Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
The story is about Malini Verma, a 23-year old girl who is a Master of Science (MSc) student in Mathematics and she chose Maths as she is fascinated by Numbers. She is also a regular blogger and her father works as a flight pilot with an Airlines while her mother takes tuitions at home. She talks on her brother Arjun and calls him more than a best friend as she can speak anything with him (happy or sad things) but he fights with her which is common in a sister-brother bond.
Theme of the Episode: Fight for a Positive Change instead of Revenge – Hands for Change.
Stand Up and Fight against Sexual Harassment
The story starts with Malini celebrating her mother’s birthday along with her family. On that night, her mother’s health was bad so she cancelled her tuitions. Malini’s aunt Asha Bua came from Pune while her father was away since he was on his flight duty. Malini and her brother wishes the mother. She then inquires the mother about her medicine, and then learns that the medicine is not at home. She decides to get the medicine from a chemist shop close to her home, and her brother Arjun takes her to the shop on his bike.
She speaks that the chemist shop was nearby and though she went with her brother on his bike but the harassment incident on that night was uneventful that she remembered for a long time until now. The story progresses to tell more on that incident and Malini’s fightback. Malini and her brother Arjun who were going to the chemist shop are stopped on their way by a car by some men. Later, she realizes that it is Nishanth and she knows that he is a college boy. Nishanth’s friend gets hold of her brother while he tries to forcibly hold her hands. When she says that she will complaint in his college, he replies that does she know her father who is a bigwig. As she tries to call the police, he says that she cannot hurt him in anyway and then tears her dress (shirt). Sooner, Nishanth and his men realize police’s sound and runs away from there. Malini is stunned and in shock and is helped by her brother after that incident. Arjun’s bike doesn’t start and they walk on the road alone and he wants her to be strong as they will reach home soon. He tries to stop cars but nobody stops their car, and then finds an auto who asks them about their situation and takes them to the police station as they intended to.
After filing an FIR at police station, both reaches home and she speaks with her friend that they have lodged a FIR. Her father asks about that boy Nishanth who has harassed her. Malini is fondly called Maalu by her family. Maalu’s mother advices her husband to not take the matter further as there is no benefit in doing so. She tells that we cannot control other’s action but can take own precautions. Maalu’s family has not decided on the next action and even her aunt Asha Bua wants them to take back the FIR complaint. Her father before going on for his air-flight assignment even suggests her to forget about the harassment incident and wants her to move on. She says how that culprit Nishanth will be forgiven while seeing her brother who was bruised and battered by Nishanth’s men .
Next day as she leaves her house, she finds neighbors staring at her as she has done some guilt and also pointing fingers at her. She then confronts Nishanth but he has not changed and has no guilt for his wrong. She says that people have changed their attitude against her and thinks that she is the one who provokes men and were questioning on her character. In the class, Malini’s friend shows her a SMS that she received from another friend where it was written – Wanna have fun.. meet Malini Verma, that message was sent to malign her image in front of her college friends and colleagues.
She says the fight is necessary to overcome the situation that she was facing, and for a change we need many hands. It is then seen people holding placards about Malini’s harassment incident during night which was almost rape, and that demonstration was organized by Malini to inform the people about her truth of that incident. The media and people understood and also believe in her conviction and truth. She is then interviewed by a journalist Ruksana who asks about her fear in running such a campaign. She responds that it is needed and in this way only she can fight for a change in the society. Her family sees Malini’s interview on the TV and her aunt says that her actions will fuel in bringing bad reputation to her. After hearing this taunt, Malini’s father says that his children are walking on the right path and they should not block them in that endeavor.
Mailini’s endeavor by means of people holding placard grows further and Nishanth then comes to confront her and says that, Isn’t she fearful ? She is defiant in her attitude and Nishanth is taken away by friends. Sooner at home, she answers people’s questions via a video chat. One of the women asks about girl’s wearing short clothes and suggests that because of short dresses, they get attacked. Malini responds to that point by saying that why the woman doesn’t teach his son to respect women and asks for changing his attitude, and why only she will tell her daughter to dress fully from top to bottom. That woman then realizes her mistake.
Thereafter, Mailini goes to inform people by hopping to their home and telling them to join her campaign. Later, her father comes to the demonstration place and appreciates her campaign (Hands for Change). She then speaks on camera that revenge is not her motive and says that its not her own personal flight now and says that instead of revenge she is yearning for a Change in the mindset. She also doesn’t show the face of the guilty and says that there will be many such faces in the society. So, she decides to cover the face of Nishanth and wants to fight for a Change instead. She thanks people for their support and reminds them that it was pity that nobody helped her during that uneventful night. She wants the people to change their attitude as whenever there is candle-light vigil and demonstration they come in large numbers but when action is needed on ground they don’t help (referring to people’s inaction in not helping her during the assault night). She then wants them to make a promise and to be fearless and show action when needed.
Now, Nishanth realizes his guilt and comes forward to meet Malini. He then says it is very important for him to inform people that the person behind that mask, the one who abused Malini is him. He then confesses his guilt by uncovering the mask and revealing his photo. He apologizes to Malini and then applies his hand stamp on the board and thus he lends his support to the Hands for Change Campaign. Malini’s philosophy was not revenge but to bring Change on a large scale. She succeeded in doing that and was a true Hero. Also, this sort of Change should come in our country which will eradicate the societal ills from our society.
Images credit: Official Facebook page of Heroes-the fightback files
Full Episode Video link: http://www.startv.in/episodes/malini-brings-nishant-to-justice/65772
Sneak Peek of Episode:
[youtube id=http://youtu.be/tQVvUZ7JSZk]
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