Let women do what they want: Sharmila Tagore

Veteran film actress Sharmila Tagore today batted for the liberty of women to do whatever they want as long it falls within the purview of law.

"There should be no hindrance to what we want to do, what we want to wear, what we think and how we want to travel. Do what you want to do as long as you are not breaking any law," Sharmila said in response to a question related to revolution of feminism during a session at day two at the ongoing Jaipur Literature Festival here.

Poll: The State of Women Survey

"What is my truth can not be your truth. Some may want to be a homemaker and some want to follow other careers and they should be allowed. If we want to be different we should be different and we should be allowed to be different," argued the actress in a session titled "Jorasanko: The Tagore Women".

The actress, a great grand niece of Nobel winning poet Rabindranath Tagore described in detail the women of the Tagore family.

Sharmila referred to the remarkable contribution of Tagore's wife Mrilani Debi towards Shantiniketan. Married off at the age of 10 Mrilani, said the actress, acted was a peacemaker in the family.

"Shantiniketan could certainly have happened without her help. She supplemented money and cooked herself for children who were staying there which affected her own home," she said.

Various aspects of the Tagore women especially those who looked after Rabindranath Tagore in his early life and formed the bedrock to his later success were also discussed.

Sharmila was in conversation with Aruna Chakravarti and Malashri Lal for the session.

Society should look inward, soul-search: Shabana Azmi

At a time when there is a whole new debate on women's security and rights following the horrific gangrape incident last month in Delhi, feminist-activist and veteran actress Shabana Azmi on Friday said it is time for society to look "inward" and change prevailing patriarchal mindsets.

... contd.

ALSO READ

Fourth flag meeting fails, China refuses to budge

Sonia Gandhi consults A K Antony on Pawan Bansal issue

Coalgate probe: No accused or suspect let off, says CBI chief Ranjit Sinha

UPA only worried about 'nephews and uncles': Narendra Modi