International Women's Day--Bollywood Collections

Men in most societies were seen as breadwinners while role of women was restricted to being a good homemaker and a good mother. This applies to women in a highly patriarchal society of India. As societies entered the world of modernization, the role of women changed dramatically. Media played an important role in the modernization of societies and greatly affected the image of women in today’s modern world. A number of researches have been done on the role of women in different societies. However little has been said about the importance of movies in portraying women in shifting roles over different decades and the impact it has on societies in general. Over past decades, Indian cinema has witnessed a significant transformation in the way women are portrayed through movies. Contemporary movies portray women as more independent, confident, and career oriented.

Mother India (1957)

A 1957 Hindi epic melodrama film, directed by Mehboob Khan, Mother India is one film that comes to every mind when thought of top women-oriented films of all time. The film represented India after Independence, being the avant-garde in introducing the woman to her inner strength.

Aandhi (1957)

Suchitra Sen's portrayal of a politician stands unbeaten so far. It's interesting to see how her personality changes with circumstances in the film. The film was banned by the ruling government at that time, but later premiered on television. Yet it enjoyed immense popularity and is considered one of the best films Bollywood has ever made about a woman's choices.

Seeta aur Geeta (1972)

 Hindi comedy, drama film starring Hema Malini in a dual role, and directed by Ramesh Sippy. The story is about identical twins who are separated at birth and grow up with different temperaments. The twins then swap places like The Prince and the Pauper. This theme has been repeated in other movies before and after. However, Hema Malini was at her best and won her only competitive Filmfare Best Actress Award of her career. The film was shown in Soviet Union where it was a success.

Bhumika: The Role (1977)

The film explores the life of a female actor, who starts off as a child artist, and then becomes a successful actor in her prime. Smita Patil gives it all up and becomes a recluse. It was perhaps the first Hindi film that belonged to the New Indian Cinema movement that managed to reach large audiences, and was able to receive a significant release

Arth (1982)

Shabana Azmi plays the role of a loving housewife who's betrayed by her husband for an actress played by Smita Patil. This film is all about her struggle to get back on track and fight against all odds to lead an independent and successful life. It also touches upon the issues of domestic violence faced by the lower strata of the Indian society.

Mirch Masala (1987)

This film is an epic in its own right! It's all about women power and the mental fortitude and courage of a woman to stand up against all odds. This film by Ketan Mehta has power-packed performances by the elite set of actors such as Om Puri, Naseeruddin Shah, Smita Patil, Deepti Naval and Suresh Oberoi. However, it is Smita Patil's character (Sonbai) that stays on your mind days after watching the film. The famous climax scene is unforgettable, in which the women in the spice mill throw fists full of spice on the Subedar (Naseerudin Shah) as an act of defiance.

Damini (1993)

Meenakshi Sheshadri portrays the story of a woman who fights against her own wealthy family, to give justice to a maid gang raped by her brother-in-law and his friends. She is proved unstable, but yet later emerges to be someone who fights her way out for justice.

Chandni Bar (2001)

Madhur Bhandarkar's Chandni Bar was again the heartwarming story of a sex worker played by Tabu and how she struggles to provide a better lifestyle to her kids, keeping them away from the gritty world of prostitution. Tabu walked away with the national award for best actress.

No One Killed Jessica (2011)

Rani Mukherjee is locked in a passionate embrace but the moment her work-phone beeps, she is ready to leave her lover high and dry and asks him to 'fly solo'. Rani's (Meera Gaity) is a no-nonsense journalist who does yoga at work, smokes non-stop and mouths expletives without thinking twice.

The Dirty Picture (2011)

'Mujhe jo chaiye, uska mazaa sirf raat to aata hai', Vidya Balan tells a blushing Tusshar Kapoor. Vidya's (Silk) is blatant about her sexuality, which almost borders into arrogance. In a country of repressed sexuality, Vidya's role was a breath of fresh air and her cheeky lines were an instant hit. Naturally, the film managed to deliver what it promised- 'Entertainment, entertainment, entertainment.' Vidya also bagged her first National Award with this film.

