Category Archives: Personal Empowerment

The Jamaica Constabulary Forces (JCF) Identity, Purpose, Attitude and Destiny (IPAD) for Life Youth Empowerment and Mentorship Summer Camp has been having a life-changing impact on participants since it commenced in 2015.

Fourteen-year-old student, Sean, says consequent on his participation, he has developed a bond and new-found respect for lawmen.

The police officers at the camp are now my friends, and we talk and reason about things that affect me, he tells JIS News.

Sean says the two-week summer camp was a great learning experience, particularly relating to the importance of reporting disputes to the police rather than resorting to violence to resolve issues.

Acting Police Commissioner, Novelette Grant, tells JIS News, that IPAD for Life was conceptualised in 2013 with a view to instilling good values and discipline in the nations youth in their formative years.

She says the initial camp was held in 2015 and will be hosted for the third time this year, with the continued partnership of the camp facilitators and counsellors from the JCFs Community Safety and Security Branch, Corporate Communications Unit (CCU) and Mobile Reserve as well as participating schools.

Miss Grant explains that the initiative is designed to help students become rounded citizens.

We want them to be able to identify good role models and gain respect for the law, the police and their peers, while ensuring that they were equipped with social and problem-solving skills that will assist them to build healthy relationships, she states.

Miss Grant says the camp targets children deemed vulnerable to negative influences and aims to help them to build resilience against these factors.

We recognise that these children are smart, and if we leave them without guidance, they can become potential problems for the police in the future, the Acting Commissioner notes.

She says the camp also helps the JCF to build positive relationships through mentorship with the teenagers.

These children are from several neighbouring communities that are sometimes at odds. So the camp not only helps the JCF mentor youths, it also aids in community rebuilding, the Acting Commissioner adds.

A key component, which Miss Grant says underpins the camp, is the role of responsibility entrusted to a number of the participants in ensuring that their peers adhere to the stipulated guidelines.

We set the rules, and that is all. The campers hold each other accountable and ensure that the rules are enforced; if not, they (report) the persons who disobey. Although we have the police overseeing the activities, the children make the process easy, she adds.

Miss Grant points out, however, that, as a first resort, when rules are broken the children endeavour to talk to the offenders and encourage them to do better.

She recounts one occasion where one participant, Chris, whom she says was deemed to have notable leadership qualities and commanded the respect of his peers, and who got into a fight, broke down in tears after they told him that his actions were below par and that they had lost confidence in him.

She says Chris experience served as a wake-up call for him and the police.

It tells us that sometimes when children do bad things, they are looking for love and reassurance. Chris is a clever boy, and the campers realised that and encouraged him to do better. They gave him a second chance and, most importantly, they gave him hope by allowing him to continue as their leader, despite his indiscretion, she tells JIS News.

Miss Grant says the summer camp is helping teenagers find renewed purpose and vigour as adolescents. She further indicates that the JCFs early intervention in the lives of children like Chris helps to prevent the onset of delinquent behaviour.

If Chris and other children do not have the proper guidance and support, they can easily become troubled teens (and challenges for) the police and the country, she contends.

The Acting Commissioner points out that following the intervention by his peers, Chris behaviour improved remarkably.

One day, Chris made a sacrifice by giving his belt to another camper for a dress inspection. He was willing to attend the inspection without a belt, knowing that he would be reprimanded. These are the selfless acts that we see at the camps this is what keeps us going, she shares.

Miss Grant says the two-week camp covers several areas that support the childrens journey into adolescence. She notes that they have hands-on activities and open discussions about conflict resolution, volunteerism, bullying, dating and interpersonal violence, among other things.

She says the camp is about selflessness, friendship and ensuring that the participants understand the importance of deportment, personal hygiene as well as motivation to confidently take their place as productive and valued members of society.

The Acting Commissioner further states that a reward programme is one of the methods the JCF uses to get high participation in the camp.

These include awards for displaying kindness, being the most disciplined participant, most improved male and female, most creative, best all-rounder, most outstanding leader, most helpful, and displaying the best technical skills.

Miss Grant emphasises that IPAD for Life is not merely a summer camp for young people.

The idea of this programme is to have residential camps, and after this we intend to have different phases that train the facilitators to ensure the continuity, she states.

Miss Grant says, since camps 2016 staging, JCF programme facilitators have been able to engage approximately 14,000 persons from different schools using the IPAD for Life concept.

