Editor’s Note: A short film shot for “Vogue Empower” has gone viral in the past few days, purportedly making a case for women’s empowerment. Starring Alia Bhatt and directed by Vikas Bahl (of “Queen” fame), the film imagines a utopia for women -- where they feel safe seeking out the help of men.

"I pledge to create a short film titled 'Going Home', in which we visualise a utopia for women, where, unlike today, mistrust and fear don’t dictate actions and decisions,” director Vikas Bahl had said.

The video was shared on social media several thousands times over, with users giving the message their nod of approval.

A small minority, however, questioned the message of the video -- on the grounds that do women need protection to justify empowerment? Below, Avalokita Dutt outlines 10 points that demonstrate that the video may be sending the wrong message.



1. Why do we need a helpless damsel in distress to justify her protection?

2. Why do we need protection to justify empowerment?

3. Why do we need to call upon chivalry, to appeal to the ‘Indian Male’ and their virtues of considering this fight as worth fighting for?

4. Why must we forget about self empowerment? Seriously, she needed him to open the bonnet?

5. Ever wondered why 'protection' requires sexist conduct? She then has to be a damsel in distress, unable to fix her car. Men don’t need to be portrayed as such. Their mother doesn’t call them at night to ask where they are. They’re ‘muscly’, prowling the streets, drunk of course, can’t help but harden on when they look up her skirt... And yes, basically, she will not survivewithout the men?

6. Why do we need to redeem men with glad eyes. "They're looking, j**king off on you... but see, wow! they're dropping you home?” How kind.

7. Why does women empowerment and its cinematic imagination get stuck in all of the above?

I will give you a situation. A woman loved. And then she fell out of love. He kissed her back one last time. Told her she was wonderful. Told her he will always love her. Told her, ‘maybe I will break down, but I will survive.’

I will give you the counterpart: the disempowerment. He let her go, but followed her, stalked her everyday, inundated her phone/ Facebook/classroom/ ‘chai tapri’ with recurring public humiliation, of how she used him, of how she was a slut...etc etc.

I will tell you that the disempowering counterpart, is a joke on bollywood. That’s how the boy gets his girl. For Bollywood -- that is Prince Charming sweeping you off your feet…

Would Bollywood ever understand -

"Agar ek ladki bhaagti hai, Toh zaruri nahi ki koi ladka bhi bhaaga hoga" (Alokdhanwa).

8. This recurrent need to justify the male position, “HE FOR SHE” et.al -- is hogwash.

This is a newer, more tactful patriarchy we’re going to be tied down to. Maybe it is way too old. Maybe Vikas Behl should have given credit to “CINDERELLA”... Good adaptation! Bad Story ! (Note: The incredible irony still remains that Queen was extremely acute in its empowerment for women.)

9. Get over trying to define/redefine what - 'Real' men do! or what 'Real' women do. A lot lies in between. It is called Human. And I don’t need to call upon ‘Manliness’ / ‘Womanliness’ to justify or ever romanticise that. Set a human precedent! Beyond Men and Women. These as we've seen in cases of many female athletes -- The 'real'ness of being a ‘man’ / ‘woman’ is rather oppressive!

10. A brother/husband/father/mother/sister/friend/boss/teacher -- have all been brought up within this patriarchy. I am as ‘Patriarchised’ as is my brother.

At every step we must choose; fight it within ourselves. How many decisions are we trusting her with? Or how many decisions of hers are we labelling as that of a --Slut/Love Jihad/against the Khap/Against 'Nature'/Against 'tradition'/Against her own good or safety.

I dont need you to come and help me...

Because I am beginning to see what is tying us down...

I need you to come and fight alongside me...

Because your liberation is tied to mine...

Or something like that!

Bollywood Feminism ‘se mujhey please BACHAAAOOOO!!!!’

(Avalokita Dutt is working in the film 'industry' for two years now, trying to find her cinematic language to tell stories of life and people untold and misrepresented).

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