Arbaaz Khan and Shura Khan at their wedding that took place on December 24
Guess what? People were searching for Shura Khan all over the web yesterday to get more info on the woman 56-year-old Arbaaz Khan is marrying. But each and every article on her just supplied three facts she is a make-up artist, she has worked with Raveena Tandon before and she met Arbaaz on the sets of their film Patna Shukla.
Going through all the newspaper articles and paparazzi pictures here are my realizations:
1. You get to know only why the Bollywood stars want you to know
It might apparently seem like the stars are far more exposed today on social media and with the paparazzi following them everywhere but that’s a complete myth.
The final power lies with the star and no news comes out until they wish for it to.
That’s why Arbaaz Khan could spring a surprise about his second wedding when the media was busy following around his ex-wife Malaika Arora and present boyfriend Arjun Kapoor and talking to his ex-girlfriend Giorgia Andriani.
2. Shura Khan aced Google searches yesterday
Shura Khan might be a well-known make-up artist in Bollywood but she quickly made her Instagram page private so that no one could get to know about her from her page.
According to Google Trends people searched for her age, family background, career details, personal details but nothing was available on the web.
3. Entertainment journalists will write only what works for them
In a PR-driven scenario where journalists have to depend on them for stories and interviews, entertainment journalists do not want to rub PRs the wrong way by asking too many questions or publishing things that doesn’t work for them.
Journalism has changed too. Even a decade back it was expected that the journalist belonging to a certain beat will cultivate such a network that information will land on their desk within minutes of them asking a few questions. Now either they don’t know or they don’t want to go the extra mile because editors don’t push either to get exclusives.
4. When the stars are serious about their relationships, they keep things hush-hush
Coming to relationships in Bollywood, there’s a new trend now. (Read: Katrina-Vicky affair) When they are dating seriously they want to keep it under wraps. Arbaaz was seen everywhere with ex-girlfriend actress Giorgia Andriani and they were written about. She has talked to the media about their break-up too.
But did anyone get a whiff of when the Shura-Arbaaz love affair took off or get serious? They very conveniently kept it under wraps!
Raveena Tandon with Shura Khan in an earlier photo from the Internet
5. A lady like Shura Khan can be an enigma even today!
This part I absolutely loved. Shura Khan got married in one of the most powerful families in Bollywood. She is established in her career with 15k followers on Instagram but she continues to be an enigma.
Nothing is known about her personal life or where she lives, who she parties with, what films she is working on …nothing!
After photos of their wedding were shared with the media the very next day Arbaaz Khan while driving his newly married wife, was spotted by the paps. But he ducked behind the wheels and hid his face.
So there you go. It’s their decision at the end of the day, how they want to present themselves to the media. So what do you think? Celebs are more powerful or the media?
Arbaaz Khan ducking behind the wheel to avoid being photographed a day after his wedding. (Photo: Viral Bhayani taken from the Net)
Through the Lens, Brightly: Women in Cinema, Womenat Work is National Award- winning writer Shoma A. Chatterji’s latest offering on women behind the lens. The contents page of the book can be a wee bit misleading because at first glance you might feel the writer has picked up films that we have already watched and re-watched, by women directors we are largely familiar with. But when it’s a book by Chatterji, you can expect the unexpected. What could have been a run-of-the-mill discourse has turned out to be an eye opener. It’s a highly entertaining and inspiring read. Peppered with interesting anecdotes, unknown facts and the author’s personal views, the book very intelligently steers clear from becoming an academic read. At the same time, it is a gem in the hands of students and researchers doing women’s studies, aspiring filmmakers, film scholars and students of film studies.
At the beginning of the book, Chatterji points out that women were mostly part of the film industry the world over because they brought the glamour quotient to the screen and having the acting chops wasn’t a necessity. Post WWI Hollywood saw the emergence of Dorothy Arzner, the first woman who wore the director’s cap. At almost the same time, India was also witnessing a similar change.
Cover of Through the Lens, Brightly: Women in Cinema, Women at Work by Shoma A. Chatterji
The first women directors in India
The book takes off from the fascinating perspective of how the first few Indian women took up their place behind the camera, making an unusual career choice in a male-dominated profession and making their presence felt.
As Chatterji writes, the history of Indian women directing films dates back to the silent era. Way back in 1926, it was Fatma Begum who started her own company Fatma Films and made six films; some of the popular ones being Bulbul-E-Paristan, which first treaded the world of fantasy, Heer Ranjha and Shakuntala. She belonged to Urdu theatre and had worked with noted filmmakers Ardeshir Irani and Nanubhai Desai. Her daughter actress Zubeida was the heroine of the first talkie Alam Ara.
If Fatma paved the way for women to step behind the camera, superstar Nargis’ mom Jaddanbai was another ambitious lady who started the Sangeet Film Company in 1936 and directed films like Hridaya Manthan and Madam Fashion. In fact, at the age of six, Nargis made her acting debut in the film Talash-e- Haq where Jaddanbai was the heroine. Chatterji has added details about the fascinating life of Jaddanbai, the social scenario in the film industry at that time as it evolved into a respectable profession for women and how Jaddanbai, the grandmother of Sanjay Dutt, understood the opportunities the film industry in Bombay offered even in its nascent state and built on it using her prowess in acting, music and directing.
Jaddanbai, the grandmother of Sanjay Dutt, understood the opportunities the film industry in Bombay offered even in its nascent state and built on it using her prowess in acting, music and directing.
