब्राह्मण की बारी।
आज भी जिस तरह गांव में सामंती व्यवस्था हावी है, उसे लेखक ने बहुत ही निर्ममतापूर्वक चिन्हित किया है, चाहे राजपूत के बारे में लिखना हो या भूमिहार के बारे में, ब्राह्मण के बारे में लिखना हो या यादव के बारे में, बनिया के बारे में लिखना हो या चमार के बारे में।
गांव में तकनीक और मोबाइल की पहुंच
पिछले एक दशक में गांव, घर और छोटे-छोटे मौहल्ले में जिस तरह से मोबाइल ने अपना अधिपत्य स्थापित किया है उसे लेखक ने समझाने की भरपूर कोशिश की है। मोबाइल किस तरह से लोगों की निजी ज़िन्दगी का एक भाग बन गया किसी को कुछ पता ही नहीं चला। चाहे औरत हो या बच्चे, जवान हो या बूढ़े लोग, अमीर और गरीब के बीच की खाई को मिटाने में मोबाइल का एक अहम योगदान है। इस समय में तकनीक ही एक ऐसी चीज़ है, जिसने कि सामन्तवादी व्यवस्था को बड़ी ही आसानी के साथ पटखनी दी है।
प्रशासन के क्रियाकलापों का उल्लेख
लेखक ने प्रशासन के क्रियाकलापों का बहुत ही निर्ममतापूर्वक उजागर किया है। वर्तमान समय में प्रशासन ज़मींदारों के घर का कुत्ता बनकर अपना कार्य करता है, उसे लेखक ने बहुत ही आसान तरीके से समझाने का कोशिश की है। वर्तमान समय में प्रशासन के सामने सबसे बड़ी चुनौती भ्रष्टाचार और घूसखोरी से बचना है परन्तु प्रशासन ऐसा कर नहीं पाती है। उसे लेखक ने दरोगा और DSP के ज़रिए समझाने की कोशिश की है।
लोकतंत्र के चौथे स्तम्भ पर हमला
जैसा कि हम सभी लोग जानते हैं कि मीडिया को लोकतंत्र का चौथा स्तम्भ बोला जाता है परंतु वर्तमान परिदृश्य में वह भी कॉरपोरेट घरानों और राजनीतिज्ञों के हाथ का टट्टु बनकर रह गया है। मीडिया अब जनता के संदेशवाहक नहीं बल्कि राजनीति लोगों के लिए प्रचार सुविधा की तरह काम करती है। उसे भी लेखक ने समझाने का भरपूर प्रयास किया है। अगर हम साधारण भाषा में बोले तो लेखक ने मीडिया पर ज़बरदस्त हमला बोला है लेकिन अगर मीडिया इन बातों को समझ जाए तो वह वास्तव में लोकतंत्र का चौथा खम्भा बन सकता है।
सामंतवादी मानसिकता को चुनौती देता ‘औघड़’
लेखक ने औघड़ के ज़रिए सामंतवादी मानसिकता को पूरी तरह से चुनौती देने का प्रयास किया है। पंचायत चुनाव में फुंकन सिंह के खिलाफ पबित्तर दास का उम्मीदवार बनना इसी कड़ी का एक जंजीर साबित हुआ है। सबसे ज़्यादा हृदय विदारक बात है कि पबित्तर भी खुद को सामंत बनने के चक्कर में या अन्य भाषा में कहें तो राजनीतिज्ञ बनने के चक्कर में वह खुद से ज़्यादा दलित समाज के भरोसा को तोड़ता है, जिसे बिरंचिया ने अपने खून पसीने से सींचा था और बिरंचिया के खून से ही वह राजनीति का पहला ककहरा पढ़ा।
अन्ततः मैं यही कहना चाहूंगा कि ‘औघड़’ मात्र मलखानपुर गांव की कहानी नहीं बल्कि हिंदुस्तान के हर एक गांव की कहानी है, जहां सिस्टम से लड़ने के लिए कितनी बार बिरंचिया जन्म लेता है और कितनी बार मरता है। हर बार वह सामन्त से नहीं बल्कि सामंतवादी मानसिकता से हारता है। हर बार उसे फुंकन सिंह जैसे गुंडे नहीं बल्कि पबित्तर दास जैसे मित्र ही मारते हैं।
लेखक की सबसे बड़ी पूंजी इस पुस्तक में यही है कि वह पाठक को पूरी तरह से बांधे रहता है।
During college, I used to be that guy who participated in debates and discussions on political topics. I was outspoken in class discussions on political matters, and I had won prizes for speeches and debates in schools.
