Meherjaan - A Film That Has Opened Old Wounds

Meherjaan is a Bangladeshi film directed by Rubaiyat Hossain. It was released last month and was receiving positive response from the critics. However, the movie is not being received positively by the Bangladeshi people itself. So much so that the distributors have decided to pull off the film from all the cinemas of Bangladesh.

The movie is basically set in Bangladesh in the tough times of 1971 when Bangladesh was fighting for its liberation. The movie is about a love story between a Bangladeshi girl Meherjaan and a Pakistani soldier. The Pakistani soldier gets court martialled for refusing to participate in war crimes and atrocities. Jaya Bachchan and Victor Banerjee are part of the film cast which also attracted many serious film lovers.

But Bangladeshi audience is outraged and feel that the movie is degrading the sacrifices and wounds of the Bangladeshi women in particular. People are angry that why are they highlighting a love story of this sort when we know that at least 200,000 Bangladeshi women were raped by Pakistani soldiers at that time and at least 3 million Bangladeshis lost their lives at the hands of Pakistani soldiers. 

Four famous writers of Bangladesh wrote how this love story is demeaning the sufferings at the time of liberation war. One of the writer women was herself raped by a Pakistani soldier at that time. They feel this movie is an insult and a form of deception. Thus, the angry sentiments can not be reasoned with.

This was the first time a Bangladeshi film was being recognized by critics and now it is being pulled off from cinemas. The crew is being targeted in the form of a hate campaign for making this movie. The crew find this behavior irrational that everybody thinks that all Pakistanis were butchers and that there cannot be a single Pakistani soldier who could be good natured and who could rebel against the normal situation.

Well, for Bangladesh this is a sensitive topic. They cannot forget the bad times and the suffering during 1971. It is true they suffered badly and till this day they hold a grudge against Pakistanis. Thus, Meherjaan, despite promoting a different view is not going to be accepted by the people of Bangladesh. From the looks of it, the movie did seem pretty decent though. But we appreciate the filmmakers for looking at things from a different angle too. It is true that there will always be a few people who will look at things in a different way. 

Bollywood Bikini Brigade

Bikini was once a forbidden word in Bollywood. Raj Kapoor, the habitual norm-basher that he was, ordered Nargis to get into a two-piece. Nargis, the loyal love bird that she was, gave the nod. Bikini has, ever since, been Bollywood’s success mantra, as we line up Bollywood’s latest Bikini wonders.

I just couldn’t understand as to why my sister wanted me to report on this. Since I’m not a man, I don’t think I can do justice. Some of them of course look sexy & some of them don’t. And some of the bikinis are not at all sexy.

But Raj Kapoor even ordered people to shoot stark naked & people said yes. Can you recall those scenes in Mera Naam Joker? Do that.

Anyway, I was just wandering if women are stranded on an exotic island, & they are supposed to choose one thing, how many would pick just bikini.

Is life so cheap?

Newspapers cover horrific stories every day. The death of 17 women & 13 year old girl during the crazy stampede again make for a very sorry story. 15 people are being injured too. The other day, a man also died while standing in the line for food. It’s ironic that these people went to take free food & they died in this manner. There are always stupid people who can’t help fixing the blame on the deceased for being hyper. I don’t understand how could they say such crap even if it comes in their little minds.

Why was there a baton charge in the 1st place? It was a food ration distribution for poor people. How else do they expect them to behave? In Ramazan, these people were made to stand in such long queues. And why were they dispersing women by baton charge?

Although a judicial inquiry has been ordered but what good would come out of it. The dead people won’t become alive & there is no guarantee that such incidents wouldn’t happen again. What kind of charity was it anyway that resulted in the death of 18 humans?

I’m sorry to say but it seems there is no respect for life. It’s way too cheap for all those who have authority. Even the idea of manhandling women is abhorrent but this thing also happens in this country. And just because it also happens in other places, it doesn’t mean that it should also happen here.

Burgundy Lips

This is the term that I invented yesterday & I don’t think I would ever use it again. Yesterday our mom wanted to do some shopping, so we went along with her. And there was this particular lady who kept on staring at us & she was the one who was wearing that shade…And so I coined the term ‘Burgundy Lips.’ Of course there were others too who couldn’t help staring.

