Four women from different backgrounds and generations are destined to bike-ride Khardung La. Lali, the youngest, played by Sanjana Sanghi, has low self-esteem and is recently engaged. Uzma, played by Dia Mirza, helps her husband run home by secretly working as a mechanic. Mahi, the oldest, played by Ratna Pathak Shah, has recently learned to ride the bike after winning it as a prize. And Sky, played by Fatima Sana Shaikh, the leader of the gang is a videographer. Sky was newly a victim of internet crime when her private pictures were leaked by her ex-boyfriend. And she had not informed them.
TRUE STORY?
Dhak Dhak had an interesting plot but in my observation suffered from a lot of issues. Without a doubt, all four stories were well connected but here is the penny to entwine. The film presses that this is based on a true story. What true story? I did not find the true story on the internet. If this was based on true story then why the real-life footage or pictures were not shown in the end? Was this a lie to sell popcorn? Let me know if any of you has any idea about the true story.
MISINFORMATION
Secondly, Dhak Dhak’s plot-line pressed that Khardung La is the highest motorable road in the world which is around 17,500 ft. If I am not mistaken, this is a wrong information. Forget the world, Khardung La was never the highest in India in the past. It was Dungri La that stands at 18,400 ft. And in recent years, Umling La has become the highest not in India but in the world, that stands at around 19,000 ft.
POOR WRITING
Dhak Dhak’s screenplay was disappointing because after highlighting their origins, the direction could not grow the four characters together. The film didn’t spend or was unable to invest time in developing their unusual friendship. I didn’t get the feel when the continuity pretended that they had already climbed the first ladder of knowing each other. I was surprised and found it bizarre that the bikers were punished on the street with the ear-holding sit-ups, especially Mahi.
There was a very important scene in the film that got terribly wasted due to weak direction. A video about their private conversation while being drunk went viral on social media and was blamed on Sky. Later, it was discovered that a foreigner recorded them. Next scene? They move ahead to their next destination. Did the ladies take no action against the foreigner and ride off to the next destination? Just like that? Knowing the fact that this is a female-centered film, I think the director Tarun Dudeja missed the chance to address. The story could have concluded that character by calling the police and making him record a live confession.
CHARACTERS & PERFORMANCES
I think Uzma got to join the gang very comfortably. Despite the fact that she lied to her husband, I really thought that her husband will raise questions and inquire from the contacts she was lying about meeting them. After all, she was planning to leave alone, not even her daughter was accompanying her. But he let her go. It was strange due to the fact that Uzma was living in a semi-conservative Muslim household. I was expecting a ‘Secret Superstar‘ kind of tension here.
It is not like if the writing of the film did nothing exceptional. Lali’s character had a strong individual portrayal. She represents many millions of girls who are afraid of taking a step on their own. Lali cannot even open a packet of chips. Not that if this problem is threatening but can be. You have the right and must be bold to make your own life decisions. It was a thoughtful scene when her guru asks what the soon-to-be-husband does and she is blank.
And Sanjana Sanghi played her part very well, so did Dia Mirza. In fact, Dia is unsung for her performances in recent years. Her acting has improved if anyone notices. I don’t think I need to invest my time explaining Ratna’s performance. She has been in splendid form for some time now. But Fatima Sana Shaikh has indicated that the audience needs to take her seriously. Watch her when she drops her frustration after a heavy stream destroys her work. All the hearts break when she laments over how people respond her posts and communicate when they see her. I think this was one of the best scenes of the year.
By the way, Taapsee Pannu was one of the producers of the film. She was perfect for the role of Sky. Unsure why she didn’t appear but she was missed.
CLOSING REMARKS
In overall a poor writing, Dhak Dhak was also annoying me with over-usage of songs that were highly unnecessary. The background score was a huge distraction and sometimes the music was louder than dialogues. The final 15 minutes were average and predictable.
Dhak Dhak, despite an interesting plot and good performances, is a chance missed and deserved a better writing and direction.
RATING 4/10
SUBSCRIBE TO MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL AND WATCH MY FILM REVIEW HERE
Sajini Shinde belongs to a traditional and conservative Marathi family from Ahmednagar. By profession, she is a Physics teacher at a reputed school in Pune. She has found a man, Siddhant, for an arranged marriage through a dating app. With her priorities in life placed in order, one big mistake ruins her forever when her colleagues insist to get drunk and enjoy her birthday party wild. All the mobiles come out to capture her moment and the video goes viral all over the social media. Her video reaches the school administration, young students, the society, and her family. She is shamed and expelled from the school. The family as well as her soon-to-be husband Siddhant are furious. Besides a couple of feminists, she has no support. And one day, she disappears.
REVIEW
“Sajini Shinde Ka Viral Video” is really the title of the film. Reminds me of Saeed Akhtar Mirza‘s films that used to have long titles. Coming back to my assessment, this is a mystery film where two inspectors Bela and Ram investigate the disappearance and get stuck in the complexity of the case. The film grows so intense into the second half, that most of the characters begin to look like involved in kidnapping or killing her. Every arc gives a different and genuine understanding.
I was absolutely sold to the core of the story followed by a marvellous continuity. Because, let me tell you something, in the presentation of a story and between the lines of the continuity, the viewers must always keep themselves open for a broader theory of what that film wants you to sink into. Generally, the film is about the whereabouts of Sajini but moreover, from where I am looking at is a broader picture, that the film is about things that led to Sajini’s disappearance.
This film has made me listen to possibly the best dialogues written for any film of 2023. One of the parents asks the principal if she will send her daughter to a school where a teacher does a sandwich dance between two naked men in a foreign country. I’m afraid she has a point and almost every parent will question about their children’s future. And then there is Sajini’s colleague Shraddha who complains that the fun is acceptable if you are a film star but crime for a school teacher.
Was it even Sajini’s call? She wasn’t eager to get drunk. It was Shraddha who convinced her to enjoy it like that and also was she who uploaded her dancing video by mistake. We can throw the blame on Sajini’s guy who asked her to get modern. Didn’t he know his woman’s definition of being modern would come out of a book? Or was Sajini from a small town, who was trying to fit in and get accepted in modern ambitions, really that dumb to not understand what he approved her about enjoying?
Do you get my point? I am not playing with your mind but informing you that this is a thought-provoking story that is not limited to her disappearance but is too large for assessment. I can write at least 25 pages about what I have watched and how and why is the message of the film so important for all of us.
Almost every character was developed. The film had a lot to offer. There was dark humor, the continuity had pace, and the suspense was captivating. The film wasted no time in introducing to the inspectors. And speaking about the supporting characters, the film opposes obviousness and gives a more realistic portrayal. Sajini confesses that she loved Siddhant. But Siddhant was not a good guy at all. He was a sore loser who had a bad past with other women. And even after Sajini disappeared, his personality was questionable. And I really liked that in such a scenario, the writer and director of a Bollywood film chose to show that the ideal man of the leading character is not quintessential. Yes, there is every possibility that the chosen portfolio is not the right person.
