Angry Indian Goddesses, a film that gives insight into the world of wormen who are progressive, Bold & Vulnerable too!. Watch it if you haven’t watched it yet!
Feminist thoughts make society uncomfortable and patriarchy, vulnerable. Yes, vulnerable to a radical change, that is not really something that society must desire but is so obvious that patriarchy will become guilty if they accept their mistakes and get dismantled of their power position. And hence, the patriarchy, is firm in adding more oppression to the tally, just to cover the lids of faults. And, here we have a film that makes it comfortable and vulnerable, the Angry Indian Goddesses.
Women who are very -very angry
The film starts with an extremely well-sketched sequence featuring the eight women and their response to patriarchy they are confronting in their workplace. The scene opens with Joe, an aspiring Bollywood actress who has been given a role that victimises objectifies the female body followed by Laxmi being eve teased, Pammi being gazed at her gym, Mad being insulted for decent singing, Suranjana debating as the boss of all men team, Frieda photographing for a fairness cream advertisement which doesn’t give any fairness. This five and a half minute sequence ends with these women unabashedly disapproving the patriarchal oppressor’s oppression and hence, it is bittering from the first minute.
Read more: Changing Representation of Women in Hindi Cinema
Pan Nalin deserves an applause
Pan Nalin, the director of the film, is a Gujarat born international filmmaker best known for his film, Samsara and Valley of Flowers. In 2015, he came up with the film, Angry Indian Goddesses. The story of the film is such that all these women happen to be friends with Frieda, who calls them to her house in Goa. Further, Frieda announces that she called then all to announce her wedding yet didn’t disclose who is her partner. It was later only when another woman, Nargis joins them and Frieda comes out of the closet and announces that she will marry Nargis. Further, on an outing, a group of men raped Joe till death.
Now, Frieda and Nargis are a Lesbian Couple and this again is a thing that will discomfort the masses. When the film came in (in 2015) homosexuality was not decriminalized and hence, the film was a real problem back then, and it still is because a big section of the society still fails to accept it. Commenting upon the female issues, the film is celebrating womanhood and freedom for women. It gives an insight into how women think, live and identify themselves.
There are several moments where these women enter into strong arguments and discussions on the idea of patriarchy, women rights and values. These women are progressive and open-minded, and hence when get encountered to a group of men teasing them, they choose not to stay quiet. A repercussion of it was that their friend, Joel gets raped.
Well, we would not have appreciated the film so much, but Pan Nalini has given us reasons by not ending the film with Joe’s death and representing women in a vulnerable position. Instead, he showed the anger of these women who took revenge for their friend’s death, constitutionally or unconstitutionally is a thing to think. With absolutely amazing subplots, interesting conversations and remarkable narrative, the film is absolutely a must-watch.
The reasons behind talking about this film in present time is absolutely simple, the increasing crime against women. The number of rape cases is increasing every day. Women are body shamed, slut-shamed, shamelessly objectified and seen as a problem if they start to live their lives on their own will and freedom. Masculinity is becoming even toxic. Lawmakers are becoming hypocritic. The very recent statement of the solicitor-general of India chooses to oppose a PIL seeing registration of same-sex marriage in Delhi High court calling it against “our law, legal system, society and values”. No wonder how much can we stress upon the relevance this film has in the present days because it is 100 per cent relevant.
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