Jaddanbai and daughter Nargis
Shobhna Samarth started her career as an actress in Marathi films but she went into direction and production and eventually launched daughter Nutan as the lead in her directorial Hamari Beti and Tanuja in Chhabili.
In Bengal, noted actress Arundhati Devi received the Certificate of Merit at the National Awards in 1967 for her film Chhuti where, apart from direction, she had done the script and music. She also directed the children’s film Padi Pishir Bormi Baksha and produced Bicharak in 1959 that has stunning performances by her and Uttam Kumar.
Actress Manju De made her directorial debut with the comedy Swargo Hotey Biday in 1954 and then she directed the hugely popular Byomkesh story Sajarur Kanta (1974) which was a runaway hit.
South Indian actresses Bhanumathi, Lakshmi, Kommareddy Savitri also tried their hands at direction and succeeded.
Shobhna Samarth with daughter Tanuja (left) and granddaughter Kajol (right)
The change in the narrative
Ray focused on a working woman in Mahanagar
These early women directors had undertaken an uphill task in a male-dominated industry where the storytelling, distribution, pumping in the moolah into films, were all perceived from a man’s perspective. That’s why the heroine on screen had to be either the victim or the good girl, or the vamp placed solely for voyeuristic pleasure, bestowed with all vices. Films were made in formulas that worked again and again so the trap was inescapable.
It was men like Satyajit Ray with his focus on a working woman in Mahanagar, Vijay Anand with Rosie’s atypical character of wife, lover, dancer in Guide or Guru Dutt through Chhoti Bahu’s character in Sahib,Biwi Aur Ghulam, challenged stereotypes. But interestingly, when women started directing films in India, it wasn’t with a hunger to challenge stereotypes but the perspective that they brought to the silver screen was fresh and different. From delving into fantasy to children’s films to detective stories to social drama, they told their stories in a different way and almost always, the objectification of women, that was so far the norm, was totally missing.
It was men like Satyajit Ray with his focus on a working woman in Mahanagar, Vijay Anand with Rosie’s atypical character of wife, lover, dancer in Guide or Guru Dutt through Chhoti Bahu’s character in Sahib,Biwi Aur Ghulam, challenged stereotypes.
Women directors of the 80s
If we are talking of emergence of women directors in the 80s, as Chatterjee rightly points out, we cannot help but take off with Aparna Sen and her path-breaking film 36 Chowringhee Lane. The actress, by stepping behind the camera and by staying behind it for four decades, has been an inspiration to many women.
While later in the book Chatterji takes a nuanced look at Aparna Sen’s debut film that was initially a dud at the box office and later attained cult status, redefining storytelling in Indian cinema, in the initial part the author talks about women directors who made their presence felt in the 80s.
She touches upon Kalpana Lajmi, the niece of Guru Dutt and cousin of Shyam Benegal, who started directing her own films after working with her cousin for 10 years. Other noted directors she talks about are Vijaya Mehta, who was a well-known theatre personality and Sai Paranjpayee who became a household name with her film Chashme Baddoor. Chatterji has detailed their work, their successes, failures and the direction they gave to Indian cinema.
Aparna Sen directing Jennifer Kapoor and Dhritiman Chatterjee in 36 Chowringhee Lane
Women moving forward behind the lens
Chatterji mentions that the only thing that was common among the women directors of the 80s was the fact that they bonded through strong storylines, were versatile and had a fresh voice and their films had beautiful music.
As the writer shares interesting anecdotes about each lady director, about their ambitions and struggles, we move into the 90s when we have women who are more focused and sorted. She mentions Odiya director Bijoya Jena whose directorial debut Tara (1992) got the National Award for the Best Odiya Film. Some other noteworthy names are Gopi Desai, Prema Karanth, Satarupa Sanyal, Sumitra Bhave and Aruna Raje whose latest film Firebrand was produced by Priyanka Chopra for OTT.
And then there were the “others” like Mira Nair, Deepa Mehta, Gurinder Chadha and Pamela Rooks. They are considered the “outsiders” because they did not supposedly belong to Indian film industry and their crew comprised technicians from East and West, but the author points out that they are as much part of this milieu because they have gone ahead and challenged stereotypes and told very strong Indian stories. Mehta’s Fire, Nair’s Namesake, Chadha’s Bend It Like Beckham haveattained cult status.
Coming to the present
Among the present crop of women directors, the author mentions Reema Kagti who made her debut with the refreshing Honeymoon Travels Pvt Ltd, Meghna Gulzar’s films Raazi and Talvar, Leena Yadav’s Parched, and Zoya Akhtar and Farah Khan, both of whom have stuck to mainstream films and neither makes feminist films nor off-beat ones. Nandita Das’ Manto, Konkona Sen Sharma’s Death in the Gunj and Kiran Rao’s Dhobi Ghat are a few films that the author mentions as commendable productions.
In a very interesting section “Ladies Behind the Scenes”, Chatterji elucidates that a study in Hollywood has shown that women in crew positions only formed 22.6 % of people behind the camera. The story in India is no different, although it’s changing gradually.
Way back in 2002, Revathi’s film Mitr, My Friend had an all-women crew and it clinched a number of awards at the National Awards. Anu Menon’s 2015 film Waiting also had an all-women crew as did Priya Beliappa’s Kannada film Ring Road in 2014. The author has given more instances in the book saying it’s rare, but it’s happening.