Radhika Madan as Sajini was outstanding but unfortunately, the story didn’t allow her character to spend much time in the film. And by this thought, I bethink that this story had every potential to transform into a limited series. You can easily stretch it to six or eight episodes and give more breathing to some promising characters like colleague Shraddha, principal Kalyani, and brother Aakash, and run Sajini’s important life events in it. Radhika did a superb impression of a small-town simple-minded girl giving such a raw-scale mannerism while meeting her date or speaking with people. Notice when she doesn’t find Siddhant’s heist joke funny and hides her discomfort in her smile.
CLOSING REMARKS
Although, the film somehow met with a fair conclusion with Inspector Bela delivering a very important message. But from an artistic angle, the film’s final scene should have been Sajini’s video message. With that, the film would have served the purpose. Also, this suggested ending would have hit hard on the audience.
I believe “Sajini Shinde Ka Viral Video” is a spectacular debate about freedom and its social conflicts. This film is where liberty questions slavery and selfishness become self-esteem. Everyone performed at an average scale but Nimrat Kaur as Inspector Bela deserves the praise. The direction of Mikhil Musale, and dialogues, and screenplay are the biggest pluses.
Food for thought. Can a woman have her own choice of freedom? Why? Why not? But which one? Good freedom or bad freedom? What is that? Can freedom be bad? And who will decide if that freedom is good or bad? We the society? Or you, the seeker of freedom? Can a woman distinguish good freedom or bad freedom? Hold on a second. can a woman even distinguish what is good or bad? If she can, why are people offended? And if she cannot, why do her parents want her to get married?
Does Sajini have the right to enjoy? Must she have gotten drunk and danced? Must she have avoided doing all this in fear of getting caught by a camera in the era of social media? Does being a teacher dissuade her from all this? If you are thinking about, when will I finish my review then my dear readers, my series of questions will never end because this is all about a woman, and that too, is in trouble. So where does the problem really lie? The problem lies in our minds.
RATING 8.2/10
SUBSCRIBE TO MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL AND WATCH MY FILM REVIEW HERE
(Before I commence passing my review, I would like to inform the readers of the future that the show is judged after watching the first two seasons. To date, the third season has been announced.)
After fifteen years of television dominance and winning eight Emmies, Mitch Kessler (Steve Carell) is fired by the UBA Network when the news breaks of his being responsible for multiple incidents in sexual misconduct. His on-air partner for fifteen years, Alex Levy (Jennifer Aniston) faces difficult challenges to maintain her professional stature as the show struggles to retain its domination on the American viewers. And during all this, the network hires a shocking replacement of Mitch in Bradley Jackson (Reese Witherspoon), an outspoken field reporter whose creative ideas do not match with Alex. Thus, starts a very interesting phase of the news network.
Apple TV+‘s The Morning Show is the epitome of excellent writing about corporate corruption, abuse of power, sexual misconduct, and the struggle of women empowerment. This phenomenal piece of writing reminds me of Aaron Sorkin‘s, the audience is fully sold to watch the sensationalism of the making of news programs. The functioning of the news network is detailed with meticulous care.
One of the highlights where the show surpasses the quality of presentation is giving a proper dramatization of female employees working under the same roof after one major controversy bombs the reputation. TMS is picturized in the time period of America’s socially most critical period that is the rise of the MeToo wave in the first season followed by the global pandemic in the second season. Therefore, the show heavily focuses on the impact of the MeToo movement on this news network and the mental challenge the employees have to face after Mitch is fired.
In the same given period, TMS successfully decorates the professional rivalries in both upper and lower levels and daily political games between the network biggies. The parties, the glamour, the pride, the ego, the insecurities, etc. are all crafted with command. Employee love affairs, professional secrecies, work ethics, and heated arguments are credibly natural.
I think the recently concluded second season, despite superb writing and direction, is drier than the first season to some percentage due to lack of potential continuity. Mitch/Stella and Bradley/Laura takes a lot of minutes and are not even the core concerns of the main subject. The only plus about the writing of the second season is the build-up of the global horror that knocked the American life – the coronavirus. All the related content writing about the upcoming pandemic really breaks the buzz.
If the audience observes at dramatizing of employee relationships and scuffles, this will remind you of USA Network‘s Suits. Another excellence is handling the tragic events of the California Wildfire and the Global Pandemic magnificently. The productional dynamics and dramatic changes in the continuity are so compelling that the viewers can easily go into the heart of the show and grow in it.
The Green sisters of Friends, Rachel and Jill, reunited in The Morning Show.
And why not? The show is blessed with a potentially favorable cast of Steve Carell, Jennifer Aniston, and Reese Witherspoon in the lead, with the splendid support of Billy Crudup, Mark Duplass, and Karen Pittman, giving powerful performances. The Green sisters of Friends, Jennifer and Reese, were not only reunited but also became the first actors to be paid $2 million per episode.
There are numerous intense and brilliant argument and speech scenes. And this is what the audience wants, make a show blended with a favorable cast, fabulous writing, hot topics, hard-hitting dialogues, all orchestrated under a supervision of a thoughtful team of directors.
TMS has an interesting plotline, an exciting setup of aesthetics, a wise application of dark comedy, a very sound direction to build our enthusiasm for the show. And holds a lot of promises for the next season; and like me, I am certain that all the TMS fans are wishing that the new season happens this year instead of another two-year gap.
Good Times was a very popular African-American sitcom of CBS in the 1970s that carried the torch of the Black American television entertainment legacy from Sanford And Son and passed it to The Jeffersons.
And this sitcom was the need of the hour because All In The Family focused on a white working-class family on the Bunkers and Maude focused on a white rich family of the Findlays centering around a woman who believed in feminism and liberalism. So, developing a black American story became mandatory and this happened through the creation of Florida Evan‘s character who became the maid at the Findlays in Maude.
In Maude, Florida’s husband gets a job in Chicago and moves to the new locality, a ghetto, a poor neighborhood in the city where the African-Americans reside in the majority and the crime rate along with the police brutality is high.
Good Times focuses on the poor black family of the Evans comprised of husband James (John Amos), wife Florida (Esther Rolle), and their teenage kids J.J. (Jimmie Walker), Thelma (BernNadette Stanis), and Michael (Ralph Carter). The episodes develop their characters based on social and economic issues of the family along with age growth and family bonding.
John Amos and Esther Rolle as Mr. and Mrs. Evans were like a universal binding; they were so fitting together and the onscreen chemistry and their collective performances really helped make this show better and better.
But then there was their eldest son, J.J. who was the real deal of humor and the main soul of a terrific comedy that balanced humor with strong issues. And when I say ‘real deal’, Jimmie Walker as J.J. was the real deal. Every sitcom has a character who keeps the sitcom wild and exciting like Edith Bunker in All In The Family, Dr. Arthur in Maude, and Florence in The Jeffersons; J.J., was that product of comic relief.
It will be a surprise if I tell you that from AITFverse and between four major successful sitcoms of the 1970s, Good Times was the weakest. And by weakest, I mean the bar the standard this comedy-verse has is very high enough to consider Good Times amongst the greats.
The reason I call this show the weakest of all four is that the makers of the show, after a very promising start, began to give J.J.’s character the center stage more often. As much as Good Times could have raised much severe social and economic issues and challenges a poor Black family was suffering, this consideration became secondary to J.J.’s buffoonish acts getting more time than usual and shouting his catchphrase ‘Dy-No-Mite’ almost every episode. Sometimes, I felt his being too silly became more important than his family always being on the brink of getting evicted.
