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Is It Easy for Disabled Women to Get Married in Indian Society?

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Call me ableist and insensitive - but I will say what I have to say about the sexism affecting only Indian disabled women. I had a disabled female relative and a disabled female doctor (both with Indian roots and affected by childhood polio). They were used liberally as inspiration porn as they were successful in a world built for able bodied people. However, marriage and romantic relationships eluded them - the words from my female relative rings sonorously in my conscience: "They think disabled people should be grateful they’re allowed to exist – romantic relationships, intimacy, marriage are excess. To some extent, disabled men have more chances to find a life partner than disabled women in our patriarchal society. Patriarchy renders women like me unmarriageable.  In the past, during the penn paarkum vaibavam (bride seeing) ceremony, right... They will ask the bride they came to see to walk, sing, ask her questions, and make her serve coffee and tidbits. This was to check if th...
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Kadhalikka Neramillai: Wasted Potential

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  Kadhalikka Neramillai has quite a groundbreaking plot, going against societal norms. However, I felt that it could have been better. Let's explore my directorial lens ft Kadhalikka Neramillai. Shriya (Nithya Menen) could have adopted a child rather than have a biological child through IVF. Adopting children is giving birth from the heart. Indians anywhere in the world are obsessed with biological children. Several married couples in my family spent hundreds of thousands on fertility treatments to have biological children. Adoption wasn't even considered. It's understandable that Sethuraman (Vinay Rai) froze his sperm to have children - the law disallows single men/gay men couple to adopt children. But Shriya - she could've adopted.  I don't understand why we're making fertility and IVF doctors filthy rich to have children when there are millions of children needing parents and familial love and devotion. Do game-changing Indian movies need to perpetuate the id...
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Girls Can't Continue A Family Legacy?

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  Telugu megastar Chiranjeevi recently said at an event that his house is like a lady's hostel and he's the hostel warden - referring to his five granddaughters. He added that he needs a grandson from his son to continue his family legacy. He was rebuked for saying such things in public in a country where female fetuses are aborted over the preference for sons. Still, people are saying that there's nothing wrong with what he said. "Truly, only boys carry the family legacy." There are still people with such a mindset - so, public figures should watch what they say. Leave social responsibility - how'd his granddaughters feel when they hear his sexist remarks on them? They'd feel shortchanged, unworthy and that it doesn't matter how much they excel and achieve, they wouldn't measure up to a boy. And that will affect their confidence and overall sense of self-worth. Their grandfather should have at least realized that before shooting off his mouth that...
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Kadhalikka Neramillai: A Review

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 I once told a friend that I wouldn't judge anyone who has casual sex. But I'd judge him hard if he didn't dispose his used condoms properly. That unusual wisecracking encapsulates my overall opinion on Kadhalikka Neramillai's plot. But I need to do justice to all the other aspects Kadhalikka Neramillai explored, amid the weeps of culture vulture, claiming that Indian culture is degenerating to western, morally corrupt wokeism. So... here goes! 1. The portrayal that gay people (Sethuraman, essayed by Vinay Rai) aren't always looking for sex is trailblazing - they are capable of friendship, and other platonic relationships. Finally, the "Avana nee" (So, you're gay?) scene has been vanquished - by a woman director. Kiruthiga vindicated the long overdue stigma on gays portrayed in Tamil movies. She's also realistic about it. Gowda (Yogi Babu) represents the struggle Indians face in accepting change. Methuva tha varuvan. (He will come around slowly.)  ...
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Being an Atheist is Awesome

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Contrary to popular belief, people don't become atheists overnight. It is not like waking up one day and deciding to become a non-believer - it is a gradual process, propelled by the hunger for reason and initiated by critical thinking. I find being an atheist awesome for many reasons. I hope those reasons explain why I am steadfast with an atheistic lifestyle. You pray and believe in God, da. Why me? One has to be a realist before becoming an atheist. So, an atheist is totally in touch with ever-changing reality. Atheists evolve; theists stay stationary. They are stuck in a time warp called religion and believe that their religion is the true religion. If they do progress, it's very selective. They also falsely attribute the progress to their religion, hijacking the long and laborious battle of modern movements like feminism and social justice that fought for equality and human rights.  It is indeed brave of theists - they don't worry if they go to hell in afterlife for wo...
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