'Believe' it, women in India struggle and triumph

“It’s truly unfortunate that a young life was taken from our midst like this,” lamented actor Madhuri Dixit while condoling the death of young actress Jiah Khan, 25, who was found dead in her Juhu home on Monday. “The world is becoming more and more fast-paced. In our hurry to match that speed, we often fail to heed what our heart and soul say. We need to find our own individual pace, a sense of balance, and go by that,” she remarked. 

The actor who has proven that she has not lost any of her dhak-dhak spunk with her latest ghaghra number in Yeh Jawani Hai Diwani, was joined by fellow actor Juhi Chawla and producer Anubhav Sinha of Gulaab Gang to announce BELIEVE, a campaign celebrating women’s struggle triumphs.  

As a mother of two, Madhuri said the onus is on parents to give children an anchor in an increasingly materialistic world. “When we compare children with others we are unknowingly setting off a pattern of unrealistic expectations,” she said and added, “Find your kid’s strengths and encourage them to build on them.”

Both Dixit and Chawla lamented that most TV programming was dominated by saas-bahu content. “Using the ghunghat, sindoor and other symbols to portray women in poor light and subservient to their male counterparts is both misuse and abuse of our culture and tradition,” says Chawla.  

“The campaign will bring forth stories of valour and talk about unheard stories and unsung heroines,” Sinha told dna and added, “We worship women as Goddesses, from time immemorial. Yet strangely, we don’t treat them as equal and women continue to be oppressed, marginalised and violated. Despite such adversity, we see shining examples of many who’ve blazed the trail against odds to show us that the term ‘weaker sex’ is a misnomer. Through this campaign we want to inspire women to fight for freedom from social injustice or stigma.”

Chawla remembered how Sinha told her and Madhuri of a thought during a break in the Gulaab Gang shoot. “He said that while we are saluting the spirit of one episode in the struggle for women’s rights, there are several such success stories which are also needed to be told. It was an idea that both Madhuri and I immediately agreed to, given the thought behind it.”  

Accordingly, an audio-visual appeal will be put out next week asking people to send in stories of women’s struggle in the face of adversity. “20 such stories will be selected. Our team will visit the place and shoot 5-7 minute-long films which will then be aired,” explained Sinha who along with both his leading ladies will be joined by three others on a panel to choose stories. 

The trio were, however, categorical that they were not only looking for exceptionally exceptional struggles. Madhuri spoke of her mother Snehalata while pointing out, “What may seem mundane to the male-gaze may entail a struggle at a different level.” She reminisced her mother’s struggle when she came from a small village after marriage to Mumbai. “She had to adjust to a new life. She had to learn to cook non-vegetarian food for my father who loved it and despite having four children to look after she pursued vocal Hindustani classical music and went on to earn a Master’s in the same. My head reels even to think of it. I’d never be able to do it,” she admitted. 

Chawla too echoed her co-star. “My mother was one of the first women in the hotel industry.