Q. I remember in your blog you mentioned that for your social Psychology class you did a presentation on homosexuality in Pakistan, also visible on the blog, which caused the homophobic teacher some grief. Can you tell us a bit about that experience?

A: Oh yes. That was one of my more painful experiences. At the beginning of the semester, we were assigned a project in Social Psychology, which was to choose and present a social issue in Pakistan and advise as to how we can combat it. We had about two months to form a group of five people and prepare. All 4 people in my group were “hijaabi good girls” from conservative middle class families, who did not know what LGBT stood for, what Homosexuality meant, or what the terms Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual or Transgender implied. Even after my explanation to them, they were surprisingly as committed as I was to choosing this topic for our presentation. I sought out our professor to discuss whether we could do it and talk a bit about religion without offending anyone specifically. She was incredibly supportive and allowed us to do whatever we like and said not to worry about it.

Two months later, after many sleepless nights and hard work devoted to the project and teaching everything I knew about sexual variance to my group members, the presentations began. The first group presented theirs on Media, Sex, and Violence. Interestingly enough, they quoted Homosexuality to be one of the “main negative effects” of media today, because it “projects it as positive, when it’s clearly an abnormality.”  They also talked about how the APA (American Psychological Association) still views homosexuality as a mental disorder (which in fact has not been the case since 1973), and how it was sad that the media was propagating that it was normal.

Having sat through the entire presentation, literally shaking in anger, I finally got my turn towards the end to question why they had misrepresented Psychology’s stance towards homosexuality, when both the American Psychiatric Association, and the American Psychological Association removed homosexuality from DSM (Diagnostic Statistical Manual) as a disorder or illness in 1973 and 1975. Before this could be answered, our professor rudely interrupted me and asked if I could please tell her who had told me that Psychology considered homosexuality to be normal. Simply dismissing my response – “every Psychology course book authorized by this university and the American Psychological Association itself, not to mention the scientific and behavioral researches that have been conducted on the topic of sexual variance” – she continued to go on about how the only reason APA removed homosexuality from their list of “mental disorders” was due to social pressure from various human rights organizations, and how it is likely that they will declare it to be a disorder again very soon.

We had not only wanted but expected to be given an unpolluted chance to show sexual variance as normal within the sexual spectrum, talk about how homophobia affects the society as a whole, and suggest ways to combat the problem of state endorsed intolerance. This opportunity was ruined by the ignorant and prejudiced rant of an authority figure which obviously took priority over the “flawed opinions” of students.

More than anything though, I was truly disgusted by her stubborn refusal as a psychologist, to view things objectively or even consider how her premature judgment was the key ingredient in fueling irrational hatred towards an entire section of our community and in limiting people’s minds regarding our efforts to make people see sexual variance as a normal objective reality rather than an abnormal sin.

So I went home, cried and raged to my mum, rambled on and sobbed some more on the phone while talking to one of my closest friends and then changed the entire presentation to only include facts as stated by Psychology and other concrete sciences that have evidence to back up their theories and claims. I did this because I didn’t want to give anyone any chance to reject our presentation on the basis of being a personal opinion that could be disagreed with. I wanted it to be viewed as scientific fact that has to be taken seriously and cannot be contradicted without equally concrete evidence. I wanted people to take us seriously despite the damage that our bigoted teacher and her rant had caused.

We gave our presentation, and we were the only ones she didn’t interrupt to ask questions in the middle because we obviously made no mistakes presenting facts. As soon as we finished though, she stood up and said, “Yeeaah, it was good. It’s okay, it was your opinion, it’s alright…” with an overly consolatory tone implying that we had made errors and she was absolving us of our stupidity. Before I could retort, a girl in my group stood up and objected to that by saying how there is a difference between fact and opinion, and our presentation only included facts, to which the teacher said, “so that’s your opinion”! After that we were pretty sure that the PhD sporting “doctor” who was teaching us could never rise up above the cultural and religious biases she had, and to try and convince her to reconsider her stance, while a class of 35 people watched on was probably not advisable.

Despite these nuances, I was pretty happy with the entire thing because if nothing else, just choosing, researching and presenting this topic got four other people’s (my group members) opinions to change rather drastically about different sexual orientations and taught them how to view these differences as normal, despite the deeply damaging effects of the stifling culture and society we come from. And to me, that was a HUGE WIN!

Q: I think there are many things Indian and Pakistani gay activists can learn from each other and help each other with when it comes to acceptance. But are there any stereotypes that Indians have of Pakistan and Pakistanis that you would like to dispel? Are there any stereotypes you had about Indians and India that your Indian friends have dispelled for you? Also would you like to visit India and if so, what place would you most like to visit, what souvenir would you like to take with you and what are your favourite desi Vegetarian dishes?

A: My mother has been to India a couple of times, and she always came back gushing about how beautiful it was and how nice the people were. I’ve always wanted to go to India! I want all the pretty saaris with the long pallu’s and I want to visit the Taj Mahal. The cities I want to visit the most are Mumbai, New Delhi, and Goa (after watching Dil Chahta Hai)!

