For women, the hard way to success
Tulip Chowdhury feels thrilled by a story
29 January 2010, 18:00 PM
Heere Boshano Shonar Phool
Shomoresh Majumdar
Anondo Publishers Private Ltd
The Bangla literary giant Shomoresh Majumdar holds the reader completely engrossed with the gripping story told in Heere Boshano Shonar Phool. The characters and the plot of the story are so real that the reader feels as if he or she is witnessing the events as they unfold with each page. The story is a spellbinding drama of a family that comes out of the stereotyped roles of men and women. It is about a young woman, Titir, who finds the courage to go out of the four walls of her home defying the old conventions and finding a place of her own in the outside world.
Titir, in her early twenties, is desperately looking for a job after her graduation. Living in Kolkata, she finds life tough and competitive as she looks for a source of earning. One day she comes across her actress friend Shuborna, who takes a sudden fancy to taking Titir to an interview for an upcoming television serial. Shuborna is certain that with her Venus-like figure and beauty Titir can make it to the world of acting. Titir makes a hit with the first interview and ends up getting the role of the heroine. There is strong opposition from her mother and her brother Shubir. To them entering the showbiz world is beyond accepted social norms. They openly tell her, "Bhodro ghorer meyera cinema jogote jaina….."
Titir has to convince them that the old days are over and these days educated people enter the world of acting. Ultimately her mother gives in and is amazed at the cash Titir starts bringing in. For Titir, the outside world, her producer, the makeup man and all other actors and actresses hold a world of their own. She earns respect and recognition with her excellent acting and gentle manners. She begins to realize that freedom gives women wings to soar in the sky. She encourages her brother's wife, the childless Ronjona, to step out of the home and get a job.
Ronjona, with the help of her friend Upashona, finds a job as an events organizer. Upashona guides Ronjona step by step. Ronjona excels in her performance and soon climbs the ladder to success. Titir and Ronjona, the women who had dared to dream of stepping outside the boundaries of their home, find places in the nation's workforce. They learn to socialize beyond the circle of friends and relatives. To them each and every individual they come across has something to teach, a lesson to impart. They relate themselves to a greater world, a world that expands everyday.
Titir comes across producers who are perfect gentlemen and she also finds herself in the company of men who seek relationships beyond the workplace. She learns to draw the line in her relations with her colleagues. Her brother remains a constant barrier to her work. As she starts getting wider publicity, even neighbours are clearly getting envious. However, her father remains steady in his support of Titir and his daughter-in-law Ronjona. The father's role as a just man is a source of strength for Titir and Ronjona.
Ronjona has a tough time at home for her husband is set against her working outside the home. Their clashes reach a stage when she is forced to leave him and go back to her parents. Titir continues her uphill struggle. One day Shubir comes to Titir's workplace and finds her working in a heroine's role. He is disgusted to learn that the actor playing the hero's role is an alcoholic. Although Titir tries to convince him that the man never gets drunk while he is acting, Shibir sets her mother against her. Her mother gives the final warning that she has to leave her home or give up acting.
As Titir, the protagonist in the story, continues to defy the obstacles on her way to stardom there brews a sweet romance. Krishanu, an upcoming actor, finds a place in her heart. Krishanu comes from a good, educated family and his parents too grow fond of Titir. However, there are still obstacles to overcome till the final bells ring and Titir can find some peace in her life.
The family saga portrayed in Heere Boshano Shonar Phool is most absorbing as it touches human nature with minuscule details. It is a story that readers can relate to everyday happenings around them, a story that casts light on both the breaking and making of a family. If fiction is supposed to be attached to real life like a spider's web, this story certainly spells out all that can happen in the drama of real life. At the same time the book is a beacon on how tough the fight for freedom can be for women. The book imparts the lesson that one should never give up on one's values and beliefs. Titir remains a role model for women who wish to earn their individual rights. The book ends on a happy note, with the reader relishing each moment spent turning its pages.
Tulip Chowdhury writes fiction and is a teacher.
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