Esther Rolle and John Amos both passed their public opinions about such dislikeness where the sitcom was going and that became quite visible when J.J.’s catchphrase was used pretty less straight from the fourth season. But with sharp criticism came consequences. John Amos was infamously fired and his character was killed from the fourth season after his creativity conflicts with the writers.
And as expected, firing John Amos turned out to be the worst decision, and his character was badly missed in the remaining half of the show. Although, the writers killed the character very smartly but the show never looked the same. One positivity from killing the character helped in maturing J.J.’s character as becoming the man of the family. But the writing was more centralized towards family matters that were not really something of significance the audience was waiting to watch like Wilona and Thelma’s everchanging boyfriends, Florida dating Carl from nowhere, etc.
From left, American actors Ralph Carter, Esther Rolle (1920 – 1998), John Amos, Jimmie Walker, and BernNadette Stanis gather in the kitchen in a scene from the television show ‘Good Times,’ Los Angeles, California, 1975. (Photo by CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images)
Another minus was Michael Evans’ disappointing character development who was called the militant midget for his black activism in the first half of the show when he was hardly 12 or 13 but that passion met cold and Michael was more of a lover boy later. Even his screen minutes drastically got less with time. Season 5 was easily the worst of all the seasons with no Florida Evans.
Yes, there were many plusses as mentioned above and the one I must not forget to write is Janet Jackson‘s character of a teenage girl who suffered child abuse from her mentally unstable mother. It was one of the critical issues that were highlighted in the show and the character gets justice when Wilona became her guardian.
Besides all the issues Good Times gets messed up with, the show is still unforgettable with its comic writing and content. For those, who are willing to watch a black sitcom or a family sitcom, Good Times is the one that will give you more joy and excitement.
Here are my favorite episodes from the show: Episodes: 01. S01E03 – Getting Up The Rent 02. S01E06 – Sex And The Evans Family 03. S01E12 – The Check Up 04. So2E01 – Florida Flips 05. S02E06 – Thelma’s Young Man 06. S02E12 – The Windfall 07. S02E15 – Florida Goes To School 08. S02E16 – The Nude 09. S02E19 – The Dinner Party 10. S03E01 – A Real Cool Job 11. S03E02 – The Family Gun 12. S03E08 – Michael’s Big Fall 13. S03E14 – Cousin Cleatus 14. S03E15 – The Family Tree 15. S03E16 – A Place To Die 16. S04E02 – The Big Move (2) 17. S04E08 – J.J.’s New Career (2) 18. S04E09 – Grandpa’s Visit 19. S04E17 – Willona’s Surprise 20. S04E19 – A Stormy Relationship 21. S04E24 – Love Has A Spot On His Lung (2) 22. S05E01 – The Evans Get Involved (1) 23. S05E02 – The Evans Get Involved (2) 24. S05E03 – The Evans Get Involved (3) 25. S05E04 – The Evans Get Involved (4) 26. S05E20 – Willona, The Other Woman 27. S05E22 – Willona’s New Job 28. S06E06 – Stomach Mumps 29. S06E07 – J.J. The Teacher 30. S06E13 – House Hunting 31. S06E15 – Florida’s Favorite Passenger (2) 32. S06E17 – Where Have All The Doctors Gone? 33. S06E20 – A Matter Of Mothers 34. S06E21 – The End Of The Rainbow 35. S06E22 – The Evans’ Dilemma
Maude was the first spin-off in the fictional comedy universe of All In The Family. The sitcom was centered around the character Maude Findlay who was Edith Bunker‘s cousin. Edith was the main character and wife of Archie Bunker in All In The Family.
The need of the character came in demand to oppose Archie Bunker in the second season because Maude was a feminist and liberal woman, totally contrary to conservative and racist Archie. After Maude received popularity on her debut appearance in All In The Family, her character got her own sitcom which successfully ran for six seasons.
I do not have much knowledge about the significance of feminism in American television history but if this sitcom wasn’t the first then at least this was the first which substantially advocated women’s liberty and freedom of choice.
Just like All In The Family, Maude had many important topics to raise like a satire on high socialites who hesitate to raise funds, daughter Carol Traynor not getting a job because it was not fit for women, child behavioral issue when grandson Phillip gets angry with mother for being more moved towards her new boyfriend, or himself inviting his female friend when the family goes to the party, and many more.
And there was one topic that raised the eyebrows, the episodes “Maude’s Dilemma Part 1 & 2” which spoke highly in favor of abortion when 47-year-old Maude gets pregnant. It was shocking and because personally, I am strictly against abortion, I felt it was very irresponsible of the writers and producers to motivate instead of discouraging. But my opinion aside, I also believe that talking about the pros and cons of abortion in the year 1972 in a comedy show was way ahead of its time.
Maude will also be remembered for the introduction of the character Florida Evans, the Afro-American maid in the Findlays. The writing of Florida’s character-depth was astonishing and got a lot of weight in her supporting role. Her side of the story was so appealing that Florida got her own sitcom, Good Times which also was extremely successful.
Another significance of this show which immensely won my heart was on two occasions centering around the couples Maude and Walter, both occurring at the beginning of the fourth and fifth season. The first was when their relationship is at the edge of breaking when Walter decides to leave if Maude intends to run the election.
The second one was more serious and heart-boiling when Walter goes bankrupt. The writers brought attention from the humor in the rich family that people can suffer and can feel the pain of continuously going helpless. This dark element was badly missing in All In The Family and later in The Jeffersons (second spin-off).
Maude also was pretty careful in the pairing and relationship between Maude and Walter. There had been dozens of moments when things looked bad but somehow any of the two managed to hold and maintain their bond. Walter’s drinking issue got the tone of attention especially when he slaps her, something which is rare to be watched in sitcoms. And a few I wrote above and many more to enjoy.
I miss an element that is quite common now, crossovers. Not a single appearance of cousin Edith Bunker in Maude was bizarre. Not a single time the Bunkers came to meet the Findlays in six seasons which is quite strange. Same network, same producer, same universe, how come All In The Family and Maude were not connected. The same discrepancy in The Jeffersons, not once the Bunkers showed up in 11 seasons as Edith was Louise Jefferson‘s dear friend and favorite neighbor.
I am not sure where to start because writing a mere formal review of a period costume drama like Downton Abbey is unjustly and undeservingly shorter to write. I have a staunch interest in classic period dramas and that is why shows like Cranford and Poldark hit my list of the shows that I like the most in this classic genre. Downton Abbey is something else.
Created and written by Oscar and Emmy-winning writer and novelist Julian Fellowes, Downton Abbey is about the Crawley family who exists in the early 20th century when the world is shaping towards a difficult period in the European regions. Between 1912 and 1926, the Crawleys led by the patriarch Robert Crawley, the Earl of Grantham, and his wife Cora, the American heiress, struggles to tackle many domestic conflicts running in the family and the business affairs that occur in the different phases.
The plotting of the show is divided into two different classes. One is the rich Crawleys and the other is their working staff. Their stories and characters play on parallel notes and are given equal importance that successfully shows that Downton Abbey is not only about the sophisticated luxury but the human value where the rich and the working class coordinate in harmony and build strong mutual respect. Internal conflicts and characterizations are dealt with meticulous care. I liked how the three Crawley sisters were distinguished in characterization and their sisterhood was tested with time.
