As the UK takes center stage with the impending Brexit looming large, the world sees a very determined Theresa May shuttling between Brussels and London, dismissing her naysayers, fighting hard to avoid a ‘no-deal Brexit’. And every time she rises to make a speech in the parliament she exudes grit and determination. She is a fighter and it is out there for the world to see.

Yet, people can't seem to get past staring at Theresa May's leopard print shoes, her pencil skirts or her statement neck pieces.

Clothes are excellent means of self-expression for people, gender irrespective. Clothes, shoes, accessories go a long way in sending intended messages across without actually speaking out loud. We often let our clothes do the talking when it comes to leaving a strong impact.

Who would know that better than our women leaders whose every move is under the constant public scanner?

And it is not always easy for the lady bosses who run countries and rule people’s heart with the same panache to live under scrutiny round the clock, more so in an era dominated by social media designed etiquette.

It is sad but true that more often than not fashion choices of our powerhouse woman politicians go on to make bigger headlines than the job they passionately work at.

UK's Theresa May could tell you how tough it is to be a ruling PM who likes to keep it fashionable.

When it comes to fashion, women in politics “are held to a different standard across the board” than men, said Senator Moseley Braun, who represented Illinois, in the US Senate from 1993 to 1999.

Sadly, the sentiment hasn’t changed much since Moseley was in office.

This obsession with what the powerful women of the world wear is not a recent phenomenon. Republican Katherine Langley, who represented Kentucky back in the 1920s and early 1930s was a victim too. “She offends the squeamish by her unstinted display of gipsy colours on the floor and the conspicuousness with which she dresses her bushy blue-black hair,” a reporter had written.

Why should politicians who talk openly and positively about fashion be judged?

PM May has admitted that footwears are her “greatest love”. "I like clothes and I like shoes," she told the crowd at the 2015 Women in the World summit.

Media has always been too eager to pick on her. BBC had once while reporting Brexit focussed primarily on PM May’s shoes. However, thanks to some who wish to look beyond fashion statements, this reportage was rightly and thoroughly criticised. One viewer had pointed out that the shot "sends all the wrong messages, deflects from what she was saying, shows no respect for her position, and reinforces gender stereotypes." 
 
<img alt="Theresa May and Angela Merkel" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="893282b8-8936-4603-a227-a55860382a6c" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/may.jpg" />

German Chancellor Angela wardrobe choices have prompted "letter-writing” at times. She laments her male colleagues have never had to face similar criticism about their fashion choices. In a candid interview to Die Zeit she attempted to draw the attention to this very sexist glare of the world- "It's no problem at all for a man to wear a dark blue suit for a hundred days in a row, but if I wear the same blazer four times in two weeks, that leads to letter-writing from citizens,"

Hillary Clinton must have by now learnt not to be upset for being criticised for wearing pantsuits. Remember Project Runway’s Tim Gunn who back in 2011 had said shamelessly exclaimed, “Why must she dress that way? I think she’s confused about her gender.”

PM May herself offered to break the myth that working women of substance cannot have a nose for fashion when she went on record to say, "One of the challenges for women in the workplace is to be ourselves, and I say you can be clever and like clothes. You can have a career and like clothes.". “I also think it's important to be able to show that a woman can do a job like this and still be interested in clothes," she rightly claimed.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the newly sworn-in New York City Democrat, who is otherwise a hit among colleagues and media, could not escape unwelcome and distasteful comments on her style.

Washington Examiner's Eddie Scarry tweeted a photograph of AOC as a miss. Alexandria is popularly known as, with the caption, “that jacket and coat don’t look like a girl who struggles.” His tweet was intended to cast doubts on her working-class background, she claims she comes from.

Again, why should it be difficult to fathom that women politicians like other working professionals can be very well put together as they go about their everyday business?

Harsh criticisms have often come UK PM’s way and these were not always because she could not manage to strike a timely Brexit deal with the European Union.

On several occasions, she found herself in the eye of a storm for something as regular as the choice of the colour of her dress or the slit of her skirt. When Theresa May stepped out for the Pride of Britain Awards in an attire that stopped above the knee, netizens called her out. "Put your knees away," one Twitter user wrote.

When Melania Trump wore a pith helmet during a trip to Africa in July 2018 she managed to draw a lot of flak. An understandably angry Trump told reporters, “I wish people would focus on what I do, not what I wear.”

German Chancellor Angela Merkel's low-cut dress at an opera event in Oslo in 2008 caused quite a stir in the media. Die Welt’s headline read "How much cleavage should a chancellor show?" Internet never forgets to keep a count of the number of times an attire was repeated by the Chancellor and is quick to point out how she had worn the “dark blue dress to an annual music event in 2012 as she did in 2008”

Former US first lady Michelle Obama could have moved out of the White House in 2016 but by no means has people’s interest in her fashion choices diminished. Her style has often surpassed her work in the race to make headlines. Obama wrote in her memoir how a reporter had shown more interest in who designed her dress than her speaking engagement. To keep up the fashion pace felt like a task. “Optics governed more or less everything in the political world, and I factored this into every outfit," she wrote. "It required time, though, and money – more money that I’d spent on clothing ever before." 
 
<img alt="Michelle Obama" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5fb0fae4-514d-469f-8f76-02d1fe9a4a63" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/michelle.jpg" />

Fortunately for us womankind these women have never let the cruelty take them down. These are ladies who like to live with no regrets and honestly, there isn’t any reason why they should.

Merkel said. "You can only carry out this profession when you aren't affected by things so quickly. You have to concentrate on the objective tasks."

"I have no regrets [about being famous for my shoes]," PM May once told a journalist. Politicians are like any other people and “not some different species”, she said sending out a message that she is approachable.

May is painfully aware that she will have to make peace with people judging her endlessly but she refuses to kill the fun. "Look, throughout my political career, people have commented on what I wear. That's just something that happens, and you accept that. But it doesn't stop me from going out and enjoying fashion." 
 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.) &nbsp; 
&nbsp;

As the UK takes center stage with the impending Brexit looming large, the world sees a very determined Theresa May shuttling between Brussels and London, dismissing her naysayers, fighting hard to avoid a ‘no-deal Brexit’.

As the UK takes center stage with the impending Brexit looming large, the world sees a very determined Theresa May shuttling between Brussels and London, dismissing her naysayers, fighting hard to avoid a ‘no-deal Brexit’. And every time she rises to make a speech in the parliament she exudes grit and determination. She is a fighter and it is out there for the world to see. Yet, people can't seem to get past staring at Theresa May's leopard print shoes, her pencil skirts or her statement neck pieces. Clothes are excellent means of self-expression for people, gender irrespective. Clothes, shoes, accessories go a long way in sending intended messages across without actually speaking out loud. We often let our clothes do the talking when it comes to leaving a strong impact. Who would know that better than our women leaders whose every move is under the constant public scanner? And it is not always easy for the lady bosses who run countries and rule people’s heart with the same panache to live under scrutiny round the clock, more so in an era dominated by social media designed etiquette. It is sad but true that more often than not fashion choices of our powerhouse woman politicians go on to make bigger headlines than the job they passionately work at. UK's Theresa May could tell you how tough it is to be a ruling PM who likes to keep it fashionable. When it comes to fashion, women in politics “are held to a different standard across the board” than men, said Senator Moseley Braun, who represented Illinois, in the US Senate from 1993 to 1999. Sadly, the sentiment hasn’t changed much since Moseley was in office. This obsession with what the powerful women of the world wear is not a recent phenomenon. Republican Katherine Langley, who represented Kentucky back in the 1920s and early 1930s was a victim too. “She offends the squeamish by her unstinted display of gipsy colours on the floor and the conspicuousness with which she dresses her bushy blue-black hair,” a reporter had written. Why should politicians who talk openly and positively about fashion be judged? PM May has admitted that footwears are her “greatest love”. "I like clothes and I like shoes," she told the crowd at the 2015 Women in the World summit. Media has always been too eager to pick on her. BBC had once while reporting Brexit focussed primarily on PM May’s shoes. However, thanks to some who wish to look beyond fashion statements, this reportage was rightly and thoroughly criticised. One viewer had pointed out that the shot "sends all the wrong messages, deflects from what she was saying, shows no respect for her position, and reinforces gender stereotypes." German Chancellor Angela wardrobe choices have prompted "letter-writing” at times. She laments her male colleagues have never had to face similar criticism about their fashion choices. In a candid interview to Die Zeit she attempted to draw the attention to this very sexist glare of the world- "It's no problem at all for a man to wear a dark blue suit for a hundred days in a row, but if I wear the same blazer four times in two weeks, that leads to letter-writing from citizens," Hillary Clinton must have by now learnt not to be upset for being criticised for wearing pantsuits. Remember Project Runway’s Tim Gunn who back in 2011 had said shamelessly exclaimed, “Why must she dress that way? I think she’s confused about her gender.” PM May herself offered to break the myth that working women of substance cannot have a nose for fashion when she went on record to say, "One of the challenges for women in the workplace is to be ourselves, and I say you can be clever and like clothes. You can have a career and like clothes.". “I also think it's important to be able to show that a woman can do a job like this and still be interested in clothes," she rightly claimed. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the newly sworn-in New York City Democrat, who is otherwise a hit among colleagues and media, could not escape unwelcome and distasteful comments on her style. Washington Examiner's Eddie Scarry tweeted a photograph of AOC as a miss. Alexandria is popularly known as, with the caption, “that jacket and coat don’t look like a girl who struggles.” His tweet was intended to cast doubts on her working-class background, she claims she comes from. Again, why should it be difficult to fathom that women politicians like other working professionals can be very well put together as they go about their everyday business? Harsh criticisms have often come UK PM’s way and these were not always because she could not manage to strike a timely Brexit deal with the European Union. On several occasions, she found herself in the eye of a storm for something as regular as the choice of the colour of her dress or the slit of her skirt. When Theresa May stepped out for the Pride of Britain Awards in an attire that stopped above the knee, netizens called her out. "Put your knees away," one Twitter user wrote. When Melania Trump wore a pith helmet during a trip to Africa in July 2018 she managed to draw a lot of flak. An understandably angry Trump told reporters, “I wish people would focus on what I do, not what I wear.” German Chancellor Angela Merkel's low-cut dress at an opera event in Oslo in 2008 caused quite a stir in the media. Die Welt’s headline read "How much cleavage should a chancellor show?" Internet never forgets to keep a count of the number of times an attire was repeated by the Chancellor and is quick to point out how she had worn the “dark blue dress to an annual music event in 2012 as she did in 2008” Former US first lady Michelle Obama could have moved out of the White House in 2016 but by no means has people’s interest in her fashion choices diminished. Her style has often surpassed her work in the race to make headlines. Obama wrote in her memoir how a reporter had shown more interest in who designed her dress than her speaking engagement. To keep up the fashion pace felt like a task. “Optics governed more or less everything in the political world, and I factored this into every outfit," she wrote. "It required time, though, and money – more money that I’d spent on clothing ever before." Fortunately for us womankind these women have never let the cruelty take them down. These are ladies who like to live with no regrets and honestly, there isn’t any reason why they should. Merkel said. "You can only carry out this profession when you aren't affected by things so quickly. You have to concentrate on the objective tasks." "I have no regrets [about being famous for my shoes]," PM May once told a journalist. Politicians are like any other people and “not some different species”, she said sending out a message that she is approachable. May is painfully aware that she will have to make peace with people judging her endlessly but she refuses to kill the fun. "Look, throughout my political career, people have commented on what I wear. That's just something that happens, and you accept that. But it doesn't stop me from going out and enjoying fashion." (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Why should Theresa May, Angela Merkel, Michelle Obama be judged for what they wear?