She encourages parents, school administrators and professionals, particularly the business community, to support the initiative.

Meanwhile, IPAD camper, Richard, in recounting his experience, says, They (the police) taught us how boys and girls should treat each other and how to find our identity and purpose in life. I also learnt how to keep my community clean and not to join gangs and follow bad company.

Another participant, Malik, says the camp was inspiring, adding that his peers helped him to become a better person.

Intervening early in the lives of these children, not only saves future leaders from straying, but it also prevents the onset of adult criminal (tendencies) and reduces the likelihood of youth becoming serious and violent offenders, Miss Grant underscores.

Continue reading here:

IPAD for Life Empowering Youth - Government of Jamaica, Jamaica Information Service

Mathematically, a nano anything is 10 to the power of -9. Essentially, its one billionth of anything. In our world of over 7.5 billion people, that means the individual person is nano. They used to call us consumers, and in the media industry, we are referred to as eyeballs ad users but that would insinuate that we consume and dont produce or create; which would be incorrect. In the world of social media, the nano are the most powerful people on the planet, and most dont know their value. They have one billionth of the worlds population in their immediate orbit. The average person has 8 friends and family who they are likely to engage with and influence, whether its passively or actively.

It is the power of these people, the 99% who have made Facebook and Google what they are today, and built their 1 trillion dollar value.

The nano-influencer doesnt realize they are such a crucial part of this ecosystem. The nano influencer is the most powerful group of people and our goal at The8App is to give them the tools to monetize their creativity and influence for their own personal empowerment, and finally realize their value.

Today, we the people, are the largest unpaid workforce on the planet. We are all on Facebook, but we are not rewarded or united on Social platforms. If the people were given the framework we would change the world at a level we could have never imagined.

Companies and governments need to realize that the power is in the hands of the nano influencers, and for the first time, through The8App, can engage them at scale personally and directly.

The nano influencer is not motivated by share-price and profit and greed. For the most part, the nano influencer is motivated to protect and provide for their families and to seek happiness. Their value set is better directed. So surely, they should be the ones who have the economic power. They are certainly the only ones who can solve the worlds biggest problems when they work together and they should get to decide where the money goes.

The nano influencer buys our products.

The nano influencer keeps our companies alive.

The nano influencer keeps the economy afloat.

The nano influencers think long term. They have children and grandchildren to think about.

And now, The8App gives you the tools to engage and reward and show love to the Nano influencer. At scale. And together make impact at scale.

The nano influencer is YOU.

See the rest here:

The Rise of The Nano Influencer - Huffington Post

Through the locally founded women's empowerment platform and community For Women To Women (FWTW), three Jamaican visionaries have been invited to share their business expertise, stories, inspiration, drive, and focus at the Women's Economic Forum (WEF) International Conference in New Delhi, India, in May.

The global conference that is set to begin on the 8th of May, focuses on fostering empowering conversations and connections among women committed to a constructive change in all walks of life. Through this year's theme 'Creating, Innovating, Understanding and Driving the Future', the organisation has added the voices of Carey-Lee Dixon, Monique Kennedy, and Chereese Ricketts to the global conversation in the areas of Personal Example and Leadership; and Education, Skills and Human Empowerment.

Carey-Lee Dixon is a passionate soul seeking to help others to grow and design purpose-filled lives and careers. In 2012, she founded and introduced a women-focused digital resources platform and community - For Women to Women, which is designed to empower women to elevate themselves in their personal and professional lives.

Kennedy, who started her 'Thriving Artist' community in 2015, sets out to create unique experiences and support for creative minds who dare to be different. Through her blog, podcast and Kingston chapter of Tuesdays Together, Kennedy is able to provide creatives with access to the right individuals and information to help them grow their businesses.

The 2015 Festival Queen, energetic and compassionate, Ricketts is the creator of the eMOTION movement that brings awareness to Mental Health Issues in Jamaica. It encourages everyday Jamaicans to be aware of their own mental health and overall well-being. As an artist, Ricketts uses the realm of the spoken word to explore concepts of personal identity, spiritual ascension and social unity.

Though they are individually exceptional in their own rights, there was a missing ingredient to them maximising their success accountability. The trio built a friendship and group called 'Mastermind' that helps them cultivate a culture of excellence through accountability. Over the past year, they have recognised the power of positive female company to decipher goals and powering execution.

