Men's Rights & Feminism According to Aan Paavam Polladhadu

 

I am not triggered by Aan Paavam Polladhadhu - I just pity the makers who think they did right by their target audience and those who think its stellar. Let's dive right into the elements that makes this movie a false representation of what feminism stands for and what is considered "men's rights."

1. Women following traditions (wearing the nuptial thread) are "men's rights."

Tradition isn't the responsibility of only a certain section of the human population. If some people can choose whether or not to follow tradition, so can everyone. Many oppressive traditions have been scrapped from practice - culture and tradition are created by humans for humans. If the tradition no longer serves the current, transformed circumstance - it must be dismantled.

2. Women wearing elders' approved dressing and sitting position are "men's rights."

Weird, because our elders also have the mindset that men must be providers - this movie vehemently opposes that patriarchal diktat (and rightfully so), citing "fake feminism". But selecting which boomer mindset to accept and which one to oppose, citing victimhood doesn't cut it.

3. "If she refuses to adjust her dressing for my family, I'll humiliate her by underdressing for her friend's occasion."

Well, women don't wear a Hazmat suit to go shopping. There's something called "common sense." If we can oppose our parent's ingrained mindset about men's "duty" to earn, we can certainly oppose their mindset about women's dressing. The real villains are patriarchy and our elders who are set in their ways. But women and feminism take the beating - needlessly.

4. Watching other women on reels is ok but the wife shouldn't post reels because other people may watch her and comment = men's rights.

If one doesn't want others to see the women at their home in "blue lens", that person shouldn't see other women in the same lens in the first place. With the advent of AI, even if you lost your passport size photo for your ID, it can be taken and edited in compromising positions. Making reels isn't the only way women get seen in such lens.

So, there's "danger" everywhere, anywhere, anytime. Even using the bathroom at home can be risky. This is the world women live in - it'd be good if consent is practiced and technology isn't misused by "you-know-who."

5. Women pursuing a job that is approved by them is "men's rights."

There are so many beauty standards. And body-shaming women for being dark, on the heavy side and for "letting themselves go" is a more in our society. But women shouldn't open beauty parlors - they should study and become IAS officers. 

6. Ridiculing women's lack of academic capability is men's rights.

In India, this girl topped the state-board exam - she was viciously trolled for her appearance. 

C. Nandini, a girl from TamilNadu, got 100% in Tamil, Math, and English (which is an impossible feat). She's a confident speaker who isn't camera shy - she was also trolled. Some people were plotting to make her fall in love with them in college - effectively sabotaging her education.

In Malaysia, women consistently outnumber men among university graduates, yet this advantage does not translate into equal representation in the workforce. While women make up a significant share of degree holders, their participation rate in employment remains lower than men’s.

And, it's not like the saying, "padicha thimiru, sambarikra thimiru" (temerity because of education and earning) isn't used against women anymore.

7. Women shouldn't see self-respect when asking money from their husbands - but the husband gets to put conditions on how much he'd give the wife.

Apparently, women having a collaboration bio on Instagram to earn isn't self-respect. And women shouldn't base self-respect on being financially dependent on their husbands. A nanosecond after saying this, Siva says that when it comes to money, it's always men who must pay - because she wants a loan for the beauty parlor. 

8. Giving permission to women is "men's rights."

Well, first of all, it was figurative speech: nudity in public places is unlawful. I mean, if no one gives permission to Surya to flaunt his abs, who is anyone to give Jyothika permission to wear a sleeveless top? 

Conclusion

Everything is wrong in Aan Paavam Polladhadhu. It speaks about everything except men's problems. The law doesn't favor women: many domestic violence cases don't even reach the court or are settled midway - because in our society, marriage is family prestige. 

And the case of Siva and Sakthi's would be classified as fake as they didn't pursue it. This type of dropped, settled halfway, and compromised cases are the ones men are screaming about as fake DV cases online. There's no understanding of how the law, societal, and Indian family dynamics work.

The movie is based purely on red pill men's online misogyny sentiments. It caters to those who like to think that women are dumb, entitled, and portrays superficial choice feminism. It lets men define feminism the way it would suit their interests, particularly the scene of the feminist activist being a housewife: apparently, it's a slippershot to "fake feminism."

I wonder why they couldn't accept making reels and not wearing the nuptial thread as "choice" like being a housewife tho - therein, the "fake feminism" scam is exposed. 

And no, men or women needn't accept mistakes for family's sake. Talk it out - hear each other out because feminism isn't the antithesis to men's rights. 

There's no fake feminism. There's only feminism that men don't agree with, such as:

1. Housework is a life skill everyone should know and do.

2. Financial independence is human dignity.

3. Choice feminism is superficial as it easily accommodates patriarchy.

4. Feminism is a movement for equality - it doesn't tell women to file fake cases against men.

5. Men's problems are caused by patriarchy, not feminism - from caste oppression, honor killing, earning as duty, to male suicide rates.

When you're privileged, equality feels like oppression.