Way back in 2002, Revathi’s film Mitr, My Friend had an all-women crew
Revathi directing her film. (Right) Shobana in a still from Mitr, My Friend
The films in focus
In this book, Chatterji has mainly focused on how working women have been depicted in films made by women. In Aparna Sen’s 36 Chowringhee Lane, Violet Stoneham is a teacher, in Kalpana Lajmi’s Rudaali, the protagonist tries to be a part of a fading profession of lamenting women, in Leena Yadav’s Parched, the characters are crafts women and there is a travelling dancer who moonlights as a sex worker, Gauri Shinde’s English Vinglish focuses on the entrepreneur, Zoya Akhtar’s Luck By Chance has the actress as a working woman, Reema Kagti’s Talaash is about a sex worker, Ashwini Iyer Tiwari’s Nil Battey Sannata has a multi-tasking domestic maid, Alankrita Shrivastava’s Lipstick Under My Burkha covers roles like a landlady, a beauty salon worker and a nude model and Meghna Gulzar’s Raazi looks at the working woman as a secret agent.
Chatterji, through her research, has delved into the life of the working women, their images represented by the directors on celluloid and the changes their occupation brought to their lives.
Till date, there has been very little work on representation of working women in Indian cinema and one must say as one goes through the pages of the book one is amazed at the kind of research the author has done not only on each film but also on each director. The details about a director’s background, their struggles and how they wanted to get their POV across make for a truly enthralling read.
Personal stories
As the author unravels the layers in each film by going into the details of every character, storytelling style, music and script, she also fills us in with facts like when Aparna Sen started toying with the idea of directing a film, she had no clue about direction but as she says: “I saw vivid pictures in my mind and I was unafraid to ask questions. I was already dissatisfied with the roles I was playing.”
Although Kalpana Lajmi assisted Shyam Benegal for a long time it was her live-in relationship with the much older Bhupen Hazarika that led to the downfall in her career as a director, but she didn’t quit the relationship.
When Zoya Akhtar made her first film Luck By Chance, no one wanted to step into the role of a struggling actor till her brother Farhan Akhtar bailed her out. She even wove in this experience in the film script.
Gauri Shinde wrote and directed English Vinglish for her mother Vaishali Shinde who perpetually struggled with English. The author says that Gauri had actually confessed that the film was meant to be an apology to her mother who ran a pickle business from home.
Alankrita Srivastava started her career as trainee assistant director on Prakash Jha’s Gangaajal earning Rs 5,000 a month and she lived in a redeveloped slum because she had moved to Mumbai from Delhi.
The author says that Gauri had actually confessed that the film was meant to be an apology to her mother who ran a pickle business from home.
What I loved
As the author moves between the depiction of working women’s roles in films and the working styles, family background, inspiration and failures of the women behind the camera, what emerges is a narrative that’s rich, researched and real-life. The author has incorporated so many “Oh-really?” moments in the book by packing it with facts, figures and anecdotes that the interest in the book does not wane till the last page.
What is most thought-provoking is the conclusion that Soma A. Chatterji draws at the end of the book. I am not elaborating that here because the book should be read to understand her perspective.
Book:Through the Lens, Brightly: Women in Cinema, Women at Work
Apart from the fact that Saheli Mitra is a journalist, writer, entrepreneur, nature lover and a beautiful soul, what I have always liked about her is that she is someone with a mind of her own. She is someone, who doesn’t think twice before challenging social perceptions and norms.
Over the years I have keenly followed Saheli’s writings in newspapers, websites and social media and I have always appreciated her for her in-your-face, bold views and an intrinsic urge to spearhead social change. So when Saheli floated the idea of a book like Mater it came as no surprise to me because this is something that only she can think of.
As Mater, published by Virasat Publications, heads for its grand launch on Sunday, January 15, 2023 at ICCR, I decided to ask Saheli a few questions around the book and she answers me in her inimitable style.
Why did you decide to bring out a book like Mater?
I was toying with the idea for long, since days when I would be often called on the podium at various events to talk on women empowerment. I somewhere felt the general rhetoric about Beti Bachao concept going round in India is somewhere robbing the sons off their rightful place too.
Also I felt if we cannot educate our sons and by education I mean proper upbringing by their mothers, then no daughter, woman, wife, mother can be saved. Women empowerment cannot be forced through, it has to be felt, respected equally by the men as well. It cannot aim at creating a divide between man and woman where a man will even feel frightened to touch a woman affectionately, in the fear that she might complain or raise a hue and cry.
Similarly a man should have enough respect since childhood and learn that both man and woman ultimately are human beings. There is absolutely no divide between them other than their sexuality.
Any particular reason for making the book in a letter format?
We have forgotten how to write letters; be it love letters, or any other. In this tech age we convey our emotions just through emails, WA chats and virtual connect. Hence letters are very important to me. I still love writing a letter or receiving a card. Letters are tools to connect.
A letter written by a mother can even be read years later by the son when the mother is no more. That’s the power a hand-written letter has. Hence I thought of bringing out this letter anthology.
A letter written by a mother can even be read years later by the son when the mother is no more. That’s the power a hand-written letter has.
– Saheli Mitra
The cover of Mater has been designed by Rhiti Chatterjee Bose and the book is conceived and edited by Saheli Mitra
What made you choose these writers to be a part of this anthology?
I floated the idea of this anthology first on my social media handles, as the founder and content head of my Content & Creative company Tales Talks & Walks (TTW). Many responded. Many, who I didn’t know personally, and I also sent the anthology idea to those who I know as well.
We got many letters, but we chose a few, maintaining the variety of letters and not making them similar. For example there is a mother who is fighting Cancer, one who writes to her adopted son, one who writes to her dear son who is no more, one who writes to Godsons and so on.
