The trailer for the much-hyped Bollywood movie, “Veere Di Wedding” was launched this Wednesday. The movie, in its true sense, attempts to encapsulate the idea that women can do what they like with their lives. It is the story of four friends, one of whom is getting married, albeit with a lack of enthusiasm, and her squad with their own problems, but there is a lot of love to bind them.
The film explores an uncharted territory of Indian cinema – as it attempts to highlight the aspirations and lifestyle of real women today. She drinks if she wants to, she goes on a vacation if she wants to, she runs her world the way she wants to. They talk about sex, they cuss but they slay through it all.
The idea of writing this today came to me when I realised that most woman, for whom the movie is made, were excited and relishing the fact that finally, Bollywood made a movie about a group of women friends without pitting them against one another. They talk about their worldviews without being interrupted, they approach life as they please and make their own mistakes. However, of course, anything which is primarily about women, is bound to rile some people up. There are some Twitter threads to boycott the film and unsurprisingly mostly, they are by men.
The very fact that they are triggered by women cussing and boozing, or just living their lives, is the reason that movie needed to be made. Women don’t defy societal norms, they defy social institutions while helming their own life.
Feminism talks of equality. It talks about how men and women should be able to access the same opportunities without being questioned about it. If tomorrow a woman does not want to marry, she shouldn’t be questioned for her choice.
This movie, in what comes off from the trailer at least, explores the thought of women calling the shots in their lives, standing up for themselves in a world which is still dominated by men and their interests.
The boycott tweeters, in fact, proved how we need the movie now more than ever. One where men don’t think they know everything, one where being mansplained comes with socially aware reverts, one where women can be without the ‘guidance’ of a man, and live their lives as they damn well please.
