This was first written by my later mother Mita Basu on Facebook, in Bengali. It is a reaction to a recent TV commercial of Everest Garam Masala, featuring Amitabh Bacchan. I have translated the piece and also added my own perspectives, publishing here with her permission. Amitabh Bacchan appears in an Everest garam masala TV advertisement. … Continue reading Maa Ke Haat Ka Khana When Maa Is a Service Provider
As a society we have made progress to the point that we accept women in traditional men's role, but not the vice versa. So we now have modern parents who'd say "I would raise my daughter as a son" but you'd never hear someone saying, "I'd raise my son as a daughter." Modern Indian women’s aspiration is not to shed traditional gender roles but to acquire new un-gendered roles. So while women are working and perhaps taking higher position than their husbands, they are still cooking because that remains their domain and that is their expression of love and care. Ability to balance it all is also how modern women are being judged as good mother, good wife. Thus the pressure.
Gender constructs suck big time. They just suck so much they boil my blood and make me hate every nice thing in the world. And I just wonder if they can make me, one who enjoys all the freedom in the world, so agitated then how traumatic it must be for those people who are … Continue reading The gender factor:Indian TV commercials
This is effective advertising. Tata Sky launched its new tv commercial featuring Aamir Khan in a Punjabi speaking ardhanarishawar (half man half woman) avataar. You have a bollywoodish first night scene where the bride and groom (Aamir khan half dressed as man half as woman) are arguing over which TV connection should they get. Bride says, "I am leaving you … Continue reading Tata Sky’s new commercial featuring Aamir Khan