You end your preface by saying: Let our sons break the shackles of that patriarchy and not just daughters. Please elaborate.
I have already said why I chose sons. To elaborate I would like to take names of men like Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, Raja Rammohan Roy and many many more who broke those shackles centuries back for the women to survive better. If these men were not there, who would have saved the women of India from Sati, child marriage and so on? Women did not save women, men did. Hence I thought of celebrating men and teaching sons how to be such compassionate, caring, loving souls; a teaching that only a mother can impart.
Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, Raja Rammohan Roy and many many more broke those shackles centuries back for the women to survive better. If these men were not there, who would have saved the women of India from Sati, child marriage and so on?
Do you think these letters will make a difference in the discourse around patriarchy in India?
We have already sold 100 books in the first one week, even before the launch. I am sure and confident such out-of-the-box ideas can create wonders in their own ways rather than socialites discussing women empowerment from jazzy podiums. And as we all know, words will always survive, even years later, so these letters written from the heart by various mothers will definitely create an impact.
Do you feel modern women are successful in bringing up gender sensitive boys/men?
Not really. Rather I believe women across ages and generations and centuries have raised many of their sons much better than the confused modern woman can. Else stalwarts of yesteryears would not have been born.
In your opinion, what steps can a mother take to ensure her child is strong, sensitive and respectful to the opposite gender?
Breaking the pattern. Teaching a son, he is a human being first and not a ‘son.’
Sometimes working women are turning out to be supermoms while juggling home, work and homework. Do you feel this might lead to unrealistic expectations on the part of a boy who is brought up by a supermom?
Absolutely. Not just the son, the whole family takes advantage of that ‘super woman’ tag. I believe, as I myself had a 21-year full-time journalist job and now a 24-hour daily job of an entrepreneur, running a company like TTW, that a working woman should never be burdened with any expectation. We never burden a father with such expectations, then why a mother?
How did artist Rhiti Chatterjee Bose get involved with this book?
I have admired Rhiti’s work for a long time. Also I wanted a woman to do the cover design. Despite knowing many well-known artistes of Kolkata, I thought of approaching her for the cover and she instantly agreed, sending one of the best paintings possible. I was so so touched.
Do you plan to bring out any other anthology in future?
Everything happens to me suddenly. Nothing is planned. My life is an example of that. If I ever feel the tug to do something, I just do it. Frankly I have no idea, or no commercial purpose to bring out anthologies by taking payment, fees etc. As you know we did not take anything for this book. And thanks to the wonderful Virasat Publications who did the book on a traditional publishing format, quite rare these days. Partha da, Amit Shankar and Rituparna of Virasat are doing a great job in this direction.
…My protection will be my responsibility, almost always. Editors, HR Heads who conducted my interviews said: “If you have to get into reporting, these are a few things you have to keep in mind:
You will have to keep long hours and you don’t know when you will go home.
You will cease to have a social life.
Don’t blame your job if you break up with your boyfriend.
If you think journalism is only about glamour, please don’t join.”
There was one thing that no one ever said though:
You will have to throw caution to the wind and get the job done if that means jeopardizing your own safety. And if you are not careful, you don’t know what you will land up in.
That is something that I learned on the job.
Baptism by fire
On the first day of my first job, my boss told me she had news that a very famous Indian singer was staying in a five-star hotel in Kolkata and if I could give him a call and find out if he would give us an interview. I was nervous because I hadn’t spoken to a celebrity before but the singer was sweet enough to agree to the interview.
Then I said: “I will come at 6pm for the interview. Should I come up to your room?” He said, “Okay. Please do.” I hung up satisfied that my first effort at getting an interview was going well.
But my boss was in peals. “Amrita, you should have never asked him if you could go to his room. He could take it as a cue for something else…you know….something more than just the interview…you get it, right?”
I wasn’t convinced I had done a faux pas. I argued back, “But I am a journalist asking for his interview, why would he think of ‘something else?’” My boss looked at me kindly… “It’s your first day at the job. In six months you will know what I mean.”
Now I began to get scared. So I coaxed and cajoled my boss to come along with me to the interview and she was sweet enough to relent. I called the singer from the hotel house phone and he asked me to join him in his room. After opening the door, when he saw my boss and the photographer, he couldn’t hide his surprise. He blurted, “I thought you were coming alone.”
His room was in a mess with his clothes strewn all around along with his under garments – definitely not the kind of room in which you wait for a journalist about to do an interview for a newspaper. He shoved the clothes underneath the comforter and got down to doing the interview, got friendly with all of us and impressed us with his knowledge of music.
But on my first day at a newspaper job he did give me a valuable lesson – to say it right, because men out there always look for cues. One wrong sentence and you never know what you are going to land yourself in.
And in the next six months, as my boss said, I learned a lot more. That’s why when a famous Bengali singer started giving me an interview only in his pyjamas, flashing his fleshy chest at me, I could tell him politely it would be nice if he could put on a piece of clothing while we spoke. He obliged.
That’s why when a 55-year-old Bengali writer asked me how I would feel if I was asked to kiss him, I could tell him I would be feeling like I am kissing my father and when one of the top stars of Bollywood wouldn’t stop smoking on my face I could tell him I would prefer to conduct the interview from the other end of the room and ended up doing just that.
In the film 15 park Avenue Konkona Sen Sharma plays the role of a journalist, who is raped when she goes to a small town to cover the political situation there. Here also she went alone because she had to prove a point to her boss and to her boyfriend.
