End note on ‘social drama’ and ‘women empowerment’

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?