Kahaani (2012)

Vidya Balan's success story enhanced the status of Bollywood women from a hero's sidekick to centre piece. In her latest film, she portrays a seven-month pregnant lady in search of her missing husband and how she finds him

Queen (2014)

Indian comedy drama film with Kangana Ranaut in the lead role, and Lisa Haydon & Rajkummar Rao playing supporting roles. Rani, an under-confident Punjabi girl from New Delhi embarks on her honeymoon to Paris and Amsterdam by herself after her fiancé calls off their wedding. On her return back to Delhi, Rani visits Vijay at his home and hands him her engagement ring. After saying "thank you", she walks away with a smile on her face. At the 60th Filmfare Awards ceremony, the film won a leading six awards, including Best Film, Best Director, and Best Actress for Ranaut. At the 62nd National Film Awards ceremony, the film won the Best Hindi Film and Best Actress awards.

Agra Expressway Accident--Smriti Did Her Best

On 5th-6th March intervening midnight, The Union Minister for HRD, Smriti Zubin Irani was somehow involved in a crash on Agra Expressway in which a Doctor died. As per her own narrative on twitter, the minister immediately tried getting help, called up for an ambulance, hoped the doctor who was lying on the road would get well soon and soon left and added that she is safe. The doctor who was injured and was lying on the road unfortunately could not survive. 

For all enquiring re my accident- I'm fine. Thank you for the concern and wishes.

— Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) March 5, 2016

There was a pile up of vehicles due to an accident on the expressway. Unfortunately the police vehicle before mine & my car also crashed.

— Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) March 5, 2016

Tried to help the injured who were lying on the road for quiet sometime and ensured they reach a hospital. Pray for their safety.

— Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) March 5, 2016

Good Samaritan Manoj Chopra and his wife also helped injured citizens. God bless them for their empathy and kindness.

— Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) March 5, 2016

All her tweets are from 12.20 midnight to 12.24 denoting that she must have been there anywhere between 5-20 minutes. She must have settled down from her own trauma, then inquired on the accident, calling for help and then finally leaving. 

Medical help must have arrived a few minutes later but the main purpose was lost by then. Any accident is bad and a lost life is an irreparable loss to the family. Doctor's daughter has a different story to tell altogether. According to Sandili Nagar, the injured 16 year old daughter the event flow was a bit different and claims that Smriti Irani's convoy was directly involved in the accident and the minister did not even help. 

Agra: Smriti Irani's convoy rammed into our car,she came out,I begged her for help but she left-Daughter of victim pic.twitter.com/d04zWUvuIO

— ANI (@ANI_news) March 7, 2016

My sister literally pleaded with folded hands to Smriti Irani for help,but she did not stop-Abhishek,son of victim pic.twitter.com/ez7Mgi6zaf

— ANI (@ANI_news) March 7, 2016

Accusations apart the accident is a reminder of an ironical situation that prevails on 165 km long Taj Expressway. It is a 6 lane concrete highway designed for speeds. It has all the facilities that a stretch like this should have. High speed is regulated to 100 kmph for cars rest have to travel at 60 kmph. However the road is often used to test speed limits of cars/motorcycles of various sizes and horse-powers. A friend long back boasted of 250 to me. 

Aghast I was as slow moving 2 wheelers are often spotted darting at their own pace. whether or not Smriti Zubin Irani was callous in her approach the blame squarely goes onto the authorities who allow scooters and motor cycles on that road. It is indeed too dangerous for them and time and again they have been the sitting ducks. 

Similar to the expressway there is a road between Mumbai & Pune which completely bans any kind of 2 wheels on the road. good for them atleast few less casualties. Do whatever, face local unrest if need be and convince the toll operator that price of a life far outweighs the toll collected from them. 

This would be the first step in reducing accidents on such a prestigious stretch.

PARIS ATTACK: FRANCE TARGETED ONCE AGAIN!

Most westerners know that Islamist extremists would love to strike a blow at its heart. But few are so tantalising a target as Paris.

Why?

The answer is that France is fighting jihadists all over the world; and has one of the largest Muslim populations in Europe – and arguably the most divided society. It also has a steady stream of guns pouring in from across continental Europe's porous borders. It is a potent, explosive mix – as shown by the Charlie Hebdo attacks of January, and now the Paris shootings.

"This is for Syria," one of the Paris attackers reportedly said. But he could have said it was for Mali, or Libya, or Iraq.

Indeed, France takes pride in its proactive stance against Islamists worldwide, especially in the face of what is frequently seen as British and American retreat. Over 10,000 French troops are currently deployed abroad – over 3,000 in Western Africa, 2,000 in Central, and 3,200 in Iraq.

French intervention in Mali, against al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, in 2013 was seen as pivotal in the weakening of the jihadi group. A fortnight ago a leader of an AQIM affiliate urged his followers to attack France in retaliation for their presence in the region.