It’s always about getting the story
Journalism is a profession where you are constantly interacting with people from all walks of life and what often gets to me is the lack of respect at times women face because of this job. And back in the office, what only matters is whether you have got the story or not. If you say you didn’t because you were concerned about your personal safety chances are you would be treated as a lesser mortal. And that’s when it starts happening. Women start putting their own safety in the backburner in the pursuit of a story, to prove a point, to prove they are equally good or even better than their male counterparts.
I think journalists are often conditioned like army men. Follow the orders and get the story. And if you don’t, be prepared to be court martialed in the editor’s room. On top of that if a competing publication gets the story and you couldn’t, God help you.
My safety comes first
I remember once my boss asked me to go to a Kolkata disco to interview a starlet as late as midnight. When I asked for the office car he told me, “Just hail a cab.”
I said, “It might be 2am before I finish the interview. I can’t go home so late on my own.” He retorted, “Just get the story.”
I could not imagine hailing a cab at 2am from Camac Street. I decided not to go to the assignment. Next day all hell broke loose. The allegations against me were insubordination and lack of commitment. In two seconds all my exclusives, all my late night desk work and my supposed “positive attitude” was forgotten. I didn’t care though. I was safe and that was what mattered.
A few months down the line I was sent for another assignment by the same boss, to cover a clothing exhibition at a five star hotel at a decent time – 7pm. By then, I was almost two years into the profession, had developed sharper instincts and an even sharper tongue. The first thing that struck me was that the exhibition was at a suite and not at the banquet, as it usually happens. I went to the suite and rang the bell. A gentleman opened the door and invited me in. I was about to step in, but I noticed there were at least 10 men seated there, drinking, talking boisterously and looking at me lustfully. I could not spot any woman around. When I enquired about the clothes the man at the door said it was in the bedroom. My inner voice told me not to step in. I did not. I handed the man my visiting card and told him to send me the photographs of the clothes and a write-up. The man looked very disappointed and some of the men had by then got up and joined him in his appeals to me. I left.
Next day I described the scenario to my boss and asked him what was I supposed to do? This time he agreed with my decision and didn’t haul me up for not doing an assignment. Needless to say the photographs and write-up were never delivered to me as promised by the man at the door.
Trust your instincts and get out
When I look back and think of my experiences I sometimes wonder would it have been better to be in another profession? My inner voice always says a firm NO. True. Sometimes there has been disrespect, but more often than not it has been compensated by ample respect. There have been negative experiences but also enriching experiences and most importantly experiences that have made me a stronger person, moulded me into someone who can’t be pushed around or taken for granted.
But after the Mumbai incident one thing I have realized is that women joining journalism should know personal safety is always bigger than the story. And in this profession it is but obvious you will be on a sticky wicket every other day. If your instinct says something is amiss just follow it.
Headlines come and go but your life doesn’t.
And going by the court verdict today where the juvenile involved in the Delhi rape case (the one who mutilated Nirbhaya with an iron rod) has been given three years in a juvenile home, women journalists will have to work harder towards protecting themselves now because the law is surely not coming to their rescue anytime soon.
Dr Partha Gangopadhyay is a Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist based in Scotland. The psychiatrist, who got his undergraduate medical degree from NRS Medical College, Kolkata, is passionate about women’s issues. While discussing the recent rise in violence against women in India, Dr Gangopadhyay very patiently answered all the questions that I had. In this post I am sharing my interview with him, where Dr Gangopadhyay not only talks about the current situation in India and the way forward but also shares very interesting information with us. Here goes:
Q: What is the psychology of rape?
A: There is nothing which can be branded as typical of a rapist and no particular traits that can help us isolate rapists. Rape is the most extreme form of sexual violence. We all have inherent capacities to be violent but various inhibitions such as social norms, education, environment, religion and cultural attributes modify the primal instincts. However, in certain circumstances we all are capable of presenting with violence, which can be most often manifested in the context of domestic violence.
Offenders who have engaged in some kind of sexual offence are more likely to commit rape
What can be stated with certainty is that offenders who have engaged in some kind of sexual offence such as exhibitionism or indecent assaults are more likely to engage in the commission of rape. Moreover, research indicates that the presence of disinhibiting factors (In psychology disinhibition is a lack of restraint manifested in several ways, including disregard for social conventions and poor risk assessment) such as alcohol, illicit drugs and anger have been noted to be associated with extreme acts of violence such as rape.
People with no criminal history commit marital rape
However, in my view, it is quite possible for somebody with no criminal history, in absence of disinhibiting factors to engage in such heinous behaviour which is probably most pronounced in the context of “marital rape”.
Q: Apart from incarceration can psychological counselling be used as a means to reform rapists?
A: Custodial sentences only act as a form of punishment and are a punitive measure. They are not effective in changing the behaviour of offenders including sexual offenders.
In the UK there are psychological programmes for rapists in prisons
In the UK, an individual who has been convicted of serious sexual offences, including rape, would need to compulsorily participate in psychological programs in prison which are delivered by Forensic Psychologists within the Criminal Justice Services. These programs would often address issues such as victim empathy, anger management, impact of misusing illicit drugs and alcohol and would be delivered through various means such as role-plays, group discussions and individual therapy.
Anti-libidinal medications are also used for therapy
Recently, there has also been an interest in the use of anti-libidinal medications i.e. medications which reduce sex-drive, in the management of sexual offenders.
Dr Partha Gangopadhyay is a Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist based in Scotland
Q: Why do you think there is a rise in violent crimes against women in India?
