Continuation from previous part......
With Anirudh's help Somnath pressurized his father to let his wife sampoorna study. Binoy also advised his brother that educated daughter in laws are asset and pride to sasural. If we Roy Chowdharys allow our daughter in laws many of them will change their thinking process.
Finally Trilochan changed his perspective about women education, allowed his daughter in law Sampoorna to study in free time as well as handle farm lands. Trilochan family and Binoy family used to visit frequently to each other's house almost 1,2 times a month Whenever they get free time or Somnath used to visit regularly when he get any cases or medical conferences in Calcutta.
Satish Saswati are apple for everyone's eyes in Roy Chowdhary family. Especially Saswati is the first girl born after 5 generations. She always used to admire and imitate her chachis Bondita and Tapur when they are working in their respective study rooms and talking in English or speaking authoritatively with other persons and always used to express her wish to be like them. Anirudh used to tell her that even she can also achieve the same position when she is grown if she study well. With excitement she used to say yes. Everyone used to feel proud of her.
Both brother and sister joined in school and doing well in studies competing with each other in studies and mischief.
******************************************************
Bondita's final year classes are started and she started going to college regularly whereas Bhatuk is in MBA final year of same college but in management wing. Tapur also in degree final year of same college. In evening Bhatuk Tapur are going to Binoy office to manage their business and earned their position as board members through hardwork. Tapur is taking care of her father's Ayurvedic medicines business.
They have 2 study rooms in their new mansion. One is for Anirudh Bondita barristry cases and for his paper office business deals. Other office/ study room is for Binoy, Bhatuk and Tapur office rooms. Catherine is dealing with Binoy business and as a board member of Calcutta law and management college .
They used to have busy schedules throughout the day Anirudh Bondita is having one different kind of schedule busy with barristry cases jointly whereas Bhatuk Tapur are having different kind of schedule daily. But still everybody in Calcutta are happy in their busy lives and used to spend time together Whenever they have free time. Both the couples felt disappointed for not having time for themselves but decided individually to spend their private intimate time once the academic year is completed (without feeling any pressure or stress or lack of time)and till then will focus on their respective careers.
Meanwhile Anirudh conducted awareness camps in Tulsipur, Krishnanagar and surrounding villages about women education, stop sati ritual, child marriages and let widows live their own life during his free time. Bondita too joined him whenever she finds free time. He arranged a special office and phone number of his publishing house in every village and asked them to tell about their problems. He promised them that he will strive his best to solve it. He used to publish special editorials regarding people's issues, opinions and possible solutions.
These camps had got mixed response. In Krishnanagar and Tulsipur, Deenpur and some surrounding villages whoever respect RC family have respected his words and started implementing it. But in distant villages of other districts, many of them opposed to come out of old beliefs.
Meanwhile Bondita, Bhatuk and Tapur have completed 1 St sem in their respective courses and got 3 weeks holidays.
That is the time period where making films are being started in Bengal. Anirudh's friend Gagan introduced a film director to him and they brought a new proposal of preparing a short film based on his views, which can impact many people. Anirudh also agreed with them.
Initially they contacted many drama artists to do the movie, but many of them have not efficiently spoken his version in effective way during auditions. Some of them have clearly opposed him and criticized for his revolutionary thoughts and breaking stereotypes. One artist also retorted him that if you are so enthusiastic why can't you act and left the auditions.
Anirudh sighed for being unable to implement his idea through movie, but director got an idea of why can't Anirudh himself act in this film. He had also seen Bondita and urged both of them to act in the film so that they can efficiently and effectively convey their message to everyone. He convinced that other characters especially child husband and wife can be shown through puppets in movie.
Initially they both hesitated but Gagan and director encouraged and motivated them. They told Anirudh Bondita that instead of going to every village and keep on urging, requesting everyone to give up superstitious beliefs it will be best to show them in a film what are the possible worst effects of child marriage, illiteracy, sati rituals, teen pregnancy,..etc.
They agreed and started working on it in their especially Bondita's free time because Anirudh can't compromise with her studies and that too it It's her final semester. So they worked day and night, completed shooting in 10 days duration. They announced in their family about it.
Trilochan and Binoy are not convinced that belonging to zamindar family, their son and daughter-in-law acting in a film. They expressed their displeasure on it, especially their daughter in law acting as a drama artist.
