Juno, 4months 3 weeks 2 days and Kya Kehna

Recently, I watched these 3 movies in a time spanning 2 weeks and amazed to discover how human societies react differently to the same situation of unwanted pregnancy in different parts of the world depending on socio-political circumstances. In fact, I watched the first two in quick succession and the third one came to my mind to compare the situation. Critical acclaim for the first two attracted me - Juno got Oscar for best screenplay in 2008, 4 months 3 weeks got Palme d’Or in 2007 in Cannes film festival. 

Juno was an unexpected hit in the US despite being a small budget film. Juno, ( portrayed brilliantly by Ellen Page), who  is a bubbly young woman , all of 16 ,  has an unwanted pregnancy. Though she wants to terminate it, she changes her mind later to keep the baby and her father and stepmom support her. In fact, when she declares this to her family, her stepmom jumps to take her to a gynecologist readily. Her father arranges for adoption of the baby by a rich childless couple. This seems quite possible and expected in a free country like America. A girl is exercising her choice to give birth to a baby even though it is unwanted and an open society helps her in defending her right to be an unwed mother.

Now come to the movie 4 months 3 weeks 2 days. In a country where a dictator reigns supreme, where human rights are thwarted every moment and where abortion is illegal, a young college-going woman aborts the fetus quite matter-of-factly in a hushed up manner and goes back to her routine life as if nothing has happened. No question asked about whom or where is the father, no response known from the young woman about how she felt losing her child. In fact, if one has no choice to exercise regarding right to have an unwanted pregnancy, what kind of feeling one could expect from the unwed mother? Even the strongest of feminists would cringe at the movie. 4 weeks 3 months is shot in Romania portraying a story of illegal abortion during Nicolae Ceausescu’s dictatorial regime. Seeing this movie, one can feel how claustrophobic life was behind the iron curtain.

Now come to India. Kya Kehna portrays Priya (played by Priety Zinta ) as the unwed mother who has this pregnancy arising from a relationship with her boyfriend who refuses to own up to it at first. Priya’s family faces social ostracism at first, but when the bold young lady explains her decision to keep the baby and upholds her right in a tearful speech in a social function, her boyfriend and society starts to realize their fault and come up with support. Made in the year 2000, Kya Kehna was a landmark movie in India where unwed motherhood is still considered a taboo. But the movie does not fail to show that Indian society is changing and getting more open to issues like unwanted pregnancy.

These movies made in past few years reflect the position of women in different societies. In open societies women can enjoy personal freedom and in societies like dictator ruled Romania women are left with no choice.

 Note: This article written by me was first published in Times Of India, Rouge, September,2008