And last week President Francois Hollande announced that France will deploy an aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf to assist the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq the Levant (Isil), setting him on a collision course with the Islamist leaders.

A key problem, however, is internal.

The feelings of isolation and exclusion can be overwhelming, with few high profile Muslim role models in business or politics. France's stridently secular state, the banning of the burka and the power of the Front National have not helped to ease tensions between communities.

Mohamed Merah, the Toulouse shooter of 2012, grew up in a tough suburb of paris, began as a small-time delinquent, was sent to prison, and emerged a hardened jihadi with "meaning" in life.

Mehdi Nemouche, author of the May 2014 murder of four people in Brussels, was also radicalised in prison – travelling to Syria when he was freed and then coming back to attack the Jewish museum.

Chérif Kouachi and Amedy Coulibaly both followed a similar trajectory of lack of opportunity, descent into criminality, prison and radicalisation.

Inside France's prisons, 70 per cent of the inmates are estimated to be Muslims – by law, France cannot ask a person to state their religion, so official data is unavailable. In England and Wales, by comparison, Muslims account for 14 per cent of the prison population, according to Home Office statistics, and five per cent of the population nationwide.

In the aftermath of the Charlie Hebdo attacks The Telegraph reported how France was struggling with radicalisation inside its prisons, and unlike Britain had very few Imams to enter the cells, and limited de-radicalisation programmes. In April Rachida Dati, the former justice minister and now a special rapporteur on radicalisation, told this paper that France was not doing enough to fight the power of Islamist radicals behind bars.

And another constant source of concern for the French authorities is the ease with which weapons can be trafficked into France.

Belgium has long struggled with illegal arms; it is believed the Charlie Hebdo attackers sourced their weapons there. The Balkans are also favoured shopping destinations; the years of conflict there during the Balkan Wars have left the region awash with cheap, nondescript weapons.

The result is a powder keg atmosphere. And French were not completely unaware of the fact.

Diwali & Delhi: Pollution Woes

Cool or uncool the capital will not stop indulging in the extreme means to show offs. More so, on Diwali night when many households vie for the loudest and the longest running fire-shows. Oh—who cares for fumes, which are the most hazardous by-products along with high decibels. This year too the air quality in the Capital deteriorated alarmingly on Diwali night as pollution levels spiked as much as 23 times higher than normal in areas.

Delhi Pollution Control Committee while monitoring found out that the Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter (RSPM), which directly affects breathing, has gone up by over 23 times from the national ambiance air quality standard at Anand Vihar. At 11pm, PM10 was recorded at

2,308 microgram per cubic meter (mpcm) while the prescribed standard is 100mpcm. PM2.5, for which the prescribed standard is 60mpcm, also touched an alarming high at 619mpcm at midnight in this heavily polluted area in East Delhi. Rest of the capital was a little better in terms of extreme readings.

Every year, the pollution figures start to increase around 6 pm on the day of Diwali, tend to peak between 10 pm & midnight and remain unhealthy till about 6 am the next day. Experts say these particulate matters which are way above the permissible limit are extremely dangerous for people suffering from asthma and other respiratory and cardiac problems, and also for children and the elderly.

Ironical it is when National Green Tribunal is working overtime to ensure clean air supply to our lungs, we will keep on feeling the aftereffects of such frenzy show-offs for few days to come. I will not be surprised if next time around the tribunal orders ban on crackers in Delhi. On second thought, whole country needs clean air. LET US BAN FIRECRACKER PRODUCTION ALL-TOGETHER

Till then those with heart and lung diseases, it is better to stay indoors.

'OK Kanmani': Mani Ratnam's timely reflection of our society

'OK Kanmani' is in every way a love letter to the audience. It's a love story sans superficiality or exaggeration. Mani Ratnam is a filmmaker who believes in picking the right actors for his films. By zeroing in on Dulquer Salmaan and Nithya Menen, the master class director wins the battle.

'OK Kanmani' joins the two leaves of modernness in Indian society and the necessity to stay away from aberration. Aadi (Dulquer) and Tara (Nithya) fall in love just like that... maybe lesser than the time it takes to practice the art of snapping your fingers. But the real story is in their understanding of each other. Of the space they give each other. Of what they expect and extract from each other.

