International Journal of English and Studies (IJOES) an International Peer-Reviewed Journal ; Volume-2, Issue-7, 2020 ISSN: 2581-8333

SP Publications International Journal Of English and Studies (IJOES) An International Peer-Reviewed Journal ; Volume-2, Issue-7, 2020 www.ijoes.in ISSN: 2581-8333

RESEARCH ARTICLE

REDEFINING THE CONCEPT OF EQUALITY IN INDIAN MARRIAGES: A FEMINIST ANALYSIS OF THE MOVIE ‘THAPPAD’ ______Lakshmi B Assistant Professor on Contract Department of English Devaswom Board College Thalayolaparambu Kerala Email id: [email protected] Address: Chirackal house, Navodhya Residential Association, Athirampuzha P.O, Kottayam, Kerala ______Abstract Keywords: Patriarchy, gender, gender Typical Indian marriages can be marked equality, feminism, self, patriarchal as the torchbearers of patriarchy. system, Feminist film theory. Starting from dowry, everything that comes under an arranged marriage gives The role of women is often an upper hand to the groom. Anubhav confusing in Indian movies. Over many Sinha’s movie named “Thappad” decades, women were mainly presented (Translated as slap) is a big slap on the as an object in majority of the Indian age old practices associated with Indian movies. For generations Indian movies marriages. The purpose of this paper is made use of female characters, just like to analyse the movie to bring out the writers use comic relief in their plays. domestic violence that is normalized in The female characters did not have any marriages. The paper also questions the significance of their own in majority of role of women in marriage. Anubhav the male oriented movies. Films, being a Sinha, through his movie presents the portrayal of the society, in a way, also innumerable compromises women are reflected the position of women in forced to make in a marriage. This paper Indian social setup. The role of women explores the unheard woes of married is always puzzling within a society as women which are suppressed by the well as in films. However, there is a society. remarkable shift in the trends of recent cinemas. At present, innumerable movies represent strong and powerful

SP Publications International Journal Of English and Studies (IJOES) An International Peer-Reviewed Journal ; Volume-2, Issue-7, 2020 www.ijoes.in ISSN: 2581-8333

RESEARCH ARTICLE female characters and many movies divine social practice in India as focus around female oriented subjects. everyone is expected to get married The significant shift in the themes of the within an age limit. Even at the 21st films also implies the elevated status of century many of the women find the women in the current time. difficulty to opt out marriages for their career as marriage is not regarded as an Anubhav Sinha’s celebrated option but rather as a mandatory process movie “Thappad” illustrates a strong every females are expected to undergo. statement of feminism which is very As Nandita Dhawan remarks: much needed for the empowerment of women at present. Through constant The Transfer of a woman from fights women have come a long way one family to another is the premise of crossing the path of patriarchy, however the institution of marriage in India, and they haven’t totally achieved the is ruled by negotiations based on caste, equality they have dreamed of. The class and religious boundaries. opening scenes of the movie expose Marriage, thus, is an essentially public different female characters in the movie and political act that structures and all the characters stand at different alliances, hierarchies and social shores in terms of identity and self- networks. The prime objective of respect. Some of the female characters in marriage is to reproduce the social the movie are entangled in the web of order. (149) marriage while there are a few characters who enjoys their true self rather than The central character of the depending on a male counterpart. movie “Thappad” is the character named Amrita Sandhu, a girl from a middle Indian culture is highly class family who got married to an upper supportive of the male dominance. Even middle class family. As the movie though on one side the Indian culture begins, the director has presented the praises or even glorifies women as character as a happy housewife who is goddess and deity, on the other side it ready to provide everything for her has its loopholes to supress women to husband. But the deep irony associated the core. Most of the marriages within with Indian marriages is evident from Indian culture are in favour of the groom the beginning of the movie itself. Even rather than the bride. The practice of though, Amrita seems to be happy, still dowry validates the superiority of males she can’t escape the role of a in marriages. Moreover marriage is a stereotypical wife. As a result, to a point

SP Publications International Journal Of English and Studies (IJOES) An International Peer-Reviewed Journal ; Volume-2, Issue-7, 2020 www.ijoes.in ISSN: 2581-8333

