Scriptwriter from Bengal makes a short film on ‘Menopause’

• Why did you choose a topic like menopausefor the movie and how was it conceptualised?

My Director and I were having a coffee cup conversation one day planning about our next venture when we realized it’s perhaps high time to start featuring women centric plots on big screen. Nowadays, people talk a lot about gender equality, inclusion and diversity; but are we really that liberal? If so, why cannot we talk openly about our gynaecological concerns with male family members?It’s just like another pubertal phenomenon as beard growth for men!

Unfortunately,many in our society still consider it as a bad omen which often results in women being renounced from holy rituals during her days of menstruation. An otherwise perfect lady throughout her life is suddenly tagged ‘imperfect’ while approaching her menopause.

Since film is one of the strongest communication medium, as a film writer, I strongly believe to play a clinical role in breaking this social taboo. And our short film ‘Menopause’ is just a beginning towards that cause. It will be world’s first short film on the topic and thus we decided to kick off our journey with it. I am also working on a couple ofbold women centric films with other production houses which will be up on the sets soon. 

• Do you think female reproductive health is a taboo in India, right from menstruation to menopause?

Yes certainly, else there would not have been much hush-hush whispers about these topics. Women reproductive health discussions were always a closed-door topic of conversation. But it feels good to see the change through films like Padman, Toilet etc. Hopefully, in the days to come, our male dominated society will open their doors equally to women as well because I believe no nation can prosper without gender equality in its true sense. 

• How do you think your film will break this taboo?

As they say, ‘a pen is mightier than the sword’ and what could have been a better approach to start breaking the ice of this deep-rooted social stigma? We tried to raise these four questions through our film and a subsequent open discussion forum will perhaps mark the beginning of the societal change.

a. Can just a physiological phenomenon wash off her perfections?
b. Can we walk out of this social taboo?
c. Can we speak freely on this? 
d. Can we play a tiny role to support her during moments of agony?

We are also happy to gulp healthy criticism for creating a film on such a pointed not-so-discussed feministic topic.  

• Who do you think will be your audience?

Our short film is dedicated to all ageing ladies who once wore the shoes of perfection in family but now have been estranged due to her so called ‘imperfection.’ We wish to showcase the movie to all Indians, irrespective of their demographics so that we as a nation can take a leap forward towards building a liberal India. 

• When will the movie release and who are in the cast?

The planned release of the short film is in August 2018. Date to be declared soon.Lead star cast includes Sanaya Jamshedji, Vijay Kabra and Arjit Bhardwaj.

• Do you plan to release it internationally?

Yes, it will be an international Youtube release.