Stumbling on unexpected sublimity
We watch the movies to unwind, take a break and de-stress. Our choice ranges from romcoms, comedies, dramas, history, science fiction, action, etc. We rarely think back after watching a movie. Simply because it is a way to pass the time. And also because they don’t make a lot of good movies nowadays. Cinema has been converted into a corporation with pre determined contracts with high profile actors, pre decided and mostly nonsensical scripts, high budget locations, dumb-wit heroines in their skimpy costumes and an already calculated estimate on box office draws. Star children are here to save the day! With the same old romcoms, same old item songs, same old boy meets girl, follows her and loves her and then marries her. Hurray! Another big hit on the box office!
It was indeed a refreshing change to watch some intellectual movies by Amit Masurkar. It was Sherni at first because I am a Vidya Balan fan. As an animal lover, I loved how the movie beautifully captured the tryst and conflict between human development, political unscrupulousness and wild animals- how the jungles have been taken over by humans for their own agenda and animals have nowhere to go. How politicians are only interested in their vote banks, and never for the environment or the real issues that people face. Balan played her role as a forest officer brilliantly trying hard to save the wild animal being hunted down for all the wrong reasons.
Newton was my next movie target because I had heard rave reviews on this movie. This movie is about elections in the largest democracy of the world (India). Sounds boring right? I thought so too, until recently. Masurkar has managed to capture various issues, emotions, and ground realities of our country to the point of perfection in this movie. We may be progressing fast towards being a developed nation, but we really have a very long and ardurous journey till that goal gets achieved. Masurkar almost slaps you to reality in this epic watch! Spoilers ahead..
Newton Kumar is a young government servant who is an idealist and dedicated to his work. A quirky character, but a good person at heart. After being trained for election duty, he gets the opportunity to conduct elections in a remote jungle area in Central India for a voting population of only 76 voters. It was a war torn and sensitive area, heavily under Maoist influence. Newton takes up the challenge for his dedication to work, and under the assurance that he would be provided support in the form of a team and police protection the entire duration of his duty there.
Newton travels with his team to the forest area and starts the day early on election day. He sets up his polling booth in a dilapidated old school- the only available structure sanctioned for election. A local young teacher Malko joins the team working as a translator to make the voting happen on the D day. She informs the team that the locals do not understand Hindi, but only their tribal language Gondi. It is even difficult to teach young kids basic Hindi and English in primary school.
With this introduction, we get a fair idea of the difficult road ahead for Newton and his team of polling duty officers. Nevertheless, determined to do his duty honestly, Newton waits for the voters to arrive and cast their votes. They waited and waited and waited for many hours, but no one arrived. A fair amount of disheartenment and gloom sets upon the team of polling officers at the remote station.
Some action comes when a senior police officer calls Newton to inform him that the voters would be brought out to vote with the help of CPRF personnel. All this effort had to be taken as a foreigner journalist was on her way to the site to cover the Indian election in this remote village in the Dandakaranya forest. Newton gets into gear and prepares for the arrival of the voters. The elderly tribals who had a valid voter ID card were rounded up by the police personnel and brought to the polling booth. Most voters were scared and worried, not knowing why they were even being taken by armed men, gruffly and without notice.
Masurkar captures the emotions of these tribals beautifully, making us think about the real life tribals and their real life woes. After much effort, the villagers are brought into a line to cast their votes. But alas! They have no idea as to HOW to cast their vote, no idea about the political parties or politicians they are supposed to choose from, and absolutely no idea on how to use the EVM (electronic voting machine). They are caught unaware and dumbstruck when put in front of an EVM, and expected to cast their vote!
Newton Kumar then makes an honest effort to educate and train these tribals as to how voting works, what the political parties are, and how their votes matter in the overall democratic process of the nation. He explains to them that casting their vote is their right, and duty. The villagers are simple people with simple needs. They ask him what benefit do they get from voting? Will they get money? Which leader would help them get the best price for Tendu leaves? All this; translated by Malko- Newton feels helpless to explain how they should cast their votes and why it is important. The villagers fail to see any use, as they realize their lot will remain just the same- drowned in poverty, illiteracy and wanting the most basic needs all their lives. The whole exercise seems futile to them.
The police personnel meanwhile worried about getting the process done