A Thoughtful Review of Femininity and Women’s Roles in Amazon’s Four More Shots: Tamanna’s TV Picks
Women no longer hesitate to use the word vagina and no longer wait to get married before having sex. They also dare to leave a marriage that is not functioning and are no longer afraid to express their opinions. For all of this, we used to use code words. Now that I think about it, we ought to have created a dictionary of the substitute words we invented for these taboo terms at the time, and it ought to have been taught in history classes to progressive women of today in order to highlight our ingenuity. Do I feel envious? Yes, ofcourse I am jealous. How liberated must these ladies feel to be able to employ the correct words without having to spend their precious energy on the mapping that we had to do in our heads while talking! Even now, the moment I hear these words, my head instinctively begins to beep, beep, beep. LOL
I was excited for this show's (Four more shots please) third season (getting streamed on prime) because I liked the prior two seasons. This is the tale of four independent women who chose to live their lives on their terms. In their language, they like to call their own shots. The four women, who come from various backgrounds, meet in a bar and click. Their chaotic life and will to rebuild it on their own is what binds them together. Their safe haven is the truck bar, where they hangout, talk, support one another, and simply be themselves!
The focus of this season's tale is primarily on Sidhi (Manvi Gagroo), who lost her father in the previous season. It was quite relatable to see how mourning Sidhi works to put her life back together in the face of this heartbreaking tragedy. I hope the other three women in this season get equivalent screen time. Damini(Sayani Gupta) seemed to be totally lost this season. Hers was the least compelling of the stories. Her part seemed cringey and deliberate . Her justification for cheating on her lover was utterly unpersuasive. Both Anjana (Kirti Kulhari) and Umang (Gurbani), the fitness teacher, did a good job in their roles. Anjana is a lawyer, a divorced single mother. She does a superb job of portraying her role. Anjana doesn't feel bad about her shortcomings. She moves on and owns them. During her marriage ceremony in the previous season, Umang makes the heartbreaking decision to leave the altar. She is devastated by her decision. Although she cared deeply for her partner, she preferred herself to her fame-hungry, self-obsessed celebrity lover. But any relationship needs closure, and Umang is having trouble because she didn't get any. She regrets her hasty entry into rebound relationships.
This show makes a point of highlighting how women today do not wish to adhere to sexist or other obsolete social norms. They wish to be liberated. There will inevitably be difficulties, heartbreak, rejection, and many trials and tribulations as you swim against the river. This program is referred to as the Indian adaptation of Sex and the City (in terms of concept), a program that debuted in the US about twenty years ago. It's time for Indian women to reclaim their sexuality and their power. Our civilization has been plagued by patriarchy for millennia. And shows like these demonstrate that, with or without the backing of men, women are in charge of virtually every aspect of their life, despite their shortcomings.
Freedom needs to be redefined. The opportunities that women have today, especially when those are also constrained by society, have nothing to do with freedom. The obvious questions that these shows raise are: Why are we not permitted to be confused, messed up, single, divorced, or grieving when all of these things are just as much a part of life as success, fulfillment, happiness, joy, and pleasure? What even does clarity entail in the absence of confusion? And how does that clarity come without experience that is not your own. Experiences that are filled with truck loads of shit (as defined by some judgemental people) are the ones that have potential to transform you.
It's your mess, you own it, and no matter how challenging it becomes, you will clean it! Your life, albeit imperfect, is still entirely yours, and you are its master, creator, and the queen .And this show does a fantastic job of portraying that!