O Womaniya…How our actresses are bringing a much needed paradigm shift

Since last two weeks, some overtly sanskari people of our society are having too much trouble in accepting some simple truth of life. First, they had a problem with Swara Bhasker’s ‘masturbation scene’ in ‘Veere Di Wedding’, then they questioned Kareena Kapoor Khan for not giving enough time to son Taimur. And how can we forget feminist Sonam Kapoor being questioned for changing her name post marriage?

So let’s start from Swara’s ‘infamous’ masturbation scene in ‘Veere Di Wedding’. I wonder what was so vulgar or offensive about this particular scene that people couldn’t digest it. After watching the film, several netizens took to the micro-blogging site to express their displeasure over this particular scene. One of the users even wrote how he and his ‘Hindustani’ grandmother are ashamed of ‘Veere Di Wedding’. For the uninitiated that particular user had posted, “ Hey @ReallySwara just watched #VeereDiWedding with my grandmother. We got embarrassed when that masturabation scene came on screen. as we came out of the theater my grandmother said ” I’m Hindustan and i am ashamed of #VeereDiWedding”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BjVL3fMBDHr/?hl=en&taken-by=reallyswara

Why is there so much fuss about this scene? Masturbating is as normal as breathing! Period. Now get over it, all you sanskari people out there. What I also fail to understand is, why on earth would someone so ‘sanskari’ take their grandmother along to watch an ‘A’ certificate movie in the first place? Secondly, complaining about such scenes in an A rated film is just like going to watch ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ and then coming out complaining that the film is too erotic!

Why can’t people accept that our films are a mirror of the society? Whatever happens in real life gets imitated onscreen and vice versa. Gone are the days when our actresses only played sati-savitri and sundar sushil characters on screen. Today we have actresses flaunting their sexuality on screen, speaking their mind openly and being what they are instead of trying to fit in the mould of the preconceived notions. No human being is all white or black, we all have shades of grey and there’s nothing shameful or wrong about embracing our flaws.

Another actress, Kareena, has been constantly schooled on how to be a good mother ever since the birth of her son, Taimur. People assume that since Taimur is mostly spotted with his nanny, Bebo hardly gives time to him and have thereby labelled her as, ‘not a good mother’. I wonder why people always point fingers at the mothers? Is Kareena the first mother in the world who also happens to have a career? Is taking care of a child only a mother’s prerogative? Why does nobody question the father?

If anything, we should be inspired and proud of Kareena for setting an example for all the married women out there. In fact, we should learn how to maintain a balance between professional and personal life from her. Both Kareena and Saif are perfectly handling their parental duties by deciding to do one film at a time so that either one of them is always there with Taimur. Why do people fail to appreciate this fact?

Then came the news of our desi girl Priyanka Chopra reportedly dating videsi babu Nick Jonas and the fact that Nick is ten years younger than PeeCee didn’t go down well with the trolls. Soon after the actress got trolled for the same. While discussing this topic with a male colleague I casually mentioned that if Milind Soman can marry someone half his age, why is there so much fuss around Priyanka dating someone younger than her? My colleague immediately hit back at me asking, “Why you women always have to bring up feminism in every given discussion?” My answer to his question was “Why not? Especially in matters like these. After all, feminism is all about equality of sexes!” So why does a man dating a younger woman labelled as a charmer or flamboyant whereas a woman dating a younger man labelled as an opportunist or a cradle snatcher? (Also Read: Why Priyanka Chopra dating Nick Jonas is none of your concern)

Last month Sonam Kapoor was slammed by some pseudo-feminist for changing her name to Sonam Kapoor Ahuja post marriage! They accused her of forgetting her own identity by taking up her husband’s name. Now, how has changing your name got anything to do with feminism? In fact, her husband, Anand, taking up her name’s initials should be looked upon as a welcoming change. After all, this is what equality is all about!!

So instead of name-calling or questioning the choices of these actresses we should be thankful to them for bringing the much-needed change in Bollywood. Gone are the days when being an ”eye candy” was all that our actresses were known for. Today they are fierce, unabashedly bold and brutally honest, both on-screen as well as off-screen. Our women are no longer the coy Sita, we are the rebellious Sita. So people, brace yourself and be ready to witness the change not just in our film industry but in the society as well.