The SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies), University of London was painted with Asia Film circuit. The focus point was ‘Women in Media’ complimented by short film, Panel discussion and Director’s classes by our own Om Shanti Om Farah Khan. The short film and its insights are:
The World before Her
The film by Nisha Pahuja charts
the lives of two different spectrums of Modern India, Durga Vahini Camp and
Miss India Pageant. The former is an orthodox Hindutva camp run by VHP (Vishwa
Hindu Parishad) to safe guard Hindu religion, culture and values through any
means. Whereas, the second strata is represented by chosen bunch of beautiful,
aspirational, and radical teens ready to grab the world of opportunities by
cleaning themselves from the moral
values campaigned by the Durga Vahini group, to certain extent.
The methodical approach by Nisha
takes us through the lanes of Bhopal, Rajasthan and emotions of Prachi from Durga
Vahini camp, Ankita shorey & Ruhi Singh from 2011 beauty pageant. The
footage covered all the 19 contestants of the pageant including Rakul Preet
Singh, an upcoming actress of 2015, in Tollywood. The movie compares frame to
frame the lives of both the groups and the people associated with them and
their philosophies.
The Durga Vahini camp starts with
self-defence training for girls from villages and ends at high note of
graduating them with a mind-set not only to safeguard themselves but the
religion even at the cost of violence, protests and killing. On the other side
the journey of beauties starts with weighing, scrutinizing each body part,
showcasing the assets, Botox sessions (wherever n whenever needed) and ends
with crowning one amongst 19 second generation of aspirational souls.
At the penultimate stage of both
the worlds the self-realisation of both Prachi and Ankita Shorey is heart
touching. Both these girls support their own cause but they hear their inner
voice pronouncement of their journey against the social, geographical and SELF
values and customs. In their own words….
‘How far we should compromise and
go for the title’ by Ankita Shorey
‘I support VHP philosophy and
will not marry forever, however would suggest girls to get married and live up
to the expectations of first generation’ by Prachi.
The film ends there asking us to
start thinking the contrast philosophies of modern India. The Q&A session by
Nisha Pahuja addressed few unresolved queries, though.
…Venky
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