Pink; a slap on society’s face
AMITABH Bachchan’s latest movie PINK is a stinging incitement of deep seated prejudices unmistakable misogyny, misplaced male entitlement and outright injustice that women across our region contend daily. The movie stirs moves and shakes you up with a jolt by containing some deep, impactful messages that a patriarchal society must realise and acknowledge that a woman can have her own ideas about love, life and sexuality but that gives nobody the authority to slander her character. This hard hitting story of the movie is rooted deeply in the sharp observations of our day to day lives that the actors beautifully bring to the screen. What makes the movie so good is the fact that it’s a reflection of each and every individual in our society. The movie is so relatable, that everyone sitting in the audience can associate themselves with at least one of the characters of the movie.
Undoubtedly, it is a regrettable and harsh reality that our so called progressive and enlightened society still suffers from a primitive mindset where there are different rules for the two genders. Men are the privileged with permission to decide the character of woman. If they are committing any sin then no one will object but it is extremely condemnable and cardinal sin if committed by any woman and that is the reason a woman is the entity with questionable character in our society. The women are well aware of this mentality and are silent yet it because that’s what the society has conditioned them to do.
In our society the character of women is defined by men; they are judged by their dressing sense, hand of a clock (if it is late night=bad character), hanging out with boys, losing virginity, late night parties etc. Here, a woman is still a victim of compulsions and obligations, she quells thousands bellows deeps down her throat every day because this is how it is and it has been. Her blood boils at many times but she just turns herself blind because there is something that will go wrong, the mechanism of our society will crumble; this is how it is and has been. Almost every day, she crosses through eyes looking at her with lecherousness, piercing her dignity, she wants to wallop with full force and take the gut out but suddenly a shudder hits her and she realises this is how it is and has been. It has been dwelling for so long now that it has become an unspoken truth, a rule!
Here the power is not defined by experience, skill or intelligence. One with the wonga and societal status is almighty and permitted to do anything, even if this ‘anything’ relates to someone’s integrity. This kind of power is inherited for generations and exhibited blatantly. No one knows when our patriarchal society will change this sick and heinous mentality. IMRAN ALI PHULL
Karachi