From: usman@leland.Stanford.EDU (Usman Hameed)
Subject: Re: Mr. 420 (a movie by Omar Sharif)..
Organization: DSG, Stanford University, CA 94305, USA
Date: Tue, 29 Sep 92 18:39:06 GMT

In article <1992Sep24.014725.29131@cronkite.ocis.temple.edu> vinny@astro.ocis.temple.edu (Vinit Karandikar) writes:

>: people are flocking to see the movie, even ladies were coming
>                                        ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>: to see the movie in the cenima halls.
>  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>
>I don't mean to be sarcastic but is that an event ?
>
>Is it that bad for women in Pakistan.
>
>I had assumed as all Indians do that women have it pretty bad
>in Pakistan and for that matter most if not all countries
>practicing Islam as the State religion.
>(one man witness being equal to 2 or is it 3 women witnesses)


It is generally frowned upon for women of 'respectable families'
(with all the allusions that conjures up) to be seen unescorted,
in public.  During the Zia years women were first made to cover 
their heads, then wear 'chaddars', and finally stay at home
as much as possible.  This wasn't a government policy but more 
a self-imposed concession to the religious right which gained 
official patronage at the time. Contributing specifically to the
reduction of women in the cinema-going audience, was the 
proliferation of VCR's, and the availability of more interesting
fare on VHS cassettes, e.g. Indian and American films. 

Another contributing factor is the lack of entertainment for our 
youth.  You go to a movie theater and people make annoying noises
and suggestive comments, which makes it a stressful situation for 
women, if the intent is to enjoy the movie.  There was one play
held at the Alhambra Arts Center in Lahore, where some people in
the audience continually taunted the actors.  It eventually 
dissipated into open swearing between the actors and the hecklers.
I went to a play at the Alliance Francaise in Karachi, which was
free and open to the public.  A bunch of rowdy college students 
disrupted the entire evening, for no other purpose but to get
the attention of the women in the audience.  What we in Pakistan
need are more coed schools, so men and women can be socialized
with each other at an early age, and not acquire this attention
seeking, impress-the-other-sex chauvinism.

So this new movie by Omar Sharif has succeeded in overcoming
women's (justifiable) reservations about going to cinemas.
That in itself is high praise.

>I am astounded at this however whatever my previous bias.
>
>I'd appreciate if you could either justify the situation
>or deplore it as something that could and should be 
>improved upon.
>
>
>--==(Vinit Karandikar)==--

Although the situation is generally suppressive for women,
the system develops other offsetting domains of influence
for them.  For example, if you are a woman, you do not have
to stand in line, but can go to the head and you will be 
helped.  Some places have separate lines for women, which are
usually much shorter, except if you go to pay the phone or
electricity bill on the due date.  Then everybody brings their
female family members to stand in line.  However, this is indoors
which is air conditioned, while the poor men are standing outside 
in the blistering Karachi heat.  Also in matters of domestic and 
matrimonial decisions, women usually play a leading role.  I don't
claim that this completely offsets their suppression in other
spheres, but it is no doubt there as a concession.  

An amusing observation is the practice of holding the door, after
you have passed through it, for the person following you.  First
of all people keep passing through, instead of grabbing hold and
saying thank you.  When 5 or 10 people have passed through without 
the hint of acknowledging this sucker who's holding the door, I just
release it in their faces.  The other point to note is that women
probably think I'm trying to make a pass at them, because instead
of saying 'thanks', 'shukriya', or giving a nod, they will scowl
at you.  This is probably dictated by the culture which encourages
women not to encourage men.  I found it amusing and a little sad,
that people have to play these games to project purity of character.

I've rambled a bit, but hope Vinit gets the general answer to his
query.

Usman
Newsgroups: soc.culture.india,soc.culture.pakistan