I was a Journalism student in college, but after graduating, I strayed away from the media. Gradually, I moved into corporate spaces, but my argumentative drive didn’t go away. Facebook provided an opportunity for me to channel it, where I picked up a fight with everyone on my list. I dropped a lot of friends. Snap.
About four years ago, I used to spent hours doing this on Facebook often exchanging hundreds of comments with people, sometimes with mutual friends. It became rampant. Victory was declared after making the opponent’s valid points look absurd. Conversations were filled with slandering and personal remarks. I even broke up with someone, who I was sort of dating, over political arguments.
A young man scrolls through his smartphone with rapt attention. For representation only.
I take complete responsibility for my actions. This is what left an imprint on me. It was hysteria to post a status and share an article with comments to collect likes and comments from the ‘Liberal’ and ‘Cool’ people in my friends list. I would say that it was toxic, unhealthy, and achieved nothing. The only purpose it achieved was to boost my own ego. The argument turned out to be so intense at one point that my own Journalism college lecturers unfriended me.
Anyways, this year I decided to quit social media arguments. I argued and ranted from the time Narendra Modi took oath as Prime Minister to the 2016 elections. I argued about privacy, freedom of expression, the cow protection army, and everything in between. I must have lost over 100 Facebook friends in the process, and a couple of them blocked me.
After the arguments have accumulated dust, I look back at the damage my words have caused and evaluated what I have achieved. I feel that what I had so passionately argued about didn’t actually mattered. I am an average middle-class person born to government employee parents, with decent financial security to lead a comfortable life. These arguments in no way changed my life. In the end, the government will only listen to corporate companies funding the political party in power.
Who was I fighting for? If it wasn’t about myself, then was I doing it honestly? The answer is no. Me arguing about cow lynching wasn’t doing any good to the person who died because of it, nor did it do anything to prevent the violence. Me arguing about of Privacy and Freedom of Expression wasn’t going to change things. Me arguing about Delhi’s government having limited powers or resources was not going to bring a Constitutional amendment.
Now I have decided that whenever I see someone on social media arguing about some petty political issue I care about, instead of joining the, I log out of Facebook. I wasted so much time arguing on social media, but not anymore.
During this week, I saw decades-long conflicts between India and Pakistan escalated, creating mutual tension after a terror strike in Pulwama. The social media warriors had already declared war against Pakistan following the incident, and slandered anyone who shared an opposing view.
अभिनंदन के स्वागत में लोग (People waiting to welcome captured pilot Abhinandan Varthaman back to India, days after Indian air strikes in Pakistan’s Balakot that destroyed Jaish-e-Mohammed terror camps.
People who want a war to be declared never understood that damage will be on both sides. Both are nuclear powers, and the Pakistan army is the seventh largest in the world. They are not sitting ducks you can get in your belly so easily.
A year ago, I would respond to the argument in a different way, but this time I rarely commented, even when someone argued with me. I am a political person, I raise my voice for issues I strongly feel about around me. I have taken myself to discuss civic issues with my local corporator and MLA in the past.
This time, by staying away from the political heat of the India-Pakistan conflict, I saved myself from the negativity that often accompanies these kinds of arguments. And life is more productive I would say. I have peace for myself.
