Who is a 'Buri Ladki' ? You decide.
In this interactive game, will you be the change and break stereotypes?
Sumit and Neha are an upper middle-class couple. They have a 2-year-old girl named Jiah. Neha is a teacher, while Sumit is an architect. Theirs was a regular, arranged marriage.
You have to decide the course of their second pregnancy.
Situation #1:
Neha is pregnant with a second baby, and hopes it’s a boy so that they can have the ‘perfect, poora parivaar’. Sumit suggests a sex-determination test ‘just to be sure’. The results say it’s a girl.
Since Neha is now 5 months pregnant, what should happen next?
Sumit suggests she undergo an abortion. Neha wants her child, but she has always been taught a 'patni ka dharm' and Sumit constantly reminds her of financial restraints, so they undergo an abortion.
Neha insists on having the baby, which angers Sumit. He won’t be able to accept the baby, he says. Neha believes in herself, and gives birth to the child.
Your story ends here. Because you chose to abort, Neha suffers psychological stress from being forced to undergo an abortion. She loses trust in Sumit.
What if you'd have made a better choice?
You made a great decision! The couple have a healthy baby girl, and they name her Riya! Sweet, no?
Neha makes sure Riya grows to be a self-confident, cheerful girl. Sumit thinks their family still needs a boy. They soon have a boy and name him ‘Yash’. Neha had to quit her job to look after the family.
Riya has joined school, and she loves the world outside her home. But what about Riya's safety outside the house? How do you wish to approach this topic?
Your decision would shape Riya's confidence.
Situation #2
Riya is now 12 years old, and runs like the wind. During Sports Week in her school, she returns home very late after trial runs, so Neha decides to give her a 'safety pep talk'.
Harassment se bachne ke liye, what should Neha tell Riya?
To properly cover herself in public spaces, and keep a small pepper spray handy. Riya should handle herself like a 'shareef ghar ki ladki' to avoid 'unnecessary trouble'.
Shout and yell for help. Create a scene and involve the police if needed.
Your choice to 'hush up' the girl leads to Riya developing a victim-blaming mindset. Sadly, the story ends for you. She believes that she should've been thoda aur carefully dressed and therefore, it was her own fault.
What if you'd have made a better choice?
Fantastic! You add to Riya's confidence and self-reliance. One day, as a molester tries to run away after groping her, the feisty Riya runs after him, and calls the cops like she has been taught.
Riya's friends discourage her from shouting back at street harassers, and say 'tu faaltu pangey matt lia kar'. Riya doesn't care. As she grows, a lot of things change in Riya's life which catch her off-guard though.
Are you ready to handle the mounting pressure of adolescent life?
Situation #3
One afternoon, Riya, who is now a 14-year-old basketball champion, runs up to Sumit with a bloodied skirt, 'Dad, periods kya hote hain? My basketball coach says that's why I'm bleeding.'
Sumit is taken aback. How would you advise him to react?
Your choice could impact Riya's physical and emotional health.
Politely tell her to stop her outdoor games, and immediately ask her mother about such things, because these are 'women's issues'.
Tell Riya everything she needs to know about menstruation, and motivate her for the upcoming inter-school basketball competition.
You chose to neglect Riya's genuine curiosity. The story ends for you, since Riya learns that her normal bodily functions are 'shameful'. She never feels comfortable asking questions about her body or her health again, putting herself at risk.
What if you'd have made a better choice?
Excellent! Since you decided to chat, Riya establishes a friendly, frank relationship in the house, making space for more open, healthy conversations.
Riya continues her practice with full dedication, and becomes the school basketball champion. At one point she scores the crucial point in a tie-breaker against the boys' team. Pura Chak de India moment tha! But, as she learns, beating the boys team is not enough to beat patriarchy.
You have a critical choice to make now.
Situation #4
Riya, now 16-year-old, scores the maximum goals in an Under-17 basketball championship. Her dadi is shocked to see Riya's trophy-holding photographs in the papers. "Itne chhote kapde, and ladko ke saath khel rahi hai" she exclaimed!
Dadi advises her son and his wife to teach Riya some 'gharelu kaam, like khaana banana, ghar sajanaa'.
Riya thinks about it. What should she do?
Understand that dadi may be right. She feels guilty about not listening to dadi maa and reasons that if women before her did it, there's no harm in learning domestic chores.
Believe vehemently in the idea of choice. She doesn't want to disrespect her dadi, but explains to her clearly why girls need not be expected to do anything that boys are not.
You have discouraged Riya, and therefore, the tale ends for you. Riya begins to believe that compromise is the way out of everything. She ends up constantly pleasing people and forgetting her own goals in life.
What if you'd have made a better choice?
You are totally in sync with Riya - total badass!
Riya dribbles her way to play at the national level, eventually scoring a supercool scholarship to a college in Delhi, via sports quota. While visiting her sister once, Yash sees Riya drinking and partying in a bar. "I would accompany you everywhere now", Yash tells Riya. "But you are a little kid!" Riya would laugh. "He's a boy. You don't know the ways of the world," their dad would say, not laughing.
What you decide for Riya would shape her professional life.
Situation #5
Riya, 20 years old, gets an offer to be a bartender at the biggest resto-bar in town. She's excited about this, but it would mean 'der raat tak ghar se baahar', and dealing with unruly, drunk customers.
Riya is confused. What would you choose for her?
Why take so much panga for a job? She'd only be inviting trouble in a place filled with alcoholic men. Sumit would surely help her find new naukri.
Riya is confident in her ability to handle her own affairs, and is excited about this new direction - she takes the job.
Arey nahin! Your story cannot proceed, because you want Riya to do something she doesn't want, that is, to be a teacher at a neighbourhood school. "Your mom has been teaching all her life and is happy. You'll love it too!" Sumit insists. Riya takes the job, but she is never fulfilled.
What if you'd have made a better choice?
Riya starts working at the bar. It's a job she loves. She knows how to shut off sexist guests, and makes sure drinks don’t become an excuse for harassment. She still makes time for a couple of basketball matches in a stadium nearby.
The job pays Riya quite well. She's able to help her family get the elder sister married. Soon after, Neha and Sumit start asking Riya about her plans to 'settle down'.
You have a life-altering decision to make here!
Situation #6
23-year-old Riya falls in love with Sahil, who is from a different caste and community. Riya's parents have had it. "We understood when you said you didn't want to get married - but now that you are marrying, you need to listen to our advice," say Neha and Sumit. They refuse to accept the relationship.
What would you choose for Riya's life now?
The parents have every right to administer their daughter's life, because 'jo sochte hain achhe ke liye sochte hain'.
Riya decides to marry Sahil. Zidd hai to zidd hai ji. #VeerZaara style
Sad! You got Riya and Sahil to separate, and live with regret. How can the story proceed? They've both lost the love of their life, and never find it again.
What if you'd have made a better choice?
Sweet! Since you chose the power of love, Riya ignores the society, marries Sahil in a small, cute ceremony with a firm belief to live happily ever after.
Riya and Sahil get on with their respective careers. She makes her way through the bustling restaurant business and eventually starts earning more than Sahil. They celebrate this fact, their lives, and the trips they plan together. Riya's Instagram feed is lit.
Riya soon rises through the ranks and goes on to start her own chain of restaurants. She celebrates with a glass of champagne.
Eventually, Riya adopts the cutest indie off the streets and calls her Bijuriya.
With the choices made in this game, Riya has reached a healthy and fulfilling stage in her life. Not all the decisions in Riya’s journey conform to social norms, effectively labeling her a 'Buri Ladki' - but she's too busy being happy to care!
