Empowering Silent Voices: Women's Journey towards Happiness

Abstract

Gender roles and their stereotyped behaviour is influenced by various factors, both external and internal, during the course of an individual’s life. But, the identity of being an ideal woman is allegedly triggered by media and marketing. It seems to create an identity benchmark in the society and a pressure in women to comply with these identity standards. Indian concept of ‘woman’ varies across region, religion, class and ethnic group. The foremost identity of woman as wife and mother is fairly unified. It is one in which woman is defined in relation to a man and her capacity to reproduce. This led many of the women to believe that acceptable female roles included only those centered on being a “devoted daughter, nurturing wife, and sacrificing mother” (Dasgupta & Warrier 1996, p. 246). Literature, life and cinema lie at a common interface which is marked by a constant flux of emotions and ideals. In the recent times this flux has become a matter of interest as both literature and cinema are easily accessible and are integral to the contemporary Indian psyche. Many writers worldwide have portrayed the dire need for emancipation of woman. Issues pertaining to women like gender disparity, psychological turbulence, schizophrenic psychosis, existential predicament etc have been highlighted by novelists. It is now media who has taken the responsibility of bringing these issues forcefully to its audience. Media definitely caters to a wide variety of audience and as compared to Literature, has a wider response Aligned to above research based and practiced based view point, the researchers have attempted to carry out an in -depth analysis on the movie ‘PROVOKED”, where the women stand against her Ideal Indian Self and walks towards the happiness with the help of western social support. This conceptual paper explores the unique contribution to traditional qualitative research methodology and urban educational renewal that documentary film can achieve through illumination of issues of social justice and existing inequities in public education.