IN WHOSE HONOUR ?
This week ‘Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge’ will complete 800 weeks run at Maratha Mandir Cinema hall at Mumbai, it is a record for a hindi film in India. The story if we recollect is of ‘Raj’ and ‘Simran’ who meet during a European tour, initially dislike each other but fall in love. Simran’s traditional father wants her to marry the boy of his choice in India ( Punjab) and returns to his roots leaving his well established business in London. Raj follows her to India and despite the stiff opposition from her father wins her. The movie is a benchmark in the love stories genre . The present generation seems to relate to it in the same manner as our generation related to ‘Bobby’ in the seventies.
The reality is that in Democratic India ‘Honour Killings’ are on the rise. In last one year 326 ‘ honour killings’ have been reported , out of these 72% are related to couples who married outside their ‘caste’ , ‘community’. As the Nation prepares to counter the economic conflicts which the liberalization has created we are caught unaware with the ‘social churning’ stimulated by the internet, television and to an extent by ‘economic independence’ . The freedom of interaction and communication which exists has given new confidence to the new generation and by taking their own decision they are not only questioning the old values but are in fact undermining the existing ‘Authority’ of family and Village elders. But then the insecurity of parents and village elders is to such an extent that they feel no guilt or remorse in killing their kith and kin?
Democracy is dynamic , as it moves forward the established practices will be challenged. We have seen it in case of poll reforms, code of conduct etc where it was inconceivable to think that booth capturing, criminal record of candidates will ever be controlled, but gradually the things have changed. Similarly the society will have to accept this change that the young will not only think independently but will ‘feel’ independently too. The false sense of honour will have to shed, though parents will have their own plans and recommendations and in the matter of marriage even the most revered leaders have faulted , not many of us know that Pandit Nehru was not in favour of his daughter Indira marrying a Parsi Firoj Gandhi, he had desired that she should marry Mohan Kumar Manglam a promising left oriented leader, he even persuaded Bapu to influence Indira to change her mind. It is known that Bapu also counselled her but she was adamant. Therefore difference of understanding/ opinion/interest will always remain but a civilised society reacts differently. They do not kill or consider such steps as an affront to their honour. There may be break in relationship, complete distance from each other, removal from share of property but all within the socially accepted behaviour.
The visible social change is a healthy sign of a confident generation who intend to carve their own destiny even at the peril to their lives .
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