Triumph of the 'underbitch'

Feminism has made a spectacular return to the movies as a spate of recent films reveal Therersquos Soumik Senrsquos Gulaab Gang Nishtha Jainrsquos documentary Gulabi Gang Vikas Bahlrsquos Queen Spike Jonzersquos Her and Deepa Dhanrajrsquos Invoking Justice Between them these films encompass a whole range of feminist shadesSoumik Senrsquos Gulaab Gang pits Madhuri Dixit the leader of a violent vigilante womenrsquos gang against Juhi Chawla a devious politician It plays a familiar trope with the underdog underbitch wielding a trishul to slay the baddies And because it stars Madhuri D she assumes a glamorous uberDurga avatar even leaping off a truck to skewer ration shop thieves shampooed locks all aflying in seductive slomoJuhi Chawla and Madhuri Dixit in Gulaab GangAs a study of woman power inspired by the real life Sampat Pal Devirsquos Gulabi Gang it is not so much about women triumphing over men as proof that women can play it just as dirty as them In a cringy scene Juhi makes a male politician crawl between her female subordinatersquos legs striking a new low in nari shaktirsquos justicebetweenthelegs Eventually both women end up in jail indicating what the director makes of their female powerBy contrast Nishtha Jainrsquos theatrically released documentary Gulabi Gang is a powerful film that shows how a woman and the women she inspires has been driven by desperation to seeking justice through violence since the law treats them like dirt In contrast with Pink Saris by British director Kim Longinotto which plays mainly in hagiographic mode Jainrsquos film which won Best Director International and Best Film Documentary at the Mumbai and Dubai International Film Festivals respectively is more nuanced underlining the membersrsquo hypocrisy as wellMore revolutionary in feminist strategy is Deepa Dhanrajrsquos Invoking Justice on the unique allwomen Tamil Nadu Muslim Women Jamaat that responded to allegations of corrupt traditional allmale Muslim jamaats by quietly according itself power tackling dowry deaths and domestic abuse cases by working within Sharia law and quoting the Quran They work within the system employing persuasion and persistence to coopt and shame the enemy their triumphs more long lasting The film won Best Documentary national competition 40 mins plus at MIFFVikas Bahlrsquos Queen is another quiet but very different triumph a Bollywood revolution A crackling good film its feminist victories are greater because after Rani is dumped by her snooty NRI fianceacute and returns a selfassured woman following a solo honeymoon she does not even need revengeShe thanks him because hersquos liberated her not only from himself but her own limitationsmdashand sashays off That is a masterstroke for Bollywood Rani superbly played by Kangna Ranaut takes the gains of the delightful English Vinglish further In Gauri Shindersquos film after Sridevirsquos husband demeans her for her wobbly English and she later learns to speak it well she still sticks with the blighter In Queen Rani simply moves beyond himSo too in Spike Jonzersquos Her Oscar for Best Original Screenplay an operating software an artificial intelligence called Samantha offers the lonely protagonist companionship before moving on She is too intelligent for a pathetic chap like him and lets him go with gentle affection She is a consciousness that seems to merge with cosmic consciousness As a friend remarked thatrsquos advaita For a mainstream Hollywood film to make a feminist existential triumph is remarkableMeenakshi Shedde is India consultant to the Berlin and Dubai Film Festivals an awardwinning critic and curator to festivals worldwide Reach her at smdmailmiddaycom