Recently a Odiya movie have created a controversy on the issue of women in Odisha. This is not the first time any director or Odia movie industry have misrepresented women, dalit, and Adivasi in their film. This projection have hardly draw any attention from the society. This is precisely because savarna community have internalize such patriarchal ideology.
Current review is an analysis of ‘Mr. Kanhaiya’, which is produced by Sarthak Music. Movie is supposed to release by upcoming Ganesh Puja. Papu Pom Pom & Jhilik are in lead roles. In a release poster, it shows that lead male role chained many women and dragging them like as dogs.
Just look the poster ! Can you even imagine such things in this modern era ? This movie shows the sick mentality of mysogynist bigots who portray women as dogs. It seems like they are deriving this idea from the famous God of Hindus i.e. Krishna, who used to play ‘Rashleela’ with ‘Gopi Nari’ as title also claims so. What can be more degraded than such things? It is true that the inspiration for such patriarchal idea is coming from the myth related to Krishna and Rama, there is hardly any questions to such violent ideology in Odisha.

Historically, women have been oppressed & objectified in different ways throughout the world. The politics over their body & sexuality has been historical phenomenon.There have been feminist discourse challenging such mindset & practices. Still, the male dominance and their ego is attached with thier mind & behaviour. This is what Hinduism looks like. The whole idea of oppression of women & lower caste comes from religion itself. The concept of masculinity is deep rooted in patriarchal structure. In this regard, Ramaswamy Periyar says, if you want to destroy patriarchy, then destroy the concept of masculinity.

I never liked the Odia film industry. They never stepped ahead from Jagannath cult. They start with Jagannath and ends with Jagannath.
Most of them come from Brahmin-Karana caste background. They have been perpetuating Brahminism in modern ways. Here, they are objectifying women. It is not the first time also. There have been many more such movies across India. You can’t even imagine how nonsense & narrow minded these people are, who have been perpetuating discriminatory concepts through arts and culture also.

But, one thing strikes me most here that how can be these ladies was agreed to the proposal. Such violent, toxic movie need to be condemn from the society in order to create a dignified representation of women within Cinema Industry.

Read in Odia (ଓଡ଼ିଆ ରେ ପଢନ୍ତୁ )

Author: Kartik, Studying M.A. at Ajim Premji University, Bangalore.