This is a story of Pakistan's Khadija Siddiqui, a 24-year-old law student who was brutally stabbed 23 times in Lahore on May 3, 2016, by Shah Hussain, a fellow student from the university.

Khadija's battle for justice was finally honoured by the Pakistan Supreme Court on Wednesday, January 23. The Court sentenced the guilty to prison.

Back in 2016, Khadija was just 21, waiting to take on the world. Little did she know on that fateful summer afternoon, three days before her law exam, that she would suffer an attack that would scar her face and life forever.&nbsp;

Siddiqui shared her story with WION, stating that her determination and will to fight brought her justice and the confidence with which she faces the world fearlessly. &nbsp;

"It was around 2 pm. I, along with my driver had gone to pick my sister from school in our car. Everything was pre-meditated. He had parked his bike and was waiting for me to appear," she said.

Hussain attacked her as she was about to get into the backseat of her car.&nbsp;

"He kept stabbing me like a mad man and no one came forward to help," she explained adding that it was her driver who managed to fight Hussain and save the sisters.

"I had refused to continue being friends with him in the university when I sensed there was something that was not right about him," Siddiqui told WION.&nbsp;

Khadija believes Hussain's male ego was wounded and drove him to commit the heinous crime. For four months she fought death.

"I had 200 stitches. 50 in the neck alone. I could barely open my mouth to eat", she told as he fought back tears.

Her body was scarred but her soul was not willing to give up just yet. Khadija wanted to live to fight for justice.

"It was a tough decision we had to make, the decision to pursue justice", she said.&nbsp;

Her family was aware they were up against the son of a famous lawyer but they never gave up hope, their decision to fight the battle for justice never faltered.

"He is the son of a lawyer and the legal fraternity was out there to protect him with all their might and that was the biggest hurdle," she noted.

"They thought they could use their power and authority to suppress my cause. Being a law student myself I just could not let that happen".

The course of judgement was a long and an extremely difficult one. Hussain's father had vowed to use everything in his power to stop his son from being jailed. Though the judicial magistrate had sentenced Hussain to seven-year imprisonment in July 2017, he was later acquitted by the Lahore High Court.

There were numerous threats. Khadija had to suffer sexual harassment and face many hurdles during the legal process.

The guilty had left no stone unturned to scare the family into submission. However, instead of feeling threatened, the family became more determined to shatter the arrogance of those guilty and ensure justice prevailed.

"Women who have suffered similar fate have come up to me and thanked me for not giving up. They said unlike them, I should not give up, that I should be an example they failed to be due to lack of support," she shared.&nbsp;

"Women are not weak. Just that we have been conditioned to believe otherwise. I was fighting to help Pakistani women get rid of this psyche," Khadija noted.

The Pakistan Supreme Court finally ruled in her favour. The Court accepted Khadija's appeal to overturn the acquittal and declared the Lahore High Court's verdict null and void. Hussain was taken into custody from outside Pakistan Supreme Court.

Khadija clearly remembers the moment the judgement was pronounced and describes it as 'overwhelming'. She was aware of the significance of the case, how the ruling would go down in history and how she had to win the case for the sake of all the women who looked up to her.

"I could not jeopardise the future of justice for women in the country. I felt it was my responsibility to keep fighting till I won."

"This victory is not mine alone. It is a victory for every woman out there," she emphasised.

With the nightmare behind her now, Khadija wishes to continue studying law so that she can be well equipped to take up cases of human rights violation in future. She wishes to practice criminal law and fight cases of violence committed against women.

"Do not suffer in silence" is Khadija's parting message to all women. She called out women to raise their voice against the injustices they suffer. "Stop victim shaming," she pleaded.

"The truth you will emerge as victorious. It took me three years but I did win finally," she concluded.

This is a story of Pakistan's Khadija Siddiqui, a 24-year-old law student who was brutally stabbed 23 times in Lahore on May 3, 2016, by Shah Hussain, a fellow student from the university.

This is a story of Pakistan's Khadija Siddiqui, a 24-year-old law student who was brutally stabbed 23 times in Lahore on May 3, 2016, by Shah Hussain, a fellow student from the university. Khadija's battle for justice was finally honoured by the Pakistan Supreme Court on Wednesday, January 23. The Court sentenced the guilty to prison. Back in 2016, Khadija was just 21, waiting to take on the world. Little did she know on that fateful summer afternoon, three days before her law exam, that she would suffer an attack that would scar her face and life forever. Siddiqui shared her story with WION, stating that her determination and will to fight brought her justice and the confidence with which she faces the world fearlessly. "It was around 2 pm. I, along with my driver had gone to pick my sister from school in our car. Everything was pre-meditated. He had parked his bike and was waiting for me to appear," she said. Hussain attacked her as she was about to get into the backseat of her car. "He kept stabbing me like a mad man and no one came forward to help," she explained adding that it was her driver who managed to fight Hussain and save the sisters. "I had refused to continue being friends with him in the university when I sensed there was something that was not right about him," Siddiqui told WION. Khadija believes Hussain's male ego was wounded and drove him to commit the heinous crime. For four months she fought death. "I had 200 stitches. 50 in the neck alone. I could barely open my mouth to eat", she told as he fought back tears. Her body was scarred but her soul was not willing to give up just yet. Khadija wanted to live to fight for justice. "It was a tough decision we had to make, the decision to pursue justice", she said. Her family was aware they were up against the son of a famous lawyer but they never gave up hope, their decision to fight the battle for justice never faltered. "He is the son of a lawyer and the legal fraternity was out there to protect him with all their might and that was the biggest hurdle," she noted. "They thought they could use their power and authority to suppress my cause. Being a law student myself I just could not let that happen". The course of judgement was a long and an extremely difficult one. Hussain's father had vowed to use everything in his power to stop his son from being jailed. Though the judicial magistrate had sentenced Hussain to seven-year imprisonment in July 2017, he was later acquitted by the Lahore High Court. There were numerous threats. Khadija had to suffer sexual harassment and face many hurdles during the legal process. The guilty had left no stone unturned to scare the family into submission. However, instead of feeling threatened, the family became more determined to shatter the arrogance of those guilty and ensure justice prevailed. "Women who have suffered similar fate have come up to me and thanked me for not giving up. They said unlike them, I should not give up, that I should be an example they failed to be due to lack of support," she shared. "Women are not weak. Just that we have been conditioned to believe otherwise. I was fighting to help Pakistani women get rid of this psyche," Khadija noted. The Pakistan Supreme Court finally ruled in her favour. The Court accepted Khadija's appeal to overturn the acquittal and declared the Lahore High Court's verdict null and void. Hussain was taken into custody from outside Pakistan Supreme Court. Khadija clearly remembers the moment the judgement was pronounced and describes it as 'overwhelming'. She was aware of the significance of the case, how the ruling would go down in history and how she had to win the case for the sake of all the women who looked up to her. "I could not jeopardise the future of justice for women in the country. I felt it was my responsibility to keep fighting till I won." "This victory is not mine alone. It is a victory for every woman out there," she emphasised. With the nightmare behind her now, Khadija wishes to continue studying law so that she can be well equipped to take up cases of human rights violation in future. She wishes to practice criminal law and fight cases of violence committed against women. "Do not suffer in silence" is Khadija's parting message to all women. She called out women to raise their voice against the injustices they suffer. "Stop victim shaming," she pleaded. "The truth you will emerge as victorious. It took me three years but I did win finally," she concluded.

I fought for women of Pakistan: Knife-attack victim Khadija Siddiqui to WION

It is not every day an Indian woman triathlete finds her way to the cover of a renowned US magazine. On a day when that happens it is obvious that we cannot keep our calm. And we should not. As an Indian, as a woman we have reasons galore to celebrate her. And we must.

It was an enriching experience to catch up with Vasu Primlani, who plays the role of a comedian, an actor, a professor, a somatic therapist, an environmentalist and of course a triathlete with such panache that is awe inspiring.

On June 5, Primlani added a new feather in her cap. She featured on the cover of Triathlete, the US magazine.

Primlani feels honoured and humbled, all at once. Has it sunk in, this joy of putting in every bit of herself into something so challenging and emerging victorious, you wonder.

"Oh it's amazing! To be on the cover of a magazine is awesome already, and to have been 'found' from the US is incredible! To stand on the cover with previous cover stories of world champions is such an honour! I am very humbled."

With childlike enthusiasm she reveals how happy she is that her posture on cover shot came out so well. Her only regret is her father is not around to witness her moment in the sun.

The journey has been demanding and exhausting. But she would not have it any other way.

Being a triathlete has been "less a sport and more a lifestyle" for her. "Once you take it up, we seldom give it up," she says. It has been 11 years now that she has been a triathlete, yet she vividly remembers her first competition. "My first triathlon was level 2 of triathlons: the Olympic distance, in Miami. I was petrified! I had just taught myself to swim freestyle, and here I was, about to swim in the ocean where sharks are known to feed!" she recounts.

How does she train to build the stamina that is a primary requirement to swim, run and cycle back to back without a break? She explains, "You have to train in six disciplines, really. Three are the sport disciplines of a triathlon: Swimming, running, and cycling. Fourth: core strength. Fifth: Fuel and hydration. Sixth: Recovery. If we don't recover from training, we'll build fatigue to the point of injury.

"Athletes respect their bodies. As triathletes, we worship our bodies," she says.