आपने यह तो सुना ही होगा कि युवा ही हमारे देश का भविष्य हैं और देश में चल रही समस्याओं से निपटने में युवा अपना बेहतर योगदान दे सकते हैं। मगर आज के दौर की अगर बात करें तो कितने ऐसे युवा हैं, जो किसी तरह के बदलाव की या गलत के खिलाफ आवाज़ उठाने की सोच रखते हैं और जो चंद लोग इस गिनती में आते हैं, उनकी आवाज़ को भी इस रॉबिनहुड सिस्टम के तले दबा दिया जाता है।
वैसे सरकारों का यह दबदबा आज की कहानी नहीं है। कई सालों पहले भी ऐसा ही एक किस्सा देखने को मिला था, जहां लाखों लोग इस बात के गवाह बने थे कि आम आदमी के हक की बात करने वाले इंसान पर किस तरह अपना फैसला थोपा जाता है और फिर किस तरह उसका मुंह बंद कराया जाता है। बात है 1 जनवरी 1989 की, जब दिनदहाड़े एक निहत्थे युवा पर जानलेवा हमला हुआ था।
सफदर हाशमी। सोर्स- सोशल मीडिया
नुक्कड़ नाटकों को दी थी नई पहचान
सफदर हाशमी, एक प्रतिभावान नाटककार, निर्देशक, गीतकार और कलाविद, जिन्होंने भारत में नुक्कड़ नाटक को आगे बढ़ाने में अपना खास योगदान दिया। दिल्ली के प्रतिष्ठित सेंट स्टीफेंस कॉलेज से अंग्रेज़ी साहित्य से एमए करने वाले संपन्न परिवार के युवा सफदर ने सूचना अधिकारी की नौकरी से इस्तीफा देकर आम लोगों की आवाज़ बुलंद करने के लिए नुक्कड़ नाटकों को अपने जीवन का उद्देश्य बनाया।
सम्पन्न परिवार के इस लड़के ने समझा था शोषित लोगों का दर्द
1975 में आपातकाल लागू होने के बाद सफदर लगातार नुक्कड़ नाटक करते रहें। सम्पन्न परिवार से होने के बावजूद भी उन्होंने हमेशा अपने नाटकों के माध्यम से शोषित और वंचित लोगों की आवाज़ को बुलंद किया। जन नाट्य मंच ने छात्रों, महिलाओं और किसानों के आंदोलनो में सक्रिय भूमिका निभाई। उनके कुछ मशहूर नाटकों में गांव से शहर तक, हत्यारे और अपहरण भाईचारे का, औरत और डीटीसी की धांधली आदि शामिल हैं।
सत्ता खोने का डर बना सफदर की जान का दुश्मन
1978 में उन्होंने जननाट्य मंच की स्थापना की। आम मज़दूरों की आवाज़ को सिस्टम चलाने वालों तक पहुंचाने की उनकी मुहिम कितनी प्रभावी हुआ करती थी, इसका अंदाज़ा इससे लगाया जा सकता है कि एक जनवरी, 1989 को दिल्ली से सटे साहिबाबाद में नुक्कड़ नाटक ‘हल्ला बोल’ के दौरान तब के स्थानीय कांग्रेसी नेता मुकेश शर्मा ने अपने गुंडे भिजवाकर दिन दहाड़े उनके दल पर जानलेवा हमला करवाया था।
15 हज़ार लोगों की भीड़ उमड़ी थी अंतिम दर्शन के लिए
हमले में सफदर बुरी तरह घायल हो गए थे और दो जनवरी को राम मनोहर लोहिया अस्पताल में वो ज़िन्दगी की जंग हार गए। सफदर की अम्मी की लीखी किताब ‘पांचवां चिराग’ में अस्पताल के डॉक्टर ने बताया कि उनके सिर में तीन तरफ फ्रैक्चर हुआ था और बचने की उम्मीद ना के बराबर थी। उस ज़माने में जब मोबाइल और इंटरनेट नहीं थे, तब सफदर के अंतिम संस्कार में 15 हज़ार से ज़्यादा लोग उमड़े थे।
मौत के दो दिन बार ठीक उसी जगह हुआ ‘हल्ला बोल’ का मंचन
सिस्टम ने अपनी ताकत का घमंड ज़रूर दिखाया था मगर सच बोलने वालों को किसका डर था। सफदर की मौत के 48 घंटों के भीतर उनके साथियों और उनकी पत्नी मौली श्री ने ठीक उसी जगह जाकर ‘हल्ला बोल’ नाटक का मंचन किया मगर उनकी राहें इतनी आसान नहीं थी। सफदर के हत्यारों को सज़ा दिलाने के लिए उनके परिवार वालों और दोस्तों को 14 साल तक संघर्ष करना पड़ा।
आज के दौर में भी है सफदर जैसे युवाओं की ज़रूरत
आखिरकार सच की जीत हुई और कॉंग्रेसी नेता मुकेश शर्मा और उसके नौ साथियों को आजीवन कारावास और 25-25 हज़ार रुपये ज़ुर्माने की सज़ा सुनाई गई। सफदर के भाई सुहेल का कहना है कि मौजूदा समाज में जिस तरह से अल्पसंख्यकों को हाशिए पर रखने की कोशिश की जा रही है, उसे मिटाने का काम सफदर जैसे युवा ही करेंगे। मुझे लगता है कि उनकी प्रासंगिकता इस दौर में बढ़ गई है।
वरिष्ठ कवि और पत्रकार मंगलेश डबराल का कहना है, “मौजूदा दौर में सफदर हाशमी जैसे युवाओं की ज़रूरत कहीं ज़्यादा है”। वो कहते हैं, “आम आदमी के हितों की बात को उठाने के लिए सफदर ने नुक्कड़ नाटक को हथियार की तरह इस्तेमाल किया। उन्होंने जिस तरह के नाटक किए, उसके चलते उनकी हत्या तक हो गई, उस तरह के नाटकों की कल्पना आज के दौर में में भी नहीं की जा सकती”।
“They are representing my struggle, yet I can’t relate to it. Why?” This is the subconscious reaction of our mind, when we watch most of today’s cinema and television shows.
