Deepa Mehta's Fire

[Asha Naidu]

The commotion over Deepa Mehta's film is reminiscent, of the fuss that
was made when Ismat Chugtai in 1941, wrote a brilliantly conceived story
of a lesbian relationship in her story 'Lihaf'(The quilt). A lesbian
relationship between the beautiful wife of a wealthy muslim landlord and
her muslim servant maid is presented by a child narrator who sees it
all, yet understands it not and makes no judgements. The style of the
story is an excellent balance of reticence and suggestiveness. However
then as now, the story outraged the puritanical and the British
Government charged Ismat with obscenity. Apparently she won the case
when her lawyer argued that the story could only be understood by those
who only had some knowledge of lesbianism.

The story may be read in the book 'Women Writing in India', Volume 11,
The 20th Century. ISBN 0 04 440874 9. Published in the US by The
Feminist Press, 311 East 94 Street, New York, NY 10128, 1993.

Regards
Asha

______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com