Posted:
I found Bhabo's behaviour more or less on expected lines in the precap. I would have been surprised if she had behaved any other way. This thread is not to defend or justify her but to make sense of what she is.
1. Bhabo is a product of MAASA SCHOOL OF HOME MANAGEMENT (MSHM) and she has done her post graduation from there with distinctions. She is not from Delhi University or Mumbai University. Neither is she from Harvard or Stanford.What ever she has learnt is from Maasa. She follows every rule in the book ceremoniously .She never once was seen questioning Maasa during their village trip. Unquestioned obedience is what she has been taught and she expects from her family members. Maasa was never once shown being kind to Bhabo why would you expect sympathy for Sandhya from Bhabo? I had stated earlier that when one generation rags the juniors in college, the other generation follows suit and rags their junior and the cycle never stops.It is the same principle working here.
2.Here we have Suraj who all his life has been naive and innocent and has shown his creativity only in cooking. Suddenly that fellow comes up with a thought provoking drama supportive of his wife. What do you think Bhabo will conclude especially when a similar drama was done for WTC by Sandhya. It is but natural that people will put two and two together and conclude that Sandhya motivated Suraj to do it.
3. Bhabo not respecting her husband has got a history. Bhabasa left her to fend for herself with 4 kids to manage. Even after recovery he did not get back to work and as a result Suraj could never get educated. Even now he spends most of his time eating and sleeping. That is the reason for her disrespect.
4. I had stated in my earlier posts that the Savitri story was not powerful enough to melt Bhabo. Bhabo is a tough nut to crack. She needs to be challenged. Only than will she respond. Either you compare her with someone and challenge her ego like Sandhya did, than she will react fiercely and to prove she is better agree. Later she may repent having agreed. Bhabo keeps her promises so once she has given her word she will not go back.
5. Our definition of right and wrong may not be the same for others. In liberal societies there is a lot of weightage given to individual rights and we all come from that kind of a background. Traditional societies with joint family setup do not recognise the concept of individual rights and the elders in the family decide for all. Even though nuclear families are coming up in many towns in the rural setting it is still the joint family which rules the roost.
6.To expect everyone to have your outlook towards life and circumstances is wrong.Rational thinking comes with education and a liberal neighbourhood. In traditional households the behaviourial pattern is passed on from one generation to another.The neighbourhood also reinforces a similar kind of mindset. With practically no education and a conservative neighbourhood to expect Bhabo to behave in any other way is living in a fools paradise. Change takes time. Societies evolve in centuries. Bhabo will also agree but the drama was weak and they have to come up with better ideas to make her melt. Suraj can be shown to be forceful as he was in when Bhabo spread papads on the bed and he calmly but forcefully supported Sandhya's stand and Bhabo though angry had conceded defeat. Unless he is shown to be powerful and holding on to his point of view victory cannot be his. Battlelines are clearly drawn and Suraj has to have the courage to hold on to his own. This is his greatest battle and a test of his perseverence and he has to make a resolve to win it. Do not misunderstand this thread as being a justification platform for Bhabo. I have only tried to view her in her milieu and tried to show you how half of India lives and thinks.Right or wrong that is the way Bhabo is. If we do not view the other side of the coin we are no different from Bhabo despite our claims of being liberal.
Current Affairs
Anupamaa
