From Anil Sharma to Vivek Agnihotri, filmmakers and actors welcome SC judgment on Triple Talaq

Veteran filmmakers and stars across all genres in Bollywood, have welcomed the five-bench Supreme Court judgment on triple talaq, declaring it unconstitutional and directing the Government to bring about a legislation within the next six months on the practice.

Filmmaker Anil Sharma, who has made socially relevant films like Gadar- Ek Prem Katha, feels that it is a welcome judgment that would finally put an end to the practice that has affected the lives of thousands of Muslim women, well-thought out judgement, “It is good that this wrong tradition is being sought to put to an end so that the exploitation of women ends,” Sharma said, adding that the tradition was being grossly misused by people to suit their own vested interests, “According to Islam, the triple talaq used to happen on three different occasions. There was counselling after which the boy would be asked to reconsider his decision, on three different occasions. If he was convinced on all the three occasions, the decision would be finally conveyed and taken into consideration. However, a few people manipulated the whole practice to suit their needs by merely repeated the word three times.”

Sharma adds that India is the only country where the practice prevails though several Muslim countries have banned it, “It is not existent even in Pakistan and countries like Indonesia.” He feels the Government should not do the needful adding that it has nothing to do with vote-bank politics, “Making a law is the job of the Government and not the SC. This has nothing to do with vote bank politics. It is a social reform, women are voters too. It is not the vote back, it is a reformation which India needed,” he says.

Filmmaker Mehul Kumar, who made revolutionary films like Krantiveer and Tirangaa, feels that the SC verdict will put an end to the commerce going on in the name of religion, since a majority of religious heads are misguiding people for their own commercial gains, “This tradition of triple talaq has been in practice for ages but a majority of people don’t even know the meaning and how it is done in actual practice. 80% of the people don’t even know religion deeply. The religious heads misguide these naïve and illiterate people for commercial reasons in the name of religion. Our biggest limitation is the illiteracy in our country whether it is Muslims or Hindus. Maulanas and Pandits have often imposed old cultural practices, according to their convenience for their own benefit giving it the name of religion,” Mehul Kumar says.

He recalls the example of a young educated girl from Surat who was made to stand outside the house and dismissed by her husband from his life and his house by merely whispering talaq three times, “It showed the worst misuse of the tradition,” he said, adding that religion is grossly misinterpreted by these people, “Even the multiple marriages that are allowed in Muslim community are a part of a defined social arrangement. These marriages were planned by men to help out a young widow, whereby the man can get the consent of his first wife and remarry to a widow,” he said.

Filmmaker and social activist, Ashoke Pandit, while welcoming the judgement feels that the entire idea of the abolishment of Triple Talaq needs to be seen in an apolitical light, “The abolishment of triple talaq is the liberation of Muslim women from the age old practice of humiliation and servitude. It is beyond my understanding why the right to respectful divorce should be selective. When a marriage happens the opinion of the woman matters but it breaks it breaks on the whims and fancies of the man alone with the woman left to fend for herself. Any rudimentary thought, irrespective of religion needs to be changed or abolished. We don’t see Hindu women following the draconian custom of jumping on burning pyres after their deceased husbands. It was rightfully abolished. The main argument is that it is an Islamic law, but the strange thing is that even strict conservative Muslim countries in the world have abolished it for the well being of their women population,” Pandit argues.
 
Writer Kamlesh Pandey who has written revolutionary films like Rang De Basanti, feels that the judgement declaring triple talaq unconstitutional is a big step in bringing social reform, “The very fact that it has been termed unconstitutional gives the Government a big edge to make a law in that direction. It is the beginning of a great social reform and it should not be limited to just one religion or community. Many of our Indian traditions have anomalies, which need to be investigated, debated and reconsidered in accordance with contemporary times. The people who endorse these practices do so in the name of religion and thereby exploit society. Moreover, all religious practices were formulated by the men in respective communities, so that they could control women. The slavery of women was always the ultimate slavery,” he says.

Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri, who has been campaigning for social reform on various fronts, says, “In my view, it's not a religious issue. It's a women's issue and I am glad that they are finally being liberated from this stone-age tradition,” adding, “In modern democracy constitution should be the only religion.”