I suppose that the biggest stereotype that is associated with people from Pakistan is that we all hate India and Indian people. I won’t dispute that in cricket season, but otherwise that’s really not the case. When I was in Australia, people would often come up to me and ask me if I was Indian and I would say I was. Because really, what is the difference between Pakistanis and Indians anyway? We share so much with each other, it would be silly to nit pick just to differentiate. Another stereotype that the entire world seems to share regarding Pakistani people is that all women wear Burkas and if they don’t they are killed. Not true. Yes, it is dangerous here to practice individuality, but not nearly as much as it’s portrayed to be.

I’m a fan of Daal Chawal. I love it. I’d eat it everyday if my mother would let me!

Q.  I know you have been a fan of Gaysi on Facebook, so on your trip to India would you like to attend some of the LGBT film festivals and events in India?

A.I would absolutely love to attend the lgbt film festival in India! That’s another thing I love about your country. You have a phenomenal film industry and you never fail to blow our minds with movies like Earth 1947, Water, Rang De Basanti and Om Kara! They’re just Splendid!

Q: Finally, do you have any words of advice for other LGBT and human rights activists out there?

A: The only word of advice I have for any activist is that one should do everything they can to know their opposition. I’m an atheist but when I talk about animal rights and Eid Sacrifice with other Muslims, I make sure not to talk about or even mention how wrong Islam or religion is for propagating it, for the simple reason that when people perceive someone to be threatening their belief system, they get defensive and let go of logic and reason. My aim and that of most other activists is to make people reconsider their thoughts and opinions about certain well reinforced stereotypes and prejudices that we’ve all grown up with. We can never succeed in achieving that goal, if we use harsh language, abuse incessantly or degrade the opposition’s views and opinions, no matter how much we might disagree with them. Our success can only be measured by the change we are able to bring about around us, and that depends on how many people we can convince to reconsider their stance or educate themselves on certain issues they might not have known much about previously. We may not be able to control what other people decide to be right or wrong, but we can most certainly ensure that they have all the facts, and consider them before making such a decision. Also when it comes to defending minorities or marginalized sects of a society, every voice represents that entire group of people. So when I am put into a predominantly male working environment, my work, my attire, the way I talk, the way I walk, and the way I handle other people does not only reflect on me but on all women. This is the case with all minorities/marginalized sections of a society, and we should take care to remember this when we are talking about burning a holy book or killing homophobes. It’s about minimizing the number of opportunities we give to the opposition to fault us. We are responsible for our words reflecting on people other than ourselves and if we can defend human rights keeping that in mind, we’d be GOLD!

You can have your whole group dressed up in the same accessory by pre-booking with us…
So get ready..reserve your date with BIRDCAGE on February the 11th for the first of it’s kinds party… and more surprises….

“The Birdcage” ……….. you made it India’s best ever Gay and Lesbian Party. So time to get ready…. Dress up …. Get your dancing shoes on and party with us on 11th February.

What do u look forward for?
- Good Music
-Good N Safe Crowd… no hanky panky stuff at our venue… just a venue to dance with friends ..make new friends ..
- Good, Spacious….. Venue at the heart of the city
- 3 Bar counters ….serving from India’s to the world’s best drinks.
- Did we miss something?……… Ah!….yes…. A sexy and the Biggest Crowd.

Where and when is it?
- February 11th 2012 (Saturday party)
- Starts 09:00 P.M.
- Balthazar, Juhu Tara Road, Santacruz (W), Mumbai.
- Landmark : Just a little ahead of SNDT college towards Juhu, on the same side of SNDT just before u take the right turn for Juhu while coming from Santacruz. Opp.Lido Petrol Pump
- Nearest Station : Santacruz

Finally…. How much is it?
- For registered guests – Rs.1,000/-
- For walk-in (unregistered) guests – Rs.1,500/-
- You are free to redeem the cover for drinks and food of your choice at the bar.

How would you register?
- Just call up on 9819668936 / 9920130995 …. Give your and your friends name…simple.

What you got to take care of…
- No Drugs……VERY STRICTLY
- No Sex.
- No Drag.
- No Hanky Panky.
- No Helmets.
- Did we miss……STRICTLY.

Note :
- Co-operate with the organizers and venue staff.
- We are here to welcome…. and we just wish to do that… so please do not mis-behave.
- Your classy and peppy behavior should open our doors to new ventures and more artists for our community.
- Rights of admission reserved.
- No Discount or membership cards applicable on that day at the venue.
- Credit cards accepted.
- Club Rules Apply.
- Carry an identity proof…..this is to ensure no minors are allowed.
- Anyone found using or carrying any drug / illegal substance will not be allowed to our event and if found inside the venue will be escorted out of the venue and will be banned from any of our events in future.
- You may be allowed to be frisked for security reasons.

Out! is a Queer Ink event for individuals to speak about their personal journeys of the tipping point that propelled them to use their art to seek the queer unknown.

