“PARCHED”: A THIRST FOR CHANGE

Film Name: Parched

Director:  Leena Yadav

Country: India

Genre: Drama

Release Date: 23 September, 2016

Duration: 1 hr. 58 m.

Have you ever had your dreams broken, your voice drowned out by a deafening silence of indifference? Leena Yadav’s much acclaimed directorial venture, “Parched” takes us on a ride across the barren lands of rural Rajasthan, where women’s colorful “ghunghat” conceal the drought within their hearts! Released in 2016, this thought-provoking cinema centers around women challenging the oppressive patriarchal paradigm, offering a raw and unapologetic perspective on gender norms in rural Indian society. The film’s unpredictable turns keep viewers hooked on women’s hardships and sufferings prompting us to ponder, why these traumatizing realities persist.

Parched narrates the intertwined tale of four ordinary women Rani, Lajjo, Bijli, and Janaki bound by hope and solidarity. Their melancholic saga navigates life’s happiness and sorrow, as they daringly confront personal demons and defy societal limitations to shape their destinies.The movie commences with Rani, a widow, searching for a beautiful bride expected to have “lambe bal aur teekhe nain” (long hair and sharp eyes) for her son, Gulab. The film tactfully exposes toxic masculinity through Rani and Gulab’s relationship, particularly when Gulab beats his wife, Janaki, and disobeys his mother. The film aims to challenge and eradicate such cultural norms. Gulab’s harmful masculine traits can be attributed to his subconscious rejection of women and ignorance of their potential for emancipation. This theme extends to Bijli, a prostitute opposing societal conduct, whose misinterpretation of her lover’s proposal highlights issues of consent, survival, and future exploitation. Throughout the film, Lajjo, a childless woman, endures abuse from her husband. The friendship between Lajjo, Rani, and Bijli, is rather intriguing. Janaki, Rani’s daughter-in-law, embodies a young woman’s quest for freedom and education by shaving her head to escape an unjust marriage. Rani supports Janaki’s decision to elope with her beloved, highlighting their resistance against prejudice.

Why do traditions, meant to unite us, often become tools of oppression instead of celebrating cultural heritage? The cinema highlights the impact of stereotypical traditions on women’s lives, from marriage to motherhood and beyond. Veils symbolize female invisibility in society, where the male-dominated panchayat enforces gender inequality. This generation-wide cycle of toxic patriarchy is omnipresent, where women are defined by subservience to male values. We have also been introduced to the “good woman” concept, as discussed in Shilpa Phadke’s “Why Loiter.” A good woman stays at home, cooks, cleans, raises children, obeys her husband and elders, and may occasionally engage in handicrafts. She does not wear jeans, cannot be barren, doesn’t speak out against abuse, never leaves her in-laws, doesn’t complain, and is never too educated. Failure to meet these rigid standards results in punishment, even when circumstances are beyond her control. We see Champa return to her village to escape horrific abuse at her in-laws’ house, only to be sent back by the panchayat and her parents in the name of “honor,” revealing that the values meant to protect “good women” often fail them. The danger is perceived to be outside, but how will they protect women against the marital rape and domestic abuse that goes on in their own homes?

Submission was never natural to women, if it was, there would not be thousands of reminders at every instance to keep this harmful cycle alive. Thus, the brainwashing of a woman under the cult of patriarchy must start at an early age. We get to know from Rani’s backstory that she was married off as a child bride to a much older man who abused her and even kept a mistress but she couldn’t condemn it. Rani, now a 32-year-old widow, should know better than to let the same cycle of abuse continue with her son yet, we see her purchasing a child bride at a hefty price. The good woman’s mindset is so ingrained in her, that she does nothing to stop her son from abusing Janaki.

However, Society can be cruel to women who don’t fit the “good woman” mold. Lajjo endures abuse from her alcoholic husband because she’s “baanjh” (infertile), while he’s the one with fertility issues. Hypocritically, her husband knew he was infertile yet used it to justify his domestic abuse, which goes to show that women cannot even trust men who are supposed to be their ‘protectors.’ Bijli’s story further reveals the double standards of a culture that exploits women for pleasure while simultaneously shaming and ostracizing them.

But it is not that all men are misogynists, like how Kishan along with his educated wife Naobi, established a cooperative to ensure women’s rights and financial freedom. Nonetheless, many men are drawn to environments where masculinity and authority are unquestioned and shame can be leveraged. Even Gulab’s actions in the film are more driven by his need for male validation than personal desires. He dominates his wife, harasses Naobi, accrues debt from a sex worker, and steals from his mother while criticizing her. What visibly shows the difference between the attitudes of these two men is that Kishan’s efforts are seen as “harmful” while Gulab’s actions are seen as “normal.” In fact, Kishan is beaten by these very boys whose mothers, sisters, and wives he tries to help. Ultimately, Rani enunciates our sentiments perfectly by leaving her son to fend for himself with the advice, “Stop trying to be a man. Be human first.”

Leena Yadav’s portrayal of female characters in “Parched” highlights voiceless subaltern women in rural settings devoid of hope, education, and freedom. The climax, where Lajjo sets her abusive husband’s house on fire, symbolizes triumph akin to burning Ravana on Dussehra. The movie boldly reflects Indian women’s unrestrained exploration of sexuality, often misrepresented in Bollywood. Lajjo discovers her desires despite the abuse, Bijli embraces her sexuality openly, Janaki learns to prioritize her needs, and Rani redefines her path to personal fulfillment. It asserts that women’s pleasure is natural and integral to their empowerment. In the final scene, women chopping their hair symbolizes societal rebellion. “Parched” ultimately tells a story of liberation from oppression to freedom, showcasing the resilience of women against adversity.

If you appreciated the bold feminist themes of “Parched,” you might also enjoy “Laapataa Ladies” and “Pink.”

          REFERENCES:

1. Carl A. (Executive director) (2013). Accord Insight: An International Review of Peace Initiatives, Women Building Peace. Conciliation Resources Publishers, ISSN 1365-0742 ISBN 978-1-905805-19-8. https://search.app/Xnj593SKSUNoHkW19
2. Strega L. (1985) The Big Sellout: Lesbian Femininity, Lesbian Ethics retrieved from  https://bevjoradicallesbian.wordpress.com/2017/07/27/the-big-sell-out-lesbian-femininity-by-linda-strega/
3. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parched
4. Gahlot R. (2019) Empowering Womanhood in the Film “Parched” Online International Interdisciplinary Research Journal. ISSN : 2249-9598, Vol-09, Issue-05, (Sep-Oct 2019) Issue.  https://www.researchgate.net/publication/335960460
5. Mondal A (2021) The Question of Womanhood: An Analysis of Leena Yadav’s Parched. Akademis, Department of English, SKB University. ISSN : 2583-2875, Vol-01, Issue-01 (July,2021) https://www.journal.skbu.ac.in/published/paper_full_text/112111629841447.pdf?v=1707803049
6. Walsh K. (2016) Unity Brightens the Lives of Indian Women in ‘Parched’, Los Angeles Times.https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-mini-parched-review-20160613-snap-story.html
7. Singh A. (2016) Parched and Feminism : Are All Women’s Stories the Same? Round Table India https://www.roundtableindia.co.in/parched-and-feminism-are-all-women-s-stories-the-same/

Anushmita Shaw

Intern, Asia in Global Affairs

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author, in his personal capacity. It does not reflect the policies and perspectives of Asia in Global Affairs.