This post has been self-published on Youth Ki Awaaz by Tejaswinee Roychowdhury. Just like them, anyone can publish on Youth Ki Awaaz.

‘Veere Di Wedding’ Is Neither Women-Centric Nor Powerful

More from Tejaswinee Roychowdhury

So, I was just reminded by social media that there is an upcoming movie called “Veere Di Wedding”. Granted, it hasn’t been released yet, but its trailer and ‘Tareefan” music video left me utterly annoyed. While it’s difficult to not groove to the beat of the song, there are so many things wrong with the music video (and the trailer).

This is NOT how you make a women-centric film. This is NOT how you portray women empowerment. This is NOT what you make of feminism. Yes, there are people calling it women-centric and powerful with a powerful message. Like, seriously?

This movie (read, music video) shows typically high-class women (read, people) doing everything they want because they are loaded with money. That’s all that it’s about.

Now, before you start calling me by colourful names such as ‘anti-feminist’ or ‘meninist’, here’s the thing –

  • I have as much of a problem with a man drooling between two semi-naked women as much as I have here with a woman gyrating between two semi-naked men.
  • I have as much as a problem with a man grabbing a woman’s ass in a ladies’ washroom as much as I have here with a woman grabbing a man’s ass in a men’s washroom.

We are raising voices against the objectification of women (in the name of  ‘fun’) in Bollywood movies (and worldwide), but it’s okay to objectify men (in the name of ‘fun’)? How? Why? I’m failing to comprehend.

I don’t care that the movie has an ‘A’ rating. What I do care about is – people are going to watch this. Some will throw this in the face of feminism, others are going to act it out, and both will be thinking that this is real feminism.

Let’s develop some perspective, shall we? Movies influence the general population. Movies set in this era, and this time, do that even more. Movie makers have a teeny-tiny massive social responsibility to set forth a positive message, that induces non-toxic behaviour amongst the millennial. Sadly, I don’t need to see “Veere Di Wedding” to know that it won’t be doing that. The music video says it all, as did the trailer.

You must be to comment.

  1. Anushree Vaidya

    Very true?

  2. maanvi makker

    Bullshit. In an interview, Sonam Kareena, swara and Shikha clearly said not a women centric movie its just a movie. stop making everything about feminism, stop making everything about women empowerment. It’s women like you who make it tough for these kind of movies to be made. it’s just a movie, it’s a means of entertainment so was Gangs of Wasseypur so was BA Pass nobody questions those movies to be something that was falsely portrayed. Almost every millennial woman smokes and drinks it’s just the reality of society and the era we’re living in. its nothing related to feminism and trying to show how women empowerment works when women start to smoke and drink and have sex casually. If this were a movie about a man and a man would have done all of this like in Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara all the guys did this. in that, it did not become About Men drinking or men smoking, it was just men having fun and being that is what this movie is about it is about 4 women just *being* in their life not trying to prove you or anyone anything for Heaven’s sake please get a perspective because you definitely need one. On the other hand if you’re so concerned about feminism please try and promote movies like nill battey Sannata, Gulab gang, et cetera, which are being made for this purpose instead of putting the pressure of proving something to the society on commercial movies like these which are just for fun and entertainment.

    1. Tejaswinee Roychowdhury

      Hi there!
      I suggest you attempt to grab the essence of what I have written. If however, you have failed, here is a clarification post for you-

      https://www.youthkiawaaz.com/2018/05/movies-and-feminism-dealing-with-the-usual-responses/

  3. Sukriti Sen

    Hi there!
    Firstly, neither was the movie made to portray feminism, nor claimed to be a women centric movie.
    Secondly, please follow their interviews on YouTube & Radio. It clearly says that the movie is all about 4 girls having fun. They may be rich or broke. It’s the story line.
    Why can’t we just have fun watching a chick flick? Do all movies need to have a meaning?
    I’m sorry, but there are so many people making meaningful movies. And this could be one. Let’s not judge too soon.

    And my saying “that’s not how a movie is made or women empowerment looks like” why doesn’t someone who understand that make the film instead? I’m sure the filmmakers, actors, and the entire team is educated & mature enough to have made this film.
    I’m not against your thoughts, but I object the subject of this blog. Donot claim unless you know it. Then you should have spoken about Pyar Ka Panchanama too.
    We live in the 21st century. It’s high time to let go of things like this and focus on the real stuff.

    Thanks!

