Brutal Reality Drowned in Deepa Mehta's Most Talked About Film Water

This is no novel news that at the 30th International Film Festival held in Toronto, Canada, David Hamilton productions came up with the screening of “Water”, Deepa Mehta's brave exploration of India's grim, sordid past in a finely judged tale of a young Hindu girl whose life is suddenly changed by the traditions of her religion. The film is supposed to be the opening feature film of the film festival, starting on September 7. 

What is remarkable to my mind about the theme of the film is that it attempts to delve deep into the Indian society of the thirties, thereby telling an inspirational tale about a girl who refuses to accept her fate and struggles against all powerful religious customs those are at odds with her and those render her a prisoner without a future. Overall, there is a mixed reaction about the film from all quarters of the world, where rejection is reported much more than acceptance. 

To my mind, this is owing to the fact that Mehta tells the story with a stoic sense of outrage that turns into a growing spirit of possibility and potential. It is a pity that the film has to focus mainly on the Foreign market and International Film Festivals all around the globe, as the Indian market that thrives on feel-good commercial flicks is reportedly “appalled” and “shocked to death” by the film depicting the horrendous past of India where baseless beliefs were blindly followed and umpteen lives were painfully wasted by the Indian caste system.

Having watched the two earlier films of Deepa Mehta’s much-hyped trilogy, “Fire” and “Earth-1947” years ago, it was time for me to watch the last one, “Water”, to make my viewing full-circle. No doubt, the whole trilogy, comprising of taboo topics like lesbianism and polygamy, even in this era, is bound to rake up fire as they have challenged established moral concerns through the detailed examination of sexual and familial relationships.