Queer: /kweer/
1. Strange or odd.

2. An inclusive umbrella term to refer to all non-normative experiences, both in terms of gender and sexual identities and other non-hetro-normative practices.

This event is a session of story telling – real life stories of the artists, of the “tipping point” in their lives that made their art what it is. The why, how, when of their art and the responsibilities they feel they may have as artists.

Note, this event is not about politics, activism or ideological debates on what art or queer is or should be. It is not about the politics of “voice”. This event is about artists who have fueled voices. And this event is to know what fueled them.

Speakers:
Ashok Row Kavi: Founder/Editor of Bombay Dost
R. Raj Rao: Writer
Mahabanoo Mody Kotwal: Theatre personality

Date : 9th February, 2012

Time : 8PM-9PM

Venue : David Sasson Library in Kala Ghoda (across the road from Rhythm House and Jehangir Art Gallery), Mumbai.

Moderator: Shobhna S Kumar

If you could hear what I hear, you would know why the silence

If you could feel what I feel, you would know why I am me

If you could know what’s in my mind, you would know why I run away from me

If you could be me, if you would be me, you would go far far away me

If you could be me and I could be you, things would have been different or maybe just the same, but I just wish you were me and I was you…

Q. Do you face much opposition to your blog posts and your outspoken views? How do you deal with this?

My Blog is fairly new and since I’m so busy with studies these days, I don’t really get a chance to update it as often as I’d like and thus publicize it. This is the reason I haven’t really faced any opposition to my blog posts yet, but I’m sure it’s only a matter of time. I have faced a lot of opposition to my “public” posts on Facebook regarding homosexuality. They’ve always been very Islam-centric, and talking to them at a time when I wasn’t too familiar with what the Quran said on these topics, wasn’t the smartest thing to do. But I suppose it all turned out well since it made me do a lot more research and get familiar with what the Quran says and find more liberal interpretations of the only verse in the Quran that talks about homosexuality.

Q. Has there ever been a moment where your views placed you in danger or made you think of giving up? What are the main challenges and opposition LGBT activists face in Pakistan?

Interestingly enough, the only “death threat” I received was for talking against animal sacrifices carried out every year on Eid, in Muslim countries. I was posting against Eid sacrifices on an animal welfare forum and trying to offer alternatives to this tradition and talking about how the word “sacrifice” in the Quran has a much different meaning today than it did 1400 years ago and that it no longer has to include slaughtering animals. A person got upset and said that I should be handed over to the Taliban for slaughter, so that I could be taught a lesson. The person then rephrased and said, “the BAD talibans” (implying that there are supposedly GOOD talibans around too), which reduced me to hysterical laughter because it was pretty darn funny.

The main challenges LGBT activists face in Pakistan are religious and constitutional. Mainstream translations of the Quran are clear in their opposition towards homosexuality and sexual variance, and a vast majority of the people in this country follows such interpretations regarding other’s right and life, to a fault. This involves a certain lack of empathy and the concept of blind faith and total submission that I find absolutely terrifying and extremely detrimental.
Even if we put religion aside for a minute and just focus on the constitutional side of things, section 377 under the Pakistan Penal Code (1860) is extremely vague when it states, “Whoever voluntarily has carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman or animal, shall be punished with imprisonment for life, or with imprisonment of either description for a term which shall not be less than two years nor more than ten years, and shall also be liable to fine. Penetration is sufficient to constitute the carnal intercourse necessary to the offense described in this section.” Now here, the phrase “against the order of nature” hasn’t really been specified or defined. This law is more than 150 years old, and scientific progress and our knowledge of different facts regarding nature has completely transformed our understanding and the objective definition of what is “natural” and “unnatural” altogether. According to the scientific and moral progress humanity has made, sexual variance no longer fits the law defined by section 377 of the Pakistan Penal Code, yet people continue to be punished under this law even today. Thus there is much need for the amendment of such vague laws that reinforce already existent prejudice in the minds of the masses.

Q. On the other hand, has there been a particular moment where you felt a sense of achievement in your activism which further encouraged you to continue your work?

Such moments are so very few, but they are strong enough to last a long time. One of my greatest achievements till now has been the presentation that caused four conservative girls to view homosexuality as normal. It may not seem like much, but in a country like Pakistan which does NOT view homosexuality in a positive light because everything revolves around mainstream interpretations of Scripture, convincing four people to view it in a different light was an incredibly huge achievement that diluted the negativity brought about by our authority figures.

I am also constantly motivated to carry on the fight for animal rights, every time someone comes forth to adopt an animal or considers spaying/neutering an animal under their care after I’ve had a talk with them.

Q.Do your friends know of your activism and have they been supportive?

A few of my friends are incredibly supportive of my activism, be it regarding animals rights, LGBT rights or religious minority rights. But most friends have grown up to think very differently and don’t support what I do much. I’ve had to let go of the ones who didn’t support my causes and mocked me for them. But I’m still in touch with some whose opinions differ from mine, and I often try to sneak in new facts and details supporting what I’m doing. I’m positive that they will come around one day.

