Rasheeda Bhagat
The story of Natha in ‘Peepli Live', and countless other farmers like him, triggers a dark thought chain… Are the forecasts of double-digit growth in GDP, swank airports, glittering malls, world leaders chasing the India growth story, and ritzy villas in big cities, all just a mirage?
The frighteningimage of India that comes through in ‘Peepli Live' is seriously disturbing.
During the long weekend I had the opportunity to watch Aamir Khan Productions' amazing film Peepli Live. It did more than provide entertainment… in most viewers it must have triggered off a chain of reactions, coming as the film does at this critical time when, more than ever before, India — and more so the UPA Government — seems to be sending out such conflicting signals to the rest of the world.
Are we the India imagined in Nandan Nilekani's book Imagining India, where he forecast such an amazing future for us, provided we find the right way to educate and harness our immense youth power? Or are we the India of the innumerable scams that have been unfolding periodically at both the Centre and in various States? The India where powerful politicians, bureaucrats and corporate dons continue to flout the rule-book or the law of the land with impunity, siphoning away hundreds and thousands of crores of rupees from the exchequer while ordinary mortals get locked up for years for taking a bribe of a few hundred rupees?
Lip service to farmers?
When it comes to the rural landscape, are we the caring India where our rulers have rightly introduced the MNREGA scheme so that every poor family gets at least 100 days of minimum wages so that hunger and starvation don't stalk the homes of the poorest of the poor? Or are we the India depicted in Peepli Live, where politicians play politics with as grim an issue as farmers' suicides, and the media more than matches them through its shenanigans?
First of all, let's take Mr Nilekani's book which takes us through the “cold dark years” of socialist India, where entrepreneurs were looked at with suspicion, to the “arrival” of India at Davos in 2006 (India everywhere campaign) or New York in 2007 (Incredible India@60). But, striking a sombre note, the author says that, even while the world acknowledges “India's new promise, the opportunity of the global economy has highlighted our internal differences — between the educated and illiterate, the public and private sectors, between the well and the poorly governed,” and the poor and the rich.
The author is brutally honest when he says: “Never have the external circumstances for India been so fortunate. And never has the need for resolving the internal conflicts been so urgent. The challenge for India is really within — in the decisions that will emerge out of our political struggles, our debate and our tempestuous democracy.”
Natha's world
Well, political struggles and tempestuous democracy aside, the frightening image of India that comes through in the brilliant movie is seriously disturbing. The story line is simple; Natha and his brother Budhia, marginal farmers, have mortgaged their land which the bank will auction as they cannot repay their loan. When they go for help to local leaders, they are mockingly told that one of them should commit suicide, as the government helps the families of indebted farmers. Both volunteer to do it, but Natha, the simpleton, finds the onus thrust on him for this “unique honour”.
Poor Natha is petrified, and would happily opt out but for the ruckus that follows. A local stringer publishes the story, the Central and the State governments, obviously formed by rival parties, trade malicious charges on who is responsible for the poor plight of farmers and the electronic media makes a beeline for Peepli, the sleepy village of Natha.
As the media and police launch their circus around Natha's little hut, the State government, which has an election coming up, responds by first awarding him a “Lal Bahadur”. We are soon told that this scheme gives free hand-pumps to beneficiaries; apart from the hand-pump, which comes without the means and the money to make it operational, Natha and his brother are garlanded by politicians and given a free TV and other gifts.
The State Chief Minister soon visits Natha, sanctions Rs 1 lakh and makes a grand announcement before TV cameras that Natha's suicide plan has been called off. But the Election Commission disallows this as an election sop and TV headlines scream that the suicide is back on track!
Written and directed by Anusha Rizvi, this comic, and yet extremely dark, satire leaves you gasping for breath. After you've done smiling or laughing, the film leaves you wondering if the India that you are so proud of…. the India you dreamt about, and which you were so certain your children would certainly inhabit, will remain in the realm of dreams.
A dark thought chain
The world of Natha, and countless other farmers like him, triggers a dark and grim thought chain… Are the double digit growth in GDP, which is supposed to be just around the corner, the swank airports, the glittering malls, world leaders chasing the India growth story, the ritzy villas in big cities, all just a mirage?
Omkar Das Manikpuri, a theatre personality, who brilliantly plays the simpleton called Natha, succeeds in really shaking you up. Natha's look, whether puzzled, troubled, brooding, dejected or downright sad… demands an answer from rich/upper-middle-class, educated Indians like us — cosily cocooned in a world of success and optimism, dazzling growth and high levels of comfort, if not luxury.
Having taken simpletons like Natha for a ride, how long will it be before the politicians turn upon us? To quote Mr Ratan Tata, one of India's most respected industrialists, even though his comment was made in a different context, are we going down the path of becoming a banana republic?
source;Businessline
No comments:
Post a Comment