Angry Brides

Angry Brides is an online flash-based browser game on Facebook. It was launched by the matchmaking site Shaadi.com to help raise awareness of dowry harassment in India.[1]

Angry Brides
Developer(s)Shaadi.com
Platform(s)Facebook
Genre(s)Simulation
Mode(s)Single-player

Background

In India, dowry[2] is the payment in cash or other valuable property given to a bridegroom's family along with the bride. A typical dowry may include cash and jewellery.[3] Requests for, and payment of, dowry were prohibited under the Dowry Prohibition Act (1961) in Indian civil law and subsequently by Sections 304B and 498a of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), but the practice still continues, illegally.[4]

If a demanded payment is not made, the groom's family might harass or even kill the bride, often by setting her clothing on fire. The Indian police report that every year they receive over 2,500 reports of bride-burning.[5] The National Crime Records Bureau of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, reports that there were about 8,172 dowry death cases registered in India in 2008.[6] This represents an increase of 14.4% over the 1998 level (7,146).[7] According to Ram Bhamidi, senior vice president of Shaadi.com, the Facebook game was developed to raise awareness of the issue.[8]

Game

The landing page of the game shows an eight-armed woman, clad in red and resembling the powerful female Hindu goddess Durga.[9] Underneath her is a caption: "A woman will give you strength, care and all the love you need ... NOT dowry!"[10] The game involves throwing various common household items like frying pans, rolling pins, broomsticks, and stiletto heels.[11] In Angry Brides, players strike target grooms who demand a large dowry.[12] Each hit lowers the amount demanded and if the player manages to bring the dowry to zero, they can proceed to the next level.[13] The dowry-demanding grooms are portrayed as a doctor, an engineer or a pilot. The dowry demand starts at ₹ 1.5 millions (about US$30,000 or GBP18,000) and goes down with each successful hit.[14]

Reaction

The game was originally meant to be played on Facebook, but Shaadi.com announced its intentions of bringing it out on other platforms citing its success.[15] The page got 270,000 fans on Facebook[16] who believed that it would help spread awareness about various social evils.[17]

See also

References
  1. "Angry Brides: Indian dating site launches anti-dowry Facebook game based on Angry Birds". Daily Mirror. UK. 17 January 2012. p. 1. Retrieved 4 April 2012.
  2. Moneycontrol.com - Jagruti Ke Khilaf
  3. "Dowry death: Police recovers Payal's items". The Tribune.
  4. "A satire on weddings, dowry and 'match-making aunties'".
  5. Bride-burning claims hundreds in India: Practice sometimes disguised as suicide or accident CNN, 18 August 1996.
  6. Figures at a Glance Archived 7 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine National Crime Records Bureau
  7. Point No.17, Dowry Deaths Archived 28 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  8. Bhalla, Nita (16 November 2011). ""Angry Brides" game targets Indian dowry demands". New Delhi. Reuters. Retrieved 6 April 2012.
  9. "'Angry Brides' game targets Indian dowry demands". Deccan Chronicle. 17 January 2012. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
  10. "'Angry Birds' game targets Indian dowry". Deccan Chronicle. 17 January 2012. Retrieved 8 April 2012.
  11. Parnell, Brid-Aine (16 November 2011). "Angry Brides lob stilettos in dowry shakedown takedown". UK: The Register. Retrieved 5 April 2012.
  12. MURRAY, RHEANA (18 January 2012). "'Angry Brides' launches to target dowries". Daily News. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
  13. "Forget Angry Birds. Now you can play Angry Brides". Rediff.com. 17 January 2012. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
  14. "'Angry Brides' online game in India targets illegal dowry demands". The Daily Telegraph. 17 January 2012. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
  15. Gottipati, Sruthi (8 January 2012). "Angry Brides: Taking a swing at the practice of dowry". NDTV, The New York Times. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
  16. Springer, Kate (18 January 2012). "Angry Brides Game Attacks India's Illegal Dowry Tradition". Time. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
  17. Bhadani, Priyanka (22 March 2012). "Angry brides aim for revenge". Asian Age. Archived from the original on 25 March 2012. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
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