RESEARCH ARTICLE she doesn’t even realize that she isn’t do?” (23:02).The attitude of Vikram having a life of her own, when she reflects the common attitude of a male devotes her entire life to make her dominated society. Even at the present husband’s life comfortable. scenario, when women are given freedom to study and work, still they are All the female characters in the expected to have a reliance on the male movie have faced the harsh realities of members of the society. This is basically patriarchy at one point or the other. to reinforce the norm that social setup is While some characters could identify the developed and implemented by man. So injustice done to them, some others men should always have an upper hand aren’t even aware of the injustice they in terms of respect and position. Even are facing. One of the female characters though, some women could break the in the movie named Sunitha who comes chains of patriarchy, most of them got from a lower strata of society is a victim entangled in the web of patriarchy at of constant domestic violence. However some point or the other. Usually, Indian she was forced to bear with it mainly due movies try to reinforce the norms of to economic dependency. So it is also a patriarchy through gender stereotyping proven fact that, economically as Nidhi Tere states: dependent females are more prone to face domestic violence than an The narratives of Hindi cinema independent lady. have undoubtedly been male dominated and male centric. Themes have been The reality is that the society explored from the male audience's point never wants a female to be totally of view. The heroine is always independent without any dependence on secondary to the hero. Her role is charted the male counterpart. The society will out in context of any male character throw shade at even highly successful which is central to the script. It may be ladies simply because they could the hero, the villain, the father, the boss, manage everything so well without any an elderly male figure etc. She is devoid dependence. That is clearly evident of any independent existence and her through Amrita’s husband Vikram’s journey throughout the film is explored attitude towards their neighbour, a well in relation to the male character. This to do single mother. As Vikram kind of straight-jacketing limits the satirically dismisses her hard work with women's role to providing glamour, a sexiest remark: “Did Shivani buy a relief, respite and entertainment new car? What kind of work does she

SP Publications International Journal Of English and Studies (IJOES) An International Peer-Reviewed Journal ; Volume-2, Issue-7, 2020 www.ijoes.in ISSN: 2581-8333

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Vikram, seems to be a perfect responsibility to sort things out. The husband from outside, but deep inside he movie portrays Amrita’s good is a typical dominating male. He doesn’t relationship with her mother-in-law. expect his wife to be successful or Unlike many of the Indian movies, the independent. All he wants from his wife mother-in-law of Amrita is not a cliché is a caretaker, who can do everything to toxic lady. Amrita’s mother-in-law is make his life smooth and better. At one somewhat moderate to the extent point, he childishly dismisses Amrita for admitting that Amrita can’t cook well. asking permission to learn driving. In However, as expected in every Indian fact, he advices her to first learn to cook marriages, the mother-in-law seems to properly. Some other time, Vikram be superordinate. All her concerns are praises his sister-in-law for cooking reserved for her son and sometimes for delicious food and asks her to teach his his son’s wife. She is not ready to accept wife to cook properly. So throughout, and love Amrita as a different Vikram’s only concern was to make individual, but as her son’s possession. Amrita a better house wife. He never She always enquires Amrita about his wishes to see Amrita as an independent son’s well-being and doesn’t bother to individual capable of taking a decision know about Amrita’s welfare. The her own. He never thinks of Amrita’s mother-in-law’s words and intention career or her feelings. He has barely no clearly suggests the purpose of the idea that Amrita is an excellent dancer marriage happened in her family. In a and she could be successful as a way, the mother-n-law is totally professional as well. This kind of responsible for what happened to ignorance from the husband’s part is a Amrita. She should be blamed for common thing in Indian marriages, raising her son as an inefficient adult not especially in arranged marriages. The capable enough to do his own personal society has the tendency to normalize things. She should be blamed for silently such things as a convenient gesture from victimizing Amrita. While one woman the so called “good house wives” for the expects another woman to lend a sake of a successful married life. supporting hand at the time of a crisis, it is always the other way around happen. Amrita, being a house wife is As the famous Turkish feminist not only burdened with the duties to her economist Deniz Kandiyoti rightly husband, but also to the in-laws as well. notices: She is responsible of everything happens There, they are in Vikram’s house. It is her subordinate not

SP Publications International Journal Of English and Studies (IJOES) An International Peer-Reviewed Journal ; Volume-2, Issue-7, 2020 www.ijoes.in ISSN: 2581-8333

RESEARCH ARTICLE

only to all the men themselves. but also to the (Kandiyoti) more senior women, especially Marriages usually demand a lot their mother-in- of sacrifices from women. Women are law…Woman’s constantly forced to sacrifice their life cycle in the career, their comfort zone, their interests patriarchally and a lot more for the sake of a extended family is successful married life. Such kind of such that the practices become so common to the deprivation and extent that the society started hardship she normalizing it. As a result, women experiences as a became so socialised and in the process young bride is they forget to think about their own eventually happiness. In the movie, a conversation superseded by the between Amrita and her father shows control and this social situation very vividly. As authority she will Amrita’s father puts it: have over her own subservient Your mother spent her life daughters-in-law. making others happy. Making Kachori The cyclical for Vikram (her son-in-law), Tehri for nature of women’s me (her husband) and pasta for Karan power in the (her son). Mothers don’t have a choice household and than making others happy. (16:49) their anticipation Amrita’s life goes upside down of inheriting the all of a sudden when she receives a slap authority of senior from her husband Vikram during a party women hosted in her house. Even though Amrita encourages a was surrounded by her family and thorough friends, no one was there to really internalisation of backup her. The only character who felt this form of like voicing against this was Swati, patriarchy by the Amrita’s sister-in-law to be. However women Swati was silenced by Amrita’s mother to avoid any clashes with Vikram’s