Still from the movie Dhadak.
Credit must be given where its due, and I must admit that to some extent, our reel world is now trying hard to shape itself as per the aspirations of our society. And to a large extent, it has have achieved a decent feat.
I don’t think so. I do believe that if we analyse the gradual change in the cinema story-line, the representation now is more reasonable, loosely based on true stories. But still, the faces shown in most of the reel versions of real-life stories are not even close to ordinary.
I am not only referring to the set standards of beauty. If we assess today’s cinema objectively, we’ll understand the dissonance between an actor’s personality, and its relevance to the real story plot. Though make-up departments are doing wonders to achieve this glory and in bringing in the radical change in the appearance of actors on screen, there is still scope of more improvement in this regard.
And it is not only about the face, but also the entire personality that an individual carries. It’s difficult to imagine a fair, handsome, well-built chap playing the role of a man doing ‘menial’ jobs. Also, the dialogue delivery of actors is extremely important in impacting the mindset at large. So, maybe it’s the stereotype hardened over generations or just the harsh truth of our life, but it is how it is.
Still from the movie Sui Dhaaga.
Well, a piece of good news is that now film industries have finally started signing up faces that that look more ‘ordinary’; the normal faces resonating the extraordinary struggles through their art, that is what we need. It gives me immense pleasure when I see the portrayal of a student’s life by a medium-built, simple looking boy, than a tall hunky-bearded gentleman.
I am also glad that not every single movie today is a heroic tale of a rich classy casanova, or a sassy woman who had it all, or nothing at all. Now many of the stories are more localized and sourced in the roots, where no one is a hero or villain. Everyone is just playing his or her part as per their needs from the society. That is the also the hardcore reality, folks!
This complete harmony of story-line and appropriate casting, is the key to people’s heart. No wonder movies like Stree, Sui dhaaga, Lagaan etc. succeeded because of their vivid liveliness of ground reality. The cast of these movies not only tried its best to fit in the roles of ordinary people, but the way they delivered dialogues was also pretty much in tune with the common dialect of the masses.
So yeah! That is how I want the future of cinema to be. A truthful experience of people’s struggles. Now I don’t mean to say that fairytales and unrealistic dramas shouldn’t be made at all. They should be, because such cinematic experiences provide an escape from the usual mundane lives. But if someone’s going to direct reality into art, it should be done right.
When we hear the word ‘media’, suddenly our mind discerns the term as ‘the fourth pillar of the Constitution’. For long we have been watching news channels exaggerate almost every issue for their TRPs. The Pulwama attack where 42 of our brave soldiers were martyred and innumerable personnel wounded, India’s subsequent surgical strike on Pakistan, and Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman who was unfortunately captured by the Pakistan armed forces and later released – are all recent developments that made our media go berserk.
Media channels exaggerated these events as we heard many of them say “it’s time for war” – as if they were the ones going to the battlefield to destroy Pakistan. They don’t care about the message they disseminate and propel among the common public who believes whatever media says to be true. Manipulation of mind through media is severely affecting people’s thought process. What we tend to overlook is that war is not a viable option for either country as no one loses or wins – it will only destroy the countries.
War only brings devastation. As responsible humans, we should not be happy when such brutality takes place – civilians and soldiers getting killed on either side is not a cause for celebration. What matters is our humanity and it seems to be in a state of existential crisis – at least the giddy news anchors reporting the killings on the other side prove this. Not just Indian media but many Pakistani news channels are also successfully evoking the same hatred for India among its masses through their reportage.
“Nations can opt for war, but nations can’t control the outcome.” Image source: YouTube screengrab.
Nations can opt for war and it is not a big deal for any powerful country, but nations can’t control the outcome because they would no longer be controlling the situation and then war itself becomes your enemy – destroying the economy and people.
This tense situation reminds me of a wonderful quote by Martin Luther, who said, “We have learned to fly the air like birds and swim the sea like fish, but we have not learned the simple art of living together as brothers.” We should also think and act like brothers who can help each other in need – otherwise the future of both the countries would be in jeopardy. A form of negotiation between the two countries on every issue before it gets blazed up is imperative.
