Are all "Dowry Harassment" cases true? Shaurya Singh’s film at LISFF will shatter the myths and clear the Illusions

Is marriage an Illusion? Do all women who screech "Dowry Harassment" are actually victims? Or they make a scapegoat of their husbands and in-laws? A heart wrenching short film by Shaurya Singh that will shatter the myths and clear the "ILLUSIONS" is one of the entries at LISFF 2013.

Directed by Shaurya Singh, the film takes you on a journey from USA to India and how a prospective groom with dreams of a blissful conjugal life ends up as a victim of the draconian law of 498A which is also termed as legal terrorism in Indian legal circles. The film explores a real life story of a guy who has a stable IT job in the Silicon Valley of the US. Well settled in his career, his family wants him to settle down and find a bride for him. With dreams of a blissful conjugal life, the hero starts his marital life in the US of A. However, his joy is short lived and he alongwith his parents are falsely implicated in "Dowry Harassment" case when he refuses to give in to their illogical demands. What happens later forms the crux of the story.

Speaking on the subject, director Shaurya Singh says, “Just as there are helpless women being tortured for dowry by their in-laws, there are severals who are being harassed on false charges of seeking dowry, mental harassment and cruel behaviour. Many innocent elderly citizens are being dragged into court unscrupulously by their daughters-in-law and their families under allegations of Section 498 A of the Dowry Prohibition Act and Section 406 of the IPC.”

Starring Ankush Sood, Amrisha Ahuja, Manoj Bakshi, Ajay Singh, Vanya Joshi and others, Illusions is an eye-opener into the real life cases of how some women’s are actually using the 498A as a tool for their benefit and advantage. “The agony of the dowry case troubles the innocent family’s to such an extent that most of the members of the family go into social and mental depression as well as psychological problems. Not only are their lives shattered by such a false case, but the women are also let off even without being charged when the court eventually finds that the case filed was false. And this is another bad step which is totally in favour of the women’s,” summed up Shaurya.

Promoted by Eon Films and O.M Filmz and with additional support of Films & TV World, LISFF is an attempt at bringing the best in shorts from around the world to Indian audiences, showcasing a genre of movies which generally is inaccessible to the mainstream audience. It is also a platform for Indian filmmakers to reach out to a larger audience,’’ said Mahua Mazumdar, Festival Coordinator, LISFF. “Soon gaining popularity as a major film event happening in the Heart of India in Bhopal, the Lakecity International Short Film Festival will showcase a host of quality movies from around the world in the presence of prominent guests and the cine enthusiasts,” added Ms. Mazumdar.