The afternoon session at Pune International Literary Festival (PILF) had a film screening on the current topic of triple talaq and the burkha system. The 22-minute short film, Zarina Ka Kya Hoga?, directed by Sawani Arjun, lecturer at St Mira’s college, attracted quite an audience.
The film, whose story was written by Purushottam Ramdasi, is about a 22-year-old Zarina who proves to be a rebel in a college elocution competition when she states her views on the dominant system of burkha (face veil) and teen talaq (Muslim divorce) as impositions of a select few leaders and male treachery. Her video goes viral and the repercussions of her rebellious but secular views prove fatal. The film deals with how she resolves this issue.
It is a mouthpiece of all the girls acquiring modern education, who believe in freedom of expression, women’s rights and have faith that religion is supportive of humanity. Education imparts progressive thoughts that there is a difference between blind following of unwanted man-made age-old traditions and religious beliefs. The restrictions practically prove to be baseless in the 21st century for a girl like Zarina who interprets religion as a lifestyle causing difficulty for a few dogmatic.
According to Sawani, the idea of the film deals with religious tolerance and secularism which are on the edge at all levels. However, a few ‘men of God’ – the chauvinists and the pseudo interpreters of religion and the hollow vanities that they shoulder get shaken and intolerance percolates with the expression of bitter truth. Though no religion is an exception for existing extremists, the Muslim religion dominates in the light of staunch religious beliefs. Muslim women all over the globe have been raising their voices against the age-old traditions of teen talaq and the restriction of veils. These women have become victims of threats and deaths as the fanatics mislead the young generation to dominate women rights.
{{/usCountry}}According to Sawani, the idea of the film deals with religious tolerance and secularism which are on the edge at all levels. However, a few ‘men of God’ – the chauvinists and the pseudo interpreters of religion and the hollow vanities that they shoulder get shaken and intolerance percolates with the expression of bitter truth. Though no religion is an exception for existing extremists, the Muslim religion dominates in the light of staunch religious beliefs. Muslim women all over the globe have been raising their voices against the age-old traditions of teen talaq and the restriction of veils. These women have become victims of threats and deaths as the fanatics mislead the young generation to dominate women rights.
{{/usCountry}}The historic judgment of the Supreme Court that termed the Muslim practice of triple talaq as unconstitutional, arbitrary and not a part of Islam on August 22, has brought a boon to women fighting for their rights over the years.
“It is the implementation of the verdict that we all look forward to. It isn’t only the law that plays a major role but the transformation and reformation of human attitude and tendency towards old customs and traditions that become mandatory. This film would essentially be a powerful narrative and directive in this regard,” said Sawani.