The training regime can be brutal. "Try cycling 100km non-stop. Think that's not hard enough? Try Delhi heat. Think that's not hard enough? Try being attacked by dogs. Think that's not hard enough? Try getting up at 2am to do so. Think that's not hard enough? Try cycling on highways that the Gurgaon and Noida governments don't bother lighting up. Try cycling in pitch black with trucks all around you. You can't see the road, or potholes," says Primlani.

The competitions are tough. "Generally, you are supposed to finish the Ironman within 17 hours. Imagine swimming, biking and running nonstop for 16-17 hours."

Discipline is her mantra. She knows staying extremely fit is the only way for a triathlete.

It is even harder for Primlani because she must accommodate her other career commitments. "For me, it's hard, particularly when I have to travel to do shows, or my shows get over at midnight, then I have to get up at 3am to train. Two weeks ago, I performed in Assam, and ran 11km right before the show to get some training in."

Where does she draw her strength from? How does she fight her exhaustion? What keeps her going?

Primlani guesses the probable questions and flashes a knowing smile. "We make keeping our bodies uncomfortable a habit," she notes.

"Women generally have better endurance than men," says Primlani. However, she is not oblivious to the challenges that women training in this discipline face in India.&nbsp "Think of how many women you have seen cycling anywhere in Delhi - to work or otherwise. They are just not allowed by their families, or it is considered too dangerous," she says. "They'll try to run you off the road, run you over for laughs - they have no respect for cyclists in India."

There are very few women triathletes in India and she therefore feels the overwhelming need to support her fellow triathletes. "Last year I was defeated in Delhi by a woman who was half my age, and twice as fast as me! She's a national champion, and I am so proud of her," she notes, revealing the sportsman spirit ingrained in her.

She feels inspired by everyone who has taken limitations in their stride and moved forward to face life head on.

"Take Dick Hoyt. He had a son who was unable to walk when born. When the son was young, he said 'dad I want to participate in a race' so his dad pushed his son in front of him in a wheelchair for 5km. When the son got older, he said 'dad I want to take part in the Ironman' so, his father put his son in a raft, tied the raft to his waist, and swam 3.9km. Then he carried his son to a specially designed bike and pulled him along for 180km. Then he pushed his son ahead of him for 42km. When Dick was asked, why don't you leave your son behind? He said 'Never'. He was the reason I took up this sport. I wouldn't know what to do with my arms."

Primlani is proud of what she has achieved but, in her head, she has bigger plans. "I want to complete the full Ironman: 3.9km swim, 180km bike ride, 42km run within 16 hours."

Among other things, being a triathlete has taught her to aim for the impossible and stick to her commitment to improvement.

She signs off with her message for youngsters on fitness and building stamina: "Fitness is an endurance sport - one step at a time. It's not an overnight achievement. And wherever it lands you, even an inch of improvement is success. Your job is to be gentle with your body, to respect it."

With childlike enthusiasm she reveals how happy she is that her posture on cover shot came out so well.

It is not every day an Indian woman triathlete finds her way to the cover of a renowned US magazine. On a day when that happens it is obvious that we cannot keep our calm. And we should not. As an Indian, as a woman we have reasons galore to celebrate her. And we must. It was an enriching experience to catch up with Vasu Primlani, who plays the role of a comedian, an actor, a professor, a somatic therapist, an environmentalist and of course a triathlete with such panache that is awe inspiring. On June 5, Primlani added a new feather in her cap. She featured on the cover of Triathlete, the US magazine. Primlani feels honoured and humbled, all at once. Has it sunk in, this joy of putting in every bit of herself into something so challenging and emerging victorious, you wonder. "Oh it's amazing! To be on the cover of a magazine is awesome already, and to have been 'found' from the US is incredible! To stand on the cover with previous cover stories of world champions is such an honour! I am very humbled." With childlike enthusiasm she reveals how happy she is that her posture on cover shot came out so well. Her only regret is her father is not around to witness her moment in the sun. The journey has been demanding and exhausting. But she would not have it any other way. Being a triathlete has been "less a sport and more a lifestyle" for her. "Once you take it up, we seldom give it up," she says. It has been 11 years now that she has been a triathlete, yet she vividly remembers her first competition. "My first triathlon was level 2 of triathlons: the Olympic distance, in Miami. I was petrified! I had just taught myself to swim freestyle, and here I was, about to swim in the ocean where sharks are known to feed!" she recounts. How does she train to build the stamina that is a primary requirement to swim, run and cycle back to back without a break? She explains, "You have to train in six disciplines, really. Three are the sport disciplines of a triathlon: Swimming, running, and cycling. Fourth: core strength. Fifth: Fuel and hydration. Sixth: Recovery. If we don't recover from training, we'll build fatigue to the point of injury. "Athletes respect their bodies. As triathletes, we worship our bodies," she says. The training regime can be brutal. "Try cycling 100km non-stop. Think that's not hard enough? Try Delhi heat. Think that's not hard enough? Try being attacked by dogs. Think that's not hard enough? Try getting up at 2am to do so. Think that's not hard enough? Try cycling on highways that the Gurgaon and Noida governments don't bother lighting up. Try cycling in pitch black with trucks all around you. You can't see the road, or potholes," says Primlani. The competitions are tough. "Generally, you are supposed to finish the Ironman within 17 hours. Imagine swimming, biking and running nonstop for 16-17 hours." Discipline is her mantra. She knows staying extremely fit is the only way for a triathlete. It is even harder for Primlani because she must accommodate her other career commitments. "For me, it's hard, particularly when I have to travel to do shows, or my shows get over at midnight, then I have to get up at 3am to train. Two weeks ago, I performed in Assam, and ran 11km right before the show to get some training in." Where does she draw her strength from? How does she fight her exhaustion? What keeps her going? Primlani guesses the probable questions and flashes a knowing smile. "We make keeping our bodies uncomfortable a habit," she notes. "Women generally have better endurance than men," says Primlani. However, she is not oblivious to the challenges that women training in this discipline face in India. "Think of how many women you have seen cycling anywhere in Delhi - to work or otherwise. They are just not allowed by their families, or it is considered too dangerous," she says. "They'll try to run you off the road, run you over for laughs - they have no respect for cyclists in India." There are very few women triathletes in India and she therefore feels the overwhelming need to support her fellow triathletes. "Last year I was defeated in Delhi by a woman who was half my age, and twice as fast as me! She's a national champion, and I am so proud of her," she notes, revealing the sportsman spirit ingrained in her. She feels inspired by everyone who has taken limitations in their stride and moved forward to face life head on. "Take Dick Hoyt. He had a son who was unable to walk when born. When the son was young, he said 'dad I want to participate in a race' so his dad pushed his son in front of him in a wheelchair for 5km. When the son got older, he said 'dad I want to take part in the Ironman' so, his father put his son in a raft, tied the raft to his waist, and swam 3.9km. Then he carried his son to a specially designed bike and pulled him along for 180km. Then he pushed his son ahead of him for 42km. When Dick was asked, why don't you leave your son behind? He said 'Never'. He was the reason I took up this sport. I wouldn't know what to do with my arms." Primlani is proud of what she has achieved but, in her head, she has bigger plans. "I want to complete the full Ironman: 3.9km swim, 180km bike ride, 42km run within 16 hours." Among other things, being a triathlete has taught her to aim for the impossible and stick to her commitment to improvement. She signs off with her message for youngsters on fitness and building stamina: "Fitness is an endurance sport - one step at a time. It's not an overnight achievement. And wherever it lands you, even an inch of improvement is success. Your job is to be gentle with your body, to respect it."

'Honoured and humbled': Indian woman triathlete Vasu Primlani on featuring on US magazine

&nbsp; 
Rabindra Sangeet and the soulful songs of Bhupen Hazarika were an integral part of my growing up years. I remember waking up to &lsquo;Ai akasha amar mukti&rsquo; (translation: I shall be liberated in the sky, in glorious luster) sung by my grandfather as he lovingly watered the plants in our garden. I have heard my father croon revolutionary songs like &lsquo;Ora amader gaan gaite dei na, paul robson&rsquo; (translation: they don&rsquo;t let us raise our voice, my brother Paul Robson). &nbsp;Hazarika&rsquo;s &lsquo;O Ganga boicho kano&rsquo; (translation: stretched on two shores where people live in crores, you hear their cries, still you are mum and oblivious. O the Ganges! Ganges, why do you flow in silence?) was my personal favourite. By the time I was 10, I had learned this song by heart and would consider it a feat achieved if ever my grandfather complimented me for singing it well.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
I have been in love with regional music or song of the soil as my grandfather liked to call it for as long as I can remember. Only, today I find it difficult to sniff out the very soulful songs amidst the noise that surrounds us in the guise of commercial songs churned out by the movie industries in dozens.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
Today&rsquo;s commercial movie songs are plagued by sameness. It is this sameness that has rendered these songs boring. Except for some rare, hard to come by songs, most of them appear to be copy paste jobs with next to none change in lyrics, pitch, note and scale. There is nothing new. Nothing fresh. 
&nbsp; 
Original compositions that often borrow generously from folk music step in here to add refreshment to boredom. These compositions are not conceived keeping in mind a particular movie or music video. But occasionally some of them make inroads into cinema given the enriching experience they provide to listeners. They are instrumental in attracting listeners and holding their attention, thereby generating enthusiasm for the movie among moviegoers.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
A case in point could be Ritam Sen&rsquo;s winning of the Filmfare East 2018 for penning down the song &quot;Tomake Bujhina Priyo&quot; (translation: I don&rsquo;t understand you, dear). Interestingly the song was never meant to be a part of cinema.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
&ldquo;The song was written back in 2012-2013. There was really no commercial motive&rdquo;, says Mr. Sen. The song was conceived by a group of youngsters who back then had no idea that it would go on to become such a big hit. Prasen Mukherjee added his music to the brilliantly penned words and together the team created a song which would eventually be picked up by Anindya Chatterjee for his Bengali movie Projapoti Biskut. 
&nbsp; 
The song, viral on YouTube and social media went to win the Filmfare East in all major music categories like - Best Music Album, Best Lyrics and Best Playback Singer (Female). Needless to say, the song which created a strong buzz among cine lovers worked well for the movie&rsquo;s business. 
Movie makers, music directors have time and again infused the regional music flavour in the commercial movies. Regional music is beautiful because despite being significantly different from popular and more followed compositions of a period, they manage to make pan India listeners croon to the renditions.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
Remember &#39;Nimbooda&#39; from Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and &#39;Bhumbro&#39; from Mission Kashmir? The audience has always enjoyed such regional music influencing Bollywood songs. The fact that these songs went on to become such chartbusters are proof of the popularity of regional music. &nbsp;Their popularity is also reflected in the rave reviews of the music pundits. 
&nbsp; 
We still dance to &lsquo;Beedi Jalai Le&rsquo; from Vishal Bhardwaj&rsquo;s Omkara. Wedding celebrations are incomplete without grooving to late Sri Devi&rsquo;s &#39;Navrai Majhi&#39; from English Vinglish. &lsquo;Shubharambh&rsquo; from Kai Po Che, &lsquo;Monta Re&rsquo; from &ndash; Lootera have stayed with us long after they first made their way to our hearts.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
These songs celebrate life. They aptly describe myriad emotions like joys of being in love and the sorrow of separation; they capture the beauty of life and death, the ultimate truth. They are raw and throbbing with passion. The compositions are relatable because they carry in them the smell of the soil.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
Mr&quot;. Sen feels &ldquo;folk and original music are always more honest than the commercial cinema&#39;s requirement directed forced lyrics. And because such music is honest, they are more soul-stirring.&rdquo; 
&nbsp; 
Indeed! 
&nbsp; 
To pen such songs is an art. To lend a voice to such beautiful compositions is an art too. 
&nbsp; 
Where lies the beauty of these songs, one might wonder. For me, it is all about how these songs make me feel connected, nostalgic almost. It is because these songs are the lyrical representations of myriad Indian cultures woven together by soul touching notes.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
Regional music upholds India&#39;s rich diversity in the most soulful manner. Each region has its own style and it is this style that acts as a differentiator. &nbsp;There are a plethora of songs for occasions such as weddings, engagements, and births and of planting and harvests. &nbsp;These are songs of hopes, melancholy, fears, and aspirations. They are real, they are raw. They help us reconnect with our inner self, the lost self, the self that was once fascinated by grandmother&#39;s tales and now feeds on nostalgia to relive forgotten times. 
&nbsp; 
Unfortunately, however, there are budget constraints that hinder nurturing both regional music and original compositions. &nbsp;Sometimes there is not enough exposure. Not all brilliantly composed and sung songs manage to make their way to the YouTube. Even if they do, they fail to become internet sensations because they lack the sheen and gloss of music videos that concentrate less on music and more on the look of their featured models. 
&nbsp; 
Mr. Sen is hopeful, believes &ldquo;the scene is getting better with more YouTube channels, creating a platform for original music&rdquo;. 
&nbsp; 
Music transcends all boundaries. That is why regional music must live on because nothing glorifies India&rsquo;s homogenous cultural identity like they do. 
&nbsp; 
The showbiz industry must include more folk music in mainstream cinema. As music lovers, we would love nothing better.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;