Trilochan even thought of doing some shuddhi puja to her. Anirudh got mad on this and when he is about to start his loud speaker session, Bondita convinced them that " kaka sasurji, sasurji, I have acted with my husband and conveyed our message genuinely to society in this method in an affective way. You only tell me, when my patibabu have conducted awareness camps, only few people that too who respect our RC family got convinced.But if we project our idea visually then there are ample of chances that many of them will understand our point.
Without watching it, how can you judge that we have done sin, behaved indecently with my husband? Kaka sasurji, you very well know that maa parvati will also dance with her husband. Is that a sin? Then how can you say that I have done wrong.
Tomorrow for any case, if situation requires we have to disguise ourselves and investigate the truth. That doesn't mean that we have stooped low in out ethics"
As usual, both her sasurs mouths got shut with her argument.
******************************************************
The film got released in entire Bangal. It is hardly of 90 minutes film in black and white colour. The film at a time shows child marriage and perfect age marriage. They have shown puppets as child husband and wife whereas Anirudh Bondita have played their role as young husband and wife who are educated, self sufficient and financially independent.
At a time they have shown child puppets got married at early age, poor girl getting taunted in her in laws house. Due to ignorance and illiteracy, how cheaters can take advantage of women in the form of fake saints, how shop keepers loot their money, how they can't read letters received from their relatives and how easily they can be fooled at every step.
Other scene include Bondita confronting cheaters, can read her own letters, can buy qualitative provisions for house, can speak confidently and can also confront a fake saint stating that God will not do partiality with anyone will only expect pure heart and devotion from devotees but not huge offerings.
Next scene include about child marriage, child bride puppet is always taunted by mother in law, nanant, husband. They have sensitively shown that how she is forced in their bed room ( Scene is shown that only sounds are audible outside a closed room, audience easily got connected) and when she got pregnant she is always kept under continuous observation, her mother in law kept on shouting not to run, bend, don't do this, that,... Don't eat papaya, seasame seeds food , etc also child bride is getting taunted, humiliated by saas, daima ( mid wife) during labour pain also that she is not able to bear those simple pains. Husband puppet is least bothered.
Other scene shows educated woman Bondita of 20 years age who got married to the husband of her choice Anirudh can easily sit and talk with him freely, understand him and she too express her opinions. Bondita's sasural is shown in form of puppets where she can express her views in convincing way and also showing respect after being educated and also highlighted the point that getting educated doesn't mean that they disrespect elders. She is also shown as a pregnant woman who can take care of herself efficiently without hearing taunts from elders, who have mental strength to endure labour pains.
Anirudh too expressed his affection that husband and wife should equally share all house hold works, respect wife who left her parents, surname and came to his house, took his surname as hers, he also acted like giving support during labour pain , made sure that her delivery is done in hospital only and he told that it is his responsibility as a husband to support his wife. He made sure that none from his family, doctor and nurse shout on his wife.
They also shown about sati ritual that no one have right to take anyone's life on the name of customs as they all are answerable to God. When we have adopted many changes like using motor vehicles as transport instead of using horses, palanquines, when we adopted using postal system instead of using pigeons or messengers to send letters to our relatives then how can we stick on to age old based sati ritual. Is it not sin to take a woman's life forcibly with the name of customs? It is no less than murder? We have to live our life till last breath.
Widows have the right to live their lives and achieve something in their life. Without achieving life purpose if anyone's life is taken away it is no less than a crime in law and order perspective as well as in perspective of any religion.
In the background of movie Whenever required as per the necessity of scene, they have shown Shomik, ( an ayurvedic doctor) Somnath ( an English doctor) describing about health damage and emotional damage done to child bride, teenage mother and children ( They secretly requested Shomik and Somnath and both the doctors agreed to help for this) and they themselves as barristers gave their vision about abandoning different superstitious beliefs in society and how education is important for everyone to lead a respectable and fearless life.
******************************************************
First 2 days the film got taunted by elders who still stuck on to their age old beliefs, they also expressed their displeasure that children will go out of hands if they are highly educated , 20 years age pregnancy is a late pregnancy and daughter in laws will not listen to mother in laws, blah..blah. But it got a tremendous and fabulous response from all the youngsters. Social reformers too appreciated the movie. Many young generation men felt that if their wives are educated when they go to work they need not have unnecessary worries about who will cheat their women for money, and scenes of face to face with wife about every happiness and sorrow, husband thanking wife during labour pains are something they got emotionally connected.
Technical Team members of film, audience and her college management board have given big round of applause to Anirudh and Bondita.
Note: This is part 35 of my FF. Please read in your free time and let me know your views. Thank you 🙏
.
comment:
p_commentcount