tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3555887833232019435.post4246337767743787288..comments2024-03-23T23:13:14.119+05:30Comments on annavetticadgoes2themovies: REVIEW 448: DEAR ZINDAGIAnna MM Vetticadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08672605004762355462noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3555887833232019435.post-30473268148205598492016-12-12T08:48:58.643+05:302016-12-12T08:48:58.643+05:30(Spoiler alert for anyone who has not seen this mo...(Spoiler alert for anyone who has not seen this movie yet) <br /><br />Dear Mallika, <br /><br />I'm afraid I did not publish your comment earlier because I wanted to avoid the spoiler it contained and because I knew my response would inevitably contain spoilers. <br /><br />I am aware of the very natural possibility of a patient developing a physical attraction and an emotional attachment for their therapist, but you will recall that Dear Zindagi does not leave it at that. The film clearly proceeds to indicate that this particular therapist reciprocates this particular patient's feelings. I concede that such a situation too may occasionally arise in real life, but this brings me to two points: First, in a society that is prejudiced against therapy and ignorant about it, this element in the plot could be self-defeating in a film with the evident aim of countering prejudice and ignorance. Second, if you see it in the context of the way Hindi cinema has traditionally approached relationships and the inevitability of a romance developing between a female lead and a male lead in any given Hindi film (with extremely rare exceptions), that moment when the film indicates his interest in her beyond their sessions is, in my view, a concession to conventional Hindi film formulae and to the traditional Hindi film audience that emerges from every film asking "so did he get the girl?" If you listen in on social media and drawing room conversations around Dear Zindagi, you will find several viewers reacting in precisely this fashion. The film was extremely unconventional up to that point but then bowed, I suspect, to commercial compulsions. <br /><br />Another point: I love the way Dear Zindagi tries to de-stigmatise therapy. Do read this column I wrote in The Hindu Businessline on the subject: <br /><br />http://annavetticadgoes2themovies.blogspot.in/2016/12/dear-zindagi-and-mental-healthcare-film.html<br /><br />But I found the treatment of the last couple of sessions in the film problematic. First, his cancellation of that session was extremely abrupt, which strikes me as rather harmful considering that his patient is a woman struggling with abandonment issues. Second, when she found him on that ferry, he seemed to be disturbed about something, which suggested that the cancellation had nothing to do with what she had said to him in the previous session but was due to a matter weighing on his own mind in the scene. Third, the haste with which he ended their sessions without laying the foundation for it was inexplicable and, in my view, once again harmful to a patient dealing with abandonment issues. <br /><br />You say: "It is the therapist’s duty to end the transference by slowing cutting off the cord." I'm sure you will agree that there is nothing "slow" about his actions towards the end. After what seemed like a well-researched and effective portrayal of therapy until that point, I found this part of the film very disappointing.<br /><br />As a counsellor yourself you may read meanings into his reason for cancelling their sessions because you are an expert on the subject, but keep in mind that the audience is not made up of counsellors and to me it seemed that the film implied (through his moment with the chair) that he had developed a romantic attachment for her and decided to curtail their association as a result. <br /><br />This part of the film seemed formulaic and really spoilt the impact for me. <br /><br />Now it's my turn to hope that I'm making sense to you :)<br /><br />AnnaAnna MM Vetticadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08672605004762355462noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3555887833232019435.post-71406198308361098532016-11-27T14:02:59.295+05:302016-11-27T14:02:59.295+05:30Dear Anna
I write this neither as a die hard SRK ...Dear Anna<br /><br />I write this neither as a die hard SRK fan and nor as a keen movie buff but only as a counsellor. The angle of inclination of Kaira towards Doc is not romance, but in fact a very important facet of therapy called transference. Acc to it, the client gets physically attracted and emotionally attached to the therapist as he/ she is unconsciously sharing his/her deepest secrets; hence feels vulnerable. It is the therapist’s duty to end the transference by slowing cutting off the cord. (That’s why he cancels an appointment and refuses to see her again)<br /><br />As much as I loved the movie, I was hugely impressed by their homework done on psychology and aspects of counselling.<br /><br />Hope I made sense :)<br /><br />Mallika<br />Mallika Guptahttps://twitter.com/mallikaguptanoreply@blogger.com