I recently watched the movie Bol by Pakistani director Shoaib Mansoor and was quite impressed by it’s ability to entertain while simultaneously and powerfully presenting several social issues flagrant in South Asia. The title “Bol” is a Hindi/Urdu command meaning “Speak” or “Speak Out” and refers to the movie’s main message, which is that women’s voices need to be heard (ideally by the legal system), and that anachronistic and androcentric oppression must end. While this sounds cliche, the movie doesn’t make it feel that way. Continue reading →