BULBBUL OF NETFLIX AND NEELI OF MALABAR
BULBBUL OF NETFLIX AND NEELI OF MALABAR
Most of us like to watch and read horror contents. And we are familiar with such characters. Those characters belong to a certain culture and place. But the stories are quite similar also. And we have such a character in our malabarian tradition, the Kalliyankattu Neeli or the Malabar Vampire, who has the sharp tooth to tore her prey into pieces. There are many stories related to Neeli. But what is common in it is her revenge. Her revenge towards the people who betrayed her. Coming to movies they used the character of Neeli more sensually. Mostly all horror movies used women as a ghost material. It's like a tradition that everyone follows. But there are exceptions also. As i said earlier different cultures have different stories to tell. And the recent release of Netflix’s Bulbbul by Anushka Sharma is also a different but similar version of Kalliyankattu Neeli.
The story of Bulbbul revolves around the 19th century Bengal Presidency. Bulbbul lost her childhood when she got married to Indranil who belongs to the richest Takur family. She was just five years old that time. The journey of Bulbbul starts from there. At a point of her life in Takur mansion she got raped by her brother in law, her husband physically harassed her which resulted in her twisted leg. That time she actually took her another form as the Chudail with the twisted leg which soon changed to the nightmare of many.
The culture and situation was different for Neeli and Bulbbul, but they got betrayed by the men which eventually created enmity towards all those men who try to use women. They turn to be the cruel witches who kill the “innocent” men of the village. Where Neeli has her sensual beauty Bulbbul has a horror appearance with her twisted leg to trap their prey. Their stories are not mere stories of horror and revenge. They had gone through many harassments and molestations in their short life span. They are the symbols of a suppressed category. They have gone through many horrors in their life and in turn they make others' lives horror. Considering women as the weakest part of society is celebrated all these ages. In every society people consider women as weak and try to use her. Why is she considered as weak, as dependent, as voiceless?? These two characters are also once used by society. They have been cheated, their rights were violated, and their voices were suppressed. They have been living a chained life until their revenge broke their silence and turned to another form.
Call them Chudails or witches or Yakshi’s but it doesn't matter , only their story matters.
Let me conclude, Bulbbul and Neeli are the Sparkles of fire which are capable of destroying the whole forest of patriarchy. They have the potential to destroy the forest of patriarchy into ashes.
-Rubeena Mashood
Becoming or making to become avenging witches is only a fantasy and such withes are always being hunted. Revenge is not a solution to the injustices done to women. It never helps to bring justice to women. Revenge begets revenge. A societal change in attitudes towards women must happen and initiative must come from men. Historically such movements of Reformation are always initiated by men reformers like Rajaram Mohan Roy. Women revel in the revenge stories just as Bulbul or Neeli are in fact running away from reality.
ReplyDeleteZubair
We women makes us the weakest part of society.... awareness is indeed....fantasy stories, revenges are no worthy.....it often creates violence....stand against injustice.... taught children to respect every gender..... a woman can change a family.... a family can change a society....
ReplyDelete-- Rashida Asghar.