Regional music must live on because nothing glorifies India’s homogenous cultural identity like they do. However, there are budget constraints that hinder nurturing regional music.

Rabindra Sangeet and the soulful songs of Bhupen Hazarika were an integral part of my growing up years. I remember waking up to ‘Ai akasha amar mukti’ (translation: I shall be liberated in the sky, in glorious luster) sung by my grandfather as he lovingly watered the plants in our garden. I have heard my father croon revolutionary songs like ‘Ora amader gaan gaite dei na, paul robson’ (translation: they don’t let us raise our voice, my brother Paul Robson). Hazarika’s ‘O Ganga boicho kano’ (translation: stretched on two shores where people live in crores, you hear their cries, still you are mum and oblivious. O the Ganges! Ganges, why do you flow in silence?) was my personal favourite. By the time I was 10, I had learned this song by heart and would consider it a feat achieved if ever my grandfather complimented me for singing it well. I have been in love with regional music or song of the soil as my grandfather liked to call it for as long as I can remember. Only, today I find it difficult to sniff out the very soulful songs amidst the noise that surrounds us in the guise of commercial songs churned out by the movie industries in dozens. Today’s commercial movie songs are plagued by sameness. It is this sameness that has rendered these songs boring. Except for some rare, hard to come by songs, most of them appear to be copy paste jobs with next to none change in lyrics, pitch, note and scale. There is nothing new. Nothing fresh. Original compositions that often borrow generously from folk music step in here to add refreshment to boredom. These compositions are not conceived keeping in mind a particular movie or music video. But occasionally some of them make inroads into cinema given the enriching experience they provide to listeners. They are instrumental in attracting listeners and holding their attention, thereby generating enthusiasm for the movie among moviegoers. A case in point could be Ritam Sen’s winning of the Filmfare East 2018 for penning down the song "Tomake Bujhina Priyo" (translation: I don’t understand you, dear). Interestingly the song was never meant to be a part of cinema. “The song was written back in 2012-2013. There was really no commercial motive”, says Mr. Sen. The song was conceived by a group of youngsters who back then had no idea that it would go on to become such a big hit. Prasen Mukherjee added his music to the brilliantly penned words and together the team created a song which would eventually be picked up by Anindya Chatterjee for his Bengali movie Projapoti Biskut. The song, viral on YouTube and social media went to win the Filmfare East in all major music categories like - Best Music Album, Best Lyrics and Best Playback Singer (Female). Needless to say, the song which created a strong buzz among cine lovers worked well for the movie’s business. Movie makers, music directors have time and again infused the regional music flavour in the commercial movies. Regional music is beautiful because despite being significantly different from popular and more followed compositions of a period, they manage to make pan India listeners croon to the renditions. Remember 'Nimbooda' from Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and 'Bhumbro' from Mission Kashmir? The audience has always enjoyed such regional music influencing Bollywood songs. The fact that these songs went on to become such chartbusters are proof of the popularity of regional music. Their popularity is also reflected in the rave reviews of the music pundits. We still dance to ‘Beedi Jalai Le’ from Vishal Bhardwaj’s Omkara. Wedding celebrations are incomplete without grooving to late Sri Devi’s 'Navrai Majhi' from English Vinglish. ‘Shubharambh’ from Kai Po Che, ‘Monta Re’ from – Lootera have stayed with us long after they first made their way to our hearts. These songs celebrate life. They aptly describe myriad emotions like joys of being in love and the sorrow of separation; they capture the beauty of life and death, the ultimate truth. They are raw and throbbing with passion. The compositions are relatable because they carry in them the smell of the soil. Mr". Sen feels “folk and original music are always more honest than the commercial cinema's requirement directed forced lyrics. And because such music is honest, they are more soul-stirring.” Indeed! To pen such songs is an art. To lend a voice to such beautiful compositions is an art too. Where lies the beauty of these songs, one might wonder. For me, it is all about how these songs make me feel connected, nostalgic almost. It is because these songs are the lyrical representations of myriad Indian cultures woven together by soul touching notes. Regional music upholds India's rich diversity in the most soulful manner. Each region has its own style and it is this style that acts as a differentiator. There are a plethora of songs for occasions such as weddings, engagements, and births and of planting and harvests. These are songs of hopes, melancholy, fears, and aspirations. They are real, they are raw. They help us reconnect with our inner self, the lost self, the self that was once fascinated by grandmother's tales and now feeds on nostalgia to relive forgotten times. Unfortunately, however, there are budget constraints that hinder nurturing both regional music and original compositions. Sometimes there is not enough exposure. Not all brilliantly composed and sung songs manage to make their way to the YouTube. Even if they do, they fail to become internet sensations because they lack the sheen and gloss of music videos that concentrate less on music and more on the look of their featured models. Mr. Sen is hopeful, believes “the scene is getting better with more YouTube channels, creating a platform for original music”. Music transcends all boundaries. That is why regional music must live on because nothing glorifies India’s homogenous cultural identity like they do. The showbiz industry must include more folk music in mainstream cinema. As music lovers, we would love nothing better. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Long live India's folk-song love affair

Meet Akiane Kramarik.&nbsp;

Now 23, Ms. Kramarik was a child prodigy from Illinois, U.S. who had finished painting Jesus when she was all of 8. The portrait of Jesus famous as &quot;Prince of Peace&quot; went on to establish her as a wonder child. Mind you, she had no formal training. All she had was her &lsquo;visions&rsquo;.&nbsp;

Hers is a story that bewilders and fascinates many. Ms. Kramarik was 5 years old when on a rainy spring day, she had mysteriously disappeared. Her parents were frantic, of course,&nbsp;and pleaded to all to find their missing child. Police were called, her photograph distributed in the community, the search party was formed, all cars moving in and out of her hometown were checked. But they found nothing. You might wonder what is so mysterious about a 5-year-old who probably must have playfully wandered off into the woods chasing a rabbit. So, this is what is strange. Ms. Kramarik says during this entire period when people were trying to locate her, she was always around them, just invisible.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
&ldquo;I was able to see the exact number of search and rescue people, and all the vehicles and families looking for me from above, and that I was seeing everything in detail on many dimensions at the same time&rdquo;, Ms. Kramarik tells me in response to the interview questions that she so graciously agreed to answer.

Her visionary experiences began right after this incident of her mysterious disappearance. Though her early life was spent sans any religious influence, she suddenly started to talk about god.

&lsquo;Prince of Peace&rsquo;, the painting that propelled her into the limelight, was born of these very visions.

&ldquo;My visions were intense and vivid when I was a child, but I did not have either patience or ability to paint them. At eight there was a transformation in my perspective of life. My visions returned, and so did my passion for art. Jesus to me was a symbol of hope. The film &lsquo;Painting the Impossible&rsquo; describes the details of the story&rdquo;, she explains.

Did these visions scare her? After all, she was really little when she began experiencing them.&nbsp;

&ldquo;Most of them inspired me and grounded me, but there were a few that shocked me&rdquo;. She shared her visions with her mother who at first thought they were just dreams. Only later when Ms. Kramarik&rsquo;s vocabulary improved and she could explain her visions better, did her mother realise&nbsp;that her daughter&rsquo;s visions were beyond mere night dreams. &ldquo;Nobody else apart from my mother understood what was happening &ldquo;, she recalls.

Thus, began her journey and today she has 300 paintings to her credit. She admits her &ldquo;method of painting is quite complex&mdash;there are hundreds of layers that are created in order to evoke different emotions in my art.&rdquo;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/jesus-20180308083430.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
&#39;Jesus&#39; is one of her most favourite and emotional pieces. (Others)
</div>
&times;</div>

Some of her creations hold a special place in her heart. &quot; &#39;Sixteen lives in the wind&#39; and &#39;Jesus&#39; were the most emotional pieces.&quot; She painted &lsquo;Sixteen lives in the wind&rsquo; for almost a year in three continents and describes the experience as &ldquo;intense artistic journey&rdquo;. &#39;Sixteen Lives in the Wind&#39; went on to sell for $180,000 USD, her most expensive painting till date.&nbsp;

Her other favourites include &#39;Jesus&#39;, &#39;Lillies of the Valley&#39;, &#39;The Dreamer&#39;, &nbsp;&#39;Jesus&#39;, &#39;Metamorphosis&#39;, &#39;Immortal&#39;, &#39;Today&#39;.&nbsp;

She likes to paint when the world sleeps, between 3 am to 7 am. &ldquo;I feel the most inspired and focused that time&rdquo;, she notes. She has just signed and finished her latest painting &#39;The Dreamer&#39;. &#39;Coincidentally, this is about India&#39;, she tells me.&nbsp; 
 
&nbsp;Another of her great works, &#39;Enlightenment&#39; is about a Hindu monk who traveled&nbsp;the world to meet her.