One of the goals of the WEF is to light the candle of other growth-oriented women, and since the three women shared similar goals of sharing their story, stepping outside of their comfort zone, and making an impact in their communities, they were all invited to speak.

The only three speakers selected from Jamaica in a pool of 500 from 150 countries, Dixon, Kennedy, and Ricketts have the unique opportunity to build valuable relationships. They are convinced that this exchange will further the reach of their contribution to their local communities in Jamaica.

"At the core of it all is our desire to see Jamaicans fully empowered, and within a prosperous economy," the trio told Outlook.

On March 14, the 'sisters' launched a crowdfunding campaign that will run for seven weeks leading up to their departure.

"We truly believe that our participation in this initiative will have exponential implications for our local following as we expect to have enriching interactions with other purpose-driven, community-minded women that will grow our networks and fuel our efforts even further," they expressed.

To offer your support to the dynamic trio, you can make contributions online at: http://bit.ly/jamaicatoindia

or call (876) 997-4417/

823-0721 for more information.

See original here:

Journey to India | Visionary Women Seeking Partnership - Jamaica Gleaner

Watching the presidents daily tweets, we must see that social media continue to evolve. Theres this guy named Donald Trump who, if you didnt know what Twitter was, you do now, social marketer Jim Sterne says.

Sterne wrote Social Media Metrics: How to Measure and Optimize Your Marketing Investment in 2010 opening the book with 100 Ways to Measure Social Media (p. xx). Weve moved beyond measuring buzz, as social media managers focus on goals, strategies and tactics.

Brand marketing communication may be more sophisticated, but Sterne told my Social Media Measurement and Management students that there remains no good way to separate human from chat bot followers, although we can analyze growth and find meaning in context, emphasis and sentiment. So, the analysis part is always necessary, and measurement is a piece that you use to get some raw material.

Jeremy Harris Lipschultz

Statistical analysis may help social media analysis develop a predictive social marketing mix model that focuses on outcomes and business value. Sternes eMetrics Summit this summer is offered at a discounted rate for educators, and I will be in Chicago with funding from my universitys Center for Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Franchising.

An effective social media engagement strategy moves beyond reach and instead focuses on conversation and relationships. Social media real-time listening helps brands to move in the direction of audience-centered communication talking about what they are talking about, Sterne says. Planning, then, is about meeting customers where they are, and reflecting their words.

Sterne says trusted brand representation, for example, distinguishes between exploitive and meaningful hashtags, and it requires planning and organization before events happen.

Even for small non-profit organizations with a Facebook page and a website, specific tactics depend upon, what are you trying to do with it, Sterne says. Knowing the answer should drive a plan that helps guide measurement goals.

For every brand, there is a baseline conversation, and the easiest place to begin is with social media customer service and support, Sterne says. Let them know that you are available, and make it somebodys responsibility to respond. From there, a brand may work on outbound promotion. Non-profits have a need to cultivate donor relationships through social media channels. The key is to learn just enough to engage with them in a personal way, maybe post a fun picture that those people will share with their friends... thats the power of social.

Electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) can be used to raise awareness and spark social media engagement that move people toward desired actions. This may begin with earned and owned media channels that eventually inform an organization how to leverage limited resources for paid and promoted social media posts.

Too often, organizations pay for advertising without knowing the most effective ways to reach and engage brand fans.

Sterne, like a lot of social marketers, suggests photographs, gif animation and video as effective tactics once an organization locates its target audience and social media channels. While marketing ultimately requires great content, it may fall flat with the wrong audience on the wrong channel.

Short, digestible social media content tends to be viewed and shared more often than long-form media. In the competition for marketplace attention, content tone matters, Sterne says. Public relations (PR) may try to push their tone on the audience by crafting messages: its disingenuous, it is hard work, it is not necessarily valuable, Sterne argues. The real challenge is not can I get you to take on my tone, but can I take on a tone thats appealing across the board, and its not corporate speak.

Were just beginning to understand the impact of big data on social media marketing. Cambridge Analytica, for example, has claimed that its highly personal social media data helped the Trump campaign target malleable voters in key electoral states.

Sterne places an orange flag on the claims because social media marketers need more research on the effectiveness of artificial intelligence (AI) in the process. In the long run, Sterne believes we all will have our own AI assistant negotiating with brands about what information to send, and even paying consumers to receive desired content.