The presentation of their aristocracy and costume design is the zenith of the show that never disappoints. Screenwriting and dialogues are powerful, less pragmatic but also less dramatic. There is a tremendous balance of dramatizing humor to the seriousness of the subject. When it comes to dialogues, the unanimous winner amongst all the characters is matriarch Violet Crawley played by the legendary Maggie Smith. Your ears won’t fall deaf when Violet begins to speak.
Speaking of pragmatism, I was a bit skeptical about the respect the writer builds between the Crawleys and their staff; because I felt the writer was being too humble to let the Crawleys go soft on their staff that doesn’t look realistic. But see, I am a history digger but I need to be convinced with the detailing. Does the history really make the viewers believe that the daughters of the estate would show fondness for driving the tractor or work her kitchen in the maid’s quarter or allow one of the staff to leave unpunished when the voice is to be raised? Lord Grantham letting his daughter marry a man, not from their ranks is also debatable. Being so merciful, generous, and treating so well to their servants is pretty doubtful. There was a scene where the ball was organized where each of the Crawleys danced with each of the servants. In another scene, Lord Grantham himself serves a tray for a drink when working staff member Anna gives birth. Really don’t know if such things actually existed in the past and with such a level of delicacy.
Yes, Mr. Fellowes didn’t exaggerate glamorizing the royalness of the Crawleys but rather focused on the changing times where the family took time to accept change and this is where characterizing in the plot plays a major part. One impressive aspect that the show enlightened was the ladies of the estate supporting liberalism. All the three sisters Mary, Edith, and Sybil believed and advocated for the education and employment of women.
The most shocking moment of the show was the sudden death of Matthew Crawley, out of nowhere. Good to know that the character was deliberately killed because actor Dan Stevens decided to leave. Otherwise, there was no reason to kill the character that soon. My favorite character was definitely Violet Crawley, her presence was the minty alfresco. The other characters that I very much liked were Mr. Carson, Mr. Molesley, and Lord Grantham. The best character development definitely was Thomas Barrow, he was someone whom the viewers hated and loved equally.
Downton Abbey is a cult phenomenon and one of the masterpieces works on British television. One significant point about the show’s remarkable legacy is that the show comes into existence in the newest times as most of the classical masterpieces in British television history are from the previous century. After my Sons Of Anarchy addiction, if there is another show that hooked me and bought my time, it is Downton Abbey.
Is it a drop of blood from a disgrace or did I confuse a phrase? In no time, an alarming wave of emotion twists the fate and admittance or riddance of false feelings dictates the change in remedies. Was I wrong before, am I right now or vice versa? Anyway, I hereby announce that I quit from my piece of Neverland and discover a new America of hope. Yikes, the worlds of pious and Godless Freeville collide over my early retirement. Run Zaira Run…
I don’t realize why I wrote the above paragraph. Maybe it is making any sense or maybe not. But the news spiced all over breaking the guitars and sitars across India over the young secret superstar, Zaira Wasim, waving her final goodbyes to the social media spectators before she sailed into the religious cruise ship. We are not aware of the coordinates of this voyage but the eyebrows of the observers have been raised as if she has eloped with her boyfriend for good.
Many questions have been raised over her professional departure, numerous people have shared their opinion, and many have criticized her explanation about quitting on her Instagram account. So I thought, why shan’t I jump into this crazy center of the jury and advertise my blog. Perhaps, the readers may find my opinion interesting.
Ok, so here is the peanut butter on your toasted bread. Zaira Wasim posted an announcement on Instagram that she is quitting the showbiz with a lengthy explanation which, after reading and observing, I have understood that she has considered the profession as a path of ignorance ‘for her’ which she feels is misleading and distancing herself from her faith. Zaira perhaps feels that this line of profession is taking her somewhere else from where she cannot return and maybe the Lord will be extremely unhappy of her supposed-to-be wrongdoings. Therefore, Zaira decides to leave this line of work so that she can focus on her religion/faith. Maybe in the future, she does something different than showbiz which won’t distract her from practicing her faith.
WHAT MADE THIS NEWS SENSATIONAL?!?!
Hmm… Most of the popular leading Indian actresses have taken early retirement or temporarily disappeared due to their marriage. I am not remembering if any ‘well-known’ Muslim woman in the Indian film industry quit for her religion. So many well-known actresses from the Muslim background made their name in the industry but neither their work nor their faith was a hindrance.
Zaira’s popularity in the mainstream Bollywood was broadly speaking especially after her fabulous performance in Secret Superstar. She worked in two films and on both the occasions, she shared the silver screen with none other than Aamir Khan. Aamir even went on to state about her that she is the best female actor in the film industry which was an extremely bold statement. With such a reputation, Zaira’s breaking ties from her work for her faith came as a shock.
NATURE OF ACCEPTANCE IN DIFFERENT CULTURES
In my opinion, the news is also shocking because of the culture an Indian film industry brings to this secular country. People belonging to different faiths (either they practice their faith or not) work together and contribute. So it is hard to digest/accept the fact that a Muslim personality in this showbiz can quit at her career peak for the religion. Now take an example of their neighbors. Pakistan’s showbiz is mostly populated with Muslims so if someone quits for a religious purpose, most of the people accept. Famous Pakistani actress, Sarah Chaudhry, left showbiz at her peak to practice her faith. No one had an issue with it.
SHOWBIZ AND PRACTISING FAITH
Most of the observers have taken Zaira’s Instagram explanation very severely. She opened up pretty much like her working in an environment that interferes her faith on a consistent level, or her relationship with her faith being threatened, or leading towards a path of ignorance, etc. which all sounds like if showbiz is a hellfire where the people of Islamic faith should not step in.
Generally, it is not easy to practice their faith in the showbiz especially Muslims. We have a few Muslim cases where they have practiced their faith to some extent and stayed in showbiz. But it is not easy for most of the Muslims. And this is a girl in her late teens.
Let’s assume, Zaira comes from a background where the family performs their religious and professional duties on a daily basis as for example if she prays 5 times a day or let’s assume say 3-4 times, how is she going to pray that much on daily basis being in showbiz? Then her line “working in an environment that interferes her faith on a consistent level” perfectly fits. We have to go deep and understand about a Muslim woman in showbiz instead of passing judgment over her statement.
DID SHE APPEAL TO DISSUADE SHOWBIZ?
The most important part for the reader/observer is to understand before reacting over her Instagram message. Many are arguing because they think this is a silly reason. But what the readers are forgetting or not understanding is that this is her part of the story, she is addressing her problems on the platform. She is resting her case in front of the viewers and giving the reason for her announcement of quitting.
Did Zaira suggest anywhere that the people of her faith should not step in this line of work? NO.
Did Zaira discourage the readers/observers that the people of her faith will meet the same fate as hers if they enter this industry? A big NO.
Is Zaira rallying/protesting/voicing for the Muslim community to boycott the film industry because of above-mentioned reasons? NO, NO, NO.
Then why are people making it an issue or digging controversy in it? Did she advice/request the Muslim community to stop watching films or listening to the songs? No, right?
