The Great Indian Kitchen

**WARNING: CONTAINS SPOLIERS. 

The Great Indian Kitchen starred by Nimisha Sajayan and Suraj Venjaramoodu and directed by Jeo Baby is a movie that sparked some great discussions and tried to break the common norms that existed in the Malayalam film industry. The Title card "THANKS SCIENCE" itself shows the different aspects of the director's mindset and how he tries to break the common stereotypes that exist in society.

The film discusses the issues homemakers face today as they come to their husband's homes and how their freedom and basic rights are denied by framing them into the so-called " perfect wife" concept.

Movie Synopsis:

The movie revolves around the couple played by Nimsiha Sajayan and Suraj Venjaramoodu. 

Nimisha Sajayan is portrayed as grown up in a middle-class family who had all the average facilities and were not restricted to achieve her ambitions. After the wedding, we can see that Suraj's family is kind of a typical old family who largely cares and values their traditional customaries. Nimisha adjusts to these situations pretty fast and tries to cope-up with her current surroundings. It's all starts when the mother moves to their daughter's house to take care of her pregnancy. The whole family burden falls upon the shoulder of Nimisha and she realizes that she single-handedly should manage all the household chores while keeping up with the habits followed by the father in law. She tries to apply for a job and father-in-law reveals that even though her mother-in-law is an M.A graduate, she doesn't go for any job and because that all her children are in great positions today. He also stereotypes that homemakers do a great job that what a district collector or IPS officer do and she has to be proud of that. Also, she is clearly separated from all her duties and even from her room and surroundings when her period arrives. She is not allowed to touch her husband (because he is going to Sabarimala) or even the basil plant in front of the house. Fed up with all these, Nimisha goes to pursuing her own dance career (probably after a divorce) after bathing her father-in-law and husband with wastewater!!!

Notable points and Subjects:

One of the main points here to mention is that the writer or director didn't even care to name the major characters in this film. The main characters portrayed by Nimisha Sajayan as the wife, Suraj Venjaramoodu as the husband, T. Suresh Babu as Achan, Ramadevi as Ammayi doesn't have a name in this movie. Also, the movie uses dialogues very rarely. Everything is conveyed through the screen and perfect ambiance background sounds with them. 

The movie surely sparked different kinds of discussions mentioning all kinds of patriarchal oppression towards women. Many eye-opening revelations and testimonials elaborating how society still bears the idea of the period is taboo and women with periods have to be discriminated is really frightening. Also how benevolent sexism and glorification of female subserving is really injected into the minds of people has to be discussed. People who still think marriage is for bringing a girl to home for looking after them and their parents exist. As their concept, she has to be there to take care of them all the time no matter what and there is no importance for her ambitions or choice after marriage. (Perfect "poomukhavatukal sneham thulumbunna bharya").

Some main points which should be really noted are:

1) Table Manners at the house and at the restaurant.

2) How the husband reacts to the wife who expressed her opinion.

3) How he demands her to apologize for expressing her opinion.

3) How he neglects her needs in the bedroom.

4) How he orders her against expressing her opinion in public space.

The husband clearly shows a neat table manner at a restaurant while he makes the whole table horrible at home. While the wife makes a comment about this, he suddenly reacts aggressively and replies that it's his house and he can do whatever he wants. What he misses is that it is her who cleans that wastes and prepares the table for the next meal. If he wishes to do anything as he please, then he needs to clean that or should be ready to have the next meal in the same mess. Also, the way he reacts to her in both restaurant and at the home is very disrespectful. On top of that, he demands an apologization for expressing her opinion. It is crystal clear that he doesn't care none other than his own emotions or pleasure. This is the same thing happening when he clearly rejects the sexual need of his wife. She was clearly forced into having sex just because they were married. People like these have to understand that their wife is also a human being who has all the emotions and physical needs as same as him. Neglecting or oppressing her needs is not the way for a good relationship. 

As this movie is a big re-thinking choice to people who wish to change, other male chauvinist's use this opportunity to express their opinions and to glorify benevolent sexism. This can be widely seen on any social media platform which discusses this film. Even some top-line online media use some reviews to highlight these kinds of ideas.

Surely this is an eye-opening film to realize how still female homemakers are oppressed and their male husbands have an upper hand in everything. Times have changed and accordingly our viewpoints also should change.