Photo: SAT/NN
By Neeraj Nanda
Melbourne: Controversial and outspoken Indian author Shobhaa De has said women are invisible and are in purdah. She was answering to questions by author Samhita Arni during the recent Australia India Institute organised ‘In conversation with Shobaa De’ at the Melbourne University.
“We do not even see ourselves. We are afraid of being judged. Time has come we need to be tough about ourselves,” she said.
Shobhaa describing her career said, “Modelling told me the value of money and the sweat behind it. I got fantastic breaks and was editor at 23. It gave me economic freedom. At 67 with three daughters and two sons, I stand on my own legs and have nobody to fear.”
Answering to a question on sexual violence in India she said, “Sexual violence has nothing to do with sex, it’s just violence.”
And added, “In the last 4-5 years this violence has been alarming.”
“The biggest challenge against sexual violence is to get the message across in rural illiterate India and TV is a good medium as people can see and hear it,”she said.
About writers Shobhaa said, “No writer can live in a bubble or cocoon. Many cases have been filed against me and demos held outside my home.”
But, “One has to stand up against bullies and take them on, she said.
“No one in the world can stop a writer from writing as he or she wills. The writers should have originality, curiosity, passion and imagination.
One should write what one feels and not think about the consequences,” she said.
She said in India one can see the writing on the wall with attacks on press freedom, bans on books etc. and that “We are living through it”.
In a rather bold way, Shobhaa said, Sometimes there is no substitute for the F… word. The F… word is the best word and now the D…… (Divorce) word is also important for women who are just used and want to get rid of it.
Answering to a question by SAT, Shobhaa said, “There has been some change also with women ready to take risks and moving ahead in life.”
About India, Shobhaa said, “Despite enormous disparities the country also has opportunities in different sectors. The example of a dalit, Mayawati becoming the Chief Minister of India’s most populated state proves this.”
Shobhaa De was in Melbourne for the Melbourne Writers Festival.
– SAT News Service.
