Is
the urban Muslim society in India heading for a change in sync with
times vis-à-vis the role of its women in society and the arts?
The
answer to that, hopefully, is 'Yes'.
The
prime basis of this assumption is, of course, the overwhelming
support Muslim
women all over India have
given to the central government's recent move to abolish the triple
talaaq
system, with a special five-judge panel of the Supreme Court of India
endorsing the move and recommending that the government ban the
unconstitutional practice by enacting a law. And in the midst of this
sensational move to grant Muslim women their much-deserved
emancipation from an age-old social evil comes another indication
that India's urban Muslims may be opening up to the march of time:
Secret
Superstar,
the movie.
With
actor-filmmaker Aamir Khan throwing his weight behind the film as its
producer and star, debutant director Advait Chandan's Secret
Superstar
is the story of brave and ambitious Insiya, a young Muslim
girl - played
by 17-year-old Zaira Wasim of Dangal
fame - who
aspires for musical
stardom.
The
urban Muslim society has often had to field accusations of not moving
with the times, especially in providing opportunities to its women,
though the last four decades or so have seen a marked improvement.
The enforced cloistering of Muslim women in occupation and the arts
is hopefully entering its final lap, and Secret
Superstar,
a league different from the orthodox Muslim socials popular in the
late-60s and early-70s - Mere
Mehboob
and Mehboob
Ki Mehndi
come to mind - may
serve as a clarion call heralding its end.
