The Afterlives of Devis

     The 13 minutes short movie Devi by Priyanka Banerjee screams out the disturbing and terrific facts on sexual violence and abuse towards women in India.Every 22 minutes, a woman is raped in our country,which is a fact that is often repeated. But it has to be, because the situation hasn't changed a bit.Ironically,on the one hand, we have multiple Devis that we worship at the clear daylight, and in the intensity of darkness, they are abused and brutally raped and are left with no choice.The movie displays the victims of rape and physical abuse gathered together after their death and disputes over the entry of the newcomer to the room which is already populated.In their afterlife, they don't believe in God, the 'Devis' are no longer worshiped, but sympathised and victimised. Regardless of caste, creed, profession,family,religion and age women are being raped in our country and marital rape is also not any different.But what stroked me is that during the entire movie,they haven't uttered the word, 'death'.It has become their reality and the world of humans has become the world of demons.Some are burnt alive,some are killed with knife,rods and stones,others strangled and some die out of the trauma after the incident.And this trauma is not any different from the pain that the others underwent.Even wearing a Burkha or being old or mute doesn't give you an excuse from not being raped and killed.When the new girl arrived, I was in tears and the characters were numb since she was too small to be there in her afterlife.This movie brilliantly tells the gripping social reality and voices the helplessness of women who are not safe even at their own homes through the metaphorical representation of afterlife.And while I finish writing this, another Devi is getting raped somewhere in India.

#devishortfilm

A.C