The 'Nil Battey Sannata' actress Swara Bhaskar wrote an open letter to Sanjay Leela Bhansali in which she sarcastically criticized the 'Padmaavat' director by saying she felt like a Vagina after watching the film. Swara claimed that SLB has glorified the practices of Jauhar and Sati in his film Padmaavat and urges her hypothetical feminist thoughts saying every woman has the right to live.
A few moments later she was slammed with a strong reply by the Padmaavat co-writers Siddharth-Garima. The Co-writers open letter start off straight away from where Swara ended her note. Siddharth-Garima's open letter titled "An open letter to all Vaginas" and says Padmavati's character is shown taking up Jauhar by will and not by force. They also clarified that the film is set at a medieval age, and hence it cannot be compared with today's era.
Both the writers presented their logical befitting reply to Swara's open letter and then concluded it saying, "So people who feel like a 'vagina' after watching Padmaavat, should continue to feel like a 'vagina' for they would never understand the power it has. The power to create and run the world. Such people are the biggest road-blocks for 'feminism'." The letter was more than 2000 words long and it further read
''Did they feel like a 'vagina' when Rani Padmaavati almost orders her husband, who obliges, to throw out the lecherous priest? She takes a decision, as a vagina. Did they feel like a 'vagina' when Rani Padmaavati decides to show her face to Khilji in a mirror? Though it was her decision, as a vagina. Did they feel like a 'vagina' when Rani Padmaavati goes to 'rescue' her husband who had been abducted? Again, a decision against the system, as a vagina. They must have felt like a 'vagina' when she chose 'fire' over 'rape'? It was her 'call', her 'decision' as a vagina. Right, wrong, strong, weak is up to you to interpret as a 'penis' or as a 'vagina'.
"Feminism is about taking a stand. Taking a decision and standing by it. About having the freedom to choose. It's a thought that gives you freedom to just be. Not become equals or equally chutiyatic (wait that's 'vaginal') as another gender.
"When you took your whole family and cook for the film, didn't you know it is going to end with a jauhar? Why act so surprised? Oh because you wanted him to include a comment on the practice? Ok then... as if the number of disclaimers were not enough. It's the story of womens' valour and their brave, harsh, radical decision. Their choice. That my dear is feminism. The power to be able to choose.
"Why make them small and guilty of an act that they chose to protect themselves in the face of lynching and a life of slavery? Why judge that day from 700 years ago with 'what would I do today'? It's a film based in the 13th century when women preferred and chose death to rape.
"It was Padmavati's choice and free will to not give herself up to Khilji. The question about life after rape does not arise. She, out of her free will, chose to embrace the fire rather than the tyrannical Alauddin. How is that any less empowering? It was a matter of choice and not forced upon them by their husbands! So, Padmavati was not a 'rape victim' who was so shamed that she didn't have a right to live, as you make it out to be in your letter. Amazing what you all make it into. Was your open letter about Padmaavat or the regressive 'Bhoomi'?
"So people who feel like a 'vagina' after watching Padmaavati, should continue to feel like a 'vagina' for they would never understand the power it has. The power to create and run the world. Such people are the biggest road-blocks for 'feminism'."
Click here to see the entire open letter by Swara Bhaskar and also click here to read how did the Padmaavat co-writers Siddharth-Garima's befitting counter reply looks like.
