The violence inflicted by men on women is omnipresent. Men oppress women physically, emotionally, mentally, materially, financially, consciously and unconsciously too (the list can go on, by the way!). Men and their privilege has shaped the society that we live in which benefits men but exploits women. Meeraas, a short film directed by Saurabh K Thakur, explores the narrative of this ongoing violence against women, trickled down from one generation to the next, where men retain the stronghold in the patriarchal society and revel in overpowering the women of their households. The short movie, by Six Sigma Films, features popular actors Sadiya Siddiqui, Enab Khizra, Sidharth Bhardwaj, Shiva Jha Mathur and Monica Arora. Saurabh K Thakur channelled the actors’ brilliant acting and emotions sincerely to tackle such an insensitive topic.
Meeraas depicts the story of a middle-aged woman, played by Sadiya Siddiqui, whose tyrant husband subjects her to oppression through physical abuse. ‘Meeraas’ is an Urdu word which means ‘patrimony’ or ‘hereditary’. The title of the movie hints at the plot. It exposes the reality of men claiming women as their properties with whom they can toy however they like. The relationship shown between the wife and the husband, through a few second scenes, vividly depicts the clenching power dynamics between the couple, and who’s being silenced by whom. The wife covers the marks and scars left by the husband through makeup and forces a fake smile on her face.
This facade that most women put up after being subjected to violence and abuse comes as a necessity to maintain oneself respectable in the society. This respect and reputation has more to do with the man’s and the family’s image, rather than the woman’s. Even the brunt of maintaining the image in the society is laid on women and is also used to silence them. The atmosphere thus created pushes the viewers to reconsider the kind of society we’re fostering. As the movie unfolds to a sad and shocking reality of the entangled webs of domestic violence, the question whether the protagonist will go against all norms to speak up now for the revealed victim of domestic violence she comes face to face with also arises.
The extra elements in Meeraas heighten the theme of the movie. For instance, the echoing background voices of the society depict the burden of the societal weight that women have to carry. It also signifies that a lot of factors push her down from taking any action. The movie asks married women to speak up and revolt, and not let society silence them. However, one should acknowledge that majority of times a woman cannot speak up against domestic violence as it is not feasible for them. Financial dependency, looking after her child, or simple shelter, all of it is unanimously tied to her male counterpart because of the patriarchal society. Therefore, the act of speaking up should not only be on women and the victims, but the society and the ones who witness it as well.
Meeraas remains a multiple awarded short film. Actors like Sadiya Siddiqui, with their bold acting aim to reach out to the viewers strongly. Even the Ministry of Women & Child Development, Government of India, has recommended watching “Meeraas” for sharing the message of speaking up against domestic violence. The movie is a must watch on how silence is leading the heinous crimes against women continue from one generation to the next.
So, jump right onto watch Meeraas, available on Six Sigma Films’ YouTube Channel!