Q.What does the future hold for you? What are your plans? Do you wish to stay in Pakistan to pursue your work in human rights or do you seek to move abroad?

I’m not much of a planner, but I do want to stay in Pakistan and use my degree in Psychology to pursue equal rights for all. I’ve never been a very ambitious person, so material things like status or a good post have never really held too much importance for me. Fighting for equality and justice though, that’s something that’s close to my heart. And who needs equality, justice and compassion more than Pakistan? It’s only logical that I stay here.

Q: You are also part of the “People for animal rights” group in Pakistan for which you have a Facebook page. How has the response to that been amongst your friends?

A: I’ve actually had to let go of many friends because of the lack of common interests, beliefs and values. I don’t blame them for not being able to accept, what I’m sure they see as, drastic changes in my personality and outlook on life. It’s just so much easier to find people similar to you at an age when you’re not even sure who you are exactly. But once you discover yourself , discover independence and grow into an individual, you find the people closest to you went through the same process but turned into people with a completely different ideology than your own. I don’t mind being around people who think differently, I actually prefer it. But I can’t stand people mocking and belittling my values and opinions, especially when these people are close friends and loved ones. It’s just very hurtful.

Q: You are part of the Pakistani Queer Movement (PQM). Do you think the slowly changing mindset in India (and gay-friendly Bollywood) will also impact hearts and minds in Pakistan when it comes to gay issues?

A: Aaah yes PQM, brilliant initiative by a very brave little soldier, one that I’m honored to be a part of. I think the slowly changing mindset in India would most definitely have a positive impact on the more liberal hearts and minds, ones who are more inclined to view things objectively rather than subjectively, in Pakistan when it comes to Gay Issues. But the uneducated, conservative and prejudiced masses might actually be affected in the exact opposite manner, just because India is propagating it. It’s incredibly shameful, but if we can’t admit it, we won’t ever be able to change anything.

End of Part 2. Please provide your feedback in the comments section and we’ll be sure to share it with Sadaf.

Q: Sadaf, your bravery and courage in boldly speaking out about controversial issues, such as LGBT, minority rights and animal rights in Pakistan is very inspiring to all human rights and LGBT activists not only in Pakistan and India but throughout the Indian subcontinent. First of all, I would like to ask you about your blog which touches upon a number of these issues. What motivated you to speak out about LGBT, minority and animal rights, rather than be a passive observer as many of us are in the subcontinent?

Ans: Wow, that’s a tough one. I really don’t think I could pin point the exact time or event in my life that made me want to fight specifically for human rights (even though I can totally do that for animal rights), but I do remember that I always felt a lot of empathy for the underdog from a very young age. Maybe it was because I myself was bullied for a very short time at the age of 9 for being over-weight and since I was always an “over-sensitive” child, that left a strong impression on me. Or maybe it was just that I’ve always been a bit of an “old soul” as my friends used to call me, and never found stuff like someone tripping and falling over terribly hilarious, even if it was a person I wasn’t too fond of. I’ve just always been able to relate to the underdog.

For the longest time in high school I would get infuriatingly upset and stressed over a girl in my class being bullied by 49 other girls. I was never targeted, not even for standing up for her, because I had friends and I suppose was well-liked or didn’t give them enough of an opportunity to pick on me on account of being boringly similar to them. I just hated that they picked on her and it boggled my mind that the girls I was friends with, who were otherwise sweet, kind and compassionate would join in on the laughter and teasing while she cried at the hurtful remarks and incessant mockery. I never understood how people could relate so easily to the pain of their friends and family, yet turn a blind eye to the same pain felt by a stranger. To me, pain was pain, and it should be reacted to in the same manner, irrespective of who was feeling it. So I suppose that frustration grew as the years went by, and now here I am, unable to shut up when I come across someone being bullied, being wronged or being ganged up against. Now it’s an obsession.

Also, since we all know genetics aren’t everything, I believe the rest of my personality comes from my environment and my mother. My mother is an amazing woman who has spent her entire life trying to teach me by example. My mother taught me how to think, not what to think, and for this I will be forever grateful to her. She is one of my biggest supporters in all my fights. She has the kindest heart and even though she didn’t always have such a positive opinion of homosexuality specifically, once I gave her my perspective on human rights (specifically LGBT rights) with regards to psychology, biology and just basic humanity, she was completely turned around regarding these realties and now educates her friends on these topics. She always discourages people from spouting hatred and educates people on what homosexuality is really all about whenever she comes across those who seem to be blinded by the prejudice that arises from ignorance.

The simplest words in which I can explain my belief though, is through a quote by George Bernard Shaw, who said, “The minority is sometimes right, but the majority is ALWAYS wrong”. I think he was spot on.

