MovieChat Forums > Water (2006) Discussion > Has anyone seen The Forgotten Woman?

Has anyone seen The Forgotten Woman?

posted 15 years ago by WatchAnythingOnce
3 replies | jump to latest

The Forgotten Woman (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1271973/) is a documentary directed by Dilip Mehta (Deepa's brother). It explores the lives of present-day widows living in Vrindavan. Many of these women report that they were forced or pressured out of their homes by their families. Various posters have stated that they don't feel Water is relevant because it is set so long ago in the past - yet there are widows suffering in much the same way today (mostly from West Bengal, according to the documentary). Not all of the women in the documentary are elderly widows who represent the last vestiges of a dying custom - some are relatively young. So for those who feel that Water creates an unfair impression of India today - how do you feel about The Forgotten Woman?

[–] WatchAnythingOnce 15 years ago

Further exploration of this issue by Dr. V. Mohini Giri http://www.griefandrenewal.com/widows_study.htm who is famous for her work in this area.

[–] cinesimonj 12 years ago

Yeah I have to wonder if the reason she set it in the past, was an attempt at putting some distance between it and contemporary Indians, so that they might give the film a go. Maybe the fact that she ran into so many problems during production, is a sign that they know full well they still have a huge problem - of course their reaction also shows just how much they plan on improving things. Very sad. Apparently this is what upper class Indians consider Democracy.
As a frequent traveler to India, I find it very difficult to accept that people who actually live there, honestly do not know this kind of thing - and many similar situations - is still a really big problem for poor women. Of course much of it is given the cover of 'religion'(the ultimate loophole in a number of self-described democracies), and TA DAA! Female slavery becomes legitimized.

[–] aphrodisiaciix 8 years ago

In the name of God(s) and religion(s), we humans created countless unnecessary suffering and injustice to our own fellow human beings and other sentient alike. We can only be truly civilized and superior as a species when we stop eating animals while realizing that there is only one true religion which is self-enlightenment... and that comes from within.