Meherjaan
Encyclopedia
Meherjaan is a 2011 Bangladeshi
feature film. A film about loving the other. This film critiques certain pitfalls of nationalism that create conditions to justify war, killing and violence. Meherjaan attempts to offer an aesthetic solution to war and violence.
History is always a creation of the present. We stand here, in our time and space, we look back in search of ourselves in the present time, and we piece together what we call history; stories of people who lived in the past. First of all, no one will ever know what it was actually like if one didn’t live it, however, there is at least one safe way to piece together a good enough contour of the past in order to comprehend the prominent political, socio-economic, cultural and spiritual forces at play during a certain chunk in time. This safe way is about making room for more than one voice. History has to be told, not only from the vantage point of the armed forces, the politicians, the freedom fighters, the men, rather, history has to be told from the voices of every other person that was left out, the old woman, the man who didn’t fight, and maybe a young girl who was coming of age and falling in love while the entire country plunged into hatred, killing, separatist emotions and nationalist turmoil.
The most intense love stories are those that are difficult to consummate. In Sufi philosophy love relationship between the divine and the devotee always remains fueled by the consciousness of the impossibility of union. The love story is driven by such impossible material conditions of union and indefatigable emotional desire to unite. Perhaps, the story of death, violence, trauma and loss can be best told veiled in love and romance. Korean author Noeleen Heyzer, in her writing about Korean Comfort women’s sexual slavery during World War II, offers an aesthetic solution to overcome history of violence. She suggests that we look beyond feminist studies for a “more powerful power,” a “power” which is “life sustaining, liberating, and transforming.”
While the world plunges into unlimited war and terror, we believe there is necessity to look outside the masculine ideology of nation-state and violence, in order to look for a feminine life sustaining language that is related to nature, beauty and love.
, the South Asia Initiative at Harvard University
, the Consortium on Gender, Security and Human Rights at UMass Boston, and the CARR Center for Human Rights Policy, Harvard John F. Kennedy School of Government. Following the show, a panel of Boston-area academics set the stage for discussion.
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
feature film. A film about loving the other. This film critiques certain pitfalls of nationalism that create conditions to justify war, killing and violence. Meherjaan attempts to offer an aesthetic solution to war and violence.
Plot
A war is always made into a glorious narrative with certain male hero and villains. Women mostly appear as sacrificing creatures, mother and sisters who bravely let go of their men for the cause of the nation. Women also appear synonymous to the landscape, ready to be raped, plundered, and give their lives and izzat for the cause of the country.History is always a creation of the present. We stand here, in our time and space, we look back in search of ourselves in the present time, and we piece together what we call history; stories of people who lived in the past. First of all, no one will ever know what it was actually like if one didn’t live it, however, there is at least one safe way to piece together a good enough contour of the past in order to comprehend the prominent political, socio-economic, cultural and spiritual forces at play during a certain chunk in time. This safe way is about making room for more than one voice. History has to be told, not only from the vantage point of the armed forces, the politicians, the freedom fighters, the men, rather, history has to be told from the voices of every other person that was left out, the old woman, the man who didn’t fight, and maybe a young girl who was coming of age and falling in love while the entire country plunged into hatred, killing, separatist emotions and nationalist turmoil.
The most intense love stories are those that are difficult to consummate. In Sufi philosophy love relationship between the divine and the devotee always remains fueled by the consciousness of the impossibility of union. The love story is driven by such impossible material conditions of union and indefatigable emotional desire to unite. Perhaps, the story of death, violence, trauma and loss can be best told veiled in love and romance. Korean author Noeleen Heyzer, in her writing about Korean Comfort women’s sexual slavery during World War II, offers an aesthetic solution to overcome history of violence. She suggests that we look beyond feminist studies for a “more powerful power,” a “power” which is “life sustaining, liberating, and transforming.”
While the world plunges into unlimited war and terror, we believe there is necessity to look outside the masculine ideology of nation-state and violence, in order to look for a feminine life sustaining language that is related to nature, beauty and love.
Cast
- Jaya BachchanJaya BachchanJaya Bhaduri Bachchan is an Indian actress and politician. She is an alumna of the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune. Bachchan is the wife of Amitabh Bachchan, and is the mother of Shweta Bachchan-Nanda and Abhishek Bachchan...
- Victor BanerjeeVictor BanerjeeVictor Banerjee is an Indian actor who appears in Hindi, Bengali and English language films. He has also appeared on a number of TV series on Indian television...
- Humayun FaridiHumayun FaridiHumayun Faridi [Alternative: Humayun Faridee] is an popular actor in Bangladeshi TV drama, theatre and cinema.He is well-known for his villain roles in Bangladeshi drama and cinema....
- Sharmili Ahmed
- Khairul Alam Sabuj
- Monira Mithu
- Azad Abul Kalam Pavel
- Shatabdi Wadud
- Omar Rahim
- Shaina Amin
- Reetu A Sattar
- Rifat Chowdhury
- Iqbal Sultan
Suspension
The film has been suspended from viewing in Bangladesh. The film has been shown in many places worldwide. In November 3, 2011 a show has been arranged sponsored by the University of Massachusetts BostonUniversity of Massachusetts Boston
The University of Massachusetts Boston, also known as UMass Boston, is an urban public research university and the second largest campus in the five-campus University of Massachusetts system. The university is located on on Harbor Point in the City of Boston, Massachusetts, United States...
, the South Asia Initiative at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, the Consortium on Gender, Security and Human Rights at UMass Boston, and the CARR Center for Human Rights Policy, Harvard John F. Kennedy School of Government. Following the show, a panel of Boston-area academics set the stage for discussion.