It's Your Fault is a 2013 satirical video starring Kalki Koechlin and VJ Juhi Pandey that deals with the issue of rape in India.[1] It went viral on the internet, with over 5,500,000 views on YouTube. It was created by All India Bakchod.[1][2]
The group of stand-up comedians known as 'AIB'—Tanmay Bhat, Gursimran Khamba, Rohan Joshi and Ashish Shakya—created the video in the wake of sexual assault cases in India. Bollywood actress Kalki Koechlin and VJ Juhi Pandey are also featured in it. Illustrating the different dimensions of a victim's life,[3] it mocks the Indian mindset that blames women for provoking rape.[4][5]
Production and making
edit
Rohan Joshi explained: "It's not what you would expect from a group of four funny guys, and that's just the point. Nothing at all, no part of this, is funny, and therefore we approached it in a different way. The response has been amazing, from the moment we posted the video till now. It is something that every person we know relates to and feels strongly about."
Juhi Pandey, who co-starred in the video, said: "We knew when we were shooting the video that it would get a lot of reactions. Eyebrows would be raised and there would be a lot of discussion. We've all had these discussions in our social groups and have all felt angry and frustrated at these statements that have made headlines. Yes, this video will only reach the English-speaking, 'sarcasm-understanding' young person, but at least it's out there. It's a drop in the ocean, but it is still a drop and I am glad to have been a part of it."[6]
Koechlin initially felt she was too busy to appear in the video, but said, "when Bhat sent the script, I changed my mind... It was so funny, clever and relevant to what’s happening that I immediately agreed." She added: "We were worried about people not understanding the sarcasm. It’s a sensitive topic and we were anxious that it might backfire." She said that its intention was not to offend anyone. "Humour is a fantastic way to deal with a serious subject. You are making people uncomfortable, but at the same time you are not preaching or forcing views down their throat."[7]
Content
editThe video addresses some of the "absurd" beliefs about rape expounded by Indian politicians and functionaries, including:[1]
- That it is incited by provocative clothing[8]
- That marriage is a panacea for it
- That Chowmein can cause hormonal imbalances justifying sexual violence[9]
- That cell phone use by women affects their morals[10]
- That calling a rapist bhaiya (brother) can deter it (advocated by spiritual figure Asaram Bapu)[11]
- That women invite rape who are not accompanied by male guardians[12]
Reception
editThe video, posted on 19 September 2013, went viral on almost all social networking sites.
In its review, The Hindu said: "This venture can’t have been easy given the seriousness of the topic and the delicate sensibilities of the public. Taking an issue like patriarchy or rape and choosing to get your message across via satire must have been incredibly difficult to do. The AIB team, I think, were largely successful because of the glaring obviousness of the hurt and the relevance of this cause to the women featured in the video... AIB’s It’s Your Fault scores." [13]
AIB has received many requests to dub the video into other languages so it can reach wider audiences.[7]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c Mehta, Ankita (21 September 2013). "It's Your Fault! Kalki Koechlin, VJ Juhi Pande Blame Rape Victims in Satirical Video [WATCH]". International Business Times. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
- ^ Kohli, Karnika (21 September 2013). "Rape? It's your fault, women: Sarcastic video on victim-blaming goes viral". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 24 September 2013. Retrieved 5 October 2013.
- ^ "Rape? Ladies, it's your fault: Kalki Koechlin features in viral video". ibnlive.in.com. Archived from the original on 23 September 2013. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
- ^ Awaasthi, Kavita (24 September 2013). "It's Your Fault video goes viral, Kalki Koechlin plans a Hindi version". Mumbai. Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 25 September 2013. Retrieved 5 October 2013.
- ^ "Rape? Ladies, it's your fault: Kalki Koechlin features in viral video". 20 September 2013. Archived from the original on 23 September 2013.
- ^ Tuli, Aanchal. "Kalki's 'It's your fault' rape satire video raises eyebrows - Times of India". The Times of India.
- ^ a b Hindustan Times
- ^ "Ban Skirts to Save Girls From Lustful Gazes: BJP MLA". Outlook magazine. 30 December 2012. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
- ^ Saini, Manveer (16 October 2012). "Haryana khap blames consumption of chowmein for rapes". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 27 January 2013. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
- ^ "Girls should not dance at weddings, use mobiles: panchayat". NDTV.com. 11 January 2013. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
- ^ "'Rape? Ladies, it's your fault': Satirical video is a rage on Internet". NDTV. 23 September 2013. Retrieved 5 October 2013.
- ^ "Victims in Delhi rape case are to blame, defendants' lawyer says". The Sydney Morning Herald. 10 January 2013. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
- ^ Jayaraj, Nandita (21 September 2013). "Kalki and Juhi do it with a smile". The Hindu.
External links
edit- AIB365: It's Your Fault on YouTube