Q. I am sure there are many who subconsciously feel that change needs to come in both our countries on these issues. But few of us actively seek that change, as many of us sit back and relax hoping someone else will do the hard work. Others feel helpless and wonder if substantial change is possible but developments in the past few years should give us hope. Have you ever faced these doubts and what has motivated you to keep going despite them?

Ans: Many people actually think that just sitting at home and writing a blog is ineffective too, and even if that’s true (which I don’t think it is), many of us don’t know what else we can do. We can write, we can publicize, we can comment, we can argue, we can engage people in debates and we can raise awareness. Most of the people don’t even know about many of the issues our society faces because everything is a taboo these days. You can’t question religion, because it’s disrespectful. You can’t talk about sexual harassment, because that’s inappropriate. You can’t talk about sexual orientation, because no one really knows anything about it other than the fact that they’ve been told that it’s “sinful”. And you most definitely can’t talk about animal rights, because let’s face it, they were never suppose to have any. And them not having rights make our lives pretty easy. I feel trapped in this society sometimes because I don’t know what route to take to make a difference. Setting the whole “fear for life” thing aside, there is too much moral corruption to even sift out right from wrong. Renowned private educational institutions dole out extremely biased and discriminatory lectures on SCIENTIFIC subjects like Psychology, a discipline based on objectivity and empirical evidence. I’m often overwhelmed by these truths and feel insignificant in the face of such deep-rooted hypocrisy and prejudice. But these realizations always result in frustration-driven anger, which fortunately is my motivation.

Q. What inspired you to take up the issue of human rights, particularly gay rights? Do you know any gays and lesbians in Pakistan and what is the environment like for them? Do you feel today’s generation is more open minded than previous generations?

Ans: I’ve always had a rather high level of empathy for as long as I can remember. I suppose the idea of not saying or doing something when you know what’s happening around you is wrong, especially when someone else is suffering as a direct result of the wrongdoing, had always seemed extremely preposterous to me.
I do know quite a few gay people in Pakistan now, but I’ve been a firm believer in their rights even before I knew any. I myself have always been gender blind, so I suppose it was easier for me to relate to people falling in love with and/or being attracted to members of the same sex. I never really saw the “haw” factor in that. I mean, all that talk about “inner beauty” and “loving the person and not the face” to me, stretched beyond just “beauty”. I’ve always fallen in love with people, not what was or wasn’t between their legs.

The sexual variant people in Pakistan, the ones I know at least, are incredibly strong-minded, humble and most importantly, fearless. Especially considering how incredibly difficult, almost impossible, this society has made for them to “come out” without their lives being put at risk. One of my good friends, Nuwas Manto, the owner of PQM (Pakistan Queer Movement) and a fellow activist was brave enough to come out to his family at the age of 17, and now, 3 years down the line, his family is still struggling to come to terms with it, and continues to hope for that he will find the “right girl” who will pull him out of his “phase”. Nuwas is only twenty years old. Imagine spending the first quarter of your life fighting for your right to be considered human! Imagine fighting for this right in a society that treats you like a contagious disease, wrong and “sinful”. Imagine your own family not being able to support you in your fight or sooth your self esteem by considering you to be perfect just the way you are. I can’t imagine it. Because it’s impossible to imagine being on the receiving end of such cruelty unless you’ve been subjected to it. There is nothing sadder and more heart breaking than a healthy, beautiful person being made to question their self worth based on something they have absolutely no control over.

It is incredibly difficult to remain as poised and calm as my LGBT brothers and sisters have managed to keep in the face of such excessively institutionalized homophobia. My respect and admiration for the peacefulness and patience of the LGBT community in Pakistan knows no bounds. I idolize their courage and their resilience and will continue to do so and fight alongside them always.

Today’s generation may be more open-minded as compared to the previous generation with respect to the fact that they might consider “death” to be an inappropriate punishment for homosexuality. But sadly, it is also true that today’s generation is just as ignorant as the previous one and a lot more dangerous because along with being ignorant, it is also fed the wrong information as fact by “experts”. So where death is thought to be an disproportionate punishment for homosexuality, people now believe that “professional help” is most definitely a more suitable option for people who’re afflicted with this so called “mental disorder”.

End of Part 1. Please provide your feedback in the comments section and we’ll be sure to share it with Sadaf.

Friday night’s meet-up with the girls was routine. Getting out that one night in a week with friends gave Yasmin a sense of purpose, something constant, something steady. But lately, Yasmin dreaded Friday nights. She hated pubs. She hated the drunken garble because that is all she heard. She laughed at jokes half-heartedly because there was nothing else to do…to say. The interesting conversations seemed to always happen on the other end of the table. She would try hard to lip read and maybe make a comment but nobody heard her. Drinking did nothing for her, either. She never drank enough to get drunk. And by the end of the night, she was sober amongst a bunch of drunk women, taking the auto alone, to her place where she stayed alone.

Friday nights were the only nights she felt lonely.

But last Friday, she regretted reading lips from across the table. Lips that smiled and stunned her. Lips she couldn’t take her eyes off. Lips, she wished she could slowly touch with her thumb and trace their outline. Slowly. Lick them. Kiss them.

