By Synthia
While growing up in Bangladesh, it’s pretty common for kids to become familiar with Hindi Cinema. I was no different; even my mother had turned a fan in her adolescence, so why would I be left behind in the hype of it all? Especially in the 2000s, when Shah Rukh Khan was at the peak of his “romantic hero” trajectory and Aishwarya Rai had bagged a few international roles with her talent and beauty. Bollywood movies became a prominent entertainment source in my household.
Even so, I would never expect to relate to any of the female leads in these movies. Most of the modern desi women represented in films felt like they were catered towards a “character type;” the beautiful but shy girl, the talkative, goofy, happy-go-lucky girl or the brash, rebel girl. While there is nothing wrong for female characters to embody these personalities, it is when the characters had started to be written to reflect subtlety and dimensions, resembling closer to real women off-screen, that I had felt more connected to them. Two such characters I connected to were Aisha and Piku.
Aisha is the female lead of the 2009 coming of age film “Wake Up Sid.” Born and brought up in Kolkata, she moves to Mumbai to get her dream job in a magazine company. When the male protagonist, Sid, asks her what made her move to a big city like Mumbai, where she had no close friends or family, she replies
“ To be independent…. Have you ever thought about having your own house? Cook your own food, earn your own money and spend it. Live a life you’ve made for yourself.”
Aisha is probably one of the first characters that made me want to be like her. I loved how, with some help, she transformed an unkept, dirty studio apartment into her charming little home. I resonated with her frustrations whenever her article would get rejected by her boss and admired that she would still write from the heart until she got her words published. I understood her love for old Hindi film songs and her honesty in admitting she does not understand other genres of music, like jazz. I could relate to her moments of jealousy and anger, and commended her establishing boundaries with Sid, when he would take her hospitality for granted. All in all, I felt like Aisha was a character that represented my personality and aspirations.
The titular character of “Piku” (2015), on the other hand, is very different from Aisha, except for the fact that she is also a Bengali hailing from Kolkata. Juggling between running an architecture firm and looking after her elderly, eccentric and hypochondriac father (Baba), it is no wonder adulthood had taken a toll on Piku. Baba is difficult and unrelenting, causing Piku to grow into an irritable and brusque woman. She does not easily admit her faults and is very tough to impress or please (as she keeps reminding the male lead, Rana).
What connects me to this portrayal is that Piku is not written into the conventional idea of what femininity is. She is not meant to be sunshine-filled and likable nor elegant and soft; a woman is more than that, and her flaws does not stop her from being empowering. She can be defiant, sure, but she also uses this trait for speaking her mind in her work and handling her stubborn Baba. At the end of the day, she is empathetic and understanding of her father’s dependency on her and defends his rights to be looked after, however frustrating the process might be.
There are also moments of vulnerability to Piku; when she eats a candy bar, sitting by herself in the mall or when peering nostalgically to a group of young girls going home from school. There is a quiet loneliness in these moments and also an acceptance to it from her. In the mix of strength and imperfections, Piku feels real and resonating.
I did not think I would connect to anyone while watching Hindi movies, but I was pleasantly surprised to meet these two beautiful Bengali women in these films. Upon rewatches, I find myself looking up to them, while also finding comfort in them.
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