What women want?

The release of ‘Saat khoon maaf’ is timely with the commencement of World Women’s Day or probably Vishal Bhardwaj wanted it that way. The movie, an adaptation of Ruskin Bond’s novel, explores the mind of a woman through its protagonist Suzanna and throws us the query, ’what a woman wants from any relationship?’. Suzanna goes through seven relationships and yet ends as a vapid soul yearning for more. It’s that poignant and perennial dilemma that many Suzannas face in life and if they end up bloodying their hands who’s to be blamed?

Vishal/Bond took to surrealism to essay his character but it’s not tad unrealistic for in reality many will gladly opt for it if given a chance. So what did Suzanna want? She goes on a killing spree every time she finds out that her choice is wrong. Her picks ranged from the mundane to the cavalier to the artistic to the poetic to the nerd to the puerile. Yet she couldn’t come up with one that can balm her soul. She ends her quest in the Holy Son in who she hopes to find the solace that evaded her six times.

Suzanna is not a metaphor but the real woman amongst us who is in a never ending quest for unconditional love. She is used and abused every day and yet left wanting by a misogynist society who is still at a loss when it comes to giving. The callous patriarch has invented ways to wallow in kitsch while he conveniently relegates all trouble to her. Working woman is expected to run the house and office with a panache that can put a CEO to shame.

The patriarchs are given the unique privilege of ogling her without the risks of chastise and shame as she is state property and of public use. They are followed, visually undressed and raped many a time before being abused in person. The ‘haven’ of family is no exception wherein she is tormented conveniently and expected to perform even in the oddest of situations. Her plight deepens in a joint family where she is ‘worshipped’ as the many armed devi.

A tacit moral code follows her from childhood saving her from any derailments keeping her chaste and pure for the denouement called marriage. Even after watchful eyes follow her lifelong policing her in and out. The winner is the one who passes all these fire tests and end a loving and giving martyr. No wonder that we still worship a legendary Rama and earn for a Sita in every woman and dream a Ayodhya. The indelible tattoo of Ramayan is proof that it’s a genetic defect that will haunt our posterity for aeons to come. The untethered love of Krishna holds only less water in our daily lives as we want less of Radhas than Sitas.

So Suzanna you have no other choice but to fight it tooth and nail until you get what you want. You have to draw blood to be heard. Should we shift your celeb day from March 8^th to Friday the 13^th?