Bebaak Film Analysis

Bebaak

Bebaak is a short film and Filmfare award winner based on a true story which shows us the system of the society controlled by men, over women wherein here, they require women to cover up to be more respectful and acceptable by society. It shows how a girl named Fatin, who isn’t wealthy enough faces misogyny by a trust staff member who tries to discipline her for a scholarship.

It shows how the main character of this film, leaves her entire career just to go against the thinking of women to be fully covered from head to toe.

The story begins at a home where a family of three sisters, a brother and the parents stay together. Fatin, the eldest sister, and the main lead feels alienated when she wears a hijab or bourka. She misses her class to go for an interview and informs her friend about it. She hides the reality of where she’s going and uses a word like “Town” to seem modern and to fit in. She goes with her father, reaches the destination, and now talk about asking money from an Islamic charitable organization. The father encourages her to go ahead and ask for finance without making any fusses even if she has to lie. All this while, she has a very sad face where ever she goes.

They stand in a line and it’s very visual, how every female except her has either covered their head or is wearing a bourka. She goes outside the building and has a seat while her father stands in line. Fatin meets two young girls around the age of ten where one of them is inspired by her because she’s not wearing a scarf around her head. The two young girls have been taught to wear a scarf or they’ll be haunted by possessive spirits. Fatin goes back up and their turn comes. They meet one of the members and he first rejects saying that they only finance Muslim medical students. But the father insists and the member agrees for finding out more info about Fatin. He then appreciates her academic performance but asks her about her religious academics. The interviewer then puts her down by asking her what she will do in a field like architecture. She answers positively but he puts her down by saying, “Her head is naked and her kurta is short and tight”. He gives an analogy without looking into her eyes, saying that if anyone else from their faith sees a bareheaded woman, she is considered entirely naked and then asks Fatin to adjust her dupatta because he’s feeling uncomfortable. The interviewer then takes an assumption and an example, wherein one lady is completely covered and the other one is decently dressed, and asks Fatin who is the one who may get molested by a loafer. Fatin responds by saying that he isn’t supposed to molest anyone and that in fact that it is written in the Quran that a man should lower his gaze. The interviewer continues and gives stories of how people point fingers at the Muslims and also says that in the name of modernity they can’t just leave women to their will. Fatin responds back sternly to that statement saying that if you’re not giving freedom, you’re tying them up. He then concludes and tells her that her understanding of religion is very weak and teases the father and daughter by writing a cheque, but rather gives her a book of practicing hijab and tells her to follow it and to get her cheque the next day.

The next day she follows everything and dresses respectably as per hijab and portrays no emotions as if she already feels enslaved. She’s informed that she’ll get the cheque in a while and she has to wait outside. On her way to the outside seating, she sees the young girl whom she saw yesterday and smiles at her, trying to show that she’s now dressed the same way and they’re now equal but the young girl just stares at her with no emotion. Fatin sits outside and contemplates and leaves that place without collecting the cheque. We then observe that she’s left her hijab, on the same seating place. The young inspired girl comes out and stares at the hijab trying to understand the situation on her defiance.

Bebaak or defiance was an eye-opening movie that needed to show what women go through, be it any faith or region. The movie mostly has close up shots which shows the seriousness of the emotions rather than the surroundings. Additionally, non-vibrant colors are used to show the darkness and sadness of reality, in this film. Characters of this film are chosen very wisely to show what women go through, be it school, work, or college.

By Kevin D'souza.