It was a little late by the time she realised she’d been staring too long and was perhaps being rude, for she saw that the smiling lips were attached to a face that had eyes which twinkled and were now looking straight at her. She felt flushed and suddenly it was as if the alcohol had hit her. She looked away immediately and got up to pay a visit to the ladies room. She couldn’t bear to go back and the loud thump-thumping wasn’t helping either. She quietly snuck out of the pub and decided to make her way home.

She felt like an idiot. She kept cursing herself for having silly fantasies in a public place about a total stranger. And at the same time she felt her stomach muscles tighten at the thought of those lips and those smiling eyes that were filled with mischief. She shook her head to shake the thought and berated herself for being such a coward…no, a pervert…no, just horny…no no no…coward. Focus!

‘Ok! Stop!’, she told herself. Take a deep breath. She shouldn’t have had that wine she told herself.

“Yasmin, you ok?”

She looked up to find Bindya standing there looking concerned. “Yeah I’m fine, do you have a cigarette I can …bum…” Shite! Too late! The lips! There, standing right next to Bindya were those luscious lips and twinkling eyes! “I should stop calling them that”, Yasmin made a mental note.

“Sorry. We are on our last one, but we can share?” asked Bindya. “No escape”, thought Yasmin as The Lips took a deep drag off her cigarette. “Are you leaving already?” asked Bindya. Yasmin barely nodded while she tried to keep her eyes off The Lips. “Yeah, long day. Should head home”, she mumbled while her head screamed to escape right away. “Oh, come on…we barely get to see you. You are such a party pooper. We might be going over to Moina’s after this. Come no?” “Who Moina?” Yasmin blurted.

“Hi, I’m Moina. I don’t think we’ve met.”

The Lips was speaking to her now and held out her hand. Yasmin put her hand out sheepishly and smiled. “Hi. Sorry…I really got to go.” She quickly hugged Bindya and said her byes promising to meet them again next Friday.

She did not go the next Friday only to get a call from Bindya the following morning throwing a tantrum for not having turned up. It suddenly occurred to her that she had missed Bindya’s birthday. Yasmin apologised and wished her a belated birthday and in turn got arm twisted to going over to Bindya’s for a Sunday brunch. She asked,“Who all will be there?” “The usual…but a smaller group. Hey, Moina was asking about you. But you’ll meet her tomorrow in any case.”

Yasmin barely managed to stifle a “WHAT?” and her horror…excitement…knot in stomach… She mumbled about a headache and said she’d see Bindya tomorrow.

Her head had been muddled ever since and even this shower wasn’t helping. She felt strangely trapped. She decided she didn’t want to eat anything after all. Poured herself a glass of wine and picked out the biggest bar of chocolate from her secret stash, crawled into bed and watched TV till she passed out.

The party seemed like a blur. As usual, everyone had conversations to make except for her. There was much chattering and giggling, none of which she could hear. At least this time it wasn’t the other way round! Yasmin decided to get some fresh air and walked to the balcony only to be intercepted by Bindya on her way. Bindya seemed drunk, grinning ear to ear and talking so fast that Yasmin could barely follow what she was saying. Not that Bindya seemed to mind. She abruptly turned away and started talking to someone else in the same boisterous drunk way.

She wondered what Bindya had meant by ‘a smaller group’ since the house was swarming with women she knew and those she had never seen. So far there was no sign of Moina. Yasmin let out a sigh of relief but she was also disappointed. She decided to make her way to the restroom. She washed her face and stared at the mirror for a while trying to figure out if she was drunk or just fatigue. The latter, she decided.

After what seemed like a long time she noticed that there was someone behind her in the mirror. There she was. Those lips pursed, looking concerned but a smile waiting to appear. Their eyes met in the mirror and Yasmin felt her cheeks flush. She looked away only to realise that Moina had moved forward and was standing right behind her. So close that she could feel Moina’s warm breathe on her hair. Yasmin felt her body tense up begging silently for Moina to touch her.

She wasn’t sure what or how it happened but there she was, kissing those lips and those lips were kissing her back. They moved from her mouth and traced her jawline, slowly down to her neck and ran along her shoulder blade. They tumbled somehow onto Bindya’s bed while Moina’s hands slowly but steadily unpinned Yasmin’s saree and unwound her out of it. Moina’s lips in close tandem with her tongue were working wonders on Yasmin’s skin. The neck…the cleavage and finally devouring her right nipple while her fingers worked on her left. She could feel Moina’s wetness while she straddled Yasmin’s thigh. Their collective moans had drowned out the loud party noises. Her back arched and Moina’s grip tightened around her thigh.

She ran her thumb on the contours of those lips that smiled while they drifted off into a blissful slumber.

