When a woman says no, it means no, be it your friend, girlfriend, sex worker or even your wife. This is the clear message put forth by Amitabh Bachchan’s character – a defense lawyer – in the movie “Pink”.
“Pink” is a movie which captures many aspects of the kind of ordeals women have to go through when dealing with the men, especially if those men are backed by people with political connections and power. It is the first time that I have come across a movie of such caliber as far as the story and acting are concerned. “Pink” wins the viewers’ hearts because it sends its message loud and clear (except for those still pretending to be deaf). The movie clearly shows the sick mindset of male chauvinists who think of women as nothing but objects of amusement.
It is a film about three working women who live together in a flat. Through a male friend, they meet a man named Rajveer, along with his friends, at a rock concert. Rajveer and his friends offer the women to come with them to a party at a hotel resort. The women agree. There, they have drinks and hence, the men assume that the women are ready to have sex.
The girls resist, and in her self-defense, one of them physically injures Rajveer. Thus, the story begins. Rajveer’s ego is hurt and he can go to any extent to have his revenge. He and his friends threaten the women, molest them and defame them but can’t break them.
“Pink” raises many questions about the status of women in our current society. Why should a woman be considered a slut if she wears a short skirt? Why is she considered an easy target if she drinks or attends a party with a boy? Why is a woman always at the receiving end? Why can’t her choices be respected?
If the boys had invited those girls and they accepted the invitation, how on earth does this mean that they are ready to sleep with them? Why is only a woman’s character judged? This mindset prevails in the minds of many men. They just cannot handle an independent and opinionated woman. They always have to control women by questioning their characters. Alas, if only people understood that it isn’t women who are of questionable character but the men.
“Pink” highlights the real issues faced by women today. But with that, it also tells us that woman are also living, breathing beings, and their consent matters. A woman can fight for herself and say no to a man’s advancements. A woman is not a man’s puppet.
“Pink” is just one drop in the ocean. It is a good start but we need a lot of such “Pinks” to change the prevailing patriarchal society in which women are subjugated. More power to women.