Fwd: Invitation for Documentary screening

[Marathi Mitra Mandal IIT Madras]

Chintabar, an independent student body recognised by IITM, will be conducting a screening of the documentary 'Nakusa'. It is based on the experiences of rural women of interior Maharashtra who were named by their parents as 'unwanted' hoping their future children to be sons. The film will be followed by a discussion with its maker Shijith VP, PhD scholar from IIT-Hyderabad and director Vaishnavi. We would really appreciate the participation of Maharashtrians and the members of the mandal to enrich our discussion.

Nakusa

(Synopsis)

The documentary Nakusa: ‘Unwanted’ is my name, focuses on the peculiar naming practice prevailing in rural Maharashtra and its disastrous consequences for girls and women. Several parents have named their girl children as Nakusa/Nakoshi, which means 'unwanted' in local Marathi language. It is believed that if they name a daughter like this, the next child would be a boy. ‘Nakusa’ girls are experiencing discrimination and socio-psychological problems of unimaginable magnitude. This phenomenon is clearly a reflection of how low in esteem a girl child is held in our society. It reasserts the disturbing fact that girls are often the victims of gender bias perpetrated by their own families. This documentary exposes the unpleasant reality of persisting gender discrimination and deep-rooted manifestations of patriarchy. Based on real life situations captured from the villages of Satara District, the documentary effectively portrays the depressing lives of 'unwanted' girls - the living victims of the crudest form of gender bias.

Thanking you

Chintabar team

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Marathi Mitra Mandal

IIT Madras