She woke up with the start to broad daylight and a noisy television. It took her a moment to realise she was in her bed, in her house, alone. Confused, she walked around her house to make sure she was fully awake and that this wasn’t her imagination. So then, if this is real, was that a dream? She sat back on her bed feeling dejected. She pulled her covers up to her knees and sat staring mindlessly at the TV. Slowly she smiled, grinned…

Like she willed, she slept and when she woke up she knew exactly what she had to do.
“So which saree shall I wear today?” she said aloud to herself.

I don’t think it’s fair to compare the 1990 movie with the 2012 re-make/revamp/vamped version. 

Agreed! But that’s exactly the review seems to be doing. You cannot compare the two Vijays or the two Suhasinis. A note from Karan Johar before the credits run in the beginning, hints at the imminent departure from the original. I don’t remember his foreword exactly, but I paraphrase: “the Agneepath of ’90 formed a pillar for the production of Agneepath of 2012″. The storyline was developed differently (for e.g: the events that led to Masterji’s death) and the supporting characters were new. Why even, ‘Kancha’ is merely a name shared by Danny and Sanjay Dutt. In character, they were both quite different.

- the Censor Board’s license – U/A – really? how are children supposed to watch a post-rape scene, couple of bloody murders and extreme violence in the name of a ‘storyline’ and still stay awake at night? Or refrain from trying some of the stuff out?

I don’t know how many people actually follow the Censor Board’s certification, to begin with. The movie also opens with the obligatory disclaimer that the movie is too violent and may be unsuitable for young viewers. People who did go into watch Agneepath: what were they expecting? A Disney remake of the original? The original was rife with violence and parents should know better than to bring kids along. And a separate rant: Parents should stop taking kids to watch movies altogether unless they are old enough to stay still and shut the hell up. Exception: Disney/Pixar movies.

- Rauf Lala (Rishi Kapoor) is a brilliant character, but somehow lacking a decent end. Could’ve been a lot more emphatic towards the ‘death’

I find it hard to sympathise with a man who made a career out of selling underage girls. Vijay tries his best to walk away out of some misplaced sense of respect. But Rauf deliberately provokes Vijay into killing him; either because he no longer has the will to live (having lost his oldest son) or he’s self-destructive and eggs Vijay into doing something his conscience (or whatever is left of it) doesn’t permit him to, at the cost of his own (Rauf’s) life.

In fact, the mother who hates him for his violence, later on almost cheers him in the 2012 movie towards killing Kancha

If just for a moment, you look at Suhasini’s character as someone new and different from the original, you will see that this is a more realistic portrayal of a widow who wants her children to live and follow the ideals of her upstanding husband but crumbles in the face of reality when she understands how the trauma affected her son. She stops being the widow and instead becomes the mother who just wants her son alive. Suhasini, as played by Rohini was an immensely unlikeable character, but Zarina Wahab portrays this character as someone you can feel bad for.

- The villagers of Mandwa are shown as ultra-dumb, money-minded people. Really? Will anyone in this age even be able to relate to that? Satanic colonies that trade cocaine? Mafia that is only full of venom, blood and the Kolaveri (urge to kill)?

Good grief! Could we have some show of hands from people who went into watch Agneepath hoping to relate to Suhasini/Shiksha/Vijay? The movie is fictional, the characters are fictional. But since we’re talking about portrayals and political correctness, let’s look at the villagers of Mandwa. They first side with Kancha when he presents an oversimplified grand scheme to make quick money. Who doesn’t do that? Since times immemorial right up till recent past, villagers have been selling their land for prices way below their market price in hopes to make some quick money. Soon, the money runs out and demonstrating some “sellers’ remorse”, they decide to protest against the government and ask for more money. The foolishness of this aside, the greed (as shown in Agneepath) is completely realistic. Read up on the Tata Nano factory debacle in West bengal and the land fiasco surrounding Buddh International Circuit at Jaypee Greens Sports City. The Mandwa folks (somewhat reluctantly, perhaps) support the Master as he talks them out of selling land to Kancha and then again support Kancha when faced with the Master’s alleged treachery. Though not shown strongly enough, the villagers show a glimmer of doubt and fear when Kancha hangs the Master. This is depicted through their shell-shocked silence as the Master’s writhing stops as life slips out of his body. Mandwa’s transformation from a cheery colorful village (opening Holi scene) to a grey dreary Lanka has been shot wonderfully in Agneepath.

As for mafia deaths? I have three words for you. Mexican drug cartels.

- Hijras shown as clever, scheming people is okay. But as violent mobs? Dagger and knife-armed killers? Come on! Get a life! I know we’ve not portrayed Hijras in Bollywood for quite some time, but then comes this ghastly, scary image of the queens. Don’t compare them with the buggers in Ninja Asssassin.

This is the part of review I most disagree with. Why is it okay to show Hijra as scheming but not violent? I acknowledge, the movie did not spend enough time on the character development of the Hijras. As I saw it, they were shown as supportive of Vijay and loyal and fierce. They rise up in arms against a mob of cruel men that have thronged to witness and participate in the auction of a girl. What’s wrong with that? Would you rather that Hijras be shown as only sweet loving angels who provide comedic relief from time to time (as is the case in Bollywood now)? I could write a whole new post about movies where Hijras paid central and negative characters that are worth complaining about. But I’ll leave you with one enduring image that haunted me for ages after having watched the movie.