Ms. Kramarik feels &ldquo;there is a deep connection in my life with India.&rdquo; &ldquo;I speak Lithuanian, the closest language to Sanskrit. There is a profound link between our cultures, and I believe it is no coincidence that God has created unique circumstances for me to paint about India&#39;s culture.&rdquo;&nbsp;

&ldquo;India has not only a market for art. India is art&rdquo;, she feels. Her great liking for India resonates in her words. &ldquo;Its history and its people, its dreams and its spirituality, its ambitions and its astounding innovations and breakthroughs in every aspect of life are one of a kind. There is no country like India, and it will never be&rdquo;, she goes on to say.

&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/sydney%20harbor-20180308084311.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
Akiane Kramarik enjoying her vacation in Sydney. (Others)
</div>
&times;</div>

What inspires this young mind, what motivates her and keeps her going, I am curious. &ldquo;My inspiration has been and still is life itself. Visible and invisible life. Busy and serene life. My guidance has been my God, and my family&rdquo;, she explains. She has lived in 15 different countries and has drawn from her experiences in creating her art. &ldquo;Every city and village, every hut and palace, every forest and sea, every peasant and government leader I met is today in my paintings. Literally, under layers of paint,&rdquo; she says.

Ms. Kramarik&rsquo;s faith and beliefs were moulded by direct visions and experiences of Jesus, heaven, and angels that began at a tender age four. At 23, she remains an ardent follower of those beliefs. She is young, talented, famous and yet simple and grounded. She says she is thankful to her parents who kept on reminding her that &ldquo;purity and humbleness were the most significant foundation&rdquo; for her growth as an artist. For all her success, she is painfully media shy. &ldquo;I did not like any attention from media. And our lifestyle in the family did not promote pretentiousness and vanity&rdquo;, she adds. The only reason she managed to be at ease at &lsquo;The Oprah Winfrey Show&rsquo; was that she did not know how empowering and famous Oprah really was.&nbsp;

It was this interview that declared her arrival to the world. &ldquo;The interview caused a domino effect, and hundreds of journalists from around the world wanted to know more about my story and my art since&rdquo;, she mentions. 
&nbsp; 
What does a woman with such intense thoughts do when she is not creating art? Ms. Kramarik helps her family out with farm work when she is not painting. She also cooks, rides her bicycle around or simply observes people during her free hours. If this does not reflect the simplicity of her life, I don&rsquo;t know what else does.

&ldquo;I practice being one with God. One with the Truth and one with peace and love. God is part of everything we do. It is inseparable from life. I am conscious of divine presence every moment. It is a gift that keeps on growing and multiplying&rdquo;, her words underlines her sentiment.

Through her art, she wants to bring hope and peace to humanity. She had once said, &ldquo;If I have been gifted by God, and I have been, it is for one reason only, to help others.&rdquo; She is involved with several charities and wishes to donate her all free time to humanitarian and educational causes. She is a believer, a woman who answered her calling and mastered the courage to respond to her visions even though she knew people might not always understand things she had to say.

She believes in the power of the womankind. &ldquo;They are the present and the future&rdquo;, she emphasises. Women will go on to build a new future, she believes. A future &ldquo;vastly different from today&rdquo;. She talks about how and why women should support and encourage each other.

&ldquo;By supporting arts and healthy families which helped civilisations hold together for thousands of years we will make a happier woman, a happier wife, a happier mother, and a happier citizen of the society. In turn, we will make more giving communities, and more peaceful countries&rdquo;, she mentions in her parting notes. 
&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;

Akiane Kramarik, now 23, was a child prodigy who had finished painting Jesus when she was all of 8 without formal training. All she had was her visions.

Meet Akiane Kramarik. Now 23, Ms. Kramarik was a child prodigy from Illinois, U.S. who had finished painting Jesus when she was all of 8. The portrait of Jesus famous as "Prince of Peace" went on to establish her as a wonder child. Mind you, she had no formal training. All she had was her ‘visions’. Hers is a story that bewilders and fascinates many. Ms. Kramarik was 5 years old when on a rainy spring day, she had mysteriously disappeared. Her parents were frantic, of course, and pleaded to all to find their missing child. Police were called, her photograph distributed in the community, the search party was formed, all cars moving in and out of her hometown were checked. But they found nothing. You might wonder what is so mysterious about a 5-year-old who probably must have playfully wandered off into the woods chasing a rabbit. So, this is what is strange. Ms. Kramarik says during this entire period when people were trying to locate her, she was always around them, just invisible. “I was able to see the exact number of search and rescue people, and all the vehicles and families looking for me from above, and that I was seeing everything in detail on many dimensions at the same time”, Ms. Kramarik tells me in response to the interview questions that she so graciously agreed to answer. Her visionary experiences began right after this incident of her mysterious disappearance. Though her early life was spent sans any religious influence, she suddenly started to talk about god. ‘Prince of Peace’, the painting that propelled her into the limelight, was born of these very visions. “My visions were intense and vivid when I was a child, but I did not have either patience or ability to paint them. At eight there was a transformation in my perspective of life. My visions returned, and so did my passion for art. Jesus to me was a symbol of hope. The film ‘Painting the Impossible’ describes the details of the story”, she explains. Did these visions scare her? After all, she was really little when she began experiencing them. “Most of them inspired me and grounded me, but there were a few that shocked me”. She shared her visions with her mother who at first thought they were just dreams. Only later when Ms. Kramarik’s vocabulary improved and she could explain her visions better, did her mother realise that her daughter’s visions were beyond mere night dreams. “Nobody else apart from my mother understood what was happening “, she recalls. Thus, began her journey and today she has 300 paintings to her credit. She admits her “method of painting is quite complex—there are hundreds of layers that are created in order to evoke different emotions in my art.” 'Jesus' is one of her most favourite and emotional pieces. (Others) × Some of her creations hold a special place in her heart. " 'Sixteen lives in the wind' and 'Jesus' were the most emotional pieces." She painted ‘Sixteen lives in the wind’ for almost a year in three continents and describes the experience as “intense artistic journey”. 'Sixteen Lives in the Wind' went on to sell for $180,000 USD, her most expensive painting till date. Her other favourites include 'Jesus', 'Lillies of the Valley', 'The Dreamer', 'Jesus', 'Metamorphosis', 'Immortal', 'Today'. She likes to paint when the world sleeps, between 3 am to 7 am. “I feel the most inspired and focused that time”, she notes. She has just signed and finished her latest painting 'The Dreamer'. 'Coincidentally, this is about India', she tells me. Another of her great works, 'Enlightenment' is about a Hindu monk who traveled the world to meet her. Ms. Kramarik feels “there is a deep connection in my life with India.” “I speak Lithuanian, the closest language to Sanskrit. There is a profound link between our cultures, and I believe it is no coincidence that God has created unique circumstances for me to paint about India's culture.” “India has not only a market for art. India is art”, she feels. Her great liking for India resonates in her words. “Its history and its people, its dreams and its spirituality, its ambitions and its astounding innovations and breakthroughs in every aspect of life are one of a kind. There is no country like India, and it will never be”, she goes on to say. Akiane Kramarik enjoying her vacation in Sydney. (Others) × What inspires this young mind, what motivates her and keeps her going, I am curious. “My inspiration has been and still is life itself. Visible and invisible life. Busy and serene life. My guidance has been my God, and my family”, she explains. She has lived in 15 different countries and has drawn from her experiences in creating her art. “Every city and village, every hut and palace, every forest and sea, every peasant and government leader I met is today in my paintings. Literally, under layers of paint,” she says. Ms. Kramarik’s faith and beliefs were moulded by direct visions and experiences of Jesus, heaven, and angels that began at a tender age four. At 23, she remains an ardent follower of those beliefs. She is young, talented, famous and yet simple and grounded. She says she is thankful to her parents who kept on reminding her that “purity and humbleness were the most significant foundation” for her growth as an artist. For all her success, she is painfully media shy. “I did not like any attention from media. And our lifestyle in the family did not promote pretentiousness and vanity”, she adds. The only reason she managed to be at ease at ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show’ was that she did not know how empowering and famous Oprah really was. It was this interview that declared her arrival to the world. “The interview caused a domino effect, and hundreds of journalists from around the world wanted to know more about my story and my art since”, she mentions. What does a woman with such intense thoughts do when she is not creating art? Ms. Kramarik helps her family out with farm work when she is not painting. She also cooks, rides her bicycle around or simply observes people during her free hours. If this does not reflect the simplicity of her life, I don’t know what else does. “I practice being one with God. One with the Truth and one with peace and love. God is part of everything we do. It is inseparable from life. I am conscious of divine presence every moment. It is a gift that keeps on growing and multiplying”, her words underlines her sentiment. Through her art, she wants to bring hope and peace to humanity. She had once said, “If I have been gifted by God, and I have been, it is for one reason only, to help others.” She is involved with several charities and wishes to donate her all free time to humanitarian and educational causes. She is a believer, a woman who answered her calling and mastered the courage to respond to her visions even though she knew people might not always understand things she had to say. She believes in the power of the womankind. “They are the present and the future”, she emphasises. Women will go on to build a new future, she believes. A future “vastly different from today”. She talks about how and why women should support and encourage each other. “By supporting arts and healthy families which helped civilisations hold together for thousands of years we will make a happier woman, a happier wife, a happier mother, and a happier citizen of the society. In turn, we will make more giving communities, and more peaceful countries”, she mentions in her parting notes. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Akiane Kramarik, the woman artist whom God taught to paint

Unwanted pregnancies continue to spell doom for women in India. Use of protection is still not widespread. Access to contraceptive devices still limited. And sometimes use of protection is just not a choice that the woman can make.

