H4-The Curse- A Movie in the Making

America is a country of dreams. The foundation rests on a concept of a free and open country which poses no boundaries to what one wants and what one can achieve. However, the very same country poses certain legal boundaries on a group of individuals, taking away their basic purpose in life. The restriction poses unlimited bindings that makes one feel trapped and caged forever.

Here, I am referring to the dependents that follow their skilled labor spouses, who come to the US on a H1B, High skilled working visa. The dependent spouses get an H4 Visa which makes them ineligible to work or get a Social security number or have a credit card on their name or even build a credit history. The list of restrictions goes on.  As the name suggests the visa makes a person completely dependent physically, emotionally and financially on the other person. These dependents are mostly women who are themselves high skilled, but sacrifice their freedom, career and identity by migrating.

It has been for decades that these women are suffering silently, hoping that their miseries will be sensed somewhere and some changes will bring freedom to their agonies. There is a saying that silence is golden. Unfortunately for these peace loving women, the silence has proven to be a reason for their miseries as they have never been noticed. Their melancholies have failed to reach any law maker or move any heart.

A lot of women have been waiting for their work visas (EAD) for more than a decade, losing their prime work age. Most would probably never be able to have a career of their own anymore. They are almost destroyed as people, living a life devoid of hope.

SP Productions headed by a well -known California based Lawyer Shah Peerally has taken the initiative  to bring this issue to light by making a Fiction movie “H4 –The Curse“ which is based on this subject’. This movie shows the agony and suffering of such a woman on H4- ‘Alma’, the protagonist, who has a Master’s Degree from India. She is not allowed to work being on an H4 visa. She lives an un-purposeful   life. She is lonely and depressed to the extent that she needs doctor’s intervention to her psychological needs. Her family back in India is unable to relate to her problems and they are not of much help. She feels frustrated and helpless. Her husband on H1B visa is unable to reach his potential due to many broken immigration policies that dwells in the country. 

Whether the movie ends in a hope or a solution is something to look forward to.  The end to their miseries finally resides in the control of policy makers. If only they recognize the potential of these dependent spouses, it can go a long way towards contributing to the economy. In the process the country will eventually upheld the principles on which it was first shaped. That is Freedom.

The filming begins on May 15^th 2013. One can expect to watch this heart moving soulful experience by the end of June 2013. Many people are coming forward to support the project. 

To get more updates and information on the movie please go to the following link and like the page.

https://www.facebook.com/H4thecurse?ref=hl

Navneeta Khemka