They live together (which will be frowned upon if you suggest the idea to your parents) for a short period only to realize that there's more to their relationship than the immediacy of their planned romantic stay. While Nithya brings in her fears, doubts, and cuteness to her role, Dulquer on the other hand, brings in everyman's attitude to his Aadi.

The portions where the young couple learns the meaning of togetherness from the older couple (Prakash Raj and Leela Samson) through an opening in the doorway is definitely the itch that holds two people close. Leela Samson is excellent in the shoes of a person with Alzheimer's and Prakash Raj as usual is neat on the screen.

What's fascinating about the film is how A. R. Rahman and Mani Ratnam have worked together along with P. C. Sreeram to present this wonder named 'OK Kanmani'. When I first heard the track "Maula Wa Sallim" I couldn't make heads or tails of it. Now I sit agape with admiration. It seamlessly blends into the narrative. Also, P. C. does a fine job. He takes the film a step higher by giving it a flawless touch. A. R. Rahman's faithfulness to his mentor is great. There is not an emotion left unwarranted.

We can squabble over the climax but that's also the point Ratnam makes. This is where the boundary is drawn in India for most of us now. Maybe the climax, for future films and us, will stand as a mirror to the cultural shift some decades down the line. But I still can't wrap my head around the fact that‪ 'OK Kanmani' is given a UA certificate. A terrific love story with a senseless certificate attached to it. Mani Ratnam's timely reflection of our society is the one you shouldn't miss.

This Baisakhi – A Ray of Hope for Kidney Patients.

Vaisakhi, also known as Baisakhi, is a harvest festival celebrated in the Punjab region. The festival also celebrated as new year in few regions of the country has come with a hope for those looking for kidney donors to save their lives. As the crops are getting spoilt due to rains and government compensation as royal as 63 rupees, trend indicates that many farmers might be forced to take drastic steps including ending their lives.

Two years back a group of farmers sought permissions from the government to sell their organs(read kidney) to settle their debts. According to reports protest leader Gurnam Singh, from the Bharat Kisan Union then said, "It has become increasingly difficult for us to live and the only way out is by selling our kidneys and other organs. The land belongs to our ancestors and is like our mother so we will never sell it. At least selling our organs would enable us to repay debt and live for a few more years and feed our families."

In January this year, Ramesh Khamankar, a cotton farmer in Maharashtra's Yavatmal district walked to his ruined fields and drank from a bottle of pesticide. He died a few hours later. He was 57. His death was not the only case in the country.

According to the National Crimes Records Bureau, 270,940 farmers have taken their lives since 1995.This occurred at an annual average rate of 14,462 deaths between 1995 and 2000. Critics have pointed out that the numbers may be even higher because the figures are understated by the government. They say that several deaths are not reported as suicides and due to social prejudices, women farmer deaths are not registered as farmer suicides.

More than 60% of people in India rely on agriculture for their income, but the recent spate of unseasonable rainfall has damaged standing crops in 14 states and may lead to a big loss in the wheat harvest. Rains at the end of February and March damaged crops in 11 million hectares (ha) spread over Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Punjab, according to a 26 March ministry estimate.

An estimated 6 million ha of wheat crop, nearly one-fifth of the sown area, has been damaged. There has been more showers and hailstorms since the data was released, even as major wheat-growing states began harvesting the crop.

Many districts across the country received excess rainfall compared to normal rainfall during march. Though the rains were wide spread from North to South, states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Delhi, Uttarakhand, few districts of Sikkim, UP, Haryana, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, received high intense rainfall with more than 50 mm. In other states, the quantum of rainfall received was less than 50 mm over the week.

The unseasonable rainfall impacted the horticultural crops such as Mango, Pomegranate, Apple, Grapes which are at different stages of flowering, fruit ripening and harvesting. The intense storms caused flower drop, damage to fruits and may cause pest and disease problems due to the conducive moisture conditions. Crops which are harvested and left in the fields for collection suffered extensive damage. The seasonal crops, early sown ones, experienced lodging and water-logging problems. Parts of North East states received less rainfall than normal causing moisture stress to the standing crops

The government has announced a package for aid comes as an insult in may areas. Rain-hit farmers in Uttar Pradesh's Faizabad district, reeling under severe debt due to crop loss following unseasonable rains and hailstorm, are being handed paltry sums of Rs 63 and Rs 100 as compensation.

Need anyone say anymore !!!

Mika - A Spoilt Brat

Popular singer Mika Singh slapped a doctor at an event held in New Delhi on April 11.

