Bollywood actress Swara Bhasker has slammed filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali for glorifying Jauhar in his latest release Padmaavat. In an open letter, which was published in The Wire on Saturday, the actress in first eight paragraphs praised SLB for his film’s release and his great vision. She also congratulated him for delivering a visual spectacle like Padmaavat. The Anaarkali of Aarah actress also shared that she has worked with him in Guzaarish and was impressed with his matureness and story-telling manner. (Also Read: Padmaavat box office collection day 3 early estimates: Ranveer – Shahid – Deepika’s film crosses Rs 80 crore mark)
Despite her adoration towards Bhansali, Swara Bhasker pointed out her offence in the climax, where Deepika committed Jauhar to protect her honour. She said:
Women have the right to live, despite being raped sir.Women have the right to live, despite the death of their husbands, male ‘protectors’, ‘owners’, ‘controllers of their sexuality’.. whatever you understand the men to be.
Women have the right to live — independent of whether men are living or not.
Women have the right to live. Period.
Women are not only walking talking vaginas.
Yes, women have vaginas, but they have more to them as well. So their whole life need not be focused on the vagina, and controlling it, protecting it, maintaining it’s purity. (Maybe in the 13th century that was the case, but in the 21st century, we do not need to subscribe to these limiting ideas. We certainly do not need to glorify them.)
It would be nice if the vaginas are respected; but in the unfortunate case that they are not, a woman can continue to live. She need not be punished with death, because another person disrespected her vagina without her consent.
There is life outside the vagina, and so there can be life after rape. (I know I repeat, but this point can never be stressed enough.)
In general, there is more to life than the vagina.
Padmaavat which also stars Ranveer Singh and Shahid Kapoor in key roles was released by facing many controversies and citicism.