SP Publications International Journal Of English and Studies (IJOES) An International Peer-Reviewed Journal ; Volume-2, Issue-7, 2020 www.ijoes.in ISSN: 2581-8333

RESEARCH ARTICLE family reagarding this matter. For women has the tendency to change their Amrita, the slap was not simply a last name after marriage. As Yamini physical form of violence but infringe of Bhalerao says: “Subtle or stark, the her self-respect. The slap also make demand this policing of women’s Amrita realize her value in the existence happens and they often end relationship and how she was pretending erasing their previous identity, to to be happy all these time. Unlike become a new person that is approved Sunitha, Amrita being an educated lady by their new family.” could easily identify the injustice done to her. Like Meena Shirdwadkar explains: Amrita’s life got reshaped when she decides to leave her husband’s As women received education house. Initially she decides to take a they began to feel an increasing urge to break and sort out the things. However voice their feelings. The awareness of her husband’s attitude makes her take a individuality, the sense of compatibility proper decision to protect her self- with their tradition-bound surroundings, respect. Amrita’s husband had only resentment of male-dominated ideas of concern for his family's dignity. He isn’t morality and behaviour problems at really bothered that he hurt his wife’s home and at place of work or in emotions but what worries him is the society—all come up in a welter of thought what people will think if Amrita projection. leave the house. This is evident in his words “You know how bad I feel. You The scene in which Amrita’s know what I am going through. If you husband slaps Amrita is a turning point want to make this a big deal then go” in the movie which makes Amrita think (53:31). about herself and her value as a person. She comes to the realisation that in Initially, Amrita’s family was process of being making herself a good sceptical about her decision, however wife, she forgets her true self and they understood the real reason. identity. She realises that so far she was Amrita’s bravery is portrayed where she trying to find happiness as someone’s showed everyone that why she couldn’t wife. But this is not something particular tolerate the injustice done to her. As she to Amrita, but most of the Indian women said everyone consoled her saying it’s can associate with this. Even the society just a slap. Literally everyone including validates and appreciates such sacrificial her husband tried to normalize that mentality of women. Most of the Indian incident. That shattered Amrita’s dignity

SP Publications International Journal Of English and Studies (IJOES) An International Peer-Reviewed Journal ; Volume-2, Issue-7, 2020 www.ijoes.in ISSN: 2581-8333

RESEARCH ARTICLE as a woman. No one made an effort to gender audience to fight back against make Vikram accept his mistake. In fact, any kind of issue in their life and it also he never apologizes to her and that is conveys a bold message to the dominant exactly the reason why Amrita couldn’t gender. The feminist film critics has move on. If he had made an apology to special interest in such movies as her, like any women she would have remarked by Nidhi Tere: forgotten it. But when Vikram refuses to accept his mistake she realises the The interest in films taken by feminists seriousness of the incident. At one point stems from concern about the under- of the movie, Vikram discusses about his representation and misrepresentation of company and says that he couldn’t spend women in cinema. It adopts a critical his effort on a company where he is not approach towards gender bias on valued. The same thought strikes Amrita celluloid. The feminist approach to and she decides to free herself from a cinema asks a few pertinent questions relationship where she isn’t valued. like how women are represented on screen, how women’s issues are treated Even though Amrita, isn’t happy in cinema, what does feminism mean to about the divorce, she doesn’t convince film-makers, how does the feminist herself for an adjustment. That is the agenda manifest on screen, how is the point where she proves her worth. She women character positioned compared can be identified as the true exponent of to the male character and what is the practical feminism. She doesn’t preach role of women film-makers and women big theories or ideologies, but her writers in depicting women’s issues actions pass strong messages to the through cinema audience. Amrita is not alone in this journey. All the female characters in the The movie delivers a strong movie have experienced the bitter side of statement of feminism. It clearly patriarchy in some forms. The movie criticizes the traditional concept of becomes brilliant, when it shows the Indian marriages. It also showcases the liberation of all the women through wrong norms traditional marriages using different weapons to fight against propagate. It is a tendency to normalize the injustice they have faced. So the the violence towards females or movie propagate the concept that subordinate genders within marriages. feminism is not an all-exclusive group, The society has the attitude to silence the but literally anyone can be feminist. The people who raise their voice against such movie encourages the subordinate injustices. As a result innumerable

