‘Saatphere’ (7 rounds) vows should be mutual!

By Shreejita

Source: screenshots from ‘Saatphere’ ad by ICICI Prudential.

Did you just see that whole commercial till the end?
How do you feel now? A wow or just have sighed with disappointment?!
Ok, let me share my feelings with you.

Whole idea of this insurance ad by ICICI Prudential, is based on ‘Saatphere’ (circumambulations) or ‘Saptapadi’. ‘Saatphere’ is one of those rituals of Hindu marriage where the bride and groom together take seven vows in the presence of fire for a happy married life ahead as a couple. Apart from the argument how much gender sensitive the real mantras (chants) of ‘Saatphere’ are, here we can see only husbands are taking pledges for his wife in this ad. Little moments of married couples at different stages of their life had been portrayed as examples of each vow and beside that if we observe minutely each vow actually represents a particular insurance plan. But those little moments were deliberately chosen and used to show only wives’ emotional, physical and financial dependency on their husbands. Again showcasing husbands to ensure the finger point that who do the company wants to buy their insurance.

As this is an insurance ad it is obvious that these vows will be visualized and interpreted by viewers from a financial point of view. Like any other insurance ads the central theme of this ad is male member’s responsibility to take care of his family financially. Even if both the husband and wife are earning members of a family, men are expected to justify his gender roles in the patriarchal society being the 'protector' without any complaints.
Before dissecting those vows made by husband let’s recall those first from the ad— ‘main wada karta hu k tumhe swasth aur surakshit jiwan dunga’, ‘main wada karta hu tumhare har khusi ka khayal rakhunga’, ‘ main wada karta hu main tumhara saath kabhi na chhodunga’, ‘main wada karta hu ki tumhare har muskil me tumhara saath dunga’, ‘ main wada karta hu main humare baccho ka surakshit bhabisya dunga’, ‘main wada karta hu tumhare zindegi k har mod par tumhara sahara banunga’, ‘saat janmo tak tumhara suraksha karunga’-- aren’t these are personality traits of a caring life partner? So what’s the big deal with these vows? Right?
Yes, it is a big deal when ‘khushi’ (happiness) signifies only materialistic happiness of womxn in the statement ‘tumhare har khushi ka khayal rakhunga’. It is a big deal indeed when ‘tumhara muskil’ (your problems) is portrayed only in terms of physical constraints in the statement ‘tumhare har muskil me tumhara saath dunga’. And it is a very big deal especially when ‘tumhara sahara’ (your support system), ‘baccho ka surakshit bhabisya’ (children’s secured future), ‘sat janmo ka suraksha’ (protection through-out seven lifes) – this overall picture of ‘suraksha’ (protection) is portrayed in terms of financial support by one and only male member of family. It is also a big deal when people don’t pat men’s back and say “it’s okay if you cannot carry on with these promises”. Such gender biased perspective fails to incorporate the reality that ‘womxn also can be financial protectors rather than only being protected’. I felt that these ‘main wada karta hu...’ lines are basically polite, romantic and filmy versions of patriarchal conditioning.

Let’s recall the fifth scene where the husband is taking pledge of providing a safe and secured future for their child. In that scene ad makers liberated their thought a little by showing a financially independent ‘mother’ instead of portraying a womxn as a homemaker as always, but what about her if she wants to buy insurance to secure her children’s future too?! Where is the representation of her concern for securing the child’s future in this ad??? What about reducing unnecessary psychological pressure on men for being always steady and sturdy. Their role as a protector under the burden of these 'wadas' (promises) can also be shared? So that men can also feel protected from these psychological and emotional pressures.

If we are talking about all these commitments made by husband from the financial point of view I cannot see having any issue in making more inclusive ads which will show a womxn doing so. Financial independence of womxn means earning for their own independence of taking care of whoever she wants that can be ‘she herself’, that can be her ‘husband and children’, that can be her ‘parents’.

I strongly believe that any medium of mass communication cannot celebrate any kind of discrimination. Commercials are one of those captivating mediums of mass communication. Companies/ Corporates and Ad making agencies cannot ignore their social responsibility by just saying that they are only liable to do business.

So ‘Jago ICICI Prudential jago’ and kindly make some ads acknowledging financial contribution of both men and womxn in their family. Believing in the fact that 'Equality in Marriage' is a highly obligatory couple goal. Let’s try to focus more on “Hum Wada Karte Hain, Ek-Dusre Ko”.

By Shreejita