In most cases, in India, the decision to have a child or to say no to motherhood does not rest with the women, it is almost always the husband or any other member in authority who makes the choice. In the words of Dr Nilanchali Singh, author of a study published in the Indian Journal of Community Medicine, India&rsquo;s women do not enjoy &#39;reproductive autonomy&rsquo; as the Indian male exerts reproductive control in several ways. He might choose to not give money to the woman financially dependent on him to buy contraceptive, he might use excuses saying he forgot to buy contraceptive or he might simply refuse to honour the woman&rsquo;s request to use the contraceptive. All this leads to the recurrent pregnancies that are untimed and unwanted.&nbsp;

401 women were a part of Dr. Singh&rsquo;s study. Of which, 45.14 per cent women said that they could not use a condom because it was their husband&#39;s decision, while 38.4 per cent said that they faced forced sex at the hands of their husbands.

According to a research paper published in The Lancet Global Health medical journal on 11th&nbsp;December 2017, half of the total 48.1 million pregnancies in India in 2015 were unintended. The study added that India&#39;s abortion rate is 47 per 1,000 women of reproductive age, which is similar to rates in Pakistan (50), Nepal (42) and Bangladesh (39). 
&nbsp; 
Lack of awareness is the reason why the rate of unwanted- pregnancy is so high in the country. Women are not equipped to address family planning need. If women had the required education and access to contraceptives, the rate of unwanted pregnancies could be reduced significantly. 
&nbsp; 
Sad but true, medical abortion has become a proxy contraceptive for married women who belong to socially and economically less privileged households. 
&nbsp; 
Unwanted pregnancies necessitate termination of the foetus. Research shows most women prefer to terminate their pregnancies in the privacy of their homes, away from the social glare. Without the supervision of medical experts, termination of pregnancies at home becomes a risky affair, endangering the lives of mothers.

Women largely rely on pills to terminate their pregnancies. India recorded a sale of 11 million units of popular abortion medicines, mifepristone, and misoprostol, as stated in June 2016&nbsp;report&nbsp;of&nbsp;Lancet, a global medical journal. In rural India, women prefer to take pills than being shamed in the hospital by health officials who still treat unwanted pregnancy as a taboo.&nbsp;

The disparity in the recorded and estimated abortion figures was calculated taking into account that medicine sales are proof that women are aborting foetuses at home. More often than not mothers are forced to abort the foetus if the family comes to know that woman is about to give birth to a girl child. This is why India&rsquo;s gender ratio in 2011 was 940 females for 1000 males.

&nbsp;If pregnancy terminating pills are taken repeatedly there can be complications, such as severe abdominal or back pain, heavy bleeding with clotting, cramps, fever, vomiting, nausea, foul-smelling discharge, perforation, and injury.

According to the 2012&nbsp;study&nbsp;in Madhya Pradesh, published in the&nbsp;International Journal of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, induced-abortion-related complications are common for women who attempt to terminate their pregnancies at home, unaided.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
Those who cannot get access to the abortion pills resort to quacks, thereby, putting their lives at greater risk.

Also, sometimes, pills don&rsquo;t manage to completely abort the foetus and makes surgical intervention necessary. According to WHO, 2 to 5% of Indian women require surgical intervention to resolve an incomplete abortion, terminate a continuing pregnancy, or control bleeding.

The rate of incomplete abortions has increased significantly in the last five years, stressing on the increase in unsuccessful medical abortion attempts made at homes.&nbsp;

The legalisation of surgical abortion that came with the advent of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act in 1971 is, thus, a blessing for Indian women.

Only if more contraception options were made available and our women would be more aware and empowered, this problem would have never arisen in the first place. 
&nbsp; 
Indian women must know that there are five state-provisioned contraceptive methods that they can opt for to avoid untimed pregnancies. Condoms, combined oral pills, intrauterine devices, male and female sterilisation are the ones that have been talked about for some time now. The latest to be added to the list is an injectable contraceptive. In March 2016, Haryana became the first state to implement this new government initiative.

Despite these different protection methods being made available, ours is a country of teeming millions and one that reports an extremely high rate of unwanted pregnancies and abortion.&nbsp;

It has been observed that most men are embarrassed to buy a condom and they also have a perception that condoms are for non-marital sex only. Social marketing of condoms was a strategy that was, thus, designed to tackle the inhibitions and taboos that were associated with condoms. The word &lsquo;pleasure&rsquo; was also introduced in condom advertisements to encourage men to use condoms.

Unwanted pregnancy decreases among women who have received higher education, have access to media and enjoy decision making powers in their household. This knowledge can come handy in identifying the most vulnerable group and, thus, chart prevention strategies and reproductive health programmes as per the target population&rsquo;s need.

Protected sex is the need of the hour. Let us address it. Together, let us save unprivileged women from sufferance. And to all the men who think they own their women let us tell them &ldquo;no ovary, no opinion&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;

Unwanted pregnancies continue to spell doom for women in India. Use of protection is still not widespread and sometimes use of protection is just not a choice that the woman can make.

Unwanted pregnancies continue to spell doom for women in India. Use of protection is still not widespread. Access to contraceptive devices still limited. And sometimes use of protection is just not a choice that the woman can make. In most cases, in India, the decision to have a child or to say no to motherhood does not rest with the women, it is almost always the husband or any other member in authority who makes the choice. In the words of Dr Nilanchali Singh, author of a study published in the Indian Journal of Community Medicine, India’s women do not enjoy 'reproductive autonomy’ as the Indian male exerts reproductive control in several ways. He might choose to not give money to the woman financially dependent on him to buy contraceptive, he might use excuses saying he forgot to buy contraceptive or he might simply refuse to honour the woman’s request to use the contraceptive. All this leads to the recurrent pregnancies that are untimed and unwanted. 401 women were a part of Dr. Singh’s study. Of which, 45.14 per cent women said that they could not use a condom because it was their husband's decision, while 38.4 per cent said that they faced forced sex at the hands of their husbands. According to a research paper published in The Lancet Global Health medical journal on 11th December 2017, half of the total 48.1 million pregnancies in India in 2015 were unintended. The study added that India's abortion rate is 47 per 1,000 women of reproductive age, which is similar to rates in Pakistan (50), Nepal (42) and Bangladesh (39). Lack of awareness is the reason why the rate of unwanted- pregnancy is so high in the country. Women are not equipped to address family planning need. If women had the required education and access to contraceptives, the rate of unwanted pregnancies could be reduced significantly. Sad but true, medical abortion has become a proxy contraceptive for married women who belong to socially and economically less privileged households. Unwanted pregnancies necessitate termination of the foetus. Research shows most women prefer to terminate their pregnancies in the privacy of their homes, away from the social glare. Without the supervision of medical experts, termination of pregnancies at home becomes a risky affair, endangering the lives of mothers. Women largely rely on pills to terminate their pregnancies. India recorded a sale of 11 million units of popular abortion medicines, mifepristone, and misoprostol, as stated in June 2016 report of Lancet, a global medical journal. In rural India, women prefer to take pills than being shamed in the hospital by health officials who still treat unwanted pregnancy as a taboo. The disparity in the recorded and estimated abortion figures was calculated taking into account that medicine sales are proof that women are aborting foetuses at home. More often than not mothers are forced to abort the foetus if the family comes to know that woman is about to give birth to a girl child. This is why India’s gender ratio in 2011 was 940 females for 1000 males. If pregnancy terminating pills are taken repeatedly there can be complications, such as severe abdominal or back pain, heavy bleeding with clotting, cramps, fever, vomiting, nausea, foul-smelling discharge, perforation, and injury. According to the 2012 study in Madhya Pradesh, published in the International Journal of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, induced-abortion-related complications are common for women who attempt to terminate their pregnancies at home, unaided. Those who cannot get access to the abortion pills resort to quacks, thereby, putting their lives at greater risk. Also, sometimes, pills don’t manage to completely abort the foetus and makes surgical intervention necessary. According to WHO, 2 to 5% of Indian women require surgical intervention to resolve an incomplete abortion, terminate a continuing pregnancy, or control bleeding. The rate of incomplete abortions has increased significantly in the last five years, stressing on the increase in unsuccessful medical abortion attempts made at homes. The legalisation of surgical abortion that came with the advent of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act in 1971 is, thus, a blessing for Indian women. Only if more contraception options were made available and our women would be more aware and empowered, this problem would have never arisen in the first place. Indian women must know that there are five state-provisioned contraceptive methods that they can opt for to avoid untimed pregnancies. Condoms, combined oral pills, intrauterine devices, male and female sterilisation are the ones that have been talked about for some time now. The latest to be added to the list is an injectable contraceptive. In March 2016, Haryana became the first state to implement this new government initiative. Despite these different protection methods being made available, ours is a country of teeming millions and one that reports an extremely high rate of unwanted pregnancies and abortion. It has been observed that most men are embarrassed to buy a condom and they also have a perception that condoms are for non-marital sex only. Social marketing of condoms was a strategy that was, thus, designed to tackle the inhibitions and taboos that were associated with condoms. The word ‘pleasure’ was also introduced in condom advertisements to encourage men to use condoms. Unwanted pregnancy decreases among women who have received higher education, have access to media and enjoy decision making powers in their household. This knowledge can come handy in identifying the most vulnerable group and, thus, chart prevention strategies and reproductive health programmes as per the target population’s need. Protected sex is the need of the hour. Let us address it. Together, let us save unprivileged women from sufferance. And to all the men who think they own their women let us tell them “no ovary, no opinion” (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Women still not empowered to stop forced pregnancies

Remember Lola Kutty on Channel V? The Lola act was born in 2004. It has been more than a decade since. The popularity of comedy as a medium that entertains people with fast wit and humour has been on the rise. Anuradha Menon with her Lola Kutty act had ushered in a new style in the comedy space. It was not slapstick, not just mimicry. The content and the style of delivery was fresh, different. India was quick to lap it up.

&nbsp;

The last few years witnessed the rise of several very gifted, quick-witted women comedians who manage to get their audience in splits every single time they don their comic hat.

&nbsp;

In the words of comedian Vasu Primlani, a woman with a multifaceted career who plays multiple roles with great ease and grace, &ldquo;Women comedians bring beautiful perspectives to the stage.&rdquo;

&nbsp;

It is fascinating how women have chosen to push all boundaries and have drawn courage to talk about things that matter- the environment, civic sense of the population, politics, religion. Women comedians have progressively become more confident of cracking jokes on erstwhile hush hush subjects like sex and relationships.&nbsp; They have begun speaking of everything that makes them cringe or wonder.

&nbsp;

And as comedians put their best foot forward to make India ROFL, the quality of the content bettered and there has been no stopping our desi jests anymore.