The Mika Singh Live-in-concert was co-ordinated by the Delhi Ophthalmological Society as a part of the three-day conference. The evening was adorned with songs like ‘Tu Mera Hero’, ‘Saawan Mein Lag Gayi Aag’ and ‘Jumme Ki Raat’ among others.

While Mika Singh was all praises for Delhi, it’s people and the doctors, who he called “padhey likhey doctor” he asked all the males to gather at the sides – left and rightand the womenfolk at the centre all through his performance.

Towards the end of the show, while most of the doctors were having dinner at the buffet, the music stopped and one could hear Mika asking the bouncers to get adoctor from among the audience onto the stage.

With ‘Mauja Hi Mauja’ from ‘Jab We Met’ still to come from his armour (as was told), Mika ran inside the green-room. There were cries and shouts allover – ‘Kisi band baaje waale ko bulaao, aur woh aapko thhappad maar de? Aise chalta hai kya?”

It so happened that one of the male doctors, aged around 30, didn’t listen to his “staying on the sides” orders and kept on coming and dancing where the female population was standing. Quite annoyed with this doctor, Mika called him onto the stage and slapped him hard.

The doctors have shown unity, time and again. Here too, the doctors united to fight against Mika Singh.

Delhi - A City of Dead Men.

Anybody from Delhi would know what Turkman Gate looks like. It is one of the gates to the walled city, an arched entrance to what many refer to as ‘Old Delhi’ as well. Above all the place is always buzzing like a bee-nest. During day time one of the main entrances sees tremendous rush of people and during night till wee hours of morning there are many rickshawalahs, handcart pullers and many such means are busy moving in the supplies and goods to the old city. The crux remains that the entrance is always full of people.

Now picture this – a few meters from there a man is beaten so badly that he is destined to his death. A small road rage case and someone loses his life! We all know how short tempered Delhi has become following the rat-race to existence. But, no one coming for

help looks like reenactments of 16^th December 2012, when many saw but no one came forward to help. Now police says they will take help of CCTVs to trace down the culprits.

Police too has a presence round the clock as the zone falls under sensitive area of Delhi. God only knows what they were upto at that point in time. Later when the tensioned prevailed columns came marching to thwart any attempt to communalise the issue.

Such has sadly become the face of Delhi, which many rightly say has become un-livable. Probably it is time to rewrite the Darwin’s theory once again—Survival of the Fittest should now become Only Killers can Survive.

But before adapting to the New Darwin’s Theory, I would suggest reading Nazir Akbarabadi’s Aadmi-Naama

दुनिया मैं बादशाह है सो है वोह भी आदमी

और मुफलिस ओ गदा है सो है वोह भी आदमी

जार दर बे नवा है सो है वोह भी आदमी

नेमत जो खा रहा है सो है वोह भी आदमी

टुकड़े जो मांगता है सो है वोह भी आदमी

अब्दाल ओ कुतब ओ घुस ओ वाली आदमी हुई

मुनकर भी आदमी हुए और कुफ्र से भरे

क्या क्या करिश्मे कश्फ़ ओ करामत के किये

हद ता के अपने जोर ओ रियाज़त के जोर पे

खालिक से जा मिला है सो है वोह भी आदमी

फिर'औं ने किया था जो दावा खुदाई का

शाद्दाद भी बहिश्त बना कर हुआ खुदा

नमरूद भी खुदा ही कहाता था बार माला

यह बात है समझने की आगे कहूं मैं क्या

यां तक जो हूँ चूका है सो है वोह भी आदमी

यां आदमी ही नार है और आदमी ही नूर

यां आदमी ही पास है और आदमी ही दूर

कुल आदमी का हुस्न ओ काबा मिएँ है यान ज़हूर

शैतान भी आदमी है जो करता है मकर ओ जोर

और हादी, रहनुमा है सो है वोह भी आदमी

मस्जिद भी आदमी ने बने है यां मियां

बनते हैं आदमी ही इमाम और खुतबा ख्वान

पढ़ते हैं आदमी ही नमाज़ और कुरान यां

और आदमी ही उन की चुराते हैं जूतियाँ

उनको जो ताड़ता है सो है वोह भी आदमी

यां आदमी पे जान को वारे है आदमी

और आदमी ही तेग से मारे है आदमी

पगड़ी भी आदमी की उतारे है आदमी

चिल्ला के आदमी को पुकारे है आदमी

और सुन के दौड़ता है सो है वोह भी आदमी!