Make Films, Not War

This time next year, no one will care about fringe groups or Padmavati but for now, for some reason, lives and body parts depend on the release of this film.  Even as I type this article I am afraid for my nose and head because I do not have a deviated septum that needs tending and I also don’t wish to look like Voldermort or Nearly Headless Nick.

The bottom line of the issue seems to be the need to protect the honor of women and women’s safety, is a pressing issue in our country, so this really is an interesting debate to focus on.

On the one hand the internet does not need another ‘Bollywood-centric’ article telling you things you already know, but on the other hand there will be a thousand more controversies like this if we don’t slay the dragon immediately.

Regardless of what side of the debate you find yourself on, we can all agree that Mr. Bhansali is to the movies what Sabyasachi is to Indian fashion- you may like or dislike him, but there is no denying that his work sure is beautiful to look at. He also seems to always provide content not just for the silver screen, but also the television screens. I hope T.V channels and news anchors give him all the glory for providing them with this much content, and I also hope he has a reliable shrink to call in the middle of the night, because mental health should never be taken lightly.

When Bajirao Mastani released, there was a similar type of controversy, and earlier this year Ae Dil Hai Mushkil also battled with socio-political tensions prior to its debut. If either of these films had been nominated for an Academy award or at Cannes, the same people criticizing these films would join the celebrations and wear that victory as a badge of honor.

It is unfortunate that this level of scrutiny is only reserved for big-ticket films. If a web series about Padmavati was being made, or perhaps a painting featuring Khilji and Padmavati, it’s hard to believe that this level of interest would be given by fringe groups or mainstream media.

Not so long ago, a television show premiered that showcased a marital relationship between a male child and an adult woman – does that count as dishonoring our culture?  Lots of people signed petitions to pull the show off air, but with a mild tweak, the show was granted a second chance and that news faded away.

The story for the Film Padmavati was inspired by a poem titled Padmavat that dates back to the 16^th century. Our country is responsible for some of the finest poetry in the world, and how cruel a time we live in if something born of this poetry is being caged.

Padmavat draws from Persian and Indian culture, so really it’s not just the honor of Rajput women that is at stake here, but also Indian and Persian women. As an Indian woman myself, I wish this debate for protecting honor was happening among women rather than men because if we had the freedom to safeguard our own respect, maybe this situation could be avoided altogether. When our constitution requests coexistence between Hindus and Muslims, surely a film should be allowed to portray the same. Jodhaa was married to Akhbar, and none of us were around to verify that story so perhaps we can take this film for what it is also- just a story.

When men on bicycles whistle songs at women on the street everyday, is that not disrespectful to women? How about when men stare at women in parking lots and malls, does that not threaten our culture? Can we start a fringe group that protests eve teasing and punishes rapists? Can we call it Padmavati’s Army?

Maybe we have been trained to focus so much on the culture we have inherited, that we have completely neglected the culture we are creating for the next generation. If you look up Barkha Dutt’s twitter page, there will be multiple comments containing the word ‘presstitute’ among other creative insults. It is amazing that we live in a time where women are celebrated for their outfits of the day but will be slut shamed for their opinion of the day. Does slut-shaming a woman on social media not count as tarnishing culture?

Our constitution dictates that we maintain a secular country where all people regardless of background and sentiments find a way to co exist. If you don’t like the food a restaurant serves, don’t eat there. If you feel like there’s a movie being made that might not be to your liking – don’t watch it.

I can’t imagine that the founding father of our nation would care for these ‘ off with their heads’ threats especially since independent India was founded on the principle of non-violence. More importantly, does the constitution and penal code permit public proclamations offering rewards in exchange for murder?

It took Harry Potter seven books and eight films to defeat Voldermort, and I am not sure how many movies it will take Mr. Bhansali to win his right to creative freedom, but I do hope the rest of us don’t lose our limbs as collateral damage.