Posted:
I'm probably not quitting Ishqbaaz quite yet. Chances are, neither are you. But I have a small condition for future viewership.
Harneet/Gul have to promise just one thing, going forward. They have to promise to no longer pretend they are feminists, or even modern women. Just..stop with that bullshit. Writer, Madam Ji. Stop posting empowerment messages on Insta. Stop liking videos on women's empowerment, stop tweeting rubbish you clearly don't believe about equality, about women's rights. Stop pretending you support changing societies. You two have a platform that literally is unprecedented in its reach-- the WHOLE of the world watches your show. And you show.. this. Your show content reveals what you two actually believe is a woman's place, a woman's role. So don't do the social media crap of acting otherwise. You both know you are fine with the horrors and the abuse that is happening to women all around you.
Short Skirt Means Rape. Alone outside after 10? Hunt the bitch down, characterless hoga. Your Wife talks back? Acid maro, haq hai. She said no? No means yes. SHE rejected you? Maar dalo, mardaani ko chot diya. She spoke to a man you don't like? Honor killing. And how do proper, sanksari Nayi Soch women deal with an abuser, who is a man, and "rishtae mei" is someone senior?
Payi laagu, Abuser-ji.
Its okay if Harneet believes this. If Gul thinks this is angsty romance. Why not? Half of the western world does. Most of the sub-continent's men do. But please stop pretending to be anything but regressive, dangerous cowards who will show anything for shock value, and not care why people are shocked. I'll tell you, why we are shocked. And its not because of your Oscar worthy writing, or because of the controversy you created with this shit. Its because--
Harneet/Gul have to promise just one thing, going forward. They have to promise to no longer pretend they are feminists, or even modern women. Just..stop with that bullshit. Writer, Madam Ji. Stop posting empowerment messages on Insta. Stop liking videos on women's empowerment, stop tweeting rubbish you clearly don't believe about equality, about women's rights. Stop pretending you support changing societies. You two have a platform that literally is unprecedented in its reach-- the WHOLE of the world watches your show. And you show.. this. Your show content reveals what you two actually believe is a woman's place, a woman's role. So don't do the social media crap of acting otherwise. You both know you are fine with the horrors and the abuse that is happening to women all around you.
Short Skirt Means Rape. Alone outside after 10? Hunt the bitch down, characterless hoga. Your Wife talks back? Acid maro, haq hai. She said no? No means yes. SHE rejected you? Maar dalo, mardaani ko chot diya. She spoke to a man you don't like? Honor killing. And how do proper, sanksari Nayi Soch women deal with an abuser, who is a man, and "rishtae mei" is someone senior?
Payi laagu, Abuser-ji.
Its okay if Harneet believes this. If Gul thinks this is angsty romance. Why not? Half of the western world does. Most of the sub-continent's men do. But please stop pretending to be anything but regressive, dangerous cowards who will show anything for shock value, and not care why people are shocked. I'll tell you, why we are shocked. And its not because of your Oscar worthy writing, or because of the controversy you created with this shit. Its because--
Most women, hell, ALL women know what its like to feel helpless. To feel pressured as teenagers to pull down their top and hitch up the skirts. To not flinch when that uncle touches you in a way you know is wrong. To be shushed by relatives when you cry that a man squeezed you when he walked by. To hitch up your dupatta when crossing a group of men, and to still hear the calls. To look down when a man is staring, just to see him grab his crotch.
And today, a heroine who we were sold as progressive, intelligent, independent, strong--ONE OF US--- she was made to touch her abusive stalker's feet. It was her own choice. Her own decision. The abuse, that was something she had no control over. But today, Harneet and Gul made sure, that we all had no control either, over that sickening feeling in the pit of our stomachs when we saw Anika-- an internationally renowned FL of a top ranking show for God's sake-- as she was made complicit in her abuse.
We'll watch. Ok. But what will you show us? You redeem a character when circumstances outside their control makes them do those ugly, terrible things. Misunderstandings, wrong thoughts. whatever. Redemption means there is character growth, a change in viewpoint. But this? You are telling us this is already the best thing to do. The right thing. Because Anika did it.
Anika as a redeemable character, who I care for or identify with, is over for me today. How do you redeem a woman who is now complicit in her own abuse? She deliberately is showing respect to her abuser, allowing him to have power over her. She stoops to touch his feet, something you do in our culture only out of reverence, only to those who have earned our respect-- and Anika does it, by choice, to her abuser. Even after she is told not to, by her husband, since this is as much an insult to him as it is to her. She does so, because she wants to show --YOU want to show, that she is lower in every way possible than the Oberois, the patriarchy, her sasural/man.
Yesterday "they" mattered more than Sahil. Today they mattered than more herself, more than Shivaay's wishes. She accepts that the Oberois matter more than her self respect, her legal rights, even basic morals. As well the self respect of her husband, who asked her not to do this. Shivaay beat the crap out of Daksh. As her husband, hell, as a decent man, he did what was right, and protected her. And today, in just one act, Anika uss protection ka dhajiya ura diya.
She sees herself as so beneath Shivaay, his manhood, his needs, his family, its impossible to imagine them as equals ever again. I don't want Shivaay to declare her as his wife. No wife lets her dignity be compromised like this. There are married women on this forum. There are also people who have been pinched, harassed, forcibly kissed, fondled, stalked, frightened for doing nothing more than being a woman. Do you see yourself, any of you, letting that abuser get this type of respect from you?
No wife lets her abuse be extended to self humiliation like this. She didn't act like anything more than a mistress today. Like a woman of no value, a victim who literally bends to her abuser. Thik hai. Daksh se sahi title mila.
And Harneet, and Gul, 8th March 2017 is International Women's Day. This year's theme is Be Bold. The idea is to boldly, fearlessly stand up to wrongs. To promote women's strength, their courage. To encourage yourself and the women you know to go out in the world, to live freely, to laugh happily, to fight for your rights. To support each other in this movement. To be seen as just normal, regular people -- not as perfect madonnas, not as lowly wh**es--but to be seen as people, with self respect, with love and strength.
I humbly request that you two don't celebrate it.
_____________________________________________________
Edited to add: I don't do Twitter/Ista. Feel free to tweet or repost. Just... don't think what was shown, was okay. That its just entertainment, that its not abusive. Don't think that. Please.
Edited to add again: A pertinent response: page 8
Edited to add again: A pertinent response: page 8
Music Corner
Sports
