The Tale Of Rosie And Others: Feminine Consciousness And Identity Conflict

The Tale of Rosie and Others: Feminine Consciousness and Identity Conflict in the Cine-Text “Lipstick Under My Burkha”

Violet McHardy

Research Scholar (Ph.D)

REVA University, Bengaluru

&

Dr. Payel Dutta Chowdhury

Professor & Director

School of Arts and Humanities

REVA University, Bengaluru

ABSTRACT

The agency of patriarchy is deeply rooted in every section of the society irrespective of the border or frame of spatiality or temporality. Modern India despite its high claims of urban modernization is still fighting a lot of independence struggles in the domain of local or domestic politics largely playing on the gender roles in a negative manner. Alankrita Shrivastava slams on the face of patriarchy her debut work of visual or cine narration

Mary Wollstonecraft who is regarded the godmother of Feminism published one of the first feminist treatises, A Vindication of the Rights of Women (1792), in which she advocated the social and moral equality of the sexes. Since it was just the beginning, the basic requirement was that women take the first step, which in this case was mainly the campaign for the women’s vote. Most of the early feminists were more moderate and conservative than radical or revolutionary. Therefore, they focused mainly on suffrage and overturning legal obstacles to gender equality. During the post-Independence period, feminism in Indian English literature was largely a part of the western feminist movement. The freedom struggle brought women out of their homes and into the limelight that eventually opened up new avenues of education, employment opportunities and laws for women’s rights. With the advent of the third wave of Feminism, there was a need to challenge the established identity of the woman. According to Surbhi Sachdeva, “The essence of Feminism has a strong fundamental case intended to mean only that there are excellent reasons for thinking that women suffer from systematic social injustice because of their sex, the proposition is to be regarded as constituting feminism.” (The Financial Express) The subjugation of woman is a central fact of history and it is the main cause of

In her washed out cheap white cotton sarees, accompanied by an equally pristine full-sleeved white blouse, a lone black bindi, she is the epitome of the female agony aunt whose only aim in life is to sort out the problems of the people around her. We are introduced to the peeling walls and the dim aangan of the Hawa Manzil where one of the tenants, tries to convince her to sell the manzil so that a mall could be built. Buaji played by Ratna Pathak Shah is deft and quick to reply that it is not for sale, and she continues to move ahead with the days’ activities. Whatever she might be, yet deep inside she is Rosie of the cheap romantic flicks. As the Rosie from the books discovers her sexual love for the prince of her dreams, Usha too removes herself from the hustle and bustle of Bhopal dust-ridden din, the pungency of red chillies drying on the roof, the stench of stale oil from the deep fried samosas, and transports herself into Rosie. When the lights go off during a celebration, she stumbles into Bhaiyaji who appears to show some interest in her, but again who is forced to call her the popular term ‘Buaji’, reminding her of her place in society. Yet Usha meets the prototype of manliness in her swimming teacher, the first person who refuses to call her Buaji, thus giving rise to her dormant sexual urges. Thus, begins the saga of hidden late night talks in the bathroom, flirty chats, a