End note on ‘social drama’ and ‘women empowerment’ (this is not meant as an offense to anyone, and not regarding one particular drama, just an introspective piece of enquiry)
Guys, let’s just stop having expectations and enjoy this drama as a guilty pleasure. Because no private venture into this genre can truly and solely be a social drama. They have to worry about returns on their investment, which ultimately affects and alters their original vision. To stay in the game of trp, they have to bring nonsensical amount of twists and turns which are often irrelevant to the theme of the drama.
Though this part can be excused, there is no excuse for substandard writing which bring out the biases of both the writers and the audience. For example, why are all the villains even in a supposed ‘women empowerment’ themed drama only women? Please note that even men commit misdeeds, but even those are shown to be committed at the behest of manipulative women (often evil wives), thus they are easily excused. Why such regressive mindset continues to dominate our screens? Ask yourself! Aren’t you equally to be blamed?
The generation before ‘us’ (the supposedly empowered youngsters), witnessed a small screen dominated by helpless and victimized women. This was done to strike a chord with housewives confined at home (assuming they will relate it with their frustrations). If so, what’s the excuse now? Why is the ‘heroine’ still a sari clad, docile, self-sacrificing housewife who endures all the pains given to her at her marital home? Why if she ever sees the light of the day, has to be led into it by a man? Why can’t the woman who dresses modern be a friend who supports the protagonist? Why does she have to be a rival and home breaker? Is it because we want her to be so and see her as one? Recently, I watched the trailer of a movie which shows the female lead singer of a band, guiding a couple of fellow women out of the repression of a patriarchal society. Just because she drinks and smokes (which harms no one but herself), the comment section was filled with people questioning her ‘sanskaars’ (values), and calling her a ‘fake feminist’. (And these comments were made by women of all!)
Why can’t for a change a drinker and smoker, or a woman wearing short clothes be our heroine? Afterall heroine must be defined by her thoughts and (only) those of her actions which affect her society. But instead she ends up being caught in her looks. That leaves us with our typical non-heroic heroine who needs a hero. Even if he is a drunkard, this time a dangerous one, yet he is far more admirable! We– the educated, independent, modern women who have been given every opportunity to improve our minds and breathe in the fresh air of change just outside our doors – continue to stay closed behind that door and revel in our own weaknesses shown to us on our screens, fervently wishing for a knight in shining armour to arrive and save the damsel in distress. Isn’t this the very wish of ours that tv makers have been playing with?
We see only what we wish to be shown. Unless we challenge the current depiction of society and women in our television, it will continue to be so. And we need to! Urgently! Because look around, the world has moved ahead. Women are independent and heroines of their own lives; their lives don’t start and stop at home or around their husband and children; they don’t dread being judged by custodians of ‘sanskaars’ (values). We don’t want to be left behind, do we?
2 Comments
Sis/bro(sry confused with the name bro girl)😅, i just wanna share my pov and i disagree to some of ur points, saying that “Why can’t for a change a drinker and smoker, or a woman wearing short clothes be our heroine?” Actually, if we get to know even a male is a drinker or smoker, we stop admiring him and for depression going to drinking is not the correct way, we never support an actor let it be a male or a female to be a drinker or smoker and about dresses, yeah we are ok with some short clothes but not the most revealing one. Many of them in name of short clothes wear inappropriate ones and “only with that we are uncomfortable”. Me too don’t want it to be shown always females bearing the pains and getting falsely accused all the time. And i never judge a person by his/her looks. And finally about this point “to stay in the game of trp, they have to bring nonsensical amount of twists and turns which are often irrelevant to the theme of the drama” till now, i didn’t feel they didn’t bring any useless track, all are going well only now and that is why we find bb attractive and not losing its track and want it to continue further.
All these are my opinions and no offense
Thanks for the feedback versi 👍. I may not have been very eloquent.. I just wanted to say that drinking, smoking..these flaws can be overlooked if the person (male/female) is not harming others because of these habits.. I don not promote these habits. For me the most fatal flaw in a protagonist is being emotionally or physically abusive to others. I don’t promote such heroes or heroines.