Not all Bollywood movies demand you to keep your brains at home. Often, a well-made, yet fun movie demands you to keep your brain active and running while you watch it. Luka Chuppi is just like that. It makes you think about quite a few hard-hitting issues, while bringing a smile on your face spontaneously, and that too a number of times.
Dinesh Vijan has done a wonderful job yet again, with the majority of the cast of Stree, along with Kartik Aaryan and Kriti Sanon. The best part about the movie is the team- when you have good actors like Atul Shrivastava, Pankaj Tripathi, Vinay Pathak, and Aparshakti Khurana, you already get the audience hooked. Also, when you deal intelligently with issues that matter, the connection with the audience is a cake walk.
Guddu is a news reporter who falls in love with Rashmi. Guddu wants to marry Rashmi, but she wants to live-in with him first. Situations make them live-in along with the family?! Now, what do you think will happen when a stereotypically conservative family finds out they are not married?
Dialogues like “Dusre grah se nahi aaya hun pandit ji, bas musalman hun (I have not come from another planet, I’m just Muslim),” and Dharm warm sab chunavi mudda hai, youth ache se janta hai, use rojgaar, pakka makan, aazadi aur free wifi chahiye (Discussion on religion etc. is just an election stunt, the youth knows that well. All that they want is a job, a house, their freedom, and free wifi),” touch upon matters that we all want to talk about, and yet are not spoken enough.
This movie intelligently outlines the issues that the youth is dealing with, and leaves with a note of positivity and a feel-good high.
Have you seen “Mirzapur” – the crime web series launched by Amazon Prime? If no, then it’s good that you haven’t. This crime web series has caught the attention of the masses – especially the school and college going kids.
The people who watched the show were extremely fascinated by its dark content and they also encouraged their friends to watch it. They binge watched it for fun, but the problem arises when the kids unknowingly adopt the language of the show – that’s when it gets out of control. The abusive language and words in the series have been impacting the youth a lot and as adults we should all be alarmed that our youth is liking such content.
A still from Mirzapur. Source: YouTube
The entire plot and every single dialogue is so gripping that you wouldn’t dare sway your eyes off the screen for a moment. This show very well manages to keep its viewers on the edge, glued to the screen.
The fact that people are watching and appreciating it is worrisome. If we want to spend our time binge watching – why not watch a different series – perhaps one that won’t negatively impact our younger generation? There’s a repertoire of other content to choose from which is equally good and worth watching.
Kids have taken a liking for the show because it deviates from the norm – the usual content. Hence, they pick up the language as a new fad. “Mirzapur” has normalised the use of abusive language. It has given out a message that it’s okay to use crass language in everyday life in front of everyone. So the kids find it amusing and they do not shy away from using the language with abandonment.
Headlines are an important component of the news. In general, they bring you the gist of a story, sometimes pointing out the most important or interesting aspects. Headlines can greatly influence readers’ opinions about the news. An accurate headline is important because most people don’t read every word of every article, they often just skim the headlines. Therefore, those who read just a headline are not accurately informed when the headline misrepresents a story.
Headlines are expected to be accurate in relation to stories but can often be misleading or biased, although remaining ‘technically’ accurate. And a misleading headline fixes a false narrative in the public mind.
Satirical news headlines, varying widely in quality and intended meaning that may not be apparent to all, too have the potential to perpetuate misinformation based on different readers’ (mis)interpretations.
Some newspapers, news magazines, news websites, and television news channels have mastered the art of manipulating one or two words in a sentence in order to make even a truthful and honest headline slightly twisted in a specific way. It is the right of journalists to create an eye-catching and clever headline, but if it is inaccurate, it breaches the basic ethics of journalism.
Readers deserve facts, not offensive and misleading headlines. There is a need to discourage the use of misleading news headlines and we need to do this while making sure that alternative voices and a robust exchange of information are not stifled.
Accordingly, I recommend three measures that may be taken by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting:
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting may issue certain guidelines in order to stop the use of misleading headlines in traditional print media (newspapers and news magazines), broadcast news media (television news channels) and news websites.
Satirical headlines of newspapers, news magazines, and news websites may be instructed to be published in a specific font or colour (indicated by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting). It would help the readers identify satirical headlines and avoid confusion.
Satirical headlines of television news channels may be instructed to be run along with a ticker/crawler indicating that the headline is a satire.
We as a society cannot allow the means of mass communication of our times to turn into a prejudiced and untruthful source of information in the name of freedom of expression. Hence, it has become very essential to take serious action against misleading news headlines.
