I rarely watch movies, but on insistence of my friends, I did went to watch the movie Fandry. This post shares my view on the movie with readers. This is not a film review.
Fandry is a Marathi movie based on 15-20 days of time span of a low caste boy 'Jabya'. Also it brings forth the viewers the contradictions of Rural India.
The protagonist is an adolescent boy Jabya, trying to break away from chains of poverty, familial tradition of catching pigs and wants to go to school, study and for all this he is ready to work hard. He has a crush in school, a girl called 'Shalu', who is from the upper caste. He tries to dissociate himself from the forced job of catching pigs, the job which the village and tradition forces on him; he doesn't wants to get identified with his mother and shouts at his mother when she comes to his school; he desist speaking in his mother tongue for fear of being identified and segregated;he speaks in Marathi, the language of elites.
But unfortunately, the village is a small hamlet and everyone knows there who's who.
His dreams are small. He wants to study, buy a jeans and T-shirt he is craving since past 6 months and get attention of Shalu.
The movie starkly points out the way the Harijans are STILL treated in villages. When Jabya goes to his friend 'Pirya' s house, he is offered entry as well as tea. But when he goes to his friend Kulkarni's house, he has to stop at gate only. His father's insistence to join to work shows how much money is important for the poor family and acts like RTE and MNREGA are still short of expectations.The master stroke of the film comes when nearing the climax, after getting a handsome beating from his father, the family is finally able to catch the pig and Jabya is forced to catch the rabid pig in front of his class mates (in presence of Shalu too) and becomes a laughing stock. Once the task of pig catching is accomplished the crowd of onlookers disperse and Jabya is carrying the pig on his shoulder assisted by his sister. His dreams have already shattered. When passing from near the school wall, there are portraits of social reformers whom Maharashtra cherishes (and all political parties swear by their name). They are saying as if we memorise their teachings only for passing the exam and for school only. The main development is still pending and we have failed them in terms of integrating the downtrodden in the mainstream.
Also interesting is the character of Sangram Patil, an arrogant lad. The village is a maratha dominated village growing sugarcane and Sangram Patil is a maratha, comes to school on bike, sports a trendy mobile and is on Facebook. But now a days he too is demanding affirmative action from government and Jabya, who I doubt, if ever knows that the exists some affirmative action for him.
One might argue that the film is based on some long gone era of 80's and 90's and now there is equality and equity. But the mobile tower, Facebook updates confirms the story is on present times and still lot of things are needed to be done for upliftment of downtrodden
Anyways, the film shows the truth and Truth, sometimes is bitter. Hats off to Shri Manjule for making such a film.
Fandry is a Marathi movie based on 15-20 days of time span of a low caste boy 'Jabya'. Also it brings forth the viewers the contradictions of Rural India.
The protagonist is an adolescent boy Jabya, trying to break away from chains of poverty, familial tradition of catching pigs and wants to go to school, study and for all this he is ready to work hard. He has a crush in school, a girl called 'Shalu', who is from the upper caste. He tries to dissociate himself from the forced job of catching pigs, the job which the village and tradition forces on him; he doesn't wants to get identified with his mother and shouts at his mother when she comes to his school; he desist speaking in his mother tongue for fear of being identified and segregated;he speaks in Marathi, the language of elites.
But unfortunately, the village is a small hamlet and everyone knows there who's who.
His dreams are small. He wants to study, buy a jeans and T-shirt he is craving since past 6 months and get attention of Shalu.
The movie starkly points out the way the Harijans are STILL treated in villages. When Jabya goes to his friend 'Pirya' s house, he is offered entry as well as tea. But when he goes to his friend Kulkarni's house, he has to stop at gate only. His father's insistence to join to work shows how much money is important for the poor family and acts like RTE and MNREGA are still short of expectations.The master stroke of the film comes when nearing the climax, after getting a handsome beating from his father, the family is finally able to catch the pig and Jabya is forced to catch the rabid pig in front of his class mates (in presence of Shalu too) and becomes a laughing stock. Once the task of pig catching is accomplished the crowd of onlookers disperse and Jabya is carrying the pig on his shoulder assisted by his sister. His dreams have already shattered. When passing from near the school wall, there are portraits of social reformers whom Maharashtra cherishes (and all political parties swear by their name). They are saying as if we memorise their teachings only for passing the exam and for school only. The main development is still pending and we have failed them in terms of integrating the downtrodden in the mainstream.
Also interesting is the character of Sangram Patil, an arrogant lad. The village is a maratha dominated village growing sugarcane and Sangram Patil is a maratha, comes to school on bike, sports a trendy mobile and is on Facebook. But now a days he too is demanding affirmative action from government and Jabya, who I doubt, if ever knows that the exists some affirmative action for him.
One might argue that the film is based on some long gone era of 80's and 90's and now there is equality and equity. But the mobile tower, Facebook updates confirms the story is on present times and still lot of things are needed to be done for upliftment of downtrodden
Anyways, the film shows the truth and Truth, sometimes is bitter. Hats off to Shri Manjule for making such a film.