A: There can be several reasons for this:
We are getting to know because of greater media coverage
Firstly I should comment that what we are seeing as a rise might be due to more effective media coverage and greater awareness of the general public, particularly women, regarding the absolute non-acceptance of such criminal behaviour.
Sexual violence is not the norm anymore
Women are more convinced now as individuals that any kind of violence against them which includes sexual violence is “not the norm” and this then leads to a greater chance for women who have experienced violence to be open about it and report it to the criminal justice system.
The skewed sex ratio in India is also to blame
The second reason probably is the high male to female Sex ratio in India. Sex ratio is expressed as the number of women per thousand men in a given population at a given time. The high sex ratio in India can be attributed to sex-selective abortion and infanticide due to a strong preference for male heirs. This affects future marriage patterns and fertility patterns and causes unrest among young adult males who are unable to find partners. Except Kerala and Puducherry all other states and union territories in India have a negative sex ratio i.e. less than 1000 women for every 1000 men, with Haryana faring the worst among states (877 women per 1000 men in 2011) and Delhi near the bottom for Union territories (866 women per 1000 men in 2011). This might explain to some extent the high incidence of sexually violent crimes in these areas.
Q: What steps can be taken in India to handle the current situation?
A: Firstly there has to be an absolute political will to tackle this which has to go beyond narrow party interests. Secondly, I believe that there is enough legislation in India to protect women and prosecute offenders. What is lacking is effective enforcement of these legislations due to various factors such as shortage of resources, corruption and political (and various other) interferences on the public protection and prosecution systems (Police & Courts). This has to change.
India should stop projecting women as commodity
I also consider that mass entertainment media such as advertisements and films have been sometimes guilty of projecting women as a commodity whose only goal in life is to appear beautiful and obediently serve the men folk whether as a daughter, sister or wife. Such projections only nourish a derogatory view towards women which can be manifested in thoughts such as it is permissible to use force including sexual violence towards women.
The notion that women attract the attention of rapists by their behaviour and clothing should be attacked aggressively
Finally, though unfortunate, it is still widely considered in India that a woman who is dressed seductively is more likely to be sexually violated because she is almost inviting it. This notion has to be attacked aggressively through various perspectives such as education, media, politics and it has to be spelt out clearly that whatever way a woman chooses to behave or dress, it does not give any individual any right to violate her privacy.
Q: There is violence against women in UK and there is violence in India too but in what way are these two places different?
A: There are a few separate issues that we need to consider. Firstly, UK and India belong to two different socio-economic categories. With respect to violence against women, the important relevant differences would be in literacy levels and a more effective, well-resourced public protection system (Police & Courts) who are relatively free from political influence.
In UK there is greater social acceptance of a victim
Secondly, there is greater social acceptance of a victim who has been subject to sexual violence. This then facilitates the reporting of such incidents. There is also an understanding that a woman is free to choose what she wears but that does not give any man a right to behave in an inappropriate manner.
Convictions for rape are not easy to achieve in UK either
However, convictions for rape are not easy to achieve in UK either and often prosecution is abandoned owing to lack of evidence in spite of access to better Forensic facilities.
Support and rehabilitation of victims is necessary
Finally, there are a lot of agencies (Government and NGO’s) who provide support and rehabilitation for victims of sexual offences and their families in the UK, which might be a development need for India.
(Dr Partha Gangopadhyay trained in Psychiatry in London and then undertook further training in Forensic Psychiatry in Scotland for four years. His work involves looking after people who have a mental disorder but who have also committed a crime i.e. mentally disordered offenders (MDO). His research interests lie in Medical Education, specifically assessment for undergraduate medical students. His other interest is Medical Ethics & Law in which he is pursuing a Masters.)
I haven’t met Suzette Katrina Jordan in person although I would love to. As a Kolkatan and as a woman I know how much courage it takes to do what she is doing. So while talking to her over the phone from Dubai I was not at all surprised by her conviction. “I have always questioned every norm and never accepted anything just because it is the system,” said Suzette in an intense voice.
So it is obvious why Suzette decided to fight for her dignity after she was gang raped on February 5, 2012 on Park Street at gunpoint inside a car. Although after the incident, for the last one and a half year her life has been a constant battle, Suzette feels that being called “the Park Street rape victim” was the greatest sham, the worst nightmare she had lived.
She tells me why she wanted to reclaim her identity and how her life has been since she did so…
“A TV channel unethically showed most of my face and gave out my address and my father’s name so many people actually knew I was the Park Street rape victim”
I see no reason to hide my face behind a dupatta when most people in my neighbourhood know that I was the one raped on Park Street and I have been tolerating their stares for the last 16 months. I am the victim and I have done nothing wrong then why should I hide my face every time I talk on TV or go to a procession? I was finding this absolutely ridiculous.
“Since I have revealed my identity I have been getting more threats”
Since I revealed my identity and came on TV the threat calls have gone up manifold. Only a few days back someone in the locality told a family member: Apni oi Park Steet er meyetar barir lok na? Okey bolben ektu chepey jetey, khuub lafalafi korcchey. (Aren’t you from that Park Street girl’s family? Tell her to step back she creating a bit too much of noise.)
“I am in a lot of financial crisis but I will never accept any kind of compensation from the rapists”
Even before the incident happened I was going through a tough financial situation because the small data-entry-cum-call centre business that I was running with my sister had gone bust because two employees had run away with all our money. Then after this incident I went looking for work through an NGO. People somehow understood that I was the “one from Park Street” and never gave me a job. My confidence reached an all-time low along with my finances. There were days when there was nothing to eat at home. I felt so ashamed to ask for help from my friends or family.
