Feminism in the Movies Iruthi Suttru and Dangal

K.VAISNAVI M.A English, Seethalakshmi Ramaswamy College, Trichy 2. Email: [email protected]

ABSTRACT

The paper mainly focuses on the elements of Feminism in the sports based movies Iruthi suttru and Dangal. Both movies are based on the real incidents. The term Feminism refers to the belief that men and women deserve equality in all opportunities, esteem and social rights. The film Iruthi suttru reflects the life of Marry Kom, first woman won Boxing championship whereas Dangal deals with the life of Geeta phogat and Babita phogat, India’s first world-class female wrestlers. The paper explores the tussles and hardships of these three sports women who overcome from all the hurdles to reach their goal.

Keywords: Literature, Cinema, Feminism, Equality, Goals, Hardships.

Cinema and Literature is often said to be a reflection of the life and society. Cinema and literature are related to each other but still they are quiet different in their own ways. Cinema as a popular invention reflects the collective awareness of the society. With its statement and visual function, it performs as a way through which the public changes can be represented on the screen. It has always been one of the most fascinating forms of knowledge which has made great impact on human mind. Adaptation of books in cinema is nothing new for the film industry, literature influenced in different genres.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the feminist aspects in the movies Dangal and Iruthi Suttru. Feminism refers to the opinion that women should be permitted the same rights, power, chances and education as men in the society. Feminist criticism aims to challenge the existing conventional beliefs and exhibit instead, the perspectives and experiences of women which have been demeaned ages by ages. In Elaine Showalter’s famous essay “Towards Feminist Poetics” She divided female evolution into three stages: the feminine, the feminist and the female stages. The Female phase has been continuing since 1920. In this stage women depend on their own attitude and adventures. They began to be more aware about the formation and procedures of art and literature.

“Feminism is the place where in the most natural, organic way subjectivity and politics have to come together” – Adrienne Rich. The feminist movement has continually struggled for women’s right and equality so as to place women on equal status to men in the community. This revolt has since been rendered onto the silver screens as films represents women playing eminent and superior roles in films which is a distinct contrasts to the past when women played a passive and downtrodden roles to the male character.

“Liberty cannot be achieved unless the women have been Emancipated from all types of oppression” – Nelson Mandela. In many decades, women have been found in undistinguished roles as submissive and timorous characters in films. Apart from powerful story line, women have always continued to survive as the key source of entertainment in films. While majority of the movies commend women as a sex objects, only few films have taken women in the superior role and have attempted to deliver a message that women are no less than men. The recent movies Dangal and Iruthi suttru fights against the patriarchal system by producing women an equal position to men. These two movies represent itself to be served as a feminist text because it champions the cause of women against the cruel patriarchal society.

Iruthi suttru (2016) is an Indian Tamil Sports Film written and directed by Sudha Kongara Prasad. It depicts the character of Madhi as a daring and courageous girl who is skilled in Boxing. A grouchy

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boxing coach stumbles upon a young girl who has the capability to win the world boxing championship. He trains her for the huge championship but the dirty politics tries to demolish her opportunities.

“I hated every minute of training, but I said,’ don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a Champion’ – Muhammad Ali. In my opinion Feminism is exhibited on the character Madhi, a slum girl who wants to become an aspiring boxer. She took the great boxer Muhammad Ali as her role model. She sells fish for her income and her family is depends on the police job that her sister would get out of sports quota in Boxing. However the coach Prabhu finds madhi’s real ability in boxing and trains her to be a champion, Madhi’s responsibility towards her family is expressed in many scenes. During her practice she confronted many difficulties and humiliations by the society. She has undergone many hardships and sufferings to achieve her goal. She get insulted and underestimated by her own sister. Dev, the villain who is a chief member of Boxing committee forced to share her bed with him in order to participate in boxing tournament. When she refuses it, dev decides to disqualify her from the tournament. But she overcomes from all the troubles and finally she won the Boxing tournament.

“Risk! Risk anything! Care no more for the opinion of others, for those voices. Do the hardest thing on earth for you. Act for yourself. Face the truth.”- Katherine Mansfield. Iruthi Suttru reflects the life of Mary Kom who is an Indian Olympic boxer from Manipur. She became the primary Indian Woman boxer to receive a Gold medal in Asian games in 2014. She came from poor family who is the first Amateur Athlete to win Padma Bushan Award. She claimed her rights and equality in the society and proved herself. The film shows us to be ourselves if we feel we are true no matter what the earth throws at us, it teaches us to fall in love, give up things, to trust, to conquer, to keep things easy and straightforward, to speak our hearts out and eventually to live for what we long.

