Indian psychoanalyst, Suhir Kakar, categorizes the dominant roles of an Indian woman’s life by condensing them into the following three stages: “First she is daughter to her parents. Second she is wife to her husband (and daughter-in-law to his parents). Third she is a mother to her sons (and daughters)” (Kakar, 1996). These stages suggest the roles of Indian women and show how woman’s identity never belongs to her and depends on her relationship with others. This depicts the serious problem of gender inequality. Film and literature can be used to determine the solutions to these problems by creating awareness. Rabindranath Tagore’s novel Nastanirh (The Broken Nest, 1901) and Satyajit Ray’s film Charulata (1964) have been creating awareness
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Ray reveals that the nuance of human relationships and social structures often transcend “good” and “bad” and are compounded by multiplicity of influences and intentions (Ray, 1964). For instance, as Smith says, “Bhupati’s desire to encourage Charulata’s skills. This is both a cumulative and authoritative move. This shows compassion and love in his respect for her intelligence and passion for writing, but on the other hand, it also becomes another tool of control and further demonstrates the rift that exists between the couple. As Bhupati pushes Amal to be her “educator”, he is at once suggesting that he himself does not have the time to be occupied with such “trivialities” but his particular approach insinuates that Charulata must be deceived: ultimately she is treated as a precocious child rather than an adult” (Smith, 2014). This kind of irrational outlook on women still exists in today’s modern India: Educated men in India often consider their spouses as obtuse and consider it trivial to educate them. This gender inequality is pre-existing in India from 19th century. Ray and Tagore have been trying to solve this social inequality through their films and literature. Ray has amplified Tagore’s drive to create awareness about this gender inequality by transforming Tagore’s Nashnirh to powerful visuals that are appealing and effective in conveying
Ray reveals that the nuance of human relationships and social structures often transcend “good” and “bad” and are compounded by multiplicity of influences and intentions (Ray, 1964). For instance, as Smith says, “Bhupati’s desire to encourage Charulata’s skills. This is both a cumulative and authoritative move. This shows compassion and love in his respect for her intelligence and passion for writing, but on the other hand, it also becomes another tool of control and further demonstrates the rift that exists between the couple. As Bhupati pushes Amal to be her “educator”, he is at once suggesting that he himself does not have the time to be occupied with such “trivialities” but his particular approach insinuates that Charulata must be deceived: ultimately she is treated as a precocious child rather than an adult” (Smith, 2014). This kind of irrational outlook on women still exists in today’s modern India: Educated men in India often consider their spouses as obtuse and consider it trivial to educate them. This gender inequality is pre-existing in India from 19th century. Ray and Tagore have been trying to solve this social inequality through their films and literature. Ray has amplified Tagore’s drive to create awareness about this gender inequality by transforming Tagore’s Nashnirh to powerful visuals that are appealing and effective in conveying