Maharani (Sadak)

Yes, that’s Sadashiv Amrapurkar as Maharani in Sadak.

I have said this before and I say this again. If we queerfolk are truly fighting for equality, then we should be comfortable with being shown in positive and negative light in the media as long as they aren’t ill sketched caricatures. If the violent army of Vijay were comprised of women and not Hijras, would we be as vociferous in our protest about the way they were portrayed? It also seems weird to me that, we must protest against violence being shown in an action movie.

All in all the movie wasn’t half as bad as Srini’s review implies. Yes, it did have its flaws. The character of Vijay as a child appears to be a lot more vocal and stronger than Vijay as an adult. I understand that they wanted to build a silent brooding anti-hero. But there should have been a few more dialogues to depict the dichotomy of Vijay as a gentle, charitable, do gooder and the tortured, anguished, grieving renegade trying to avenge his father’s death. Also Priyanka Chopra as Kaali is a constant annoyance and distraction in the movie. I was part relieved, when her character was killed. It seemed very unconvincing to see such a strong emotional reaction from Vijay when she dies, given how he’d been aloof to her for most part of the movie.

But the movie’s strength was most certainly the acting of Rishi Kapoor, Hritik Roshan (he worked with what he got) and Sanjay Dutt. Not to mention the ever under rated hero: the background music. It’s a shame that Indian movies do not devote enough importance to original background score. This is the one place where the Agneepath of 1990 and 2012 are comparable. Mukul Anand’s Agneepath had background music which was ‘inspired’ by Jean Michel André Jarre and the 2012 Agneepath had original music by Atul-Anand.

I am glad that yet another movie (last one was Wake Up Sid) has come out of the Dharma Productions stable which does not rely on stereotypes, familiar tropes and offensive humor to make the film work.

I’m being the bitch, and ‘cos Hrithik graced the private screening “Agneepath” (2012) in Mumbai for the Queer Azaadi Mumbai 2012 organizing members and supporting personalities. L, G, B, T, H, I, K, Q and the rest of the Queer Alphabet were touched by Hrithik’s warmth and friendliness. And like MJ said it, we’re pimping Bollywood honey!

I don’t think it’s fair to compare the 1990 movie with the 2012 re-make/revamp/vamped version. Couple of things that definitely went wrong in Agneepath 2012:

-          the Censor Board’s license – U/A – really? how are children supposed to watch a post-rape scene, couple of bloody murders and extreme violence in the name of a ‘storyline’ and still stay awake at night? Or refrain from trying some of the stuff out?

-          Hrithik’s character has no consistency in the adult role unlike Amitabh – he’s weak even when he faces Kancha (Sanjay Dutt) in Mandwa. He’s not so weak, when he faces his not-so-bold or non-dramatic mother. –

-          Supporting characters: Kali, Shiksha, Inspector Gaitonde – are less impressive, since the violence of Kancha and the bloodthirst- not-so-clever Vijay fill the screen.

-          Rauf Lala (Rishi Kapoor) is a brilliant character, but somehow lacking a decent end. Could’ve been a lot more emphatic towards the ‘death’

-          The whole progression of Vijay Chauhan from kid to Don is somewhere amiss – nobody can really say the 1990 dialogues of “Vijay Chauhan, Vijay Deeanath Chauhan” etc quite like Amitabh did.

-          Suhasini Chauhan (Zarina Wahab) is utterly small and boring against an imposing Rohini Hattangadi, who makes Amitabh Bacchan shiver, sweat, cry and yearn for love. In fact, the mother who hates him for his violence, in the 2012 movie, later on almost cheers him towards killing Kancha

-          The villagers of Mandwa are shown as ultra-dumb, money-minded people. Really? Will anyone in this age even be able to relate to that? Satanic colonies that trade cocaine? Mafia that is only full of venom, blood and the Kolaveri (urge to kill)?

-          Hijras shown as clever, scheming people is okay. But as violent mobs? Dagger and knife-armed killers? Come on! Get a life! I know we’ve not portrayed Hijras in Bollywood for quite some time, but then comes this ghastly, scary image of the queens. Don’t compare them with the buggers in Ninja Asssassin.

-          Chikni Chameli – I’d anyday prefer the Kombdi Padali version, but we gotta give it to Katrina – brilliant dancing. Btw, is she trying to reach Audrey Hepburn’s waist-size?

-          Kancha – seems like a master-villain, but again, what does he smuggle? Isn’t he supposed to be rich and famous? Why is he only a don controlling a small village, that’s not shown to export millions of kilos of Cocaine or trade with the outside world? Quite weird, no? In all, I think the movie was a disaster.

If Dharma Productions hope to get their 62 Crore INR back, they gotta make movies better than this. And let’s not compare this to anything from Kaminey or Scarface. Not even dust.