Another Sports based film “Dangal” also reflects the struggles and sufferings of two women who wanted to become India’s first female Wrestlers. Mahavir Singh Phogat, an amateur wrestler who trains his daughters Geeta Phogat and Babita Phogat to become Wrestlers. Initially, the girls hate their father for his action towards them but shortly they understand that he concerns for their future. Inspired, they eagerly involved themselves in wrestling matches where they defeat boys. Firstly village people and students teased them for their physical appearance which seems like a man. Later the girls proved their ability and got glory from everywhere. During the tournament, where Geeta tells his opponent (male wrestler)” Don’t fight by considering me as a girl is a reminiscent one”. This assertion on the part of Geeta is a direct challenge to the patriarchal society. It expresses herself as a woman who is asserting her voice against the dominant ideals.

This movie Dangal demands for a social alteration. The transformation of Girls from reluctant wrestlers to targeted sports person is an interesting feature of this film. This brilliant script of a real story sends out a feminist assertion about girls being the equivalent of boys. It depicts the voice of talent that is beyond gender, the movie succeeds to guarantee that women can keep their feminine qualities and yet be successful and without acquiring the masculine qualities. “Once you connect with some higher purpose and main aim in your life, there will be a corresponding release of passion and energy into your life. The secret of generating extraordinary levels of passion in your life is to discover your larger purpose”(Sharma). There is no confusion that Dangal and Iruthi suttru appeared as one of the strong cinematic assertion on Women’s Empowerment in Modern times. The major suggestion of this paper is that representation of women in such films elevate social changes in the treatment of women in Indian society, which is male dominated and patriarchal.

Cinema treats eyes well whereas book treats soul well. Women centric characters are not only presented in movies but also in literature. Especially in female writers works we could easily find some strong women characters that represents the whole female society and their sufferings. The notable works are Alice Walker’s “Color purple”, Manju Kapur’s “Immigrant”, Shashi Despande’s “The Roots and Shadows”, Arundathi Roy’s “The God of Small Things” and Bapsi Sidwa’s “The Pakistani Bride” and “water”.

In “The God of Small Things”, the protagonist Ammu was marginalized by her own family and her community. The character Ammu was strongly portrayed against the patriarchal society. In “The Roots and Shadows” the female character Indhu lived a restricted life, later stepped out from her family, and leads an independent life. The well known Afro-American work “Color Purple”, depicts the life of Cecily, who confronted obstacles and harassments throughout her life. Finally she left her husband and

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withstand by her own. These cluster of women character outburst their emotions towards the male chauvinistic society. They struggled for their rights and wanted to live their desired life.

Books are the keys to unlock the mind of an individual. There are some books which tell the life history of successful sports women. “Unbreakable: an Autobiography” an inspiring book that shows the life and struggles of Mary Kom who is the queen of the Indian Boxing Ring. Another Autobiography “Playing to Win” an insight into the life of a great badminton player Saina Nehwal. “My Fight/ Your Fight” an inspiring book about Ronda Rousey, the Olympic medalist in judo. People get inspired by reading the stories of successful individual. Both Films and Books motivate others by providing women centric roles.

Someone’s experience will be someone’s inspiration. Through the life of successful women and their hardships, their powerful ability, their fruitful victory, someone will find the root of their future victory. Thus women started to claim their rights, respect, opportunities and equalities in the society. In my view, there are slight changes made in the current society. Women are playing vital roles in every field and they are ready to prove their talents. We could use more women in government positions, more publicity of women sports, and start expecting more out of women. They started to see the world with their longing eyes and their wide view set them free.

Works cited

Nagarajan, M.S. English literary criticism and theory. Orient Black swan Private Limited, India, 2006.

Sharma Robin. Discover Your Destiny. Jaico Publishing House, Mumbai, 2004 .

Showalter Elaine. Towards Feminist Poetics.ugcenglish.com>literary-theory.

Dangal movie. https://yts.am>movie>dangal-2016.

Iruthi suttru movie. Tamilrockerspro.net> iruthi suttru- movie-2016.

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