What I don’t understand is why do women stare at other women. If someone gives you a damn good reason, that is understandable. Last week my sister mentioned those 2 girls who were wearing all the accessories they possessed; they might have borrowed some from the neighbors. It was humanly impossible to ignore something so extraordinarily conspicuous. But then again people have the right to do any kind of experiment they want to…& when they experiment on themselves, I actually salute them.

Nevertheless it’s a little difficult for me to comprehend as to how one could shower so much attention on total strangers & that too of the same gender. There are people who are practically naked & yet one doesn’t feel like looking at them. I admit this has been a bit of an exaggeration but you get my point.

I was once talking to a friend of my elder sister & I said that someone has 2 dogs & she was like…’kya pagal hai?’ This is the kind of response we get from people who aren’t at all interested in animals & they regard animal lovers as crazy. I have given this bizarre example for a reason. You know it’s not written on my forehead that I have cats & so I don’t think strangers might take me as weirdo& so couldn’t take off their eyes. And I also don’t carry Johnny Walker with me or pour whiskey on someone’s head…So what could be the reason why people stare at people? While shopping, you can’t even read a book & that’s why we notice all such amazing beings. I seriously wonder if this is a blessing or bane.

Surah Noor

I have gathered some verses from Surah Noor. I’ve also noticed that “signs” are being mentioned a number of times in the Holy Quran, which means they are very important.

“A sura that We have sent down
And appointed; and We have sent down
In it signs, clear signs, that haply
You will remember.

The fornicatress & the fornicator –
Scourge each one of then a hundred stripes,
And in the matter of God’s religion
Let no tenderness for them seize you
If you believe in God and the Last Day;
And let a party of the believers
Witness their chastisement.
The fornicator shall marry none but
A fornicatress & an idolatress,
And the fornicatress – none shall marry her
But a fornicator or an idolator;
That is forbidden to the believers.”

Everything has been very clear in this verse. It’s 100 stripes, not the punishment of rajm. Furthermore, it is mentioned that:

“The fornicator shall marry none but
A fornicatress & an idolatress,
And the fornicatress – none shall marry her
But a fornicator or an idolator;
That is forbidden to the believers.”

Naturally when the Quran says that the fornicator could marry none but the fornicatress or an idolatress…it highlights that killing is certainly not the punishment for the person who has committed adultery or fornication. If they are being stoned to death, naturally there won’t be any question of marriage.

When you read further, those who lie & make stories about it, even punishment is recommended for them & their testimony should never be accepted.

“And those who cast it up on women in
Wedlock, & then bring not four witnesses,
Scourge them with eighty stripes, & do not
Accept any testimony of theirs ever; those –
They are the ungodly,
Save such as repent thereafter and
Make amends; surely God is All-forgiving, All-compassionate.
And those who cast it up on their wives
Having no witnesses except themselves,
The testimony of one of them shall be
To testify by God four times that he
Is of the truthful,
And a fifth time, that the curse of
God shall be upon him, if he should
Be of the liars.
It shall avert from her the chastisement
If she testify by God four times that he
Is of the liars,
And a fifth time, that the wrath of
God shall be upon her, if he should
Be of the truthful.

It’s also clearly written that the curse of God will befall upon those who lie.

We have heard this verse a number of times:

“ Corrupt women for corrupt men,
And corrupt men for corrupt women;
Good women for good men,
And good men for good women.”

These lines in Surah Noor highlight that the significance of signs & that God is the supreme source of Light.

“Now We have sent down to you signs
Making all clear, & an example
Of those who passed away before you,
& an admonition for the godfearing.

God is the Light of the heaven & the earth;
The likeness of His Light is as a niche
Wherein is a lamp
(lamp in a glass,
The glass as it were a glittering star)
Kindled from a Blessed Tree,
An olive that is neither of the East nor of the West
Whose oil wellnigh would shine, even if no fire touched it;
Light upon Light;
(God guides to His Light whom He will.)
(And God strikes similitudes for men,
And God has knowledge of everything.)”

Again it is very explicitly written that “God guides to His Light whom He will.”

“And to whomsoever God assigns no light,
No light has he.”

“Now We have sent down signs making all
Clear; God guides whomsoever He will
To a straight path.”

The best thing is to try to understand the words of God. Following individuals & regarding them as someone who has all the answers is not right. I’ve seen that people do this all the time. But it’s their choice. What can we say? Since I wrote that piece on rajm, I thought it was incumbent on me to mention these verses from Surah Noor.