My friends, who often dropped in, understood my predicament and bought me food and groceries. This was the time when I was repeatedly offered big money and out-of-the court settlement but I cannot imagine living on that dirty money. I want justice, I want to see those men behind bars.
“It is amazing how some people have given me more respect than ever before”
My teenage daughters have been the pillar of my strength. Happily enough I have not seen any change in the attitude of their friends towards me. I used to be very friendly with them and whenever I go to their school now they still greet me with the same warmth and respect. In fact, the principal of my daughters’ school, with whom I have had a difference of opinion many times, have been so supportive. Also I am grateful to my lawyers who are fighting my case for free and are working so hard just to give me justice.
“I think my single parent status has often gone against me”
Since the incident happened, the fact that I am a divorced single parent has been looked upon as a crime. But no one has appreciated the fact that I have been dignified enough not to tell people the reason for my divorce (which she tells me is domestic violence) and draw sympathy from it.
“It is absolutely ridiculous that Ma Durga is worshipped with such fervor in Kolkata”
I have grown up in Kolkata and while we were teenagers, we could wear anything we wanted to, go anywhere we wanted to. Now every woman is constantly judged for what she is wearing, where she is going, whom she is befriending. On top of that, from the autowallah to the boss at the workplace you are taken for granted. Only recently I was screamed at by an autowallah because I didn’t have Rs 1 change. When I retorted people around me said, “Choley jaan. Ei shober modhye porcchen keno? (Better leave, why are you getting involved in all this.) This is the attitude that is killing us.
Then you are molested everyday on public transport, your breasts are touched, your derriere is pinched. It’s a nightmare. So much brutality is happening to women in Kolkata and in the suburbs but still people in power say these are one-off incidents. I wonder what they say when a four-year-old girl is raped? Do they ask if she was drunk? Or do they ask if she was a prostitute? I am not fighting against the government because governments come and go. My question is why can’t women expect some basic rights in a place like Kolkata where Ma Durga supposedly reigns?
“My daughters will never get the freedom which we got as young girls”
If my daughters want to go to the movies I say no because I am always worrying for them. If they come home five minutes late I break into a sweat. I never remembered my parents being so tense all the time. For starters Kolkata is not the same anymore. On top of that they have a mother who has decided not to keep her mouth shut. So as a consequence I am curtailing their freedom because sometimes I am scared for them.
“I wonder if there will be any real change”
I have been blessed to have come in touch with so many amazing people who have been supporting my fight and believe in change. But what worries me is that no concrete step is being taken by the people in power. Like I believe there can be more stringent policing or monitoring. But the good thing is there has been an awakening and women are willing to fight for their rights.
“Indian women are very strong they just need the push”
In India, anything happens to a woman and you are expected to hide. Talking about it is complete taboo. If she talks about the injustices that happened to her then she has to face the flak. I think it is very important that we talk about these things and sensitize the next generation about it. Just because we don’t talk people are harbouring all kinds of botched-up notions and acting accordingly.
“I wonder if I can ever go back to a Park Street disco to dance”
I have always loved dancing and music is my life. I really enjoyed going to the disco with my friends, I enjoyed dressing up. All that has changed for me now. I don’t think I will ever be able to go back to a disco because it will bring back my trauma. I have felt really uncanny the couple of times I have been on Park Street in the last 16 months. But at least one thing has changed for me. I have a name again. People don’t call me the “Park Street rape victim” anymore.
Suzette currently works for a helpline counseling victims of violence.
More than anything else what struck me most in the article is the following paragraph:
Dubai allows you to be you. And controversially especially if you are a woman. I’m not the only woman to think that. I feel safer here in Dubai than I do in London or Paris. There is a healthy respect that means you are just left alone, so long as you in turn respect the local values and customs.
Also in Europe there is often an underlying chauvinism, that means that men can do it better, hence the paucity of women board members at big Western companies. Here from my experience and that of my entrepreneur friends, women in business are admired. I can hear all the cynics ready to wade in but I cannot refute the evidence I have from the last few weeks working here. It has been a breath of fresh air. Not to mention the openness and creativity that comes from a city that is exploding and growing at lightening speed. In ten years it has achieved what New York did in 150.
This egged me to write about what I know about the city living here for the last six years.
Ask any woman from any nationality if they feel safe living in or travelling to Dubai the answer will always be “yes” without a second thought.
Without any statistics at hand it might be a bit hard to explain why the answer is always so but I will try to do so with a few examples.
When I first moved to Dubai in 2007 my husband and I would go for after-dinner walks to the Dubai Creek which is 20 minutes from my home. One day while sitting there and enjoying the lovely view we never realized it was 1am. It was a weekday and the place was empty except for a few men sitting around here and there in twos and threes chatting amongst themselves.
I looked around and told my husband fearfully, “Do you think it’s safe to hang around here so late?”
He said, “Don’t worry, Dubai is totally safe for women. The longer you live here the better you will know.”
That’s when I spotted an abaya and sheyla-clad lady walking rigorously in her sneakers – all alone. Coming from India, where a woman’s safety is a perpetual concern, this was quite an impossible scenario for me. Six years down the line I have not yet experienced a lone walk at Dubai Creek at 1 am but I have comfortably walked alone at 12am to the 24X7 supermarket in my neighbourhood to fetch something, I have driven back home from the outskirts of the city at 2am after an office party taking a detour to drop a female friend on the way. I have hailed a cab post-midnight and reached home safe and sound lost in conversation with a friendly cabbie, and I have walked back home from a friend’s place all alone pretty late in the night.
