This video aims to make Bihar dowry-free and hits where it hurts the most: male ego

 

Dowry remains one of the biggest social evils in India. And despite various efforts, it still continues to thrive. Only now, the concept of dowry has been replaced by the idea of 'gifts'. So, you might have often heard people saying how they need to buy gifts for the groom's family--alas! These 'gifts' are nothing but dowry refurbished. Apart from the fact that this practice economically drains the girl's side of the family, there are other bigger and severe implications too. Dowry deaths. Women are killed by their in-laws because their parents can't afford to pay exuberant amounts to satisfy their new families. In fact, Uttar Pradesh bags the first spot when it comes to dowry deaths in India, closely followed by Bihar.

According to data released by Indian National Crime Record Bureau, "India has by far the highest number of dowry related deaths in the world. In 2012, 18,233 dowry death cases were reported across India. This means a bride was burned every 90 minutes, or dowry issues cause 1.4 deaths per year per 100,000 women in India."

Realizing how grave the problem is, Bihar Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar, has launched a full-blown campaign to make the state dowry-free. Interestingly, this is not your usual run-of-the-mill government campaigns. What makes it different from the rest is the fact that it doesn't preach. Nope. It hits where it hurts. Meaning it's doesn't state why dowry is an evil practice and people should not partake in it. Instead, it attempts to attack the male ego by calling them 'khota sikka'.

The Government of Bihar in association with United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has come up with a two-minute ad campaign. And it hits bull's eye.

The video begins with both sides of the families meeting for a pre-wedding ritual. Later in the video, the boy's father smugly says, "Hume poora bharosa hai, aap hamara bezatti nahi hone denge. Par dulhe raja ka izzat kaise kar rahe hai, wo toh dikhayi." Implying that he is sure the girl's family will leave no stone unturned in giving adequate dowry to the boy's family. After all, it is a matter of social standing. But, how exactly have they decided to bestow proper respect upon the groom-to-be. Meaning: kya de rahe ho ladke ko?

The girl's father signals his son to get something. The boy returns with a plate covered with a yellow cloth. There is a unanimous gasp as people anticipate some big 'gift' coming their way. However, what happens next takes everyone with surprise.

The video ends with the boy refusing to take dowry as he takes a solid stand in front of his father. Wanna know what exactly happened that changed everything? Watch the video here: