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Kalki Koechlin: Unpacking Motherhood's Unseen Labor
29 Jun
Summary
- Play explores motherhood, bodily autonomy, and caregiving's invisible work.
- Actor challenges idealized narratives surrounding women and motherhood.
- Society struggles with harsher realities of parenting and maternal identity.
Kalki Koechlin's return to the stage with Aadyam Theatre's 'Belly of the Beast' delves into motherhood, bodily autonomy, and the demanding, unseen work of caregiving.
Adapted from Koechlin's own book, the play confronts idealized portrayals of women and motherhood, probing societal discomfort with parenting's challenging aspects.
Koechlin discusses how motherhood fundamentally alters a person, a transformation difficult to articulate despite physical and psychological changes.
The production addresses the significant issue of unpaid maternal labor, its impact on autonomy, and the societal tendency to tie a bow around the experience rather than acknowledging its complexities.
Discussions around reproductive rights and bodily autonomy are also central, with Koechlin noting India's legal abortion rights while acknowledging cultural taboos.
She believes open conversations help demystify these topics, reducing the power of silence and breaking down societal taboos more quickly.