&nbsp;

It would be fascinating to live in the headspace of comedians and find out how they manage to take note of something dark, the asymmetry sticking out of the regular like a sore thumb, dress this observation with great wit and present it to the audience in the most relatable manner. To make people uncomfortable by doling out a generous dose of hard-hitting reality and then make them laugh at life&rsquo;s imperfections, cannot be an easy job. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

&ldquo;Anyone can make you laugh on a banana peel. What does it say about me as an artist if I can bring the most negative or dark topics and shine so much light on it that you applaud?&rdquo; Ms. Primlani puts it in perspective.

&nbsp;

Sadly, however, the space is marred by strong gender bias. Ms. Primlani feels &ldquo;Comedy is even more gender-skewed than engineering in India.&rdquo;, while Ms. Menon is aware of the prevalent hypocrisy in this space. &ldquo;There will always be difference in the way jokes are received. A man talking about masturbation seems more funny and acceptable than a woman talking about masturbation. My issue is when you say one kind of humor is more acceptable from the mouth of a man than a woman&rdquo;, Ms. Menon adds.

&nbsp;

Living in a society that is yet to get rid of archaic notions and choosing to talk on taboo subjects can be quite daunting. Discussing periods and the perceptions that dwell around it, finding the right bra size, sex and porn, taking a jibe at the male gender, is completely off limits. Attempting to make people laugh while constantly being pressurised to not give an impression of being too opinionated &quot;for a woman&rdquo; is a struggle for our women comedians.

&nbsp;

Ms. Menon narrated an incident where she was a judge at a comedy show and was pretty taken aback when her male co-judge told a woman participant her act was not &ldquo;ladylike&rdquo;. Women comedians, thus, have this additional pressure to not come across as too strong, too opinionated- in a nutshell, not be anything that would defy the drafted etiquette code for women. Looks like the women participants in a comedy show are compelled to spend way too much time concentrating on acting lady like than preparing a set that is truly funny.

&nbsp;

There is a general perception that women comedians will talk only of women things. Ms. Menon points out it is rather difficult to explain that voices are different among women comedians themselves and it is wrong to club all of them under this one &lsquo;all women comedy show&rsquo;.

&nbsp;

The corporates who organise comedy shows for their staff do not want women comedians. Their excuse speaks a lot about why women, in general, must work way harder than their male counterparts, be it in the comedy space or any other sphere of work.

Ms. Primlani explains, &ldquo;In a company that is 90% men, when they think of getting a comedian, they don&#39;t think, let me get a woman comedian. They automatically think they&#39;ll talk about women&#39;s issues that my staff won&#39;t get. When we come on stage, you can&#39;t distinguish male comedians from female ones. Professionally we are just as good, and in some cases, better.&rdquo;

&nbsp;

No wonder women comedians find it so tough to get work. Ms. Primlani wishes there was a &ldquo;study on the pay comparison and how many shows female comedians get vs. men in India&rdquo; to establish the glaring gender inequality in the Indian comedy space.

&nbsp;

Audience&rsquo;s response to women comedians post their act is also way different from the one a male comedian receives. There were instances when Ms. Menon was asked about what curling products she uses and about her fitness regime post her act, while she waited to catch a comment on the jokes she just cracked. At best, she was told, &ldquo;you are pretty funny for a woman.&rdquo;

&nbsp;

Women comedians also draw a lot of harsh criticism for the same kind of work that bring accolades to their male counterparts. &ldquo;If you go through the comments section of comedians&#39; videos on YouTube, you&#39;ll see the underbelly of every nation. How vicious, how angry, how illogical people can be.&rdquo;, Ms. Primlani noted.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

A journalist challenged her once asking her how dare she cracked rape jokes? She, who is a rape survivor herself gave a befitting reply, &ldquo;My point in doing jokes about these topics is not because of these topics are funny, but precisely because they are not. When I use comedy to deliver a message, not only will you talk about it, the message will be so memorable, you will even go repeat the message again and again.&rdquo;

&nbsp;

Ms. Menon drew a lot of flak for her &lsquo;relationship with the mother-in-law&#39; act. People thought she was a &lsquo;modern frustrated woman hanging her dirty laundry in public&#39;.

&nbsp;

Wonder why a guy&rsquo;s joke on his equation with his mother in law is so readily accepted and received with loud applause, while a woman&rsquo;s joke on the same manages to get some hard to hear, suppressed giggles?

&nbsp;

The sexual harassment that a woman comedian is compelled to counter from not just audience, but their male counterpart as well further adds to the tale of their harrowing experience.

Ms. Primlani was appalled when a male comedian asked what his name meant responded saying it meant large dick. &ldquo;Even at this stage, at his level of claimed professionalism, he is STILL making dick jokes? Seriously?&rdquo;, she exclaims.

&nbsp;

While all these dick jokes are being cracked, we as a society continue to doubt the prowess of our women comedians even when the likes of Anuradha Menon, Vasu Primlani, Aditi Mittal, Mallika Dua, Radhika Vaz have time and again proved their mettle. Why? Simply because they are the women kind and the society think women can&rsquo;t really be funny.

&nbsp;

When the going gets tough our women comedians draw strength from their commitment to their craft. And that is beautiful.

&ldquo;Just keep at it&rdquo;, is Ms. Primlani&#39;s advice to the budding women comedians. Ms. Menon who gears up to soon launch another special of hers, Wonder Menon, feels women aspiring to be comedians must first wet their feet at All-Women&#39;s Open Mic, given the &ldquo;feeling of sisterhood&rdquo; that these platforms provide before moving on to regular open mics and get integrated into the mainstream.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;The audience must, however, first learn to appreciate a joke for the fun quotient without seating themselves on higher moral pedestals and judging the comedians based on their gender.

&nbsp;

You go, girl!

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;&nbsp;

Attempting to make people laugh while constantly being pressurized to not give an impression of being too opinionated ‘’for a woman” is a struggle for our women comedians.

Remember Lola Kutty on Channel V? The Lola act was born in 2004. It has been more than a decade since. The popularity of comedy as a medium that entertains people with fast wit and humour has been on the rise. Anuradha Menon with her Lola Kutty act had ushered in a new style in the comedy space. It was not slapstick, not just mimicry. The content and the style of delivery was fresh, different. India was quick to lap it up. The last few years witnessed the rise of several very gifted, quick-witted women comedians who manage to get their audience in splits every single time they don their comic hat. In the words of comedian Vasu Primlani, a woman with a multifaceted career who plays multiple roles with great ease and grace, “Women comedians bring beautiful perspectives to the stage.” It is fascinating how women have chosen to push all boundaries and have drawn courage to talk about things that matter- the environment, civic sense of the population, politics, religion. Women comedians have progressively become more confident of cracking jokes on erstwhile hush hush subjects like sex and relationships. They have begun speaking of everything that makes them cringe or wonder. And as comedians put their best foot forward to make India ROFL, the quality of the content bettered and there has been no stopping our desi jests anymore. It would be fascinating to live in the headspace of comedians and find out how they manage to take note of something dark, the asymmetry sticking out of the regular like a sore thumb, dress this observation with great wit and present it to the audience in the most relatable manner. To make people uncomfortable by doling out a generous dose of hard-hitting reality and then make them laugh at life’s imperfections, cannot be an easy job. “Anyone can make you laugh on a banana peel. What does it say about me as an artist if I can bring the most negative or dark topics and shine so much light on it that you applaud?” Ms. Primlani puts it in perspective. Sadly, however, the space is marred by strong gender bias. Ms. Primlani feels “Comedy is even more gender-skewed than engineering in India.”, while Ms. Menon is aware of the prevalent hypocrisy in this space. “There will always be difference in the way jokes are received. A man talking about masturbation seems more funny and acceptable than a woman talking about masturbation. My issue is when you say one kind of humor is more acceptable from the mouth of a man than a woman”, Ms. Menon adds. Living in a society that is yet to get rid of archaic notions and choosing to talk on taboo subjects can be quite daunting. Discussing periods and the perceptions that dwell around it, finding the right bra size, sex and porn, taking a jibe at the male gender, is completely off limits. Attempting to make people laugh while constantly being pressurised to not give an impression of being too opinionated "for a woman” is a struggle for our women comedians. Ms. Menon narrated an incident where she was a judge at a comedy show and was pretty taken aback when her male co-judge told a woman participant her act was not “ladylike”. Women comedians, thus, have this additional pressure to not come across as too strong, too opinionated- in a nutshell, not be anything that would defy the drafted etiquette code for women. Looks like the women participants in a comedy show are compelled to spend way too much time concentrating on acting lady like than preparing a set that is truly funny. There is a general perception that women comedians will talk only of women things. Ms. Menon points out it is rather difficult to explain that voices are different among women comedians themselves and it is wrong to club all of them under this one ‘all women comedy show’. The corporates who organise comedy shows for their staff do not want women comedians. Their excuse speaks a lot about why women, in general, must work way harder than their male counterparts, be it in the comedy space or any other sphere of work. Ms. Primlani explains, “In a company that is 90% men, when they think of getting a comedian, they don't think, let me get a woman comedian. They automatically think they'll talk about women's issues that my staff won't get. When we come on stage, you can't distinguish male comedians from female ones. Professionally we are just as good, and in some cases, better.” No wonder women comedians find it so tough to get work. Ms. Primlani wishes there was a “study on the pay comparison and how many shows female comedians get vs. men in India” to establish the glaring gender inequality in the Indian comedy space. Audience’s response to women comedians post their act is also way different from the one a male comedian receives. There were instances when Ms. Menon was asked about what curling products she uses and about her fitness regime post her act, while she waited to catch a comment on the jokes she just cracked. At best, she was told, “you are pretty funny for a woman.” Women comedians also draw a lot of harsh criticism for the same kind of work that bring accolades to their male counterparts. “If you go through the comments section of comedians' videos on YouTube, you'll see the underbelly of every nation. How vicious, how angry, how illogical people can be.”, Ms. Primlani noted. A journalist challenged her once asking her how dare she cracked rape jokes? She, who is a rape survivor herself gave a befitting reply, “My point in doing jokes about these topics is not because of these topics are funny, but precisely because they are not. When I use comedy to deliver a message, not only will you talk about it, the message will be so memorable, you will even go repeat the message again and again.” Ms. Menon drew a lot of flak for her ‘relationship with the mother-in-law' act. People thought she was a ‘modern frustrated woman hanging her dirty laundry in public'. Wonder why a guy’s joke on his equation with his mother in law is so readily accepted and received with loud applause, while a woman’s joke on the same manages to get some hard to hear, suppressed giggles? The sexual harassment that a woman comedian is compelled to counter from not just audience, but their male counterpart as well further adds to the tale of their harrowing experience. Ms. Primlani was appalled when a male comedian asked what his name meant responded saying it meant large dick. “Even at this stage, at his level of claimed professionalism, he is STILL making dick jokes? Seriously?”, she exclaims. While all these dick jokes are being cracked, we as a society continue to doubt the prowess of our women comedians even when the likes of Anuradha Menon, Vasu Primlani, Aditi Mittal, Mallika Dua, Radhika Vaz have time and again proved their mettle. Why? Simply because they are the women kind and the society think women can’t really be funny. When the going gets tough our women comedians draw strength from their commitment to their craft. And that is beautiful. “Just keep at it”, is Ms. Primlani's advice to the budding women comedians. Ms. Menon who gears up to soon launch another special of hers, Wonder Menon, feels women aspiring to be comedians must first wet their feet at All-Women's Open Mic, given the “feeling of sisterhood” that these platforms provide before moving on to regular open mics and get integrated into the mainstream. The audience must, however, first learn to appreciate a joke for the fun quotient without seating themselves on higher moral pedestals and judging the comedians based on their gender. You go, girl! (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Why women comedians have to fight harder for spotlight in India's comedy space

I never form opinions unless I have lived an experience. I don&#39;t judge a book before I have read it, a dish before I have tasted it, a road before I have taken it or a movie before I have watched it. Therefore, I did watch Padmaavat.

