- Netflix gives us strong female characters, but what do their stories tell us?
By Shailendree Wickrama Adittiya
What a toy store is to a kid, Netflix is to adults. From documentaries to romantic comedies to drama series, the streaming platform has something for every mood. Besides the many Netflix originals one can choose from, new and old movies and TV series are constantly being added to the collection. Among these are some great productions from India, with characters many of us can relate to, with common dilemmas and complaints and characters that are just too familiar.
Two of the most recent productions to be added to Netflix are Darlings, a movie, and the second season of Masaba Masaba. Both feature two strong female protagonists, although they come from entirely different worlds and have entirely different problems. And yet, there is a lot to learn and gain from both characters and their stories.
You aren’t always alone
Darlings is a movie that was released on Netflix on 5 August and in it, we are introduced to a very hopeful Badru (played by Alia Bhatt), who wants to have a child, but lives in fear of her alcoholic husband Hamza (played by Vijay Varma). Hamza is abusive, and doesn’t think twice before hurting Badru over the simplest things. Despite her mother’s advice and objections, Badru chooses to remain in the marriage and “fix things”.
We are introduced to other characters and storylines as the movie progresses, but one thing that stands out is how we are not always alone in life. In Darlings, Badru has her mother, who constantly looks out for her, and Zulfi, who is known to the family, as well as residents of their apartment building and shopkeepers in the area.
However, along with not being alone in life, the movie also shows us that an honest or frank conversation with a sibling, parent, neighbour, or friend may reveal that they too, have experienced something similar to what we have. Unfortunately, these conversations rarely happen, whether in India or Sri Lanka, and there is at most a silent understanding between persons about shared experiences that are rarely spoken about.
When similarities in Badru’s marriage, and her parents’ marriage are revealed towards the end of the movie, there is also a sense of defeat as one realises that issues like domestic abuse are those that span generations.
Expecting people to change is a fool’s game
In Darlings, Badru is hopeful that her husband will change. When he pleads with her and promises to stop drinking, she gives him yet another chance to be a better husband. However, it comes as no surprise that Hamza doesn’t change and continues to take out his anger and frustration on her. He later admits that despite blaming his alcoholism on his aggression, being sober didn’t put an end to the abuse.
A story that Badru’s mother keeps sharing throughout the movie is about the scorpion who uses a frog to cross a river. Despite promising that he won’t sting the frog midway as they will both drown, the scorpion does exactly that. The scorpion says it’s in his nature to sting the frog, and this can’t be changed.
The story and the movie act as reminders that some people can’t be changed, and that they won’t change. By expecting them to, not only will we be disappointed, but we will either be trapped in a relationship that does us no good or our attempts to change the other person will put so much strain on the relationship that it will be doomed anyway.
The past is a leech
Despite being a black comedy-drama, Darlings deals with heavy themes. Masaba Masaba is lighter in tone, and gives us a glimpse of India’s fashion and film industries, as real-life mother-daughter duo Neena Gupta and Masaba Gupta take us through the ups and downs of their lives.
Masaba Gupta is an Indian fashion designer, and in season one, attempts to navigate the dating scene after a divorce. Season two shows us the efforts the Guptas take to hold on to their places in their respective fields and stay relevant.
Masaba the adult is regularly replaced by Masaba the kid, reminding us that the past is never really behind us. Towards the end of season two, she admits that she runs away from people because she is so used to people leaving, starting from her father. This isn’t the first character to admit this on screen, but any of us who have had to adapt to the absence of someone we hold dear, whether due to death, physical distance, or the breaking apart of relationships, can also admit that it isn’t easy to shake off the impact this has on us and move on in life.
Fortunately, a leech-like past isn’t portrayed as an entirely bad thing in Masaba Masaba Season Two, as Gupta finds inspiration for a new collection from her childhood.
It’s your life, but some things are not in your control
Masaba Gupta takes us into a world of unique outfits and colours, but she also gives us a look into the life of a woman in her early 30s who is still figuring things out. This is refreshing, since there tends to be this expectation of any South Asian woman to approach her 30s with a ring on her finger and a baby on the way. But between Masaba and her best friend Gia, we learn that it’s okay if you are still finding your way in life. We are told that having a plan means nothing, when life throws unexpected hurdles your way, whether it’s a baby, a business or the blues.
And so, as we watch Masaba Gupta fight with her mother to establish boundaries and decide what she wants, we also see her make bad choices and trip and fall, and we are left feeling a bit better about our own lives.