"God willing she'll be reborn as a man."
Deepa Mehta’s Water has been my favorite film of the course – it resonated with me in a way that not many films do. I thought Mehta’s method of prodding rather than preaching was incredibly effective. She forces us to contemplate but not necessarily adopt any positions. An example of this forced contemplation is with an interaction between Narayan and Kalyani:
Narayan: All the old traditions are dying out.
Kalyani: But what is good should not die out.
Narayan: And who will decide what is good and what is not?
This question lingered with me as the credits rolled. Who will decide what is right and what is wrong? Who is to say which culture is the cultural ideal?
Deepa revealed the roots of a controversial cultural practice without being disrespectful or unauthentic. Her script is compelling and crucial -- when Chuyia asks where the house for the men widows is, once again the viewer is left to ponder the answer for herself. On a side note, Chuyia (Sarala Kariyawasam) is so impressive as an actress and I hope to see more of her as she grows up.
It is interesting that when Auntie (I think) dies, one of the other widows says, “God willing she’ll be reborn as a man,” rather than “God willing, one day women will be treated as equals.” There is an absence of hope, an absence of resistance – as if how it is, it always will be. With the rise of Gandhi’s movement depicted, we are able to see a glimmer of change waiting in the wings. Another incredibly powerful moment of dialouge was when Narayan said that this act of punishing widows is “disguised as religion” but is in actuality just about money. One less mouth to feed. One less person to house. Perhaps the most controversial statement of the film, it forces us to think what else lies disguised amidst our lives.