    1. Tejaswinee Roychowdhury

      Hi there!
      I suggest you attempt to grab the essence of what I have written. If however, you have failed, here is a clarification post for you-

      https://www.youthkiawaaz.com/2018/05/movies-and-feminism-dealing-with-the-usual-responses/

  4. Akshaya Avadhani

    Well the leads have clearly said that the movie doesn’t have anything to do with women empowerment or feminism. In their words it is just a movie of 4 girl friends. People may not like it but we have to accept many women can relate to characters!!!

    1. Tejaswinee Roychowdhury

      Hi there!
      I suggest you attempt to grab the essence of what I have written. If however, you have failed, here is a clarification post for you-

      https://www.youthkiawaaz.com/2018/05/movies-and-feminism-dealing-with-the-usual-responses/

More from Tejaswinee Roychowdhury

Similar Posts

By Sushil Kuwar

आदिवासी गोंड जनजाति के उद्गम स्थल कचारगढ़ की अनसुनी कहानी

By IMPRI Impact and Policy Research Institute

Feminist Media As An Alternative Mainstream Media

By Enactus SRCC

Project ‘Virasat’: Reviving The Legacy Of Pichvai Paintings Of Nathdwara

Wondering what to write about?

Here are some topics to get you started

Share your details to download the report.









We promise not to spam or send irrelevant information.

Share your details to download the report.









We promise not to spam or send irrelevant information.

An ambassador and trained facilitator under Eco Femme (a social enterprise working towards menstrual health in south India), Sanjina is also an active member of the MHM Collective- India and Menstrual Health Alliance- India. She has conducted Menstrual Health sessions in multiple government schools adopted by Rotary District 3240 as part of their WinS project in rural Bengal. She has also delivered training of trainers on SRHR, gender, sexuality and Menstruation for Tomorrow’s Foundation, Vikramshila Education Resource Society, Nirdhan trust and Micro Finance, Tollygunj Women In Need, Paint It Red in Kolkata.

Now as an MH Fellow with YKA, she’s expanding her impressive scope of work further by launching a campaign to facilitate the process of ensuring better menstrual health and SRH services for women residing in correctional homes in West Bengal. The campaign will entail an independent study to take stalk of the present conditions of MHM in correctional homes across the state and use its findings to build public support and political will to take the necessary action.

Saurabh has been associated with YKA as a user and has consistently been writing on the issue MHM and its intersectionality with other issues in the society. Now as an MHM Fellow with YKA, he’s launched the Right to Period campaign, which aims to ensure proper execution of MHM guidelines in Delhi’s schools.

The long-term aim of the campaign is to develop an open culture where menstruation is not treated as a taboo. The campaign also seeks to hold the schools accountable for their responsibilities as an important component in the implementation of MHM policies by making adequate sanitation infrastructure and knowledge of MHM available in school premises.

Read more about his campaign.

Harshita is a psychologist and works to support people with mental health issues, particularly adolescents who are survivors of violence. Associated with the Azadi Foundation in UP, Harshita became an MHM Fellow with YKA, with the aim of promoting better menstrual health.

Her campaign #MeriMarzi aims to promote menstrual health and wellness, hygiene and facilities for female sex workers in UP. She says, “Knowledge about natural body processes is a very basic human right. And for individuals whose occupation is providing sexual services, it becomes even more important.”

Meri Marzi aims to ensure sensitised, non-discriminatory health workers for the needs of female sex workers in the Suraksha Clinics under the UPSACS (Uttar Pradesh State AIDS Control Society) program by creating more dialogues and garnering public support for the cause of sex workers’ menstrual rights. The campaign will also ensure interventions with sex workers to clear misconceptions around overall hygiene management to ensure that results flow both ways.

Read more about her campaign.

MH Fellow Sabna comes with significant experience working with a range of development issues. A co-founder of Project Sakhi Saheli, which aims to combat period poverty and break menstrual taboos, Sabna has, in the past, worked on the issue of menstruation in urban slums of Delhi with women and adolescent girls. She and her team also released MenstraBook, with menstrastories and organised Menstra Tlk in the Delhi School of Social Work to create more conversations on menstruation.

With YKA MHM Fellow Vineet, Sabna launched Menstratalk, a campaign that aims to put an end to period poverty and smash menstrual taboos in society. As a start, the campaign aims to begin conversations on menstrual health with five hundred adolescents and youth in Delhi through offline platforms, and through this community mobilise support to create Period Friendly Institutions out of educational institutes in the city.

Read more about her campaign. 

A student from Delhi School of Social work, Vineet is a part of Project Sakhi Saheli, an initiative by the students of Delhi school of Social Work to create awareness on Menstrual Health and combat Period Poverty. Along with MHM Action Fellow Sabna, Vineet launched Menstratalk, a campaign that aims to put an end to period poverty and smash menstrual taboos in society.

