Brief Explanation

#StandByToughMoms is a movement committed to support mothers in their attempt to raise their children with the strong values while fighting against the interference of a patriarchal society and joint family. The provocative three-minute film features an extended family having dinner and being confronted with a situation, which raises questions about parenting. The film unfolds at the dinner table where a joint family is gathered for a meal. The film features a mother who is evidently angry with her son for stealing money and refuses to entertain his tantrums when he refuses to eat. While the rest of the family members at the table start criticizing her for being too hard on the boy, the grandfather takes a stand to support her decision of tough parenting.

A film on an issue like this, can’t alienate the viewers, and make them feel ‘oh this happens in some other family, not mine’. It needs to tell them that this is something they do or let happen and this needs to change. So, the choice of cast was of utmost importance. Each member of the cast was hand-picked to look like it came from a patriarchal family, so they could bring forward their own experiences. It was vital, that each member of the cast had the potential to remind the viewers of someone they knew. The family was made to comprise of three generations to derive unique reactions of each of them on the issue. The two young girls mirrored the society. The young boy posed a much bigger picture of the everyday boy favoritism that India sees. And the subjugated daughter-in- law, reflected the deeply rooted patriarchy.