Watched ‘Mona Lisa Smile’ yesterday. It was the second time I watched this movie. Can’t remember when I did watched it first time, must have been long. Well, it was released in 2003, and clearly, not a masterpiece to remember after such a long time. But, it still is worth a second watch. More so because of its basic story line.

What amazed me this time was, that how much it still makes so much sense. This movie was based on the women’s independence and role in society around 1953. Did I say 1953?

Now it is 2016, and is much changed for women since 1953?

A lot has been changed since then, but not for all the women. Some of them, who are still dependent on their husbands and families, or are not educated/strong willed, enough, still suffer the fate of being a woman. This is not a crime to be a woman, but to be a weak woman, and let males of your family/society walk all over you? That is a crime, in my view.

There is a dialogue in the movie – Mona Lisa is smiling, but is she happy?

The protagonist in the movie, a teacher played by Julia Roberts, asks one of her student, who was leaving her slaw study so she can marry, “Why can’t you have both?“

Why can’t someone have a career and a family too?

How many of you agree to this statement? How many of you have left their studies, or their job to take care of their kids, or to get married?

When a marriage discussion takes place between both sides of families, if the girl is working, first question that they ask is, so how will you manage your job and family? Are you going to quit? Are you going to relocate, in case girl works in different city? Nobody asks this from boy. Well, there job is far more important than a girl’s one, right? If you manage to keep your career on track, while getting married and fulfilling all your family responsibilities; wait till you get pregnant. Than question will be changed to, are you going to quit now? Are you going to give your kid to elders of the family to take care of as you will be busy in job? How are you going to manage a kid and a job? Nobody asks these questions to soon-to-be father.

Why can’t you have both?

Because no matter what you do, you leave your job to take care of your kid, or you decide to carry on your job while having a baby; you will be judged. You will be judged mercilessly.

Irony is most of the time people who are judging you will be women. Yes, we women, are like that.

This is still 1954. It is not 2016. we still live in a society where a woman is expected to sacrifice her professional life or else, she will be reminded of how bad a mother she is. Oh! your child stays in day care whole day, while you go to office. How he/she will turn out? Poor child is not getting mother’s love. What about poor child’s fatherly love?

I think women are not supposed to have it all. Wait. This sounds so negative. Let me rephrase that.

Women are destined to have it all, as long as they don’t give a shit about what others think of her decision.

I am happy now. Smiling too. Not a fake Mona Lisa smile, but having a hearty laugh while writing this shitty 1954 article. Happy smiling ladies.

 

Looks like she is happy too. 🙂