Praise for My Books


"Manreet Sodhi Someshwar is a gifted writer of great promise. I have a gut feeling we have a new star rising in Punjab's literary horizon. She has an excellent command of English and a sly sense of humour."
- Khushwant Singh on The Long Walk Home

"An enjoyable tale of a sassy girl's headlong race up the corporate ladder."
- India Today on Earning the Laundry Stripes


Thursday 5 March 2015

Thank you Ms Udwin but No, I am Not India's Daughter


Honestly, for any thinking Indian, does the documentary 'India's Daughter' reveal anything new? What the rapist espouses has been espoused by Indian politicians and assorted sadhus and babas time and again. Remember Asaram's execrable judgement on the victim? Then why this brouhaha over its telecast?

Because we don't like to wash our dirty linen in international public?
Because now the whole world will know what we in India already know?
Because, women, we understand your problem, but as good Bharatiya nari, please adjust?

Of course there are issues with Leslee Udwin's documentary. First, the title itself. No Ms Udwin, as an Indian woman, I am nobody's daughter but of my parents. Second, the patronizing of the victim as a 'speaker of excellent English'. For more on what's troubling about the documentary, please read Kavita Krishnan's article: http://www.dailyo.in/…/kavita-krishnan-ni…/story/1/2347.html

Meanwhile, my question is: Why did India need a British film maker to make a documentary on what became a lightning rod for debate in this country?

If we don't tell our stories, others will. Because telling a story requires more than Bollywood bling - it requires courage, empathy, and the determination to dig deep and come up with the truth, however unpalatable.

2 comments:

  1. Hi Manpreet. Geetanjali here, your junior from PEC. Jyoti gave me a heads up on your current profile. I am happily surprised to see you a published and established author. Please write to me on my email . geeta.mittal@gmail.com, would love to hear from you.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Dear Manreet Sodhi Someshwar,
    I'm enjoying The Long Walk Home. Thank you for your graceful writing. India's my favorite country & Calcutta, where I spent a day w/ Satyajit Ray, my favorite city. I prefer Khajuraho, built for the gods, to the Taj, built for a mortal. I plan to join your class at the JCC this April.—JerelleKraus.com / JerelleKraus4@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete