Analysis on Movie Water free essay sample

In my opinion, Deepa Mehta is a courageous and bold director to produce a movie ‘Water’ which is intended to affront the tradition and living style of Indians back then. She displays how every character brings up almost perfectly similar kind of stance which is because of the doctrine and beliefs that have been set in their minds for a long period of time. The practice inherited from one generation to another generation which later becomes the tradition of Indian community. I could see how every widow refuses and rebuffs changes; which they are forbidden to marry again as a result of believing in they themselves bring unluckiness or bad luck to others. In fact, other women either married or not, they will never want to touch or to be touched by any of the widows, or else they will also turn to be bad luck. I could never help myself to understand the solid reasons for this kind of attitude, but to only believe in them (the Indians) are brought up with religious beliefs though it merely looks as women oppression. Reema (2009) documented this fact on her blog; in chapter 5, verse 1560-1611 of Dharamshastras, the Hindu sacred texts, Manu wrote: ‘A widow should be long suffering until death, self-restrained and chaste. ’ ‘A virtuous wife who remains chaste when her husband has died goes to heaven. ’ ‘A woman who is unfaithful to her husband is reborn in the womb of a jackal. ’ Based on the verses above, it is indeed, Indian women are too much looking up on what Indian text contains. Nevertheless, I find this very contradicting to one another. The widows keep saying that they fear God; unfortunately, their action is not more than making them imprisoned in a small cage that will never enable them to see and view things in bigger scope. Why can’t just they accept changes that could possibly lead them to a better life? This is because putting blames on God is a mere blasphemy. As a matter of fact, I personally do not know what Indian religious text teaches, and not knowing those facts only makes it harder to reveal the truth. However, I suppose, every religion on this earth will always teach its believers to not bring their own self down. Therefore, there are few questions that we need to ponder; if women are born only to be oppressed, insulted and even to be buried alive in some cases, what is God’s ultimate objective of creating this gender in the first place? If we believe in God’s power, why must we blame widows for their husbands’ death? If only we could have empathy feeling, what and how would we feel and react if we are in the widows’ shoes? And, will married men receive the same fate if their wives are dead? For all of these questions, I think, what Deepa does, makes me nods my head. Apparently, Narayan is created to become a hero of this film though Deepa inserts a situational irony towards the end of the film. The situational irony is depicted clearly when Narayan’s father tells him that he is not a hero of the epic play, who is ready to wage war for love. I am delighted to see how Narayan inherits his father’s liberal thinking in much more positive way compared to his father himself. It is really a symbol of respect and appreciation to Indian widows in this film when he proposes Kalyani to be his wife. In fact, to fall in love with widow has already shown respect. At least, he knows how to value God’s creatures without having to offend God’s laws. Somehow I feel that Asians, generally, also have similar kind of attitudes; too much preserve the tradition and sometimes disguise as tradition or beliefs. In order to support this view, I quote Narayan’s saying which can be found towards the end of the movie; â€Å"One less mouth to feed. Four saris saved. Disguise as religions, it’s all about money. † Perhaps, it is Asians’ attitude to put the blames on other factor when they themselves who cause the troubles. In this movie, the Indian women make a scapegoat of their religions instead of admitting that their faith is too strong to be amended up to the point they cannot realize that their practices never benefit them. Changes can be made at any time as long as it is for the sake of our happiness. However, how can Indian women in this movie pursuit their happiness when they think they are deemed to suffer after their husbands’ death as a symbol of devotion to husband? Frederick and Mary (2012) documented on their blogs regarding Deepa’s response upon the significance of water in this movie. Deepa said, â€Å"Water can flow or water can be stagnant. I set the film in the 1930s but the people in the film live their lives as it was prescribed by a religious text more than 2000 years old. Even today, people follow these texts, which is one reason why there continue to be millions of widows. To me, that is a kind of stagnant water. I think traditions should not be that rigid. They should flow like replenishing kind of water. † I personally agree that traditions should not be rigid. It can be changed as long as we never forsake our solid ground, forgetting of who we are and where we are from. We are born to seek and to create a better life, guided by religions to ensure that we do not go astray. If accepting changes are simply called defiance, what should women oppression be called? I am clueless. On the other hand, I understand that water is the element of purity in this movie. It is shown that all Indians come to the bank of Ganges River to clean their bodies from sins or bad luck in particular. Similarly, in Islam, Muslims need to take wudhu’ before performing prayers. This wudhu’ aims to ensure that Muslims are clean from dirt or small sins. I am very much pleased to watch the ending of this movie, in reality. Shakuntala Didi, who has been a widow for quite a long time, saves the little girl Chuiya from being forced into prostitution by the head of ashram, Madhumati. Didi passes Chuiya to Narayan and asks him to make sure that Chuiya is in Ghandiji’s care. It is a powerful moment that the film ends with Didi gazing directly at the camera. Through her haunting eyes, Didi makes a desperate plea that something needs to change. By saving Chuiya, I believe, one generation can be saved from the insignificant tradition. Chuiya is the youngest widow at the ashram and she is not supposed to spend her whole life at the ashram. Children at her age should be playing around, eating ice creams or asking parents of what life is. I am depressed to know the fact that Chuiya gets married at eight years old, the age that she knows nothing. Chuiya does not even remember when she gets married and surely, does not even understand what marriage is. How can she play her role as a wife? At least, Chuiya can make differences to other Indian widows when she is set free. She can tell how she really wants to return to her mother but she cannot. She also can tell how she adapts to dreary rhythms of her days at the ashram. I also believe that Deepa chooses to end this film as such is to nurture acceptance and appreciation among the Indian women. In an effort to make changes, there must be someone who dares to speak the truth. Similarly, Deepa desires to stop this stagnant tradition among Indian women by directing this movie. Though she receives great opposes from Indians until she has to set this film in Sri Lanka, her movie receives a worldwide attention and supports. I am also glad to watch a scene which Didi is speaking to the priest whether widows should be treated badly in the Holy Scriptures. In my point of view, Didi seeks the truth and starts thinking about widows’ fate. In the journey of seeking the truth, Didi starts accepting reality that widows also have rights. When she knows that there is a law is recently passed favouring widows to remarry, she straight away finds and sets Kalyani free from the ashram. She allows Kalyani to get married with Narayan even though Madhumati disagrees. Her thoughts and stance become more firm when she listens to Ghandhi’s saying that truth is god instead of God is truth. In conclusion, it is difficult to assimilate the Indian widows’ practice of living at ashram and not remarrying with other Indian men into our modern world. This is due to the ascending feminism and focus on the equality and human rights between men and women all over the world. Undeniably true, the practice still occurs up to the present day and is still regarded by some Hindus as the ultimate form of womanly devotion and sacrifice although it has been outlawed and illegal in today’s India. Cassandrah (2006) argued that if one really believes in equality, one should show compassion just as equally. Do not get fixated on the small picture. Why is this so? This is because the real issue here is about human dignity- not just women’s, but every single human being. As humans we need to treat each other better, regardless of race, gender, culture, spirituality or religion, age, social groups or intelligence. Equality does not necessarily mean equal in every aspect of life. Rather, it is about being treated and respect toward women. Watching this movie actually makes me thinking a lot, I question; are women to weak to stand up and fight for freedom and rights? I do not mean to say that women are powerful compared to men. Instead, I mean to tell that women and men are two-sided coins that complement each other. Again, if women are born to be oppressed and to prove that men are protected from such ill fated, I believe God is being unfair; and what Ghandi says is absolutely correct; truth is God not God is truth. REFERENCES