Consumer empowerment through personal filtering may take the edge off of data privacy concerns. It is clear that micro targeting based upon consumer needs and wants is the future of personal social media management communication.

Pre-order Social Media Communication: Concepts, Practices, Data, Law and Ethics (2018).

Read more from the original source:

Social Media Marketing: It's Personal - Huffington Post

New York Times

Words of Self-Empowerment New York Times I make all my crosswords by hand, then send them by snail mail to my good friend and partner, Nadine Anderton, who serves as my sounding board, personal editor and conduit to crossword editors. I am in prison in Washington State and have been for 26 ...

See the rest here:

Words of Self-Empowerment - New York Times

Close

Wright giving her lecture, Girl Power: Ladies Lead in the Lemurs of Madagascar, in Valders 206.

Emily Turner (19) | Photo Bureau

Emily Turner (19) | Photo Bureau

Wright giving her lecture, Girl Power: Ladies Lead in the Lemurs of Madagascar, in Valders 206.

Olivia Enquist, Staff Writer April 5, 2017 Filed under News

Share on Facebook

Share via Email

Luther Colleges Phi Beta Kappa chapter hosted renowned primatologist and Distinguished Service Professor of Anthropology at Stony Brook University Patricia Wright on Feb. 20-21 as a part of the Visiting Scholars Program.

As part of her visit, Wright gave a lecture titled Girl Power: Ladies Lead in the Lemurs of Madagascar as well as attending a showing of the movie based in her work titled Island of Lemurs: Madagascar. In addition to these two events, Wright held several informal lectures and conversations with faculty and students across campus.

Wright has made strides in her work in anthropology, biology, and conservation but is best known for her career studying the social and familial interaction of lemurs. During her lecture, Wright spoke about her personal history, her work in biology as an undergraduate, her love of lemurs, and the creation of Ranomafana National Park.

Professor of English and President of Luthers Phi Beta Kappa chapter Kate Narveson explained the process behind choosing the visiting scholar and the desire to choose someone with interdisciplinary interests.

We were impressed with [Wrights] mix of scholarly expertise in anthropology and primatology, but also her service to the world, Narveson said. She went along so well with our mission statement of serving with distinction for the common good. We were also interested in the way that she would appeal to a wide range of departments as an interdisciplinary speaker.

Narveson added that she was pleased by Wrights ability to form meaningful connections to Luther students in a setting that is different from what many of the visiting scholars usually experience.

Some scholars just dont know how to think about where they are, Narveson said. Its just not a world they have any familiarity with. They come and they are wonderful in sharing their enthusiasm and experience, but they just dont make any connections to who we are. Dr. Patricia Wright was rare, unusual, and wonderful in being able to see what kind of school we are, think about the intersection of her values and our values, and how we mutually benefit.

The documentary Island of Lemurs (2014), which was narrated by Morgan Freeman, featured Wright and her work.

Biology and Environmental Studies major Isobel Michaud (19) attended the lecture and said she appreciated the fact that Wright was able to use more than intellectual jargon and connect to the audience through personal anecdotes.

A lot of the colloquiums are very analytical and research based, which is awesome, but theres no personality with research, Michaud said. I appreciated that she was a genuine person talking about her life story.

Sthela Holly Hanitrinirina (19) an international student from Madagascar where Wright conducted most of her research spoke about Wrights influence in emphasizing the importance of conservation to the people of Madagascar.

As a Malagasy person, I learned so much about whats going on in my own country, Hanitrinirina said. Having her working there has made that clear to people that its important to preserve the forest and value what we have.

Hanitrinirina said that while Wrights lecture illustrated the importance of imitating the unique matriarchal structure of lemurs and the gender equality of the Malagasy culture, the biggest message she took away is one of personal growth.

I think that what I learned from her is that she grew so much, Hanitrinirina said. I think that is something to say to students that when you travel and put yourself in an uncomfortable space, you grow. There is nothing bad in leaving your comfortable self, it helps you grow as person, even if its really hard.

Link:

Wright lectures on lemurs, female empowerment - Luther College Chips

On Tuesday night at The Wellmont Theater, women gathered for a panel discussion with local women of distinction at the first Womens Empowerment Forum. The event was part of Montclair Centers Womens Empowerment Week, an annual eventto benefit SAVE of Essex, the countys only designated rape care center and a program of the Family Service League.

