Pooja Pillai has written a beautiful article on ‘ambitious’ women in today ‘s IE. She writes about a film ‘Anatomy of a Fall’. It is the winner of the Palme d’Or at the Cannes& the Best picture contender of this year’s Academy awards.
Sandra Voyter (played by Sandra Huller )is a well known novelist, on trial for the alleged murder of her husband. A key piece of evidence used against her is a recording of an argument between them . Samuel, her husband can be heard accusing her of placing the entire burden of managing their lives- particularly caring for & homeschooling their son- on him, thus leaving her free to pursue her writerly ambitions.
I remember two ladies who earned so that their husbands had free time to write. One wife of Kusumagraj & another wife of PL Deshpande. When the wife does it, it’s okay but when the husband is ‘the house husband she has to earn! It’s her duty.
I have also read of a husband who stayed at home & home schooled his children. They were rankers in the board exam. In India, it is the absolute zenith of achievement! He confessed it was just the byproduct. We had knowingly made the decision. She had a better job & she was good at it! How many men can talk & admire their wives’s achievement??
Back to the story, Samuel had to shelve his dream of a career as a novelist. Because he says he is the one bearing ‘the burden’ in the marriage, leaving him no time for anything else. Wow.
If she is the one, it is so natural. Plus , she has to hear of ‘doing nothing at home!’ But she cannot just visit her friends or stay over or come late. That is not allowed. Hot meals served with a smile!!!
Back again, the recording builds an image of a woman unfettered by the usual- the expected -sense of responsibility for running the house, being the child ‘s primary caretaker & putting her own life & dreams on hold for the sake of others. In other words, this is a woman who behaves ‘like a man’.
But if it was Samuel who was the novelist? Would she be the ideal wife & not demonised , then???
These double standards that Triet sought to draw attention to in the film. In an interview to the New York times, Triet said, ‘I wanted to show how a woman might come under attack precisely because of her intelligence, ambition & her mental fortitude… ( Sandra ) was broken by a moralistic society that intensely scrutinizes the way women choose to lead their lives ‘
Women punished for being ambitious is an old trope in cinema. Films were they are viewed sympathetically such as in ‘Black Swan ‘in 2011 or ‘The Devil wears Prada’ in 2006, are more cautionary tales.
‘Anatomy of a Fall’ refuses to make a monster out of Sandra & her ambition does not become a weapon in the hands of the society. That it pulls this off by giving her the role which , in real life, is often played by men, is the richly ironic takeaway. Sometimes, it is what it takes to humanize an ambitious woman.
Much more can still be said. But let’s just pause & ponder.
‘Cotton King’ ad made for the upcoming ‘women’s day’ is lovable. Spruha Joshi as the wife is set to get a promotion. ‘Vice President’. There comes the catch. She has to shift to Bangalore. She refuses.
Her husband (Shashank Ketkar) asks his parents, if he was shifting base would n’t they follow? Her mother -in -law walks away. To bring in the bowl of Gulabjamuns – to celebrate!
But why the resistance? She has worked twice to get there! Till we have the syndrome of ‘Shikleli Bayko’ I don’t think we are moving anywhere… Now that there are no money issues, help can be hired. Yet… the mentality remains jaded.
Asian Entertainment 