English Vinglish: Self empowerment of woman

English, the colonial language, today is not just a language used to determine our well being, but sadly something that defines our status as well. The language, with all its richness and nuances, is used by people, to deride those who have less knowledge of it. How sad! A country of more than 600 hundred languages, some of whom are richer than English in terms of flow and expressions, seems to have grown to be a slave to English.

Director: Gauri Shinde

Film Clip

The language English seems to be the major focus of the film English Vinglish. Here is a typical Indian traditional woman, who for some reasons, is deprived of English education, and who has to continuously suffer subtle insults and sarcastic comments from her own people, just because she has no knowledge of English. Even a well meaning husband and the little ‘modern’ daughter of a convent school do not realise that they are being insensitive. Or is it taken for granted that a housewife is condemned to be just that – a traditional woman who speaks the local language, who cooks food on time and serves the needs of the family?

In any case, this housewife has realised that if someone has to bring her salvation it is she herself. And there is no other way than learning some English – for whatever it is worth! Thus when she goes to the United States for the marriage of her niece, she joins a four week English speaking course and comes out with flying colours for her standards and through this succeeds to educate some people who matter.

What does this brilliantly woven lighter, yet sensitive film try to convey? It has a powerful message to the patriarchal society, most of which still thinks that women must be housewives and just take care of the family. It conveys the message that even a housewife has her dignity which is due to her and the family must make sure that she gets it. But more than anything else, the film tries to communicate that no one can liberate a woman except herself.

What has made the film exceptional, apart from the theme, is the brilliant sensitive rendering of a housewife by the versatile Sridevi. She has personified the garb of an Indian mother. Your heart goes out for her as she struggles and works hard towards success. This is a film, not just for all women, but for all ‘well meaning’ men as well!!

- Melwyn Pinto SJ