Yes, it is a piece of big news because no one at her height of showbiz career leaves for her faith in India so the media can run this story but why is the news triggering many people? Why is her reason unfortunate or regressive for some readers? Whatever she has decided, it is a personal matter.
WHERE IS RELIGIOUS FREEDOM OR WOMAN’S FREEDOM OF DECISION NOW?
In this point, I will try to raise some questions similar to her case to give a better understanding instead of surrendering in state of confusion.
Now, in the wake of this feminism wave for some years, most of the people have advocated individual freedom and liberty. People even voice that the woman or generally us humans should make decisions about their personal lives and faith. We have the right to decide what and how should we practice in our faith. It is about religious freedom. No?
So here my observation complains because I just don’t understand why people make objection when the decision about liberty or freedom is made. If a woman wishes to wear a veil or hijab why do most of the observers start to believe that she has been forced to cover her head? Maybe she has made her choice to wear a veil or hijab or maybe she feels more protective. Same case with Zaira. If she has made the choice that she will leave this line of work and focus on her religion because of whatever reasons then why many observers think that she has been forced or brainwashed? Why don’t they accept that she has made her choice? Where is the freedom of making your own choice now?
People speak about woman’s freedom and the woman herself advertises her liberty especially when she leaves Iran, Afghanistan or Saudi Arabia. But what if she likes or prefers to stay/live there. That is also her freedom of choice. We are no one to dictate her then. Why do most have to apply or assume if she has been forced to live there or wear a veil or hijab by her father, brother or husband? Now, how quick was Anupam Kher to believe that something assisted Zaira to take that decision when she gave her explanation?
TWO MUSLIMS AND THEIR PERSPECTIVES
New Delhi: Actress and Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Nusrat Jahan at Parliament House during the Budget Session, in New Delhi, Tuesday, June 25, 2019. (PTI Photo/Manvender Vashist) (PTI6_25_2019_000100A)
Many people in their defense are comparing Zaira and bringing the example of local MP Nusrat Jahan who being a Muslim sports sindoor (red dot on the forehead of Hindu married woman) and mangalsutra (a sacred necklace to be worn by a Hindu married woman). She is married to a Hindu and the Muslim clerics have issued a fatwa (legal opinion by a jurist on a point of Islamic law) against her.
Now the defenders against Zaira’s will states that being a Muslim, Nusrat Jahan can adopt the culture or tradition of other faith but Zaira feels discomfort to continue her work due to her faith being threatened. In my opinion, Nusrat is free to sport sindoor/mangalsutra or adopt any Islamic/non-Islamic culture or tradition if she wishes to. The same case with Zaira too, if she wishes to quit showbiz for religion then she is free to do. Both are Muslims, both are from the same film industry, both are from the same country but both have different perspectives in their lives. Not all are equal and have the same choices, right?
I don’t have many words to type upon this case any further. All I can say is that we are no one to dictate or instruct what a person should do. Zaira surely had thought to somehow work this career out for long and perform religious responsibilities. Just like most of the people in sports have to give up their education to focus on their game, Zaira also gives up one between the two. If Zaira has made the decision, I wish her all the best wherever her decision takes her to.
Aurat March began in Pakistan last year to observe International Women’s Day with the purpose of expressing solidarity with women. With the rise of feminism wave in recent years, many organizations have voiced about women rights and empowerment. It is a much-needed voice.
The March of this year grabbed my attention and I observed many pictures from Karachi and Lahore with women holding banners, posters, and placards. Yes, there were some important messages about honor killing, domestic violence, and individual freedom. But much to my surprise, most of the messages looked like a crusade against men. Although a few were exceptional and spot on, but I think the participants of the march missed the chance to raise the country’s many critical issues related to women. Some of the issues or events which the women should have raised and notified to the government.
There is every possibility that the issues below have been raised by a few but not many and can be voiced the next time such event is organized. Therefore, I am raising a few issues which deserved to reach the advertisement boards and I felt were more important issues than cooking together or finding socks:
01. MINORITY RIGHTS UNDER HUDOOD ORDINANCE
This has been a subject of controversy over the years about Hudood Ordinances (HO) which criminalizes rape and extramarital sex. The HOs which were enacted back in 1979 as the part of General Zia Ul Haq‘s Islamisation process is applied on both Muslims and non-Muslims in Pakistan. These ordinances are of two types; one is Hadd (punishment under Islamic Law) and the other is Tazir (punishment decided at the discretion of the judge or ruler of the state).
But the problem of this never amended 1979 HO law is that it is unilateral towards Muslims and discriminative towards the minorities. The Muslim man will not be convicted under the HO if he rapes a non-Muslim woman.
Under clause 8 of the Chapter of Zina under HO (VII OF 1979), the proof of Zina or Zina-bil-jabr is liable to Hadd only if at least four MUSLIM witnesses are produced to the case. The court is satisfied only when the requirement of Tazkiyah-al-shuhood (TS) is on the table. TS simply means that the witnesses are truthful persons and abstain from major sins. While applying TS, the law indirectly considers the non-Muslims as witnesses untruthful and unreliable.
Due to this reason, the non-Muslim women are not able to register their statement and has to visit the magistrate under section 21. The worst possible damage for a non-Muslim woman getting raped is her pregnancy. The DNA tests will decide if the illicit child is of the rapist. Only then there is a possibility of her getting justice which is by then exhausting and humiliating if she really survived to that day.
In the first place, HO introduced ambiguity into the law by recognizing rape with fornication/adultery in the same frame which is exquisitely horrible. Fornication or adultery is a ‘voluntary’ sexual intercourse between the two but rape is when the one indulges by forcing the other. Former is sin by religion, the latter is a crime by law.
Imagine how many non-Muslims are imprisoned due to the confusion and mess created by these laws. We do speak of minority rights but what about those who are jailed for wrong reasons?
02. LOW PAY SCALE OF SPORTSWOMEN THAN SPORTSMAN
I am not aware of the other sports but let’s not expect any good about women earning some respectable amount as compared to men in any sports because the situation in this matter is worst in cricket.
In Aug.2018, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced central contracts for 33 men and was further reported that the male cricketers were getting an increment in their salaries by 25-30%.
Among the 4 categories, the players under the top category which is A were to get Rs. 800,000/month. This followed by players under category B, C, and D to get Rs. 500,000, Rs. 350,000 and Rs.200,000 a month respectively.
Four months prior, when PCB announced a central contract for 21 women, the board was paying an extremely small amount. As compared to men under A category paid Rs.800k, the women were paid only Rs.100k. Yes, eight times less!
The same case with the women under B, C and D categories were paid only Rs.80k, Rs.60k and Rs.40k a month.
I am not saying that the women should demand equivalent to the amount men are paid in Pakistan cricket. I understand the global marketing, advertising, organizing tours and fixtures, ticket sales fetch more of the board’s budget in men’s cricket than women’s. But paying eight times lesser to women is not justice at all.
Not many families can afford their daughters to step out and play the sports they love as they have to tackle many domestic and social issues. Coming from tough and difficult background stories, physical fitness and health is a huge focus for these sportswomen and I don’t think that most of the sports will facilitate them enough. Maybe cricket in Pakistan but the figures in the contracts above are discouraging.