Of course, I was completely prepared to be let down by the storytelling, use of logic, the VFX (something that is extremely important in movies such as these), the regressive ideologies, homophobia, Islamophobia and so much more... but I decided to go anyway. Blame it on hype!

So, there I was watching this great masterpiece of cinema and with every passing shot wishing that the woman in me can sit through these 3 long hours of humiliation. Why do I feel humiliated, you may ask... in response I ask the woman in you to imagine few situations.

Imagine, your father has gifted something priceless to your husband, who very callously gives it away to someone. What exactly will you feel about this? Trust me, you will be very mad. You are going to ask him to go find a replacement after giving him an earful (even if you are the kindest and the most giving wife). That is exactly what the king&#39;s first wife did.

Now, imagine this, you send your husband to get something from the market and he comes back home with a new wife...I know peeps polygamy is not legal. Also, these days everything is really a click away and most of our stuff get home-delivered. But just imagine this anyway. You will be shattered, right? Broken? You will feel humiliated and insulted.

That is exactly how you are supposed to feel. Our director does not seem to agree though.&nbsp;

He has inserted a dream sequence to introduce us to the king&#39;s first wife. And boy, what an introduction that was. Every valid response of this queen was turned against her to establish her as a greedy, mercenary woman who holds pearls dearer than her husband! The fact that those very pearls were a gift from her father and that the king had chosen to give them away as rewards when he could really have given away any other treasure, does not count you see.

While watching the movie, I felt that the dream shot was included because the director wanted (by all means) to justify the king&#39;s roving eyes and eventually his falling in love with another woman while he was out there to get back something priceless that he had so callously given away in the first place.

Did you notice by the way the complexion and the features of the king&#39;s first wife? For those who noticed, I will not have to explain. But for those who did not let me tell you, she was a woman of dark complexion and when compared to the Lankan princess, not so sharp features. So, when the king saw such &#39;beauty&#39; in the forests of Lanka, he obviously lost all his good sense and by his own admission started following (stalk actually) her.&nbsp;

WOW! I did not know how his first wife looked (if at all she existed that is) but going by the casting it seems the director tried to say that it is okay for a man to pursue another woman if his wife/partner does not match proverbial beauty standards.

&nbsp;Greedy, bad looking women completely deserve this, no? Being portrayed as a cause of a man&rsquo;s misconduct? Being subjected to humiliation?

&nbsp;It would be more appealing to me as a moviegoer if the director could have established the other queen as an equally upright lady and not questioned her reasons for reacting in a manner she chose to act in. Or, if that would not be shown as a nightmare that led the king to cross his sand dunes and venture into an unknown territory.

But, remember you have paid precious 500 rupees and too many questions would ruin the fun of watching the magnum opus.

&nbsp;The director stretches creative liberty to the extent where your intelligence as an audience is compromised. Therefore, you find yourself sitting through khali bali and staring at an emperor stomping his feet and making animated (laughable) gestures. Creative liberty, you see. History be damned.

Logic be damned too. The king enters a tent put up in the middle of a barren desert with nothing else in sight and then simply vanishes. His guards waiting outside is clueless about their &#39;Hukum&#39; gone missing till, of course, they enter the tent to find no one there. I had to just laugh out loud. As to how come people just disappeared. They surely could not have evaporated into thin air, no? The kidnapping of the &#39;Hukum&#39; scene beats all logic, if you ask me.

&nbsp;Finally, the pious queen springs into action and thankfully has a war strategy in place to back her noble intention of rescuing her husband. She does manage to bring her husband back to the fort and it is &#39;achchhe din&#39; again at the haveli but I cannot relax, you see. Because I know I am very close to witnessing something that would make me cringe as a woman.

Again, as an honest audience, I felt a little let down here. Why, you may ask. The director had issued a disclaimer right in th beginning, saying in so many words that he was not about to glorify the custom of Jauhar. And I had chosen to buy his disclaimer. But he failed me yet again. The long shots instilled towards the end, highlighting all the rituals associated with this dark custom seemed like a sharp contrast to the message echoed in the beginning of the movie. By the time the voiceover was sounded at the very end, I was compelled to lose faith in the director. There was discord I thought between the words and the intent.

&nbsp;As an audience, maybe, I will forgive you. But as a woman, I find that a little difficult to do.

Despite all this, director sir, you still win. And I lose. You know why? Several women who watched your movie over the weekend told me they had a great cinematic experience and that your work is proof that Hindi cinema has evolved. And that is the reason I lose, sir.

I can write pages and still not be able to explain how much this insult that you have slapped on my face will continue to hurt for a long time to come. The fact that you have dressed this insult up so well in fine clothes and rich jewellery does not make it hurt offend, hurt any less.

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;&nbsp;

As a viewer, maybe, I will forgive you, Mr Bhansali. But as a woman, I find that a little difficult to do.

I never form opinions unless I have lived an experience. I don't judge a book before I have read it, a dish before I have tasted it, a road before I have taken it or a movie before I have watched it. Therefore, I did watch Padmaavat. Of course, I was completely prepared to be let down by the storytelling, use of logic, the VFX (something that is extremely important in movies such as these), the regressive ideologies, homophobia, Islamophobia and so much more... but I decided to go anyway. Blame it on hype! So, there I was watching this great masterpiece of cinema and with every passing shot wishing that the woman in me can sit through these 3 long hours of humiliation. Why do I feel humiliated, you may ask... in response I ask the woman in you to imagine few situations. Imagine, your father has gifted something priceless to your husband, who very callously gives it away to someone. What exactly will you feel about this? Trust me, you will be very mad. You are going to ask him to go find a replacement after giving him an earful (even if you are the kindest and the most giving wife). That is exactly what the king's first wife did. Now, imagine this, you send your husband to get something from the market and he comes back home with a new wife...I know peeps polygamy is not legal. Also, these days everything is really a click away and most of our stuff get home-delivered. But just imagine this anyway. You will be shattered, right? Broken? You will feel humiliated and insulted. That is exactly how you are supposed to feel. Our director does not seem to agree though. He has inserted a dream sequence to introduce us to the king's first wife. And boy, what an introduction that was. Every valid response of this queen was turned against her to establish her as a greedy, mercenary woman who holds pearls dearer than her husband! The fact that those very pearls were a gift from her father and that the king had chosen to give them away as rewards when he could really have given away any other treasure, does not count you see. While watching the movie, I felt that the dream shot was included because the director wanted (by all means) to justify the king's roving eyes and eventually his falling in love with another woman while he was out there to get back something priceless that he had so callously given away in the first place. Did you notice by the way the complexion and the features of the king's first wife? For those who noticed, I will not have to explain. But for those who did not let me tell you, she was a woman of dark complexion and when compared to the Lankan princess, not so sharp features. So, when the king saw such 'beauty' in the forests of Lanka, he obviously lost all his good sense and by his own admission started following (stalk actually) her. WOW! I did not know how his first wife looked (if at all she existed that is) but going by the casting it seems the director tried to say that it is okay for a man to pursue another woman if his wife/partner does not match proverbial beauty standards. Greedy, bad looking women completely deserve this, no? Being portrayed as a cause of a man’s misconduct? Being subjected to humiliation? It would be more appealing to me as a moviegoer if the director could have established the other queen as an equally upright lady and not questioned her reasons for reacting in a manner she chose to act in. Or, if that would not be shown as a nightmare that led the king to cross his sand dunes and venture into an unknown territory. But, remember you have paid precious 500 rupees and too many questions would ruin the fun of watching the magnum opus. The director stretches creative liberty to the extent where your intelligence as an audience is compromised. Therefore, you find yourself sitting through khali bali and staring at an emperor stomping his feet and making animated (laughable) gestures. Creative liberty, you see. History be damned. Logic be damned too. The king enters a tent put up in the middle of a barren desert with nothing else in sight and then simply vanishes. His guards waiting outside is clueless about their 'Hukum' gone missing till, of course, they enter the tent to find no one there. I had to just laugh out loud. As to how come people just disappeared. They surely could not have evaporated into thin air, no? The kidnapping of the 'Hukum' scene beats all logic, if you ask me. Finally, the pious queen springs into action and thankfully has a war strategy in place to back her noble intention of rescuing her husband. She does manage to bring her husband back to the fort and it is 'achchhe din' again at the haveli but I cannot relax, you see. Because I know I am very close to witnessing something that would make me cringe as a woman. Again, as an honest audience, I felt a little let down here. Why, you may ask. The director had issued a disclaimer right in th beginning, saying in so many words that he was not about to glorify the custom of Jauhar. And I had chosen to buy his disclaimer. But he failed me yet again. The long shots instilled towards the end, highlighting all the rituals associated with this dark custom seemed like a sharp contrast to the message echoed in the beginning of the movie. By the time the voiceover was sounded at the very end, I was compelled to lose faith in the director. There was discord I thought between the words and the intent. As an audience, maybe, I will forgive you. But as a woman, I find that a little difficult to do. Despite all this, director sir, you still win. And I lose. You know why? Several women who watched your movie over the weekend told me they had a great cinematic experience and that your work is proof that Hindi cinema has evolved. And that is the reason I lose, sir. I can write pages and still not be able to explain how much this insult that you have slapped on my face will continue to hurt for a long time to come. The fact that you have dressed this insult up so well in fine clothes and rich jewellery does not make it hurt offend, hurt any less. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Why the woman in you should be offended by Padmaavat

Author

Zee News Rajasthan

Editor

Srimoyee Pandit

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