Coup d’état

DAMINI GHOSH, ROHIT MANE, KHUSHI JAIN, KOMAL MAIDEO

The phrase “coup d’état” comes from French and it literally translates to, "a
blow against the state". Although, it is a legal phrase and has its meaning
typically restored to a politics, we've decided to use the phrase in a more
metaphorical aspect. In our film, 'coup d'état' would simply signify rebellion (or
'a blow', like its literal meaning) against the society, or more specifically, the
societal norms.
Our film is a fictional rendition with rebellion as the umbrella concept. We are
focusing on three different sub-concepts or issues which are blooming with
rebellion; and each of them are highlighted by three distinct time periods.
The first subplot, that we're dealing with in the film, is Body Image Issue(s).
Body Image Issues, are really complicated and, against popular belief, they are
extensively more, that just 'I hate my body'. The dissatisfaction with one’s own
body, can range from a little to a severe body-hatred, and then the poor body
image issue, gets tied to self-esteem issues, chronic anxiety, eating disorders
and not to mention, depression. And depression creeps up on you quietly, it
swallows you whole. Outsiders, might view them as perfectly normal and
laughing away, inspite of the bullying and insults that they have to deal with,
everyday. But, the truth is that they barely have any will to live or to function. It
is undoubtedly challenging, to improve one's body image issues, because those
issues hurt from the grass root level, owing to the cat-calling, the scoffing, the
bullying and the taunts. It is drilled into one’s system, slowly and slowly, with
each insult, with each name-calling, with each taunt, that they are not desirable,
that they are not beautiful : that they are ugly. Our character does however get
out of her body image issues, gradually and then embraces Body Positivity.
This subplot, our first sequence in the film, is going to be framed in the 1980s,
in a rich urban household.
The second subplot, is something as relevant as Feminism. But the Feminism
that we're focusing on, the kind of Feminism that we’re dealing with in the film,
is set in the 1930s, a time period in the matrix where the concept of Feminism is
still unheard of, at least in India, where our story is based. Our character is from
Bengal and belongs from a time and a background, where she's married off at
12, an age where the concept of marriage or say, the concept of anything for
that matter, is blurry. She lives in a mansion, with her in laws, but she does not
know, she does not understand what to do there. Her husband is old enough to
be her grandfather and she certainly does not have any friends in that mansion,
neither does she know anybody there at all. Her Feminism and her rebellion,
develops gradually, through a chapter of loneliness and anger. The loneliness
was a result of not having any companion or anybody, to even talk to. But the
anger, however, resulted from various aspects- for instance, she could look at all
the books in the zamindar's library, but she couldn’t read them. You see, the
thing was that, it was forbidden for women to be educated or even the slightest
bit literate. She could look at the British memsahibs that came over, but she
couldn't interact with them, she couldn't dress like them. She couldn't step out
of the 'andarmahal' or the inner quarters of the mansion, but she could look at
her husband and all the men in the house drinking, smoking and laughing in the
outer quarters. She was only to ‘overlook’ the food that was prepared for them.
So after years of going unnoticed in the vast labyrinth of the mansion, she
decides to break all the rules. She decides to let go of all her fears, all the
taboos and ends up doing what she wants to do, both in terms of fashion and
lifestyle. She becomes the embodiment of what Feminism could be, or could
have been, in the 1930s.
Lastly, the final concept that we're dealing with is, Gender Fluid Fashion. This
subplot, is set in the twenty-first century, more specifically, this year. Gender
fluid fashion is something that has just begun to be accepted, it is something
that has undergone a lot of movements, a lot of problems and a lot of bruises
and insults, to be able to stand where it is now. With all the conundrums behind
making Gender Fluid Fashion acceptable in this society, it is still not
appreciated enough, or some might say, at all. In the society that our character
lives in, much alike the society we all live in, it is still frowned upon for a Man to
dress up in clothes typically made for a woman, say for instance, a corset. And
even if it gets accepted in certain areas, very often than not, the man in
question is given a verdict by the society, to be gay. It is nobody’s business what
sexual orientation a person might have and it is downright offensive for a
person to assume one’s sexual orientation, or even gender for that matter, by
the way they style themselves up. Our character is a staunch believer of
androgyny, when it comes to fashion and we have set the tone for this issue to
be urban. We are going to showcase how feminine clothes can be embraced
with masculinity, that too, without its essence getting lost. We plan on breaking
the general gender stereotypes and all the barriers associated with it, in terms
of Fashion.
The reason we’ve focused on these three sub concepts, is because first of all,
Body Image Issues, Gender Fluid Fashion, and of course Feminism, are hugely
relevant in today’s society, as well as they were earlier, and they need to be
discussed and worked upon, as much as possible. Secondly, they are very, very
personal topics for each one of our four team members and I’m certain almost
everybody has dealt with, or at least witnessed, either one of these concepts
that we’re working on. Lastly, and probably the most important reason, would
be this, that we wanted our sub-plots to have a connection with each other :
rebellion. Whether we talk about Body Positivity, or Gender Fluid Fashion, or
Feminism, all three of them are, like I mentioned in the beginning, ‘blooming
with rebellion.’ Each of our characters, just like our sub-concepts, have an
underlying sense of anger and an underlying spirit to fight against the system,
to fight against the society and its absurd taboos. They know that the system
stinks and they are ready to extinguish the stench, they are ready to fight, they
are ready to set an example, both in terms of Fashion and their attitudes.
Our plots are going to be intertwined in the form of a fictional tale, opening in
the 1980s. With the three solid and strong subplots in mind, we also
understand that it is a Fashion film that we are supposed to present. Therefore,
we will not have any dialogues in the film, just a couple of voiceovers where ever
necessary. The film is going to be depicted, only by the Language of Fashion,
and we promise to deliver it profoundly. We will be presenting a total of 10
complete ensembles across the three different time periods. We have kept in
mind the decades that we have chosen, while figuring out our costumes, so that
our costumes are also historically accurate with our touch of fiction in them.
The shooting is going to be done in the following two weeks, extensively.
Therefore we will have one entire week for the edit and sound mixing. All the
attires and locations, for all the looks have also been locked.