A Socially-Constructed Feminist Saga
Bollywood presented a few movies having stuff for more than entertainment and Hamari Adhuri Kahani is one of these. Story of the movie is multifaceted as it throws light on the various social issues under the umbrella of feminist perspective. It is melodrama that represents dark face of capitalist societies and it’s oppression on poor segments of the society and brings out humanitarianism from the materialist capital societies. Moreover, cultural-conservative values which suppress weaker sections of societies such as women and male domination which adds to vulnerability of the women. Politics in developing countries are no doubt a dirty play that is reflecting in the movie.
A young child who saw her mother singing in a hotel for survival of her son, harassed by the owner and also had to steal food stuff from the hotel for her son shows the brutality of materialistic capitalist societies where few people hold power and uneven distribution of wealth causes to increase poor population of developing countries like India. In retaliation of the oppression faced in his childhood, Araav, the role performed by Imran Hashmi, strived to earn money as he thought that this is the source to rule and to get happiness in this materialistic world. But as an owner of 108 hotels around the world, yet he failed to get real happiness, later he found this happiness in relieving someone’s pain as he helped Vasudha, the leading actress of the movie, in his survival war in male dominating society. Relieving someone’s pain is the fundamental principle of humanitarian philosophy to get true happiness and also negates the supremacy of materialistic world in these words “Zindagi sirf karobar ni hai jis main sirf lena dena he laga rahy”
Vasudha, the leading role performed by Vidya Balan, is a girl of middle class and victim of cultural rigid traditions. She was married with a man named “Hari” who represents the mentality of men in male dominating societies and cultural values who oppresses woman in the name of honor. Vasudha was forced by her parents to marry with a person whom she had not met before. This is what happening with the majority of the women in such societies. Further, it is wonderfully presented that what are the problems a married woman faced without her husband in a male dominating society. Rather supporting a woman who is struggling for survival of her son with herself, self made values are impeded her to get her happiness somewhere apart from filthy husband. Politics, in countries like India and other developing countries, is a dirty play. For vested interests, political leaders do not care of anything this is also presents in the movie.
In sum, ‘Hamari Adhuri Kahani’ is a better representation of the women living in male dominating societies suppressed by cultural rigid traditions and their struggle to get rid of it. Moreover, reviving humanitarian philosophy from deep-rooted capitalist societies is one of the admirable stunts of the movie. Overall, it is perfectly executed socially-constructed feminist saga which is enlightened by stunning acting of Vidya Balan with perfect dialogue delivery.
The writer is Research Scholar at University of Sargodha. He can be reached at irfannawazawan@gmail.com