As a start, the campaign aims to begin conversations on menstrual health with five hundred adolescents and youth in Delhi through offline platforms, and through this community mobilise support to create Period Friendly Institutions out of educational institutes in the city.

Find out more about the campaign here.

A native of Bhagalpur district – Bihar, Shalini Jha believes in equal rights for all genders and wants to work for a gender-equal and just society. In the past she’s had a year-long association as a community leader with Haiyya: Organise for Action’s Health Over Stigma campaign. She’s pursuing a Master’s in Literature with Ambedkar University, Delhi and as an MHM Fellow with YKA, recently launched ‘Project अल्हड़ (Alharh)’.

She says, “Bihar is ranked the lowest in India’s SDG Index 2019 for India. Hygienic and comfortable menstruation is a basic human right and sustainable development cannot be ensured if menstruators are deprived of their basic rights.” Project अल्हड़ (Alharh) aims to create a robust sensitised community in Bhagalpur to collectively spread awareness, break the taboo, debunk myths and initiate fearless conversations around menstruation. The campaign aims to reach at least 6000 adolescent girls from government and private schools in Baghalpur district in 2020.

Read more about the campaign here.

A psychologist and co-founder of a mental health NGO called Customize Cognition, Ritika forayed into the space of menstrual health and hygiene, sexual and reproductive healthcare and rights and gender equality as an MHM Fellow with YKA. She says, “The experience of working on MHM/SRHR and gender equality has been an enriching and eye-opening experience. I have learned what’s beneath the surface of the issue, be it awareness, lack of resources or disregard for trans men, who also menstruate.”

The Transmen-ses campaign aims to tackle the issue of silence and disregard for trans men’s menstruation needs, by mobilising gender sensitive health professionals and gender neutral restrooms in Lucknow.

Read more about the campaign here.

A Computer Science engineer by education, Nitisha started her career in the corporate sector, before realising she wanted to work in the development and social justice space. Since then, she has worked with Teach For India and Care India and is from the founding batch of Indian School of Development Management (ISDM), a one of its kind organisation creating leaders for the development sector through its experiential learning post graduate program.

As a Youth Ki Awaaz Menstrual Health Fellow, Nitisha has started Let’s Talk Period, a campaign to mobilise young people to switch to sustainable period products. She says, “80 lakh women in Delhi use non-biodegradable sanitary products, generate 3000 tonnes of menstrual waste, that takes 500-800 years to decompose; which in turn contributes to the health issues of all menstruators, increased burden of waste management on the city and harmful living environment for all citizens.

Let’s Talk Period aims to change this by

Find out more about her campaign here.

Share your details to download the report.









We promise not to spam or send irrelevant information.

A former Assistant Secretary with the Ministry of Women and Child Development in West Bengal for three months, Lakshmi Bhavya has been championing the cause of menstrual hygiene in her district. By associating herself with the Lalana Campaign, a holistic menstrual hygiene awareness campaign which is conducted by the Anahat NGO, Lakshmi has been slowly breaking taboos when it comes to periods and menstrual hygiene.

A Gender Rights Activist working with the tribal and marginalized communities in india, Srilekha is a PhD scholar working on understanding body and sexuality among tribal girls, to fill the gaps in research around indigenous women and their stories. Srilekha has worked extensively at the grassroots level with community based organisations, through several advocacy initiatives around Gender, Mental Health, Menstrual Hygiene and Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) for the indigenous in Jharkhand, over the last 6 years.

Srilekha has also contributed to sustainable livelihood projects and legal aid programs for survivors of sex trafficking. She has been conducting research based programs on maternal health, mental health, gender based violence, sex and sexuality. Her interest lies in conducting workshops for young people on life skills, feminism, gender and sexuality, trauma, resilience and interpersonal relationships.

A Guwahati-based college student pursuing her Masters in Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Bidisha started the #BleedwithDignity campaign on the technology platform Change.org, demanding that the Government of Assam install
biodegradable sanitary pad vending machines in all government schools across the state. Her petition on Change.org has already gathered support from over 90000 people and continues to grow.

Bidisha was selected in Change.org’s flagship program ‘She Creates Change’ having run successful online advocacy
campaigns, which were widely recognised. Through the #BleedwithDignity campaign; she organised and celebrated World Menstrual Hygiene Day, 2019 in Guwahati, Assam by hosting a wall mural by collaborating with local organisations. The initiative was widely covered by national and local media, and the mural was later inaugurated by the event’s chief guest Commissioner of Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) Debeswar Malakar, IAS.

Sign up for the Youth Ki Awaaz Prime Ministerial Brief below