Men and women hang out at a cafe in Dubai. Many cafes are open till 4am or through the night.
In the neighbourhood where I live, it is not uncommon to see women coming back home from work really late, mixed or even all men’s groups sitting around and chatting in the cafés late in the night. Nobody will give you a second look, nobody will try to follow you, make passes at you, hassle you with lewd comments.
In India we are always looking over our shoulders, something we hardly have to do here. So when something happens in Dubai it always comes as a shock.
Does this mean crime against women does not exist in Dubai?
Not at all. With 120 nationalities living together in a metropolis it is inevitable crime will exist and one gets to read about sexual crimes against women in the newspapers often. Dubai is also fighting human trafficking and domestic violence is also one of the issues here. But one has to admit that the rate of crime is much lower in Dubai compared to other cities.
Teenage girls move around the city comfortably
Women are as comfortable in western clothes as they are in traditional ethnic wear
Moving around the city late in the night is not an issue at all
Then how is Dubai safe?
For me it is safe because every time I step out of my home I don’t have be constantly on my guard. I come from Kolkata where I am used to being groped, commented and stared at all the time. That way Dubai comes as a breath of fresh air for me. I can be myself, wear whatever clothes I want, not worry about attracting too much attention in my short skirt, go for after-dinner-walks at 11pm with my son and travel comfortably in public transport. And also, the same Indians who misbehave back home are civil here.
Police has a major role to play
The police here provides an amazing safety net for women by efficiently patrolling the city 24×7. Be sure to spot a Dubai Police patrol wherever you go. If a woman dials 999 for help they will be there in two minutes. And most importantly the Dubai police force command respect and fear among the people for their commitment. Unlike in India, where bribes can settle matters with the police, that is unthinkable here.
Another thing that keeps women in Dubai safe is the inevitability of punishment. There is no escaping that. A British woman was raped and kidnapped by three men last July. They were eventually caught and in eight months the verdict was out and they are now in jail. Justice is delivered quickly and efficiently.
Recently an intoxicated Pakistani bus driver tried to rape an American lady tourist in an empty bus only to be beaten up by her. She escaped from the bus and reported the incident to the police. The man has been arrested and the court proceedings have already started. I will not be surprised if the case is settled quickly. Read about it here:
In this regard I would like to share an incident that put my friend in a tricky situation. This happened a few years back when she had just moved to Dubai alone. She and another friend were returning home late from a party when some men in a four-wheel started tailing them. They drove around town trying to shake them off but to no avail. Then after much deliberation they called the police. The officer on patrol duty immediately came to their rescue, did not ask them why they were out so late, escorted them home and needless to say, nabbed the men immediately.
Dubai Police patrolling the city
My friends with teenage daughters growing up here say that they are less worried about them when they go out for their tuitions or to meet friends than they would have been had they been in India.
That day a friend asked, “What is it you will miss about Dubai when you move back to Kolkata?”
My instant reply was, “I will miss venturing out of my home, even at unearthly hours, without a care in the world.”
When I move back to Kolkata I guess I will have to sharpen my claws all over again.
I had the most loving, happy-go-lucky, jovial parents till I was 12-13 years, but thereafter things began to change. When I turned 12, I did not want to be accompanied by my mother when I went cycling in the lane behind our house in Kolkata but I was not allowed alone. I wanted to walk the short distance from home to Ballygunge Phari with my friends, but I was not allowed. If I went playing with friends and came home five minutes late, my parents acted like an earthquake had hit the city and I hadn’t reached home yet. Their worry translated into frequent scolding that made me angry. I just kept thinking; what are they so worried about?
At 14, when I wanted to walk the seven-minute distance from my home to South Point School, alone, I was greeted with a negative shake of head from my father. By then I had become so adamant that I put my foot down and said I was not going to school if my mom came along. They came to a compromise. They allowed me only if I went and came back with two of my female friends. They claimed they were concerned for me. I kept thinking I was a responsible girl, what were they so concerned about?
After school I wanted to join Presidency College but my father was keen on me going to the nearby girls’ college, Lady Brabourne. My father was the happiest when I took admission there, but the happiness did not last long when the admission test results were out in Presidency College. I had got through and I had my sights set on that college. My father was livid. Going to Presidency meant taking a public bus ride for almost an hour and going to a part of the city, which he felt was not at all familiar to me and also not too safe for women. My mother, however, stood by my decision and I joined Presidency College. But my mother had no clue that my joining the college would add to her stressful existence of being the mother of a daughter. Thanks to the traffic, political processions, college functions or fests, I was perpetually reaching home late. And she claimed her hair was turning grey while she waited for me on the balcony. I just did not understand what all the fuss was about as I was a grown up girl now.
Then, when I graduated from college and started going to parties my dad drummed into my head not to accept any kind of drink from anybody at any party, “Beware, it might be spiked” was his refrain. When I went to the disco, my parents worried about the men all of whom they believed had ill intent. “If anything untoward happens what will we do?” was what they always asked me. I would say, “What nonsense, can’t I take care of myself?”
Now when I look back I think they were justified in their worry. They were prudent to know about all the beasts that lurk in every nook and cranny of our country, our city, our own homes. They knew girls in India – no matter what their age, status, class or caste – are never safe.
I am sure the paranoia she experienced in my growing-up years came back to haunt her but she’s probably glad that she doesn’t have a daughter growing up in these times.
amritaspeaks 