The central contracts for women were announced a few months ago without mentioning the amount in figures. But what change will there be? And this is cricket I am talking about. You decide yourself what women are paid in the other sports.
03. WORKFORCE AND PAY GAP
As per the new Global Gender Pay Gap (GGPG) released by the World Economic Forumin December 2018, it will take 202 years to close the gap or in other words, men and women will earn the same figure of money in any given position across the globe after 200 years have crossed. This has improved from the 2017 report which predicted 217 years. Furthermore, women today are paid 63% of what men earn.
149 countries were ranked in this report. Iceland topped the list with women there earning 85% of what men earn. And guess where Pakistan ended up. They were 148th and above Yemen. Women in Pakistan are earning only 55% of what men earn. Yes, it indeed is embarrassing that the poorest countries in the world like Chad ($919 per person a year) and Mali ($917 per person a year) have a better ranking (145 and 143 respectively) than Pakistan. This disappointing percentage of Pakistan has increased by only 1% since the 2006 report.
The most disappointing factor is that Pakistan is consistently the second-lowest in GGPG for the past five years. So no step has been taken to escalate the rank in the last few years.
According to a 2012 conducted study in the agricultural sector, female workers were earning only 170 rupees a day as compared to male workers earning 300 rupees a day. The women earned 32% in skilled agriculture which was less than half of men (67%).
Which indicates that there is hope for the homosexual community to get civil rights just like the transgender citizens. Because so far, the same-sex marriages are not permitted and the matter is not generally brought in discussion in fear of the moo-law fascism.
The country still strictly prohibits homosexuality. Forget about the rights of the lesbians, it is considered a crime by law and anyone involved in the carnal intercourse with the same gender are to be punished for at least two years and maximum ten years with a fine according to the article 377 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).
It is quite weird to realize that PPC is actually inherited and renamed from the Indian Penal Code, an Anglo-Saxon law written by Lord Macaulay in the colonial era in 1860. Why Pakistan still follows an almost 120-year-old article 377? The amendment was made in A and B of article 377 but the article itself was not amended.
Moving towards the globalization, the country is the least accepting the community of homosexuals and are hostile towards them. Homosexuality is still a taboo subject in Pakistan. There was a spark of controversy when the private news channel broke the news of two Pakistani girls tying the knot in the UK.
So what about the people in such minorities then? Either they live as compromised or settle down to a certain country where LGBT is tolerated to live with freedom. Speaking of which reminds me of a case of a lady from Karachi who moved to the UK because of the tormented years of her beatings and discrimination for her being a lesbian.
As per the 2013 survey report of the Pew Research Center, 87% Pakistanis rejected the recognition of homosexuals in the society. But four years later, ILGA–RIWI mutually conducted a global attitude survey under which 45% Pakistanis agreed that such people should enjoy the rights as straight people.
A very minor percentage of lesbians in Pakistan are not able to stand up for their rights. If the women marching on the streets or sharing support in the social media believes in women rights and freedom, then they should step further and speak about this specific minority. Let them live in peace and others live in their peace.
05. WOMEN IN OLD-AGE HOMES
I think the most haunting imagination of life has to be when you think about getting old. And when I say old, I mean when you cross over 65 or say 70 at least. And what if I add a further misery or a jingle of torture to send you to a center where people of same age live for God knows how long.
It is torture, no? Keeping in mind that you are old and not long enough is the remainder of life to live with a decline in health. And you expect that your young ones will take care of you but they rather prefer to drop you there.
Some actually are okay to end up there because they suffered enough by their own to decide to move there in peace which is also a tragic fate. Enough of haunting? A man in Pakistani society may survive but what about a woman? Her case is more sensitive.
Abdul Sattar Edhi once admitted that the number of old-age homes dramatically increased in Karachi alone which rose from six to ten centers between 2006 and 2010. A few of those centers were sheltering more than 150 people. Do read the stories of the then 67-year-old Fehmeeda and 84-year-old Darakhshan.
Let me clear a very important point here. On a few occasion, their young ones or the relatives are not at fault. Many of the old generations have to move welfare centers because there is no other solution to survive. The pensions at most of the sectors and the companies are not enough to maintain a healthy life. With age comes diseases and the expensive medical bills shape to become a will paper. Should I expect better public toilets especially facilitated for old-age people at all in Pakistan or at least in a few metro cities?
It is the duty of the state or the welfare organizations to raise the bar of building more centers with enough facilities to help them live a better life. At the same time, the women need to voice the awareness of taking the domestic responsibilities of protecting the rights of their old ones especially the women. Imagine the life of people living in rural areas or slums. Those female sweepers, cleaners, maids and servants who spent their life serving the others and stay in their extreme poverty. What are they when they get old? Some measures should be adopted to lead them towards a healthy life above the poverty line before they feel isolated and rejected.
06. VOICE FOR RAPE VICTIMS
Whenever we discuss the rape cases in Pakistan, the first victim who comes in the mind is Mukhtaran Mai, a villager from Meerwala who survived a gang rape ordered by the tribal clan in Muzaffargarh. She broke the headlines in the Pakistan media for some time and even hit the global media including BBC and Time Magazine.
The tragic popularity of Mai has now dimmed with the death of a 7-year-old girl from Kasur, Zainab Ansari, who was raped and murdered last year in January. And there are dozens of rape incidents which became seasonal headlines and disappeared. Many cases didn’t meet justice.
Kainat Soomro was 13 when she was kidnapped and gang-raped for four consecutive days. Her brother was murdered three years later when she voiced for justice. Her father was beaten with iron rods and the local tribunal determined her to be a Kari (the black female who loses the virginity outside marriage). She fought for her right for several more years.
The reason for highlighting a few is to bring awareness to this serious matter which is, unfortunately, happening for decades in this country especially in the rural areas. Can you ever believe that some village councils in Pakistan rules ‘revenge’ rape in some cases?
Most of the rape cases are registered from Punjab province where around 3000 rapes reached the police station in 2017. Almost the similar figures of cases were registered in 2016 too. If I only term crimes against the women instead of saying ‘rape’, 5660 such cases were registered across the country in the first 10 months of 2017.
That year, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reported the lowest number of crimes by any province in the first half (202 including 72 rape cases). Balochistan had 354 cases in the first 10 months including four rape cases.
Sindh also has terrible stats. In 2016, there were 2817 cases registered about crimes against women which included 165 rapes and 13 gang-rapes. Next year, the new yearly concluded figures increased to 2934 cases out of which 156 were rape cases in Karachi and other parts, and 47 were gang-raped.
According to the 2017 Pakistan Human Rights Report from the US Department of State, the rapes were frequent but the prosecutions were rare. So imagine the fact that will disgust you that the abovementioned figures from the years 2016 and 2017 are only the cases which are registered to the police station. How many of those cases were then investigated? How many of those files were opened? How serious was the police department to eradicate or reduce the crime? When Zainab Ansari was lost and the case was reported to the authorities, they did nothing. In fact, the CCTV video footage was discovered by the family members when no response came from them.
