#InternationalWomensDay: 5 South-Indian films that show misogyny in true light
Cinema is a mirror of the society and yet most of the Indian movies fail to show the actual picture of the gender imbalance that is ailing our existence. But, there are some South Indian films show the real face of misogyny and the impact it has on the women concerned. On the occasion of International Women's Day, we list our top five choices.
The Great Indian Kitchen is a sarcastic take on patriarchy. It's about a newly-wedded woman, who gets confined to domestic activities and tries hard to work as per societal diktats. The issue is, she is not mentally and emotionally aligned with this idea, as she wants to be financially independent. The Malayalam film doesn't sugarcoat anything, which is why it's such a powerful venture.
Uyare narrates the tale of an aspiring pilot, Pallavi Raveendran, whose life takes a rude U-turn when her over-possessive boyfriend throws acid at her. As a result, she loses sight in one eye, leading to a revocation of her pilot license. Despite this setback, Raveendran leads her life unapologetically. The Malayalam film also highlights that nothing should stop you from living, including an attack.
Karthik Subbaraj's fourth directorial, Iraivi, showcases the lives of three women from different walks of life, who have their own battles to fight caused by the men in their lives. The Tamil film has several parallel tracks, but showcases a woman's struggle to sustain herself in a toxic relationship with sincerity. Acclaimed performers including Anjali, Vijay Sethupathi, and SJ Suryah play the principal characters.
Prathi Poovankozhi is a Malayalam revenge drama directed by Rosshan Andrrews. In it, Manju Warrier plays the lead character, Madhuri, who gets groped on a bus one day. Traumatized after that, she is determined to find her assaulter and punish him. The movie's ending is not a happy one. It rather showed that all abusers are the same, no matter what the name is.
Jyothika-led Tamil film 36 Vayadhinile showcases how a bored, middle-aged woman rediscovers that old self of hers who had big dreams. Vasanthi Tamizhselvan's character sketch isn't novel, yet it shows how women generally forget to love themselves under the pressure of familial duties, which ultimately leads to a breakdown. So whatever happens, love yourself, and on that note, wish you a Happy Women's Day!
