Pink and More

Does the storm created by 'Pink' stop when the film ends. ? The answer is so obvious, No, on the contrary, it starts with more vengeance. Have we changed or are we in that space where everything is still blurred? An advertisement presently running on TV shows a small girl cutting her long hair in earnest to be like a boy and wants to wear boys' clothes so that with boy cut and boys' clothes she can continue her schooling. The line, in the end, tells us glaringly that 20 million girls are still deprived of any education forget higher, even primary! And we are disturbed, by the plight of three urbane girls who 'ARE' living their lives on their terms, at least somewhat. Not to undermine their plight but the situation is much much graver and Pink must be given credit at least to broach the topic where Woman and woman herself owns her body and self and nobody has any right to have anything do with her, whether it be work, sex or mental abuse, beyond that unmarked unseen line, her consent! Including her husband! Good point!

Imagine the same scenario happening say first 60 and then 30 years ago. In Films categorically. Amitabh in his baritone voice asking a 'Girl ','Are you Virgin ?' Crystal clear, straight forward, blunt and to the point! Girl in the docks hesitates for a moment but comes out clean nonchalantly albeit in lower volume, but yes, affirmatively.  And we don't cringe. We still are on the girl's side.   

Now imagine the same question being asked in the 1950s [ absolutely unthinkable]  by Late Prithwiraj Kapoor to demure shaking Madhubala in the docks. Or maybe later in the 1970s by Late Ashokumar to Sharmila Tagore again in the docks, but shaking demurely, bit[ or too much] put on act for even frontbencher to make out,  flashing her well-painted eyes and lashes. Would our reactions have been the same?

In my father's generation when Prithwiraj Kapoor with Karan Diwan and Surendra ruled the roost, though Heroine had a past, it was never her doing. It was forced on her, it was a mistake and but nonetheless, it was a blemish on her character, for which she had to suffer throughout her entire life.. Why the films, it was the rule in the society, of the society then. The very progressive newspaper started none other than by Hon. Lokmanya Tilak too discussed on front pages whether women should stick to 9 yards saris, they then were using in Maharashtra or change to 6 yards without the central parting! It even doubted the morality of those who did so! Dainik Kesari,  of all the papers !!

The 70s onwards the things changed for the films and for society too. But virginity still was considered as a gift,  mostly to husband and that too after the wedding, on the first night only! Premarital sex even with the beau was looked down upon! Zeenat Aman and Parveen Babi changed the scenario no doubt, but mostly superficially. Though coming from a low moral stratum of the society [ On the screen, mostly moles of villain ]  they almost always had heart of gold and they were doing it out of some compulsion, [ educating siblings in a fatherless home, being the prime ] and none said openly that, 'I wanted to do it so I did it, period, hell with the world !' Only one character said so, Sonia Sahani in Darpan but she was shown a HARLOT so she could get away with it, but not Waheeda Rehman the heroine, who too had a past so kept on weeping for her misendevour throughout the life of the movie!

And now here we are. We have come a long way from ' Wear Punjabi dress, at least it covers the entire body' to ' I want to keep my shoulders bare and that's my choice Babi !' Liberation, the freedom I hate to say but, 'Womanicipation !' But is it a true picture of emancipation or tip of the iceberg for urban/ urbane higher middle class moneyed class topping the peak of an iceberg and more than 90% mostly below the water, are still picking up the cow dung to plaster the walls ?! So I said Pink has not given the answer it has started a storm! One has to ride it!