MUMBAI: Just as the rest of the nation is still reeling from shock and outrage over the horrific Delhi gang rape case that rocked the country’s collective consciousness on 17 December, Bollywood too has expressed grief and a crippling sense of shock that such atrocities can occur in the Capital city.

Farhan Akhtar, Bollywood actor-director-producer-singer and son of legendary poet and lyricist Javed Akhtar, was rightly shocked and anguished upon hearing news of the brutal Delhi gang rape of a 23-year old student.

Farhan immediately took to poetry, to express his deep hurt, anguish and a sense of helplessness at the horrifying situation, and state of affairs in our country. In this poem below, Akhtar stirs our collective consciousness, and poses some hard-hitting questions about our attitudes and belief systems…

What is this country that I live in?

With no equality

And the quality of life

Differs from husband to wife

Boy to girl, brother to sister

Hey Mister, are you the same?

Contributing to the national shame

Replacing your mothers

With the bent ideology of another’s perception that women have a particular role in society

Fills my heart with anxiety

Where is all of this going?

What will emerge from these seeds that we’re sowing?

It makes my head spin

But I’m not giving in

Will keep asking the question

What is this country that I live in? What is this country that I live in?

That takes away her right to love

Brutalizes her with an iron glove

Rapes her without fear of there being justice for her tear

We’ve demeaned our goddesses

Gone back on all our promises

Become a gender distorted nation

Given our conscience a permanent vacation what do I tell my daughter?

That she’s growing up to be lamb for the slaughter we’ve got to make a change

Reboot, reformat, rearrange, and never give in no matter how much your head may spin

Just keep asking the question

What is this country that I live in?