Anurag Kashyap Speaks Candidly on the Making and Message of ‘Bebaak,’
Emphasizing Women’s Empowerment
In a recent interview, Anurag Kashyap, the director behind the critically acclaimed film ‘Bebaak,’ featuring Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Sheeba Chadha, and Vipin Sharma, delved into the film’s creation and its powerful message. ‘Bebaak’ narrates the remarkable journey of Fatima, a young Muslim girl hailing from a modest family with three siblings, who aspires to become an architect.
Kashyap expressed his thoughts on the film, highlighting its significance, saying, “The creation of this film was imperative, and its perspective is of utmost importance. Over my years of travel across various countries, including Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel, Egypt, Morocco, and more, I have witnessed the challenges and struggles faced by people. ‘Bebaak’ serves as a platform to articulate these issues. You can interpret it as anger, a unique perspective, or in various other ways depending on how you view the movie, but it’s Shazia, the film’s director, who truly does justice to this cause.”
During the conversation, Anurag Kashyap also shared his concerns regarding the suppression of women’s empowerment in religious contexts and the prevalence of societal patriarchy. He criticized the tendency to link a woman’s honor to her family when something unfortunate happens to her, stating, “I’m disheartened by the way we often react to adverse situations faced by women, with phrases like ‘Ghar Ki Izzat Lutt Gyi,’ implying that a woman’s honor is tied to her family as if she’s their property. This mindset isn’t acceptable. A significant contributor to patriarchy is male insecurity; some men fear that women’s independence threatens their own. I grew up in a household where my grandmothers played leading roles, and everyone had their responsibilities. Male insecurity lies at the root of many problems; we create rules out of fear that someone might take something away from us. This deep-seated insecurity underpins the system of patriarchy and ownership, and it’s something we need to address.”
Anurag Kashyap’s insights shed light on the thought-provoking themes explored in ‘Bebaak’ and the urgency of challenging societal norms that perpetuate gender inequality and subjugation.