I wonder such negligence has cost how many scores of lives in Pakistan. According to the Aurat Foundation in the same report (page 38), NGOs alleged the police that sometimes they abused or threatened the rape victims and demanded to drop the charges after receiving a bribe from suspected perpetrators. Some police demanded a bribe from the victims to register the case. According to the 2018 Pakistan Human Rights Report from the US Department of State, three Balochistan police officials were arrested for pressuring a rape victim to withdraw her allegations.
Yes, there were voices against the rape in the Aurat March but what about the rape victims? Who demanded justice for any rape victims? I may have missed some placards if there were but still not on a scale the participants of Aurat March should have.
07. PROTECTING WOMEN FROM ACID VIOLENCE
My final point of concern is about the women’s disfigurement by acid throwing mostly attempted by men. According to the Acid Survivors Foundation (ASF) of Pakistan, there are up to 150 cases of acid throwing in Pakistan every year due to the domestic abuse. Some other possible reasons can be her ‘inappropriate’ dressing or rejecting the marriage proposal. Imagine, around 150 women in Pakistan are the unfortunate victims of acid attacks with the consequences of possibly permanent skin damage.
Speaking of which reminds me of the case. Almost seven years ago, Alex Rodriguez of Los Angeles Times covered an incident about a gang of four men throwing sulfuric acid on a 10-year-old Zaib Aslam and her mother Parveen Akhtar. One of the four men was recognized to be the ex-fiancé of Parveen’s older daughter.
The acid attacks on women in Pakistan came to global attention only when Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy and Daniel Junge directed the Academy Award-winning documentary ‘Saving Face‘ in 2012.
Naila Farhat was the first prominent name of this century to suffer the acid attack. At 13, Naila was punished by her teacher’s friend for refusing the proposal by throwing acid while coming back from school in 2003. Punishment to the culprit? 12-years imprisonment and 1.2 million fine by the sessions court. So when the culprit appealed in the High Court, he was released with the condition of paying the fine.
Due to Naila’s courage to take the matter to the Supreme Court and the efforts of ASF Pakistan in 2011, the parliament decided to pass the Acid Control and Acid Crime Prevention Bill on acid violence. But the unfortunate part is that maintaining reliable data about the cases were not taken seriously by the federal and provincial governments and due to the reason, the number of cases is extremely low. Based on the monitoring of the media, 96 cases were recorded in 2012, 67 in 2013, and 84 in 2014.
In 2008, the New York Times covered the story of Shahnaz Bukhari, founder of the Progressive Women’s Association (PWA). This organization came to existence to help the female victims of social and domestic violence. In 1994, the PWA began to work on the acid and burn cases. Through this coverage, Bukhari has claimed that PWA has documented nearly 8000 acid attack cases during the period 1994 to 2008 only in Islamabad area. That is a huge jaw-dropping figure from none other than the capital.
The reason to write about all these acidic references is to emphasize that Pakistan badly suffers this type of violence. Throwing sulfuric acid on the body is a serious degree burn with much certainty of the skin to be never normalized or women not surviving the pain or committing suicide. And throwing for the most ridiculous reasons. Even if there are strong reasons, then this should not be the case. This is death before the real death.
The punishment of the last two points should be severe so that the crime rate drops somehow. Many laws have begun to shape in favor of women but there is still time for swift justice. I cannot imagine what and how most of the women especially in the rural areas have suffered in the 20th century.
In my opinion, the ideal government and nation are which advocates the liberty and religious, social, domestic and economic freedom of a woman. I believe that the woman should enjoy her rights and must be served/facilitated with her just demands.
Abdul Sattar Edhi once said that Humanity is the biggest religion. Indeed it is humanity which all the religions emphasize on by different teachings and principles. There has to be no existing religion which does not focus on the importance and rights of the women.
I don’t follow what is happening in the world. Why? Because the happening is depressing and same old story repeats again and again. So why should I take the interest? Why should I bring enthusiasm when it is going to do nothing but deteriorate your health.
In 2018, an individual cannot have a positive mindset because of this reason, because of the existence of the system which doesn’t help you to live your own life at all and if he/she compromises and tries to bring a positive outcome or inspire others with a better suggestion, or present a better theory and opinion, then there is a ranting and hooting race of fellow humans who will behave as betrayed and offended and curse you without understanding your point.
Forget the value of the humans who dropped words of wisdom from their mouth to their disgust by mistake, I have seen commentators mocking and insulting your country, your religion, your prophets, your entire family and ancestors (to whom you may have never met), just because he/she didn’t agree with you. Aye, that is how indisposed the world has become.
So I am not a newspaper geezer but that source of alarming the happening is faster on the social media. Neither can I avoid social media nor can I keep my eyes away from the news. So how things are rolled up nowadays? Forget about the world authorities and supreme powers playing a Game of Thrones every day, we normal earthlings are also getting emotionally corrupted.
For some decades, sincerity and morality from the emotional aspects of human relations were diminishing at a vast speed thanks to the scientific advancements and inventions which were supposed to help the human race at all, but now we are the criminals of our own body. No not masturbation, readers! This is about a lot of things. For example, developing a sexual interest in the children or taking the matters of human sexes in the debate.
Man versus Woman, why? Blaming and criticizing their sexes, why? Both were supposed to cooperate each other. Both were supposed to enjoy each other’s company. Why the hatred? Are we in position to speak on the blame games? If we are, then will we humans justify the case?
A wave of feminism globally rose with a ‘Me Too‘ slogan and suddenly the MAN became a disease, a plague. And thanks to Harvey Weinstein, who helped this wave become a tsunami. But, with time, has feminism conveyed the message and shaped into their own betterment within the same society where this cruel MAN is existing? What is the science or theory of feminism on which a girl or a woman constructs her ideology or life?
Recently, a topic in Pakistan rose in the name of sexual harassment among the celebrities. On the 19th of April, Meesha Shafi announced on the social media that she has been sexually harassed by her colleague, Ali Zafar. With the announcement, Meesha hash-tagged Me Too, confirming that a woman has been abused by a man. Fair enough, that is one side of the story.
A few hours later, Ali Zafar responded on the social media by denying all the claims lodged against him. As expected, man and woman from all over the world responded with many different opinions. Some favoured Meesha, some Ali. Some blamed to both or any of the two while some criticized the urban life and liberty, and advised to follow Islamic teachings.
What ridiculed the issue lies in the state of the event occurred between the two. Many of us passed their opinions. Through this blog, let me try to speak/write some points related to this event because I am also free to pass my opinion.
A) The first thing we should understand in such a sensitive case is to recognize the fact that you and I know nothing at all what exactly happened between the two. So before any of us begin writing our opinion, we should not be judgmental on any of the two’s case. People tell their side of the story and we are nothing to them. So we don’t know if what they say on the social MEDIA is even half lie or true. Meesha says Ali harassed her but he denies. So between these statements, especially in the case of sexual harassments, we have to be careful because we are absolutely not aware. We have to be choosy in our literature while passing our opinion. Unless one in a thousand is the witness of such incident or a close friend or associate in a circle has more capacity to fill the accurate words or use authentic explanation about the issue.