The Q&A was masterfully moderatedby local entrepreneur Donna Miller, founder & president of C3Workplace. Miller asked thoughtful questions and kept the dialogue moving with the five panelists and the audience.

Panelists were WOR radio host Joan Herrmann;nationally recognized career and life coach Laura Berman Fortgang;producer and activist Peg Cafferty; Executive director of the Montclair Fund for Education (MFEE) Masiel Rodriquez-Vars; and business owner and teacher Omni Kitts Ferrara. Fourth Ward Councilor Dr. Renee Baskerville was scheduled to appear, but wasnt on the panel Tuesday night.

Topics discussed were what empowerment means the panel agreed that itmeans something deeply personal and unique for everyone, how to deal with our inner negative thoughts to overcome fear of failure, how to raise boys to respect women, and how to build a culture of respect withour fellow women. The discussion was personal and meaningful.

Herrmann talked about her life and how she felt trapped in an unhappy marriage. She left her career to raise her children and when she was in her 40s, she realized she didnt know who she was. She made changes and started her own radio show. She shared her motto of Fake it to you make it, advising the audience to Think of what you want ot be, Act it, believe it, and then it WILL happen.

Cafferty talked about overcoming personal tragedy and moving forward with the help of support. She spoke of the problem of women demeaning and not supporting other women and said if we act with kindness, good things will happen.

And speaking of personal and meaningful, Israel Cronk, Executive Director of the Montclair Center BID and the organizer of this event, spoke about his inspiration for a Montclair Womens Empowerment Forum (he attended a similar panel at the UN) and why the SAVE of Essex benefit means so much to him personally.Getting choked up and having to stop several times, Cronk spoke about his sister being a victim of a sexual attack and the damage it does to the victimand their loved ones.

Looking over the intimate crowd at this inaugural event, Cronk asked everyone to close their eyes and envision being back in their seats a year later in a theater packed with local women. After attending the inspirational event, I dont doubt that it will happen.

Womens Empowerment Week continues with talks at various locations and a Ladies Night celebration on Friday. See the full scheudle here.

Read more:

Inspirational Forum Is Highlight of the Montclair Center Women's Empowerment Week - Baristanet

Twenty-eight years after its founding, UTs Habitat for Humanity student organization is focusing on building a volunteer base to keep the tradition of changing the lives of Austin families.

Sitting around a large square table after another late Monday night meeting is the eight student leadership team behind UTs Habitat for Humanity chapter including government senior and HFH president Stephanie Slapik, who has been with the organization for three years. The mission is still the same: how to advocate for more awareness for the organization on campus, fundraise, and grow the student volunteer base vital to constructing homes for Austin families.

An affiliate member of Austins larger Habitat for Humanity branch, the University subchapter coordinates student volunteer days and fundraising goals throughout the semester. To help raise funding for home projects, UT Habitat partners with local companies, most recently State Farm Insurance, who matched a fundraising campaign totaling $10,000 toward future construction projects. Meeting these fundraising goals means that UT Habitat can continue scheduling project days, as they cover part of the construction cost and the student organizations volunteer fees.

Weve had good fundraising, Slapik said. Weve had nine (building days) last semester and were on the road for about nine again this semester and theyre long days. We get there around eight and sometimes were there til around 4 p.m.

Not only do low-income families benefit from construction projects, but veterans and people who are disabled, low-income or elderly can qualify for future projects. In addition to home building, UT Habitat contributes equally to home repair projects for those who struggle with affordability as they did March 25th with a community home re-painting project. English senior and HFH secretary Natalie Barden said she fondly remembers presenting a newly painted home to an elderly woman the subchapter helped.

She was so sweet,' Barden said. She was like, This looks like a whole new house. I wouldnt have had the means to do this without you guys volunteering. Its lovely to see how visibly appreciative they are.

On April 8th, the organization will be passing on the keys to another family. For many student volunteers, it will be the first key-giving ceremony they will be attending. For new homeowners, a valuable part of the process is the opportunity to earn work equity hours by helping in the building of not only their own, but other familys homes. This cycle of contributing and volunteering helps Habitat for Humanity continue its core mission across Austin.

We have multiple (projects) right now, UT Habitat secretary Natalie Barden said. We have houses in Elgin and just completed a home repair twenty minutes away from here.

Beyond the tangible value of the work that UT Habitat does, Slapik said volunteers receive not only volunteering credit, but also a great wealth of construction knowledge and personal empowerment.

