Our last class field trip actually ended up taking place in the classroom (after a much-anticipated visit to Kalachandji’s), and consisted of a screening of “Gulaab Gang”. This was my first time watching a Bollywood film, however I knew enough about their structure to expect the musical numbers and dancing scenes that occurred throughout. To be honest, as the movie progressed I eventually became confused regarding the plot development, and some of the twists seemed a little outlandish, however I thoroughly enjoyed the story of a strong group of women fighting for justice.

After watching the film I figured my reflection would focus on appreciating the pink sari-wearing, stick-wielding women portrayed in the film, and the way in which they fought injustice both at home and in the political arena. This was until I saw that although the movie is technically fictional, it seems to be extremely similar to a real-life group of women called the Gulabi Gang. Led by Sampat Devi Pal, these women unite together with pink saris and sticks to combat violence against women in all forms (sound familiar?) Having a Bollywood film made about the Gulabi Gang wouldn’t be a problem, except for the filmmakers are not crediting the obvious basis for their story. Devi has expressed her dissatisfaction with the film and fought its release, however it was screened anyway, which I find very disrespectful to the Gulabi Gang.

There was a documentary made around the same time as the Bollywood film, titled “Gulabi Gang”, which centers on the actual female empowerment group, however it had a rather small budget, especially in comparison with the Bollywood production. Additionally, it was released only a couple weeks before the fictional “Gulaab Gang”, and is far less likely to reach as widespread of an audience as the Bollywood rendition of their story. This commercialization of a real-life group of heroes, without any actual recognition of said heroes, is a disappointment. I hope that credit will be given where it is due, and that the non-fictional Gulabi Gang will continue to thrive and advance their feminist agenda despite the affront of the Bollywood film industry.

The controversy surrounding the two films aside, I found the movie and its message to be extremely moving. The situation of women in India is much more dire than in the United States, and I think that progress for women, and its representation in the media and popular culture, is extremely important. Watching the movie, it was interesting to see the culture surrounding women, and even more interesting to see how women banded together to protect and further themselves however possible. Although there is a long way to go on the journey towards gender equality, seeing a rendition of the Gulabi Gang gave me hope for the future, and showed the strength that like-minded people can have in numbers, even in a society where they are often not given a voice. Our in-class movie was a great finish to an amazing semester, and I’ve loved learning so much about a culture that I previously knew little about.

 
Sources:

http://www.bollywoodlife.com/news-gossip/gulaab-gang-vs-gulabi-gang-madhuri-dixit-nene-and-juhi-chawlas-film-or-the-documentary/

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2014/02/gulabi-gang-indias-women-warrriors-201422610320612382.html