Gully Boy narrates the story of by-lanes, the gullies of India. it is a story of the other India that reminds of us of penury, which many of us want to forget, or more precisely, pretend it doesn’t exist.
The by-lanes lined with tiny houses, and its residents who generally are not considered important enough to be represented on the large screen, is what sets the movie apart. While moviegoers generally prefer feel-good movies, hats off to the makers who summoned the courage to narrate a Dharavi story with just a touch of melancholy, and oodles of positivity.
The story skillfully depicts the tribulations, struggles and the dreams of the protagonist, Murad. The movie focuses on the journey and the transformation of Murad to the gully boy (street boy), balancing the other characters who are a part of Murad’s tale. His polygamous father, subservient mother, a defiant and gutsy girlfriend and his friends struggling with their own lives, and his mentor who encourages him and gives him the much-needed push towards chasing his dreams, are an intricate part of his journey to success. The director’s narrative is astute, without any melodrama, and what is more appealing is that the narrative does not fall into the trap of repetitive cliches.
The story, for a change, is not about the underworld or gangsters, but about individuals working hard to achieve their dreams of a better life.
Theonestereotype that could have been avoided is the second marriage of Murad’s father. Even without a second marriage, his father’s reaction wouldn’t have been any different. Despite that, the sheer brilliance of the movie, the use of the Mumbaiya slang, the honest characterization, and the effort to tell a nuanced story, deserves all the accolades coming its way.
The scene in which the foreign tourists visiting the slum, gasp with astonishment at space management in the shanty houses, depicts the reality of poverty tourism. Another explicit scene is when the affluent owner of the car Murad is hired to drive, in an effort to convince his daughter to pursue higher education abroad, mocks Murad’s graduate degree, without realizing how hard it must have been for a slum dweller to reach that rung of the ladder. It categorically portrayed the attitude of the privileged, so blind to the struggles of the underprivileged. This one scene intentionally or unintentionally brings out the class divide of the society.
The narrative and characterization deserve all the praise, but one can’t ignore the acting acumen of the lead stars- Alia, who played the highly engaging role of Safeena, and Ranveer Singh’s portrayal of Murad, that is nothing short of brilliant.
The generally hyperactive Ranveer, effortlessly plays the role of a modest and diffident Murad. He very subtly conveys the helplessness, rage, and the resolve of the character; he convincingly gets into the skin of character, making you empathize with Murad so deeply that you forget you are watching Ranveer Singh.
Thisishis best performance till date, and no other actor could have done justice to the role like Ranveer did. The credit, of course, goes to Zoya Akhtar for bringing out the best in him. The commercial success of the movie should motivate more such stories to be narrated on the silver screen- stories of the marginalized who don’t succumb to the monotony of life, but rather work hard to break the circle of life; stories that inspire others to dream for a better life.
Even if the main character was Madan and not Murad, the narrative would have been the same, but it is a welcome change to see a Muslim protagonist, without any negative characterization.
Gully boy is a story that had to be told, and it was told exceptionally well. Take a bow Zoya Akhtar and Ranveer Singh!
We all have parents or grandparents watching TV serials in our homes. I am not against them watching these shows – because it’s not my place to decide what they do with their leisure time, right? But some of these TV serials just make you want to go and confront the directors and producers.
Let’s talk about a TV serial in Bengali called, ‘Nakshi katha’. A serial where a Muslim woman is saved from her Muslim dad by a Hindu boy who has been married to his long term best friend. They are all aspiring doctors.
But it is a disgrace to see the way the serial portrays the whole story. The Muslim woman falls in love with the boy and the boy falls for her too – but as he is married to his best friend so he cannot do anything.
So they start abusing each other in different ways – with the idea being the more you hurt someone the more you love them… At least that’s what the show producers want the viewers to believe.
When she is brought to the boy’s house, she is treated like a doormat by everyone. She is insulted over and over by his family and his wife. Members of the house treat her like a plague. Bringing up her parents and upbringing in every dialogue they throw at her.
A still from the Bangla show Naksi Katha. Image: YouTube screengrab.
This Muslim woman is an aspiring doctor. She comes from a middle class family. She knows her ethics and ways of life. So,why is this TV show bending over backwards to show how degrading it is to be a Muslim woman and have an education, and be under the roof of a Hindu family?
Why does the show want to depict that the Hindu family is disgusted by her presence in the house? She is given food in a bowl with a mix of everything that has gravy and is made to sit on the floor which is degrading. It is shocking that the author Lina Gangopadhaye has portrayed something so regressive that is impossible to watch and digest.