The cool thing when somebody joins Habitat is they dont have to have experience in construction, Slapik said. You spend your whole day working on some part of a house and at the end of the day you will really know what youre doing; thats a good feeling.

Robert Keading, HFH member who has volunteered with the organization for five years, said he enjoys working with HFH because of the impact he is able to create in families lives. The UT Habitat student organization will continue contributing volunteer resources to continue a tradition of building and repairing Austin homes.

The time and work that volunteers, students or just ordinary people contribute shows, said Keading. These families lives are forever changed by their work.

Correction: The original article said UT Habitat partnered with Allstate in a fundraising campaign, but they actually partnered with State Farm Insurance. The Texan regrets this error.

Go here to read the rest:

Habitat for Humanity builds campus ties | The Daily Texan - UT The Daily Texan

Good News Gathering Church hosted a Regional Training Expo on March 17.

A Regional Transition Expo was held at the Good News Gathering Church located in Hillsboro on March 17.

The Transition Expo was sponsored by Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities and the Region 14 Transition Council. There were 26 vendors/ businesses present that shared tips on how to train for and apply for a new career. Fifteen of the eighteen school districts located in Adams, Brown, Clinton, Fayette and Highland counties participated in the event. Over 200 eleventh and twelfth grade students with disabilities came dressed for success, prepared to meet local employers and education experts.

The students also attended three learning sessions on: What Not to Say/Wear; Work Ethic; and Personal Empowerment/Self-Advocacy.

Many thanks go to Kroger from Washington C.H. and Hillsboro for providing lunch that day for everyone in attendance. Also a thank you goes out to the Bright Local Schools Honor Society for helping serve and clean up lunch.

The Regional Transition Expo was such a success, it will become an annual event.

For more information or if you would like to be involved in the Expo next year, contact Amy Luttrell, 937-393-1904, ext. 2142.

Submitted by Amy Luttrell, Region 14/Hopewell Center.

Good News Gathering Church hosted a Regional Training Expo on March 17.

http://timesgazette.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/web1_Good-News-pic.jpgGood News Gathering Church hosted a Regional Training Expo on March 17.

.

Read the rest here:

Good News hosts transition expo - Hillsboro Times Gazette

Patriotism and feminism, the two dominant questions of Begum Jaan, are different things for different people, asserts the film's team - lead actor Vidya Balan, director Srijit Mukherji and producer Mahesh Bhatt.

DT: What is the criterion of a successful film - first weekend collection or long-term recall value? Srijit: The film should stay with you for years. Abhi there are lots of films that aren't box office successes at the time of release, and later they get cult classic status.

Vidya: But I have never understood how that happens! Theatre mein nahin gaye log, and you feel that the film has flopped. Hamari Adhuri Kahani, for example - people are writing about it to me every week on Twitter. And the film didn't do well.

Bhatt: Saraansh did 15 weeks - but it didn't make money. But people tell me ki humne apne bete ka naam Saransh rakha hai... Time is very merciless to mediocrity, it nurtures brilliance. Achha kaam waqt ke saath nikharta hai. It endures. Mediocrity doesn't linger. Ultimately, movies have to resonate in your consciousness.

DT: How do you define 'mature' cinema? Nowadays, it only means 'adult cinema', but does the Indian audience comprehend mature cinema, serious cinema? Or is it a given that the award-winning film will not run beyond three days in the hall? Each year, there is a high casualty rate of these risk-taking movies, like Miss Lovely and Gangs Of Wasseypur. So if we make mature cinema, and it mostly doesn't work, do we by default make 'immature' cinema to make it work? Bhatt: Any person who presumes himself to be a 'mature' filmmaker and makes a film, it's a bullshit film. There are certain filmmakers who begin with that position ki hum bade mature hain, humara content bada painful hai - muh kholne ke pehle they are in awe of themselves, ki main kamal ki baat bolne wala hoon. Kuch filmein aisi hoti hain joh indicate karti hain ki tumko kuch pata wata hai nahin, humne tum par bada upkaar kiya hai.

The unpretentious quality of Begum Jaan doesn't claim anything. It just goes out to tell the story in a very engaging way.

Srijit: This philosophy I have followed all my life in my Bengali films. So my Bengali films do well in the festival circuit and at the box office, and they get awards. And this balance is not conscious, because I have to clue what works, what mature cinema is.