B) I am not a woman but I realize the sensitivity of the subject she faced if it is true. Now, as a viewer, when I read Meesha’s message on the social media, the first thing I hope is that may Lord be with her IF she has been harassed but but but and another but, if she is harassed then why is she announcing to the world? If she has become a victim of sexual harassment, then knock the doors of the court of justice and file a case against the culprit. (I was writing soon after the posting of both the tweets). When you need justice, you do not announce to the world unless you really are stuck in some remote or highly restricted area that the authority doesn’t want to move you or raise your voice. But Meesha is a very famous celebrity and she is free to take action on a man in the court. Reaching to the social media will not help to solve the case but will boil the topic with no deserving conclusions. Sexes will part and take sides. Both men and women would either become joke taking on each other or will involve themselves in a meaningless argument wasting each other’s time. Most of the women will listen to Meesha’s message and shoulder her while men will deny like Ali as if the claims were lodged against him, not Ali. Both will pass jokes on each other, mock their existence, insult them of their being man or woman.
C) Now here is a turbulence of the situation where the denial of an assumed theory falters with the change of mind. The classes of urban life and the liberty of an individual’s mind and body are all fluctuating due to a dramatic turn. Sometimes it is the man whose strength and desire melts a woman, and sometimes it is the woman who diverges the world for a delusion or a false hope making her merry for a moment she spends with a man. Through the sensitive portions of the emotional bridges and ridges, both the sexes collapse and in confusion, the connection between the two damages in contusion. Either the man is no more willing to take a step ahead and accept the consequences or the woman is backing out and not letting herself sink into the ocean. And in both cases, the feeling of betrayal awakes.
The life of a celebrity around the world is pretty rich and broad in few cases. People freely accept each other’s company and there are different levels of acceptance towards your limits in such class. Some classes are so open, free and careless that man and woman here may sleep together and indulge in intercourse. And I am not talking the possibility of this occurrence between Meesha and Ali. I am just speaking generally that in a kind of global village or a social community you recognize your existence, you should also recognize and know your limits.
If any of the two were advancing their next move through their looks or giving a couple of secs focusing your retina on his/her lips, it is pretty obvious then. And if in the eleventh hour, any of the two decides to walk out then that is too embarrassing. Again, this is not about Meesha and Ali because I am not aware what happened between the two. This is just a general perception about a free society where men and women accept things.
D) What if and what if not? In both the cases, one of the names will fade, one of the careers will destroy, and one of the reputations will damage. Both have worked on international platforms and they are well-known figures. In personal life, both are married with two children.
The leaked video of the jamming session between Meesha and Ali shows nothing as both were at some distance. Not only this, Ali’s two ladies in his troupe, Aqsa Ali and Kanza Munir have expressed their support to him. Despite the fact that both are women, Aqsa and Kanza chose to defend Ali instead of Meesha which is pretty critical in a sexual harassment case.
If Ali is proven guilty of harassing her, Pakistan has their own version of Harvey Weinstein for a moment then. All male artists are on red alert. Many stories and claims will be leaking in near future. A very aggressive nation like Pakistan have already lost tolerance after the Zainab case and a high-profile name like Ali Zafar will become an ideal prisoner one would really like to hang.
But what if Ali is clean? What if what Meesha announced to the world was all lie? The consequences of the false case are very ravaging. If the court concludes the case in favour of Ali, then the biggest damage of the case will be the use of #MeToo, disrespecting a movement which globally helped the woman to make her voice recognize and significant. The global voice raised by the women to unite against the inequality and abuse of a man over a woman will lose the strength of delivering a powerful message. The slogan will be then corrupted. This will prove that the woman is intentionally using the power for a wrong reason and bringing bad to the objective because she knows that such statement (false or true) will lit a hellfire in the society, and due to misleading, most of the women in anger will beat him on the street.
If Meesha is wrong, then she will be brainwashing and manipulating millions of women globally. If Meesha is wrong, then the men in power will take the advantage of the lie and deceit. He will believe that the women who were globally raising their voice may also be lying about harassment in the past. Most of the men will think that speaking false about the man or making him culprit was and is in their nature.
Because this is what happens. When you have the power, there is a tremendous responsibility not to betray the power and the people. Because once the trust and reliability are damaged, they cannot be fixed. You can break someone’s heart in seconds but it will take years to fix, and some cases are infinite in time. The leader will be trusted by his/her followers but if the leader is found corrupted, those will curse him/her and face the consequences.
And this is what the problem is. Look at Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy. She won two Academy Awards for her documentaries based on honour killings and acid attacks on women but she thinks sending friendship request on the social media is a harassment. How on earth is this a harassment?
I am fully aware of this power called Feminism. But before playing this card, people should know the primary objective of Feminism? Feminism, in my opinion, is advocating woman’s basic rights when it comes to justice and equality. Correct me if I am wrong. By this definition, feminism applies in all the cases where the rights of woman are not implemented or if the woman has been physically abused in form of rape, sexual harassment, body-shaming, etc. Feminism also applies to woman’s rights over employment and electoral voting. If your agenda or objective is accurate and precise, everyone will be in favour of your movement. I support the word feminism and the slogan of hashtagged Me Too by the authentic definition and objective of feminism. But in the name of this movement, if the women are intentionally damaging the name and its objective, we will see a tremendous collapse of the society.
I hope this Meesha-Ali chapter ends soon. May the case rest with Meesha and Ali meeting their deserving fate and justice.
Mom is about a stepmother (Sridevi) who strives to win her stepdaughter, Arya (Sajal Ali). One night, Arya is gang-raped, a family is broken and loses the case in the court against the culprits. Mom musters her courage and wills to get her daughter justice.
In my opinion, it is a story which has been repeated a thousand times in the Indian cinema. The subject of revenge and fight for justice were pretty common subjects back in the 80s and 90s of action-era. The above plot will much remind the filmgoers a Rajiv Rai cult classic, Mohra which was based on precisely these lines.
The impression lies in the film editing and direction with the help of impressive performances by all the main cast constructed on a typical script.
The film definitely helps to raise the reputation of STEPmother in a South Asian society but also makes the viewer observe the mental and physical capacity of the rape victim because, in most of the Indian films, the woman dies after the rape. Sajal Ali steals the show when she does the screaming and Adnan Siddiqui (father) tries to ease the pain.
Another gem of a jaw-dropping scene was of Sridevi when she is informed by the doctor of Arya’s rape. The degree of the display of shock and agony by Sridevi was colossal. Both these scenes were one of the best scenes in 2017.
Some aspects of the film are pretty odd. The performance of the culprits before the rape is so 90s i.e., unrealistic. A.R.Rahman‘s background score in many scenes is forced and unnecessary. Sridevi looks like a champion killer in her revenge attempts, even her Need-For-Speed mode of driving to catch the culprit on his bike and breaking/entering the house doesn’t buy you. Nawazuddin Siddiqui as a spy in an unusual getup is a waste. The second half of the film is very stretched. And the biggest issue above all these points is that Sridevi is the face of the film, not the subject. At any given circumstance, husband and wife could have equally played their part in the revenge but the film shows that the director wanted to focus only on Sridevi.
Mom is a solo show by Sridevi who features for the last time in her acting career in a leading role after a sudden demise. Mom is one of the most vibrant and unforgettable performances by Sridevi. The film will annoy the viewers with the fact that if the angel of death had not followed her for a while, Sridevi in her 50s would have done wonders and gracefully stretched her already 50-year acting career.
Sami Naik | Film Critic 