KOCHI: A group of seven are on the stage, with laptops and wearing formal clothes. A bunch of professionals with modern ideas and knowledge look and behave just like techies attending a regular team meeting at the office.
Each has a different story, a different incident happening to them throughout the half-hour play titled ‘She Archives’. Written by Sajitha Madathil, the theatre performance is a realistic yet dramatic story that portrays some hard truths about the life of women in modern society.
The initial set-up may seem hopeful — a modern society with educated people busy with their careers. However, the story immediately corrects that notion. Soon enough, even the Hi-Fi workplace becomes a space for discrimination, toxicity and dominance.
“Kerala is known as a progressive state. However, if you look beyond the statistics and data, you can see the struggles of women and other minorities for equality and inclusion. One can easily see that there is a long way to go,” says Sajitha.
Forget the ordinary image of women sacrificing their happiness for men, Sajitha’s women are strong and never shy away from asking ‘why’. According to her, she was adamant about not portraying women in her play as passive, quiet and shy. “I don’t want them to resurrect as also a Devi or a Kali to save herself. These women speak for themselves and question patriarchy and discriminatory rules,” she says.
The play successfully questions even the bias in common language. From ‘come on boys’ and ‘hey guys’ to all the common phrases that use male pronouns, ignoring other genders in the room. From there the story unfolds to everyday discrimination, control thrust upon women and domestic violence.
One very common incident in our society, a boyfriend questioning his girlfriend about her choice of attire and the photos she uploads on Instagram, is the first injustice on the stage. Later a pregnant woman employee is denied maternity leave and instead is asked to resign. “I set up the play within the IT sector, which is usually known as progressive and developed, to show the reality behind the glass doors. If the people are conservative, every space can become toxic,” says Sajitha.
“Here women who have freedom to work are also expected to manage household chores. That means, double responsibility, and extending work hours that never end even after reaching the comfort of your home,” the writer adds.
The play also criticises numerous initiatives by the state and central governments that go in vain without benefiting women and girls. “Even after the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, She Taxi, Pink Police and other initiatives, the gender gap remains unchallenged. Women still have limitations and rules to follow,” adds Sajitha.
‘She Archives’ is not just about women. The drama also divulges the much-discussed yet unchanged perspectives about the rights and plights of the LGBTQIA+ community. The rap music between the dialogues adds emotion to the drama and attracts the attention of the audience as well. The play, directed by Arun Lal, is being performed at the Sashtra Sahitya Parishad’s (KSSP) Padayatra across the state.