LAKSHMI

Eve-teasing, verbal molestation, inadvertent touching, rape, brutality, mental torture and what not. And all this with the most beautiful creation- a woman. Starting from 2 years to a 60 year old, the torment a woman faces is endless. Only because they are weak?

But that was not really what came to my mind when I was watching Lakshmi, a film impeccably directed by Nagesh Kukunoor and acted to perfection by Monali Thakur. One could make out from small little details that the movie has been passionately made for an intense audience. The premier of this film was being shown all across the country as an awareness on women trafficking.

A true life story of a 14 year old girl who hadn't even attended her puberty is sold by her father to a woman who resells her to a pimp. He then takes her to a man who gives her estrogen injections, who later rapes her. She is sent off to a brothel, where she is raped repeatedly for the next six months till an NGO finds her. She then goes on to fight a battle; facing the shame of her videos being shown in the court-room, to repeatedly being asked embarrassing questions on rape and sex. Lashmi won the case against the Reddy brothers and hers was the first case of its kind in the court of Andhra Pradesh. Not in the least sense weak at all; Lakshmi and every other Lakshmi across the world. 

Having spoken about the story, I was ashamed of being part of a crowd that hooted, yelled and jeered at every scene in the film where sensitive persons sitting and watching it probably had goose-bumps and a lump in their throat. There were deep-throated grunts amongst the people sitting in the balcony and loud whispers of irritation. But hardly someone who would take action. So, in despair and disdain, when I went downstairs, the least I could ask these grown-up kids is if this is the kind of message they want to give to the rest of the world; "Insensitivity towards the pain of a young 14 year old girl being raped, even if it is being enacted?"

Where are we going and what are we expecting from a generation which takes to the streets at the pretext of doing something different. Different? In what way? To be on television for a cosmetic purpose? Or shall we say 15 minutes of fame? 

If the young think they are responsible, they should start taking responsibility of their actions first for a start. And then again, should we blame them for such a lackadaisical attitude? Are the care-takers listening?

When Nagesh Kukunoor asked which scenes in the film did they hoot at, no one stood up to it! He said, "If you hooted in the dark, let me tell you that it is pure cowardice. And now you should also be brave enough to get up and say why you hooted."

To a question on rape, Nagesh said, "Real men don't rape and molest. Real men would take his girl out on a date, buy her flowers, marry her." 

I would say real men are responsible not just for the women in their home but also care for each and every woman they come across. Real men love!