How Women Have Been Given Way More Agency In Films By Aparna Sen

"When a woman makes a film, I don't know why people think it will be about women only. I am not a feminist messiah that I will only talk about women's issues if I am a woman. I think we should, like men, talk about human beings in our films. And as a woman, I see no wrong in showing a woman as evil and corrupt. Why must we always show women as glorified beings". This is what director Aparna Sen once said in an interview. Sen believes in showcasing women as strong independent characters. She added, "Many people say, 'Oh if you're a woman, you can only make delicate films on emotional subjects.' Many people in the industry feel that a woman filmmaker can't handle a war film".

In Sen's opinion, if there was a film on World War II or an adventure film, there would be high chances of a male director being preferred over a female one. According to her, that is the only discrimination she faced as a woman filmmaker. She also said that a woman has to balance home and work. But she has never felt extra special or privileged as a woman but at the same time, she has never experienced any sort of discrimination.

We need more women to say what Sen said. Women ought to be looked at as leaders, mathematicians, actors, directors and more. We need to showcase more women are role models. Here's a look at Aparna Sen's feminist Bengali movies.

Women have had a lot more agency in Aparna Sen's films

1. 36 Chowrangee Lane (1981)

In this movie, we find Miss Violet Stoneham (Jennifer Kendal), an Anglo-Indian teacher of Literature. She is an unmarried woman living all by herself in a spacious flat in 36 Chowrangee Lane, Kolkata. While single women are considered as 'broken', we find Miss Stoneham as being clear about her choice and having no regrets. She recovers from the heartbreak she went through after the death of her fiancé, but she is not miserable or frustrated.

The movie also portrays pre-marital sex between the lead characters, Nandita Roy (Debashree Roy) and her boyfriend Samaresh Moitra (Dhritiman Chatterjee). At a time when sex was treated as something impure that unmarried women never indulged in, such a move on Sen's part should be considered as progressive. As per her, there was nothing obscene about the scenes and she wasn't embarrassed while filming it.

2. Paroma (1984)

Rakhee Gulzar plays the titular role in this film. She is a housewife who finds her own voice and confronts the patriarchy through the circumstances. Paroma gets engaged in an extra-marital affair which enables her to rediscover herself. Aparna Sen considers this movie of hers to be the most feminist one in her career so far.

After being deceived by Rahul (her love interest), Paroma undergoes a trauma and thinks of killing herself. However, in the last quarter of the film, she begins questioning her identity. Questions like, "Am I an object?", "Am I just a wife and a daughter-in-law?" and "What's my existence?" come to her mind. The movie concludes with her being unapologetic about falling in love with Rahul.

3. Paromitar Ek Din (2000)

Paromita (Rituparna Sengupta) develops a friendly bond with her mother-in-law. Both of them are mothers to special children and this acts as a common thread between them. The story, though tragic, gives us hope. It also presents how a woman overcomes her demons despite all difficulties and transforms into a working woman, thereby shattering the stereotype of a homemaker.

A Still From Paromitar Ek Din, Picture Credit: TOI

4. The Japanese Wife (2010)

This film presents feminism in a very subtle way. Breaking the norm of 'manly' heroes, Sen brings to us Snehamoy (Rahul Bose), an affectionate and accommodating village school teacher. On the other hand, we have Miyage (Chigusa Takaku) who makes the move to propose marriage to him. Through their long distance love and marriage, the movie shatters the taboo surrounding long-distance relationships and helps us develop a new perspective.

Would you like to add more to the list of Aparna Sen's feminist Bengali movies?

Also Read: Bored of Bollywood? Five Bengali Feminist Films To Watch