The world before her
Rated: 6.5/10
Directed by India-born Canadian filmmaker Nisha Pahuja and presented by Anurag Kashyap, The World Before Her is a movie that must be watched by all — those whose ideals are seeped in traditions and those who want to live in 21st century modern India. The documentary film, may on the surface of it, appear to be about conflict on interests between what India stood for, its traditions, and those who think that the country should move with the rest of the world in case we want to be on the top. look a little deeper, one will find a hidden message.
Despite, the conflict between the old and the new, one thing doesn’t change the position of women in our society. Our daughters can go to a Hindu camp to learn how to fight the influence of Islam and Christianity or enter a Miss India beauty pageant, at the end of the day, her life is all about getting married raising children and looking after the home. The stories told from these two opposites, that are a reality in Indian, are poignant, insightful and makes one sit up and take notice that the society is in conflict with itself.
The editing — from one ideology to another — has been done brilliantly bringing out the contrast alive on the screen. It makes one wonder if we want to live in a country where young girls are being trained to become Hindu terrorists or where the women are just show pieces. It talks about the aspirations of the women. That each knows, from whatever strata of the society they come from, the system that they are fighting will eventually shackle them and that marriage is their duty.
It is this reality that holds one’s attention, that creates the spark that few docu-films manage to deliver. It is stark, thought-provoking and makes one take notice. It examines the limited choices women have in a male-dominated society which wants to embrace modernisation rapidly.