Docu drama

The last few days, a few of my friends from India and overseas have been openly expressing their views, both for and against the BBC documentary on Nirbhaya. I was also a participant in one thread posted by a friend on the subject.

To start with, let me say that I watched the documentary. It is a moving documentary, absolutely sticking to the facts, and I could not find a single statement denigrating Indians and Indian society as a whole in the documentary.

A constant theme from those who objected to it was that BBC had a “mischievous” motive. I also felt that way for some time initially before I saw the documentary. However, after I saw it, I knew that to allude to such was ridiculous. Another constant theme from those who objected to the documentary was that even Britain has such horrific crimes, and why did the lady not make a documentary about rapists there and interview them etc.

Now, when an independent film producer from Britain came along years ago and made a fine picture on Mahatma Gandhi, we all applauded and watched the movie – it showed historical facts, there was no bias against India. The movie went on to win Oscars. The movie was all about the positives of a man, an Indian, and his greatness. I think many of our parliamentarians and state legislators actually became aware of a man called Mahatma only after that movie. We never asked why the British chap who made the movie, did not first make one about great historical figures in his own country before getting on to Mahatma.

Now, another independent person comes from the UK, makes a documentary sticking to facts on a horrific crime in India that shook the nation for some time. This time around, our Home Minister rejects it. Why? When we, as a nation lapped up with unbridled glee, good stuff that was shown about Mahatma, why are we displaying complete immaturity when a negative incident is also shown truthfully? As for folks who argue that the lady should have made a documentary on rapists in Britain first, I pose a simple question - " would you say that Sir Richard Attenborough should have made a couple of films about greats in the UK, before turning his eyes on Mahatma ?"

Many folks who have seen the documentary, also truly believe that it will bring about a sense of shame in the nation, when it comes to appalling lack of gender equality in India. I am a bit hesitant to accept such simple conclusions quickly.

My view point is that India, as an aspiring modern nation, does not have any sense of shame at all. It suffers from a complete lack of it. Whatever little it had, India abandoned it the day it allowed a borderline illiterate lady from Italy to control a Harvard educated economist. This view of mine may appear controversial, and some may not accept it. To such folks, I would say : “kindly pause and consider these” :

- India never showed any sense of shame when 4000 were slaughtered on the streets of Delhi in 1984, when 1000 people were killed in Gujarat in 2002, when 5000 were killed in Nellie in 1983, and when such thousands of numbers included women and children, and in some cases, reportedly even unborn babies.

- A zillion documentaries have been made on such incidents. India shows no sense of shame that barely a handful have been arrested in such crimes, fewer still have been convicted and actually none has been hanged for collectively over 10,000 innocent lives snuffed out in these 3 riots in the recent past. The killers, probably hundreds and thousands of them, still roam free. Leaders who “led” the killers have been able to dodge the system for over 30 years now.

How can I ever get convinced that a nation which has shown no sense of shame in such horrific crimes, will suddenly undergo a dramatic turnaround, and develop a sense of shame, just because a solitary woman code named “Nirbhaya” was brutally raped and murdered ?

In any case, I believe that a country need not demonstrate a sense of shame – a country should demonstrate a sense of purpose, and that is better than a sense of shame, to progress.

Any man objecting to anything to bring in gender equality should be sent on to a tennis court, to face lightning fast aces, aimed at his unprotected vitals served by Serena Williams from the other side. 10 serves per at minimum 100 mph speed. I think India can hire Serena for the next 5 years for this exclusive job. She will simultaneously serve the purpose of removing gender as well as colour bias.