Vidya : I think it is pretentious to assume that you know what mature cinema is. Bhatt saab made films that were labelled as art cinema. Many films that were labelled art films, they didn't touch you. They were too intellectual. But Bhatt saab's films touched you. That's why his films, even if they were not formulaic, they ended up doing business. I also think that films that do well connect with people.

Bhatt: Agar main iss intention se aaya hoon ki main tumhe impress karunga, tumse wah-wahi lootunga, log mujhe paise dein aur main unhe batunga main kitna kamal hoon - bewakoof hai kya audience?

DT: In the last two months, we have seen a massive number of women coming out on to the roads in the US. That is one kind of politically aware feminist perspective. How far is the gap (from that) in the mind frame of a Begum Jaan? Vidya: Begum Jaan is a lone soldier. She doesn't need collective reinforcement at all. At some point in the film, she tells these girls, go away, I will deal with this on my own. Change or empowerment is very, very personal. I detest calling Begum Jaan a film about women's empowerment. It's a very personal journey. You have to discover your own strength. There can be some triggers; that alters you. But Begum Jaan is far ahead in her understanding. I don't think she knew the word 'feminism' or cared for it even if she did. Because I have not seen a more consummate woman on screen. As long as it serves her purpose, she is servile with the raja, then she says, I can't help you anymore.

'Begum Jaan' doesnt need collective reinforcement at all: Vidya Balan

01:30

Srijit: Khoob ladi mardani woh toh Jhansi wali rani thi. Even when you compliment a woman for valour, you do it in masculine terms.

Vidya: She does it on her own terms. Woh apne liye sajti hai. She is not in the market anymore. She cannot be slut-shamed.

Srijit: She is intensely apolitical and individualistic. There is no interest in the revolution. She is not making a statement or changing the condition of women outside her kotha. Koi fark nahin padta usse. When people are celebrating 15th August, she is sitting glumly, saying that people spend festival time with their families, so it's a bad day for business.

Bhatt: She has come to terms with her desolate life. She is not frightened of it. Aur humne aisi aurtein dekhi hain, who are fiercely independent. But they are not compelled to organize it into a larger political expression.

DT: In an interview with Vidya that DT ran on August 15 (incidentally) last year, the question that got the interview discussed online was the point of 'Can a woman who runs a brothel be a feminist?' And she (Vidya) said of course she can be a feminist, and she had a track to it. Currently, in the same way that I can't decide what patriotism is for me - it is defined by the majority - are the women in this country being given a template of what empowered feminism is? Vidya: 'Empowered' and 'feminism' are much abused words today.

Bhatt: Hum kisi ki lobby pe depend nahin karenge to tell me what 'empowerment' and 'freedom' are, what the attributes of a free woman are.

DT: So the causes seem so sharply defined that we are all traitors to the cause if we don't subscribe to it whole-heartedly. I am not a patriot if I don't say 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' three times a day. And you are not loyal to the feminist cause if you don't say those words. Srijit : A woman in a village in Rajasthan, a woman in Mumbai and a working woman in New York - the social coordinates of all these three causes are so different that there cannot be a standard set of parameters. It's relative. For a woman in a village, saying 'no' to her husband one night could be an act of feminism.

Vidya: Or not standing when the father-in-law enters the house. The struggles are different.

Srijit: So the feminism for Begum Jaan, who is the madam of a brothel... Life gives you certain coordinates, that this is where you belong, this is the language you speak, this is what happened in your childhood. What will you do to define feminism? Those sets of parameters uniquely define your feminism. You cannot seek a commonality with other parts of the world and other eras.

But Begum Jaan's feminism is giving these girls an atmosphere where at the end, when Begum Jaan asks them to leave, a girl cries and says, 'I don't get the freedom I get here even at my so-called home.' This is a very strong statement. So in this place, yes, we are catering to the male gaze, but we are catering to the male gaze on our own terms. And the exploitation that we face outside is much more. That might sound scandalous in the concept of a city. But for women who are being marginalized in an oppressive set-up, there, for them, this leash of freedom is huge. And that's where the dialogue comes from - 'It's my body, it's my house, it's my country, it's my rule'. She is what she is. But her socio-economic coordinates determine her parameters of feminism. Every woman's situation is kind of unique. Patriotism also - that is also a very unique scenario. Let's say a person who can't stand up (for the national anthem), what is patriotism for him? A person who is bound to a wheelchair, how will you determine if he is a patriot? The parameters need to allow for different human conditions - be it parameters of patriotism or of feminism.