As more and more women take up journalism, so too have women journalists increasingly been victims of ruthless persecution by authoritarian regimes. According to Reporters Without Borders (RSF), of the 334 journalists in prison at the end of February, 27 of them – or 8% – were women. Five years ago, only 3% of imprisoned journalists were women. Although targeted by the authorities because of their articles or social media posts, these women are usually held on charges of “terrorist propaganda” or “membership of a terrorist group,” as in Turkey and Egypt, or for “suspicious contacts with foreign entities,” as in Saudi Arabia. Although vague and unsubstantiated, allegations of this kind are used to impose long jail terms.
These women journalists are being held by nine countries. Iran and China are the two largest jailers of women journalists, with seven held in each country. They are followed by Turkey which despite freeing the famous Kurdish journalist Zehra Doğan two weeks ago continues to detain four other women journalists. Saudi Arabia is holding three women journalists, Vietnam two and Egypt, Bahrain, Syria, and Nicaragua are each holding one.
RSF has pointed out that some countries have no reservations about imposing the longest possible prison terms in order to silence outspoken voices. This is the case in China. Gulmira Imin, a member of the Uyghur Muslim community and editor of the news website Salkin, was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2010 on charges of “separatism” and “divulging state secrets.” Several UN reports have confirmed that Iranian female detainees fall sick more often than male detainees. The situation of female detainees is aggravated by the segregation of men and women imposed by Iran’s ultra-conservative society and the traditional hatred towards intellectuals and the Islamic regime’s critics. In Iran, detainees are constantly denied proper medical care, whether in Gerchak, one of the country’s worst prisons, where three women who worked for the Sufi website Majzooban Noor – Sepideh Moradi, Avisha Jalaledin and Shima Entesari – are serving five-year jail sentences.
According to the family of Shorouq Amjad Ahmed al Sayed, a young photojournalist arrested in Egypt on April 25, 2018, she was beaten unconscious, insulted, and threatened with rape until she made the confession sought by her interrogators – namely that she had created a website with the aim of endangering public order and belonged to the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood. The Syrian blogger Tal al-Mallouhi has also disappeared in detention. As she was sentenced to five years in prison in 2011, she should have been released a long time ago. She was last seen alive in 2016 when she was transferred to the state security prison in Damascus. The world’s youngest detained woman journalist at the time of her arrest in December 2009, when she was still 18, she is now one of the longest held behind bars.
New does not mean that something is modern, or for that matter progressive. Most among our generation believe that Netflix shows like ‘Sacred Games’, ‘Lust Stories’, ‘Ghoul’ or movies like ‘Lipstick under Burkha’, ‘Pink’ etc are path-breaking. We believe, or are being made to believe, that it is the first time that Bollywood is opening up to the progressive modern ideas of ‘women rights’ and these filmmakers are a sort of revolutionaries. While truth being that the present Bollywood has yet to catch up with the progressive elements of the 50s or 60s in Bombay films.
India has a gender pay gap of around 20% (Monster Salary Index, 2017) and its Female Labour Force Participation (FLFP) is one of the worst. With 27% of FLFP India ranks 121st out of 131 countries surveyed. Still, we find a deafening silence regarding these issues in mainstream cinema. In movies, with A-line star cast, we rarely find mention of these gender issues, either overtly or covertly.
It is true that we have Padman or few other propaganda movies but these films don’t talk about Female Labor Force Participation (FLFP), gender pay gap and sexual harassment of women at the workplace.
Most of us, from the current generation, are quite unaware of the fact that Bombay Cinema was dominated by progressive filmmakers, with Marxist leanings, from the 1940s to 1970s. Progressive people like Majrooh, Kaifi, Manto, Balraj, Raj Kapoor, Shailendra, Dhawan, and others dominated cinema during that era. Movies were themed around the class struggle, exploitation of peasants, corruption and other social problems of the time.
Among these, a movie which needs to be revisited is ‘Gyarah Hazar Ladkiyan (Eleven Thousand Women)’ directed by KA Abbas. Script and dialogues of the movie were written by two progressive writers KA Abbas and Ali Sardar Jafri, who also produced it. It was under the direction of Abbas that Bharat Bhushan and Mala Sinha played the protagonists, where the society played a villainous role.
Released in 1962, the movie is a reflection of a society which locks its women inside the boundary walls of a house, and when a woman steps out to work, she is exploited. Lower wages, certain gendered employments, and sexual harassment at the workplace were a few of the themes this film looks closely into.
