Devasena!

Born into Kunthala dynasty, raised by her brother with the love of her sister-in-law, Vijayendra Prasad has created a character that is worth praising and admiring. “DEVASENA” one true feminist from the most celebrated movie “BAHUBALI”. She is a character of valor, of strength and most importantly she stands on the top for fighting for the respect she deserves, not because she is a princess but because she is a woman. She made me wonder how the most glorious and victorious emperor (of fictional world of course) Bahubali could not resist to fall for her. This is definitely not a praising blog for S.S.Rajamouli’s work or Anushka Shetty’s acting skills but an admiration for a woman of such grace, nevertheless the direction and acting is what that has made us look upon these fictional historic heroes with such aw!

          The introduction of this character was in the first part where Devasena acquired the place in my heart as a confident mother who is very determined about the son she has not seen yet and also that this is not the woman whose audacity and virtue could not be tamed by locking her in chains for 25 years. Her life is yet another example assuring that being a Princess is not a fairytale. She happens to meet this man who is made of valor and seems invincible and even before she knows anything she is in love with him. The character was beautifully portrayed when she says “I’d rather come with you as a maid and love you for the rest of my life but not as your prisoner as it destroys my dignity”. Isn’t that admirable? Even though she loves this man she is not ready to let go of her dignity and self just because she loves him. And that is why “She was in love with him and had not fallen in love with him”.

She made me admire her when she refused the proposal sent by the greatest emperor of their time just because of their approach to her. They tried to win her by jewels and wealth, pity them as they had no idea how a strong woman will be offended deeply if you ever try to win her with materials. That is what feminism is all about; I am not a commodity to be traded for other commodities and that was perfectly pictured. Also she wasn’t afraid to say a big no to the proposal.

And then she comes to this completely alien place just for the man she loved to face some unutterable trauma like every other historical warrior princesses. The man she loves, who was a king has to give up his throne but that could not make her love him any less for she never loved a king but the man…just him.  Rather than the need to be seen in a kaleidoscopic perspective she was perceived rather narrowly by few. She was made to live the life of a commoner; she was humiliated in the royal court. She bears everything without uttering a word, why? It isn’t because she wasn’t hurt by the trails they put her in but because she knows that what doesn’t kill her makes her stronger. She was sure to cross all the trail with her gut for she believed in herself more than anything and knows that it is not the crown that makes her a princess but the virtue she possess.

Yes, I am inspired by this fictional warrior princess and I do not feel awkward to write a blog about her. Because, when we can admire such a woman in movies why can’t we appreciate her when she is your wife? When she is your colleague? Or when she is your girl friend? Why do you want to compress her and humiliate her by yelling at her as “bossy” “egoistic” and “femi-nazi”? Is it because we all are ready to appreciate women’s pride and dignity as long as it doesn’t crush our ego? Or is it because it is really hard to accept the fact that some women are way to successful than few men? Which makes it ok for them to humiliate her personal life. I am inspired by this woman because she made me feel proud to be a feminist. No matter the era women are still in this fight for equality.

And I want to make it very clear that I am not “anti-men”, just because I call myself a feminist it doesn’t mean I hate all men and call them all chauvinistic. I do hate men, I even despise them…those men are those who have the ideology of “Balladeva” in this very movie. But I love those men who treat women equally with respect like our very own Bhaubali and I love him more for what he said in this movie. “It is not the fingers that has to be chopped for the man who humiliates a woman but his head”. On the whole, Devasena inspired me to be a better woman and Bahubali gave me dreams to have a man of such understanding.