A livid letter to the makers of Mardaani
It's the actual content and portrayal of the message that has me fuming. It has sensationalised the exploitation, trafficking and rape of women la 80's Bollywood cinema.
So you want to make an action packed Dabangg-esque blockbuster with a female protagonist? By all means do so, but why oh why must you bring one of the most tragic, pressing issues of our times into it? Why must you cloak the movie with an urgent message that comes out so garbled under the hammy acting and long overwritten 'the audience are idiots so we must explain everything by describing and narrating it' dialogues? Why must everything in the film be so loud - from the acting to the lighting to the background score (I swear I heard Summer of 69 played as a theme to the protagonist as she strut like a super hero), to even the blatant product placements? So loud that you can barely hear this all important message that the film is supposedly shouting about, the message that has earned this film tax free status.
The message not reaching me because of the sub quality of the film I can live with. But it's the actual content and portrayal of the message that has me fuming. It has sensationalised the exploitation, trafficking and rape of women la 80's Bollywood cinema. The goons (Shakti, Gulshan etc) in those films had flashy pool parties demeaning women and raping reluctant babes with elan. Our excuse when we look back is that we didn't know any better and it was a different less evolved, less equal, less respectful, less everything time. What is our excuse now? Child trafficking and rape are burning issues that are shaming and crippling our milieu and you think nothing of exploiting it to make a blockbuster because its not enough to have a female Dabangg, she must come with some "substance". And what is the moral you preach? That vigilante justice is cool? Take the law into your own hands in the name of public outrage and unarmed women can single handedly beat and kill dangerous gangsters/ rapists (near impossible)! Then to add to the cringe factor of the ludicrous climax you overlay a ridiculous rock chick song about woman shakti- candle jala ke sandal dikha ke... mein tumko nahi chadoongi... apne andar chuppe mardaani... As if that were not enough you have the guts to flash facts and statistics of victims and crime. I should have been crying, I should have been moved, I should have spent a sleepless night and I probably will because I will be weeping at the sheer waste.
If it was a small B grade film it would have shamefully and thankfully passed unnoticed, but, when it comes from a YRF with an A-list heroine then you have done more damage to the cause than good. Of course this story needs to be told. Not once but over and over again. But not like this. What a big platform to throw away such an important opportunity.