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GLEANINGS:
How racism violates basic human values
K.S. SIVAKUMARAN
How Racism violates basic Human values was the underlying themes in
many of the International and Indian films I saw during the
International film festivals held in Goa and Kerala states in India
during November-December.
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A scene
from Vilapangalk Kappuram |
One such film was Vilapangalk Kappuram, a film in Malayalam directed
by well known director T.V. Chandran. What it means in English is
‘Beyond the Wall’. Seeing this and other similar films I felt anguished
and the angst again anti-humanism overwhelmed me.
More than my own response to the film as a film critic what the story
is about would matter most to our readers. Here is the storyline in a
nutshell:
A man from Kerala (a Malayalee Muslim) had been living in Gujerat’s
capital Ahamedabad for sometime and running a tea shop. He was married a
Gujarati Muslim woman and lived happily with their two daughters until
2002 when racial riots were let loose.
In the infamous riots, the teashop was ransacked and set on fire.
Worse still, the father, mother and the younger sister were burnt down
except the elder daughter Zahira. This teenager felt victim to gang
rape.
This girl born to a Malayalee father and a Guajrati mother and being
a Muslim managed to escape in a highway truck and reached Kolhikode (Calicut
in English and Kolikoodu in Thamil)) in Kerala.
The truck driver admitted her to a local nursing home run by Dr Mary
Varghese (played by talented actress Suhasini- wife of prominent
director, Mani Ratnam). She had a soft corner for this girl because of
the girl’s horrible state as a cruelly and sexually assaulted human.
This doctor also had har rowing experience before and now remained a
spinster. Everybody believed she was a Hindu, but while she was praying
in the Islamic fashion the neighbourhood came to know that she was
indeed a Muslim.
However no damage was done. But her relatives wanted her to go with
them. Among the relatives was a married man who wanted to marry this
girl as the second wife.
She therefore ran away from the hospital to another town in Kerala,
but Dr Mary was accused of negligence. In that town a Hindu watchman
gave her shelter. But she was forced to enter an orphanage. While this
happened, a thug who was involved in Mumbai underworld forced himself on
Zahira, the unfortunate girl.
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T.V.
Chandran |
From there too she escaped and reached Ahamedabad. The lady doctor
and others watched Zahira on the TV giving an interview with a group of
riot victims fighting the establishment for their lost rights after five
years of the nasty experience Zahira had.
The film ended there, but the reverberations on cinegoers remained
freezing.
I liked this V T Chandran’s film and another titled Aadum Kooththu
which I saw last year.
T. V. Chandran (58) had been making films since the 1980s, but the
critics had not made any notice of him for a long time. But since of
late he has become one of the major filmmaker in Kerala. He is a
Malayalee married to a Thamilian teacher.
His films include: Krishnankutty, Hemavin Kaathalargal, Alicinte
Anwehanam, Ponthamada, Ormakal Undayirikkanam, Mangamma, Susanna, Dany,
Padam, Onru: Oru Vilapam, Kathavaseshan and Aadum Kooththu.
The actors Priyanka, Suhasini, Biju Menon and Thilakan played their
roles convincingly. The cinematography of M. J. Radhakrishnan was
realistic to the point.
It seems that realisation of the fact that racial or religious
differences are accidents of birth is yet to come among some people.
Films like this could help people understand that extreme hatred is
dangerous and destructive.
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