Bollywood,Reality TV and Indian secularism

Bradistan Calling

Indian TV has seen numerous Bollywood reality shows, competition where common boys (and occasionally girls) have won places on movies by top directors. The Show that I want to talk about is Bollywood, blind-date and arranged (and staged) marriage all rolled into one big media circus.

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Into the Mirror – Mukhtaran Mai

EXCERPT: House Of Women

The book explores tribal traditions and lifestyles in Pakistan and tries to reconstruct both sides of the story to unearth the truth behind the alleged gang-rape of a Pakistani village woman.

November 2005, Mirwala

‘She was his bride!’ the old widow hollers in autumn sunshine, surrounded by rag-clothed grandchildren.

Gold studding her bulbous nose, the matriarch of the house where Mukhtar says she was assaulted rocks, sobs, and pulls on the tattered corners of a thin purple floral shawl pyramiding her face, and wipes her raging tears.

‘We never took their girl! They are telling lies to you and everyone! To take a girl and do such things to her does not exist in Islam. Muslims and Islam know no activity like this.’

Taj Mai Mastoi, somewhere in her 60s, cries on a charpoy in her dust-blown courtyard.

‘No-one realises we also are Muslims!’

She clutches her knee to her chin between outbursts of spitting rage.

‘There was no rape!’ she fires. ‘There was not even a panchayat! She came as a bride.’