Ulti Khopdi - A play by Yasin Khan

I am new to theatre in the sense that I have heard a lot but I haven’t seen much. This all changed when I decided to increase my knowledge by becoming a regular at the various theatres in Mandi House, Delhi. It is known that one can always find a play to watch there.

I started with something simple, Yasin Khan’s Hindi play “Ulti Khopdi” at Pearey Lal Bhawan. I never go unprepared to something like this and thus had an idea of the story. The story in itself was nothing new or innovative. What I was hoping for was a good presentation and good dialogues. Although the actors did a good job, I was disappointed with the dialogues. I am not sure if they were improvised or reiterated but they could certainly have been better. When you choose a less than exciting situation and theme, the only way to put some life into the play is through effective punch lines.

The play had a few high points like the ‘dakus’ laughing and the ‘netas’ dancing, but it seemed to drag over the 1.5 hours. The scenes went on longer than necessary, with not much to hold the audience’s interest. If the scenes had been compact, they would have been more impactful. The acting was the one thing I appreciated, though there were moments when the line between stage play and street play blurred.

A play is good only if all its constituent parts are. ‘Ulti Khopdi’ lagged behind in dialogues as well as an innovative way of presenting a known concept. Though the director tried to include criticism of social evils in the play, the comic background over shadowed any attempt at satirical commentary. If praise has to be given, then the actors are the one that deserve it the most. Rating the play out of 10, it gets a 4.5/10.

Seeing Like a Feminist - Book Review

The politics of being a women in a country like India is not easy to fathom. Where caste and class divisions take precedence over gender issues women find it difficult to raise their voices. Nivedita Menon's 'Seeing Like a Feminist' links this reality of a female existence to a variety of dimensions that control it and manipulate it. 

The book is well versed when it comes to the facts that it mentions and the claims that it makes. Like any other good writer Menon has succeeded in backing all her statements with official data leaving no window for questioning. The fluid language and ease of understanding makes the book a very wonderful read. Despite the lucidity it is easy to gather that the book is a work of academic excellence. She combines the perfect amount of humour with factual details so as to keep the reader entertained.

Nivedita Menon deconstructs the idea of family, the female body and female desires. She questions their functioning and their basis. She clearly states that the idea of family functions on gendered notions. However the human body and its relation to gender is highly contentious. The dismantling of ideas related to the human body is well articulated and her readers will definitely find it engaging. 

The book deals with varying facets of  feminism and how they all combine to form something universal. The call for women empowerment is not one that is most needed at the highest level but which is felt largely at the lowest. Feminism is not restricted to women and Menon maintains this view point throughout her book. Her contemporary examples makes it easier to relate to for the younger readers. What the book aims for can be deduced differently by different people but the theme of awareness will be common to all. 

In the section "Feminist and 'Women'" Menon claims that "feminism is not in fact about ‘women’ but about recognizing how modern discourses of gender produce human beings as exclusively ‘men’ or ‘women’. For her it is about a transformation that changes old markers of society in a such a way that they cannot gain any kind of authority again.

Nivedita Menon is the writer of acclaimed books like Recovering Subversion: Feminist Politics Beyond the Law (2004) and Sexualities (2007). She teaches Political Thought at Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi. 

5 Broken Cameras - A Review

The power of a camera in the hand of a common man is immense.

‘5 Broken Cameras’ is the story of Israel/Palestine conflict seen from the lens of a common man. Emad Burnat and his 5 cameras succeed in documenting the reality of the Palestinian struggle fought at the lowest level. Each of Emad’s cameras becomes a symbol of the different phases of Emad, his family and his village’s life for a period of 5 years. The destruction of each tells the viewers the violence and injustice that the Palestinians face and the Israelis inflict.

 The small village of Bil’in and its struggle to keep hold of its land becomes a representative of the larger Palestinian struggle. Emad’s first-hand account humanizes an issue that many across the world might not understand.  It puts forward the view of the people who were directly affected by Israel’s wrongdoings. The camera work makes it clear that this is the story of someone who was deeply involved in the protests. 

The documentary when seen in juxtaposition to the media coverage of the same issue paints a very disturbing picture The distortion of truth by world media is a truth that ‘5 Broken Cameras’ leave us with. It also raises important questions on the role of media and how they also succumb to power struggles. War and revolution require media coverage that tells both sides of the story. Journalists by their own ethical code are bound to try their best to do the same. However, it is documentaries like ‘5 Broken Cameras’ that reveal the holes in this theory.

One important question that is raised from the documentary is the responsibility of the journalist. Are they liable only to cover the stories? Are they also not responsible like everyone else to help a person in need? Similar questions can also be asked from the media industry at large. Is the story more important human lives? Leaving us with such questions ‘5 Broken Cameras’ is an excellent documentation of the Israel-Palestine conflict.

The War You Don’t See – A Review

                                                                                

Delving into the role of media and journalists, the documentary is an excellent record of where they have failed to do their job and why. Taking into account, the Iraq and Afghanistan war and the Israel/ Palestine conflict, John Pilger explores how the flow of information functions during the war. Bringing to light, the side of these wars which remain unseen, he attempts to raise some vital questions.

Though the documentary itself deals with only 3 specific wars, it raises questions relevant for journalists across the globe. The one sided flow of information from authorities to news rooms and journalists becomes one of the main issues discussed. How do journalists counter this? How can they reveal the other side without endangering themselves - are the questions we are left asking.

With inputs from people who have seen and known the reality of these wars, the documentary provides substantial backing to the claims it makes. It questions ‘embedding’ of journalists in war zones and what effect this has on their covering. It works towards making its viewers acknowledge that media is not always the bearer of the truth. The documentary is both a critique of media houses and personnel who fall prey to or willingly propagate incomplete information, as well as an encouragement to journalist to lead by example.

He places the role of media during war times under scrutiny. During his interviews, he tries to gather why war time journalism falls short of expectations. Despite the state pressure, the documentary doesn’t absolve those who failed. The stark reality of wars and what the people were shown stands proof of erroneous journalism. The documentary works as an eye opener for the audience and pushes them into being critical of the news they receive and not take it at face value. While it brings to focus, the tremendous loss of life and property because of these baseless wars, the main theme remains the role of media during such trying times.

It was a Dream

It was a dream I hoped

The dark corners and the hard earth

The pain that lashed across my body

And the stain that grew without consent

Red became my nightmare

My screams died soon

It drained away with the rain

Leaving just a smear

Walk, I told myself

You will be safe soon

Don’t worry about the eyes

They can only stare

Hands remained by their sides

None were raised to help

Run, I told myself

Shelter is not too far away

Hidden under the blankets

Ears strained for any sounds

Twitching and moaning

I made it through that night

Another morning dawned

Shadows of nightmares remained

It all came crashing back

All that seemed a dream

A struggle to stand up

Another to standup tall

Be strong, I told myself

Atleast you are alive

You are sane and you are strong

And you can fight

I screamed last night

I will shout today

If I was scared yesterday

Fury has replaced it now

I will show the bruises

The map of black and blue

In the depth of these marks

I will show them the proof

You thought I will hide

But I stand tall right here.

There are many scars still

I have given them new meaning

I still fight everyday

To rebuild what you broke

You are free no more

But you curbed my freedom too

Days are darker at times

They are looking better now

I am learning again

To trust and smile

I promise I will

I promise I will

I see my body differently

With respect and love

It has felt so much

And still it is so strong

I refuse to give you the power,

The power to destroy me

It is mine as it always was

And I choose to raise it.