SP Publications International Journal Of English and Studies (IJOES) An International Peer-Reviewed Journal ; Volume-2, Issue-7, 2020 www.ijoes.in ISSN: 2581-8333

RESEARCH ARTICLE women have experienced domestic culture and society. Research on gender violence and marital rapes. Most of these and cinema has emphasized the question women lack courage to speak out their about women’s identity. In fact, the study issues, but the irony is that even if of the images of women in cinema were someone finds courage to speak boldly, a central concern of the ‘second wave’ no one will encourages her including her feminism of the 1960s and 1970s, own family members. According to criticizing women's image in film and records, “About 86% women who women's roles in the film industry experienced violence never sought help (Jackson and Jacjie, 1998). and 77% of the victims did not even mention the incident(s) to anyone.” The The importance of movies like number of cases of domestic violence is ‘Thappad’ is highly commendable at the also increasing day by day. The statistics present scenario. The movie redefines shows that the one responsible for this the concept of gender in Indian arranged kind of violence is not woman but the marriages. The movie questions the age easy going attitude of people on this old patriarchal practices associated with matter. As the movie shows, gender Indian marriages and also criticises equality can be only achieved if there is silencing the victims of domestic a combined effort from both the violence. Such movies can create a dominant and subordinate genders. better perspective about the gender Movies can play a prominent role in related issues. The movie not only creating awareness about gender teaches the importance of gender equality. As stated, the role of media is a equality but also rejects the idea of major concern of the feminist film normalizing gender stereotyping. Many theories: factors can contribute to the achievement of gender equality where education and Women’s position within media financial stability top the list. power structures and media representation of women are persistent Films are integral part of the concerns in every society, because society as it is a representation of the negative stereotyping and lack of female society itself. Films portray the social input both reflect and reinforce wider and cultural aspects of the society. gender inequalities. Films, indeed in the Recently, film critics have identified most effective manner maintain the gender as one of the main aspects of film diffusion of traditional female gender narratives. Through various studies on roles, which women are depicted in films it is evident that film narratives all

SP Publications International Journal Of English and Studies (IJOES) An International Peer-Reviewed Journal ; Volume-2, Issue-7, 2020 www.ijoes.in ISSN: 2581-8333

RESEARCH ARTICLE over the world is ruled by male gaze.  Dhawan, Nandita. ―The This concept is clearly visible in the ‗Legitimate ‘in Marriage: Legal Indian films where patriarchal norms Regulation and Social Norms.‖ dominate the female characters. The  Intimate Others: Marriage and gender stereotypes in movies have a Sexualities in India. Ed. Samita highly negative influence and such Sen, Ranjita Biswas and representations can sometimes normalize  Nandita Dhawan. Kolkata: Stree, the violence towards the subordinate 2011. 149–172. Print genders. Modern movies on the other  Jackson S., and Jacjie J. (1998). hand focus more to deconstruct the Contemporary Feminist wrong norms associated with gender. Theories. Edinburgh: Edinburgh Most of the modern movies in India try University Press. to establish gender equality in one way  Kandiyoti, Deniz. Bargaining or the other. These can educate a nation with Patriarchy. Gender & and can create a change in the mind of Society - GENDER SOC, people. The movie ‘Thappad’ is a good  https://org.uib.no/smi/seminars/n example of a modern movie in India. It ewsletter/Pensum/kandiyoti,%20 also illustrates how a movie can reshape Deniz.pdf. Accessed 9 the idea of gender roles in marriages and  June. 2020. it advocates the practice of healthy  Shendurnikar Tere, Nidhi. relationships. So it is clear that films can GENDER REFLECTIONS IN change the perception of the society by MAINSTREAM HINDI giving a better position for females. The CINEMA. representation of empowered women on  Global Media Journal – Indian screen can provide the audience with a Edition, better understanding of women’s cultural https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/ and social issues. 5c5a/a90d7a5cd4dbe2fc49a83bdf

49f9c0289373.pdf. References:  Accessed 2 June. 2020.  Bhalerao, Yamini. Why Should  Shirdwadker, Meena. Images of A Woman Change Herself After Woman in the Indo-Anglican Marriage? November. 2019. Novel. New Delhi: Sterling  https://www.shethepeople.tv/blog  Publishers, 1979. Print. /women-marriage-patriarchy- change-india/.  Accessed 10 June. 2020 ISSN: 2581-8333 Copyright © 2020 SP Publications Page 79

SP Publications International Journal Of English and Studies (IJOES) An International Peer-Reviewed Journal ; Volume-2, Issue-7, 2020 www.ijoes.in ISSN: 2581-8333

RESEARCH ARTICLE

 Sinha, Anubhav. Thappad. Series.28 February 2020. Benaras Media Works T-