Posts

Showing posts from 2017

Letter to RWA President

Context Setting: The letter is addressed to a typical RWA (Resident Welfare Association) office bearer in India who thinks he owns the whole society and misuses its resources in a wanton manner, fulfilling his personal whims and fancies. This guy/gal is also a bully, coward, spineless and usually a bigot who openly discourages residents belonging to minority groups from using RWA greens for holding celebrations and functions while opening its purse strings for celebrating festivals & rituals prevalent in his own majority community. For those opposed to his wrong acts, there is a rule book thrown at them. For others, it is forever exception season.   ====================================================================== Dear President Saheb , Saadar Pranaam Sir ji ! Let me begin this auspicious day by thanking you and your fellow travelers in the governing body profusely for showing unparalleled sensitivity towards aged men, women and kids staying in our society. I’m

Lipstick Under My Burkha: Pretty Overhyped Film

At last, Lipstick Under My Burkha has been watched. And what a disappointment it has been! The film’s director and producer(s) must thank Censor Board chief, Pahlaj Nihalani for providing the oxygen of publicity to a mediocre and regressive film which came to be hailed by feminists et al as a pro-women progressive film being stifled by archaic value systems held dear by Nihalani and his employers. In fact, that’s one reason I decided to watch it…as a form of protest against this stifling. People’s right to freely express themselves is paramount regardless of the quality of the thoughts & feelings expressed.   The film undoubtedly touches upon a topic that has been a taboo in Indian society – female sexuality. It uses 4 protagonists to drive home the point that like men, women too have sexual desires and feelings which need to be satisfied. Fair enough! It also tells you that these desires and feelings of theirs are suppressed by our patriarchal and feudal value syste