The movie opens up with a courtroom sequence, where a woman, Asha Premchand (Mala Sinha) is being called into the court. She has been charged with a murder, a charge that she accepts. There enters a journalist Pooran Chand (Bharat Bhushan) asking for permission to defend her as a lawyer. When asked, by the judge, if he has any witness to prove the innocence of the accused he replies that there are eleven thousand witnesses. Eleven thousand women, who work in Bombay are witnesses to the conditions in which Asha is living, and which led to the ‘crime’.
The movie, after it, moves to flashback-in an office, a few women workers are reading an article written by Pooran Chand. Titled ‘Gyarah Hazar Ladkiyan (Eleven Thousand Women)‘, the article was an account of economic exploitation that the working women face in Bombay. According to the article, approximately 11,000 women work in Bombay and these are modern day Chand Bibi and Jhansi Rani. These women who work in offices, schools, shops etc are the future of the nation. Yet, these women are highly underpaid. For teaching, a woman is paid 80 Rupees/month while Mala herself at Rationing office gets a meagre 110 Rupees/month. Many jobs are deemed unfit for women.
Most of the women, including, Asha are appreciative of Pooran and his writings. She calls him to her office on the pretext of some discrepancy in ration card account. A minor confusion exchanges her salary envelope with his application and they meet again. It is at the second meeting that he asks about her views regarding his articles.
Here she raises a very important point and criticises his writings on account that while he is talking about the economic problems and is well aware of those, Pooran is oblivious of the social stigma, and personal problems that a working woman faces. In a way, through this movie, Abbas and Sardar have actually raised the issue that while writing about women how much aware are the progressive writers themselves. Kaifi, Faiz, Makhdum etc have written a lot about the conditions of women, but still, a woman’s perspective was missing. Experience of a woman is must, in order to understand the problems, that she faces.
So, Pooran interviews her in order to publish her views in his next article.
During the course of the movie, Asha goes jobless and her younger sister Uma (Madhavi) joins a night-club as a dancer. Manager of the night-club tries to molest Uma on gunpoint. In self-defense, Uma shoots him dead and Asha takes the responsibility of the murder as police arrive.
Back in the courtroom, prosecution lawyers ask that if Uma is ‘shareef(Innocent)’ why was she working at a night-club. Pooran calls in three women to prove the point that as a society we do not pay adequate salaries to educated and skilled women. Once at a workplace, ‘employer tries to sexually exploit them and do harass them’. Women are exploited twice, first by not letting them work at equal wages and then through sexual harassment.
Pointing towards Uma, Pooran says that her eyes reflect ‘the temptation of future, desperation to survive, and fear of stepping out’. This is not the story of Asha or Uma, but the tale of each one of those 11,000 women who step out to work. Neither Asha nor Uma, but society is the criminal and we need to punish this society.
Like any other Abbas movie, songs convey crucial social messages. At the outset of the movie, title song, gyarah hazar ladkiyan (eleven thousand women) sets the tone for the rest of the movie. Penned by another progressive poet Majrooh Sultanpuri, the song was sung by Mahendra Kapoor while Datta N composed the music. Song celebrates working women as the future of the nation. It eulogizes the fact that women have started reading files like they were supposed to read only love letters in the past. Picturisation of the song includes the women working as typists, air-hostesses, nurses, soldiers, teachers etc. and marching down the Rajpath at republic day parade. Song defines women as ‘’sare jaha pe surkh-roo (red coloured face for the world)”. With the leftist leaning Abbas, Majrooh, and Sardar at the helm, it can be safely assumed that they saw the liberation of women through the communist lens, of which red was the symbol.
Another song that stands out, and should be mentioned was penned by Majrooh but inspired by a famous poem Aurat(woman) by Kaifi Azmi. The song goes like-“Meri mehboob mere sath hi chalna hai tujhe,Raushni le ke andhere se nikalna hai tujhe”(My beloved you have to walk with me, With torch in hands, you have to break through the darkness)
The song was a perfect ode to working women. In the voice of Rafi, Pooran asks his beloved that she should accompany him at every step of their lives. She is not a sexual object meant only to be loved but a comrade in life. Capabilities of a woman are in no way less than a man.
Though Majrooh penned the lyrics for the movie but ideas for two songs were taken from the heavyweights of progressive writers- Movement Faiz Ahmad Faiz and Kaifi Azmi.
Presently when women are voicing their concerns about sexual harassment at workplace through #MeToo campaign Bollywood remains largely silent on the issue. Filmmakers should look back at the rich legacy and films like Gyarah Hazar Ladkiyan to understand what actually needs to be shown to the viewers in theatres and cinema halls.