DT: In an interview with Manoj Bajpayee for Gangs Of Wasseypur, I asked him, dikkat kya aayi role karne mein, and he said the 'haraamipan', the way Sardar Khan looks at the girl who comes to his house, he had to make a lot of effort for that. 'Woh expression nahin aata'. Sometimes the difficulty is in playing great martyrdom, sometimes the difficulty is in playing the other side - the grey side. Vidya: People ask me, how come you are okay with playing someone who seems like she's all black? I know there are dark corners inside me that I have to come face-to-face with, and that's why I am able to do it. And that's something freeing. Because I don't have illusions of who I am anymore. Or delusions.

I think I got what she was doing throughout. I watched the Bengali film (Srijit's Rajkahini, from which Begum Jaan is adapted). But the difficulty only came in the places where I had to be physically violent. I don't know how anybody can be physically violent. In one scene, I had to slap repeatedly. In the first few takes, I could not get it. Then Srijit told me, you are slapping her half-heartedly, but you are slapping nonetheless. But until I hear that thappad ki goonj... After the scene, I would go to the actor, kiss her on the forehead, hold her hand, ask for ice - do those things. Because I didn't have to do it once, I had to do it repeatedly with two-three different girls. If I didn't have to do it and had to ask someone to do it, it would have been easier. It was the only point of dissonance between Begum Jaan and me.

I know there are dark corners inside me: Vidya Balan

00:46

DT: For Humari Adhuri Kahani, you said women write to you saying that they could relate to it, but nobody would like to be Begum Jaan. Between playing the ideal role - the infinitely simpler and easier role - and this, which expression is more difficult? Vidya: I don't think I worry about anybody's reactions. What really fascinated me about Begum Jaan is that she is so unapologetically powerful, and that is not easy as a woman. I think as we are slowly entering routes and parts that are unknown to us, and we are seeing success, and we are tasting power, it is still very difficult to come to terms with it. You always feel the need to overcompensate. Power has been the preserve of men, or so we thought. So the moment you feel you are powerful, you are exuding a certain power, you feel you are trading your femininity. But Begum Jaan doesn't care about anything or anyone except her survival. No one scares her. She fears nothing.

To get into the mindspace of someone like that - people are asking me, chaudaa body language hai! There is no English equivalent of chaudaa, but yes, her body language is chaudaa because she appropriates that space!

'Begum Jaan' is unapologetically powerful: Vidya Balan

01:55

DT: By reflex, does Indian society get unsettled by the unapologetic display of power by a woman? Vidya: I do think so. I think people find it very difficult. Women themselves find it very difficult. Because of their deep conditioning, because we have always seen power as a male preserve, we find it difficult. It is seen as intimidating, alienating, when a woman exudes power, when she is comfortable in her skin exuding power.

DT: The majority of powerful women in politics in India - past or present - tend to be wielding positions of power when they are either single or widowed, as standalone individuals. Is there something to read into here? Vidya: Which is why I'm saying - does she stand alone because she is powerful... or is she powerful because she stands alone?

Srijit: It's a chicken and egg thing, really.

Vidya: It's so interesting. It was only after MGR passed away that Jayalalithaa became powerful. It was after Kanshi Ram that Mayawati became powerful.

DT: It's not been very different elsewhere in the neighbourhood either - Aung Saan Suu Kyi, Bandaranaike, the current political power centres in Bangladesh... Bhatt: My thesis is that only when you are completely powerless, your journey to power starts then. There is a rule of storytelling - it is not important for the hero to succeed, it is important for him to exhaust the limits of the possible. Once he has exhausted everything he can - and he dies - he is a great hero!

DT: Which is why Bose always makes for a great story; fight, struggle, and lose - and flamboyantly at that? Srijit: "...and flamboyantly at that..."

Vidya (to Srijit): But how happy you look! You reveal the Bengali in you (laughs)!

Srijit: Bose is the ultimate open-ended ending as well. Never tell a Bengali that Bose is no more. We don't know that yet! You don't often get lives like that to make a biopic (wistfully).

DT: Why don't you make a movie on him? It's been ages since Benegal's Forgotten Hero. Vidya: And I will play Lakshmi Swaminathan, that is decided.

Read more:

Vidya Balan: I detest calling Begum Jaan a film about women's empowerment - Times of India