"Mystery Superstar" and "Wrestle Daddy" are both women's films with strong feminist appeal. Considering the hellish realities that still exist for many women in our time, and considering the outsized influence that Aamir Khan's Daughters trilogy may have in awakening women to self-consciousness, solidarity, and a willingness to fight, it's safe to put them on the line" The word "great" is no exaggeration.
But there is an essential difference between the two. Although the heroine in the movie's narrative is played by the same person, the real protagonist of "Mystery Superstar" is the mother. She appears as a supporting role in the narrative, but for the core of the film, the supporting role is the real protagonist. Through the story of our daughter, we have read the tenderness, forbearance, stubbornness of a mother, especially the awakening and struggle at the last minute, which are the real soul of this feminist film.
The daughter's story is actually just an index, a narrative device. The movie sets up a lot of plots on the daughter's successful road. Although her daughter's voice is indeed amazing, this kind of pure "gifted" elite logic is quite unconvincing. So it's a bit like some shoddy successful science movies (such as "Old Boy: The Dragon Crossing the River" by the Chopsticks Brothers), and you can guess the whole plot at the beginning.
That's why some audience members and many critics were unhappy with the film. It's not unreasonable for them to feel that the film is clichéd. It's just the truth they say, but it can't explain the reality that most audiences are moved by it (can only belittle all audiences)
audiences are not gifted for their daughters, dare to challenge the world, and they have to be helped by superiors. Impressed by success stories. The audience was moved by the fact that the mother sold her only necklace for her daughter's ideal in exchange for a computer at the risk of her husband's domestic violence, but kept silent about the truth. The broken computer fragments were collected and glued together as a gift; it came from a mother who had always been forbearing to her husband. She was going to take down the eldest daughter in her arms under the violence of the whole family, but she never told her daughter in her life...etc. wait wait wait.
If film critics only care about the stereotyped episodes of their daughter becoming a superstar, but forget these truly touching warmth, what is the difference between a blindfold and a return of pearls?
In addition, the film has clear priorities, and some seemingly insignificant details also explore many key issues, thus constructing a complete set of feminist logic. I am also impressed by the combination of this level of awareness and narrative techniques.
For example, a mother who is a full-time housewife has no education, but she is still illiterate. This is repeatedly mentioned by her husband in insults. She is a smart and industrious woman, but she is also illiterate. As an illiterate without labor skills, I depend entirely on my husband for life (to buy a guitar, I need to steal money from my husband), and my family is also scolded and discriminated by my husband's family, all because of poverty (the only dowry gold necklace is also scolded by my husband because of it "cheap").
These details materially reveal the fundamental reason why women were exploited and oppressed in feudal families: lack of independent economic status. In order for women to have an independent economic status, they must have the right to receive modern education; the mother in the movie is caught in this tragic life because of the poverty of the family. This is the root of the economy.
On the other hand, this mother’s life was under all-round oppression by the society in which she lived (feudal family, discrimination against women, and the harm of conservative Islamic culture on women’s subjectivity), and she was even reluctant to abort her eldest daughter. Beaten and coerced again. This brings in a political perspective again. And the brilliant point of this political perspective is that there is no savior in the world (whether a genius daughter or a well-known lawyer), to seize the happiness of women, and ultimately rely on women's own identity and struggle consciousness.
In this movie, if the mother is redeemed with the divorce papers brought back by her daughter, the mother will never be redeemed. Just like "Wrestle, Dad", if the heroine also relies on her father's guidance to win in the final, she will never win. Their savior is themselves; their worst enemy is not a husband who is abusive or a selfish coach, but the shackles that the whole society has planted since their childhood, those that make them deny themselves, restrain themselves, and dare not. Believe in your spiritual shackles and cultural shackles.
Throughout the film, the mother's greatest shackles come not from poverty or illiteracy, but from the contempt of her husband, and even that of her daughter.
So when the mother resolutely picked up the guitar at the airport, took the child, and left her husband for her daughter's happiness, she won redemption for herself and broke the spiritual shackles imposed by her husband. So, why doesn't the movie end here and need a surreal awards show?
Because this award ceremony seems to be for the daughter who is a super star, but it is actually for the mother. In recognition of her victory in breaking the shackles. The daughter's long-standing incomprehension and contempt for her turned into her understanding and deep admiration for her mother through her speech to the world at the awards ceremony. Is there a more glorious and happier reward in the world for a mother?
Therefore, some viewers and film critics hate this daughter's character and actions, and they feel vulgar at the way her daughter won the grand prize. Didn't know that these were all set up for the story of a great mother (most ordinary mothers are great)!
The rights and status of women in China once made us look down on the world. But we have forgotten how this position of power was won step by step through a difficult revolutionary struggle. So now that the status of women is constantly declining, some people watch Indian movies, and they still show the stench of nationalism all over their bodies, laughing at the backwardness of women's rights in India with a sense of superiority; but they don't know how to show awe for their struggles. They are using struggle to build a ladder to power. And China's petty bourgeoisie thinks they are in a high position, but they are destroying the former ladder with consumerism, princess disease, and the beauty culture of objectifying women. Climbing high and pulling the ladder, who can be undefeated!
With the further development of capitalism, women's rights in China will fall into the dust sooner or later, and a new revolution is needed to reverse the reversed history. I hope that at that time, Chinese cultural people will have works as excellent and full of combat effectiveness as the trilogy of Aamir Khan's daughters.
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