Ishani's Pen

The study of religion or “theology” has always been a very complicated and controversial subject. According to Oxford Dictionary, religion is the belief in or worship of a “superhuman” (or divine) force that controls the Universe, especially one’s God/Gods. This belief or worship has always been governed by one’s birth; however, in the present times religion is also considered to be individualistic. Even the Constitution of India presents “Right to Religion” as a “Fundamental Right”. India has been a democratic and “secular” country since its independence – every individual had the freedom to practice his/her religion in public, dress and accessorize oneself according to a particular religion with a public display of their religious signs/symbols. Now, as far as, religion is concerned – it is restricted mainly to one’s way of dressing or worshipping. It Language or speech is always viewed as an entity that has no influence of one’s religion – language is something that is mainly ...

A Tapsee Pannu starrer movie “ Thappad ” released few months back, probably just before “International Women’s Day” – the message of the movie was simple – A husband can’t hit his wife ever, not even if he is drunk, tensed, pressurized; there should not be “a first time will be the last time” to this. But there far deeper implications of this simple plot, that goes into the design of our “so-called civilized” Indian society. From time immemorial, women have been fighting to get an equal stature with men, if not higher, in every possible field. Even in Bollywood, this issue has been raised many times – any movie with a female protagonist doesn’t earn as that with a male lead – this simply proves that even in the 21 st century, our Indian society is not ready to accept women as “protagonists” or leads; women portrayed submissive characters or glamorous avtars , behind a man is what is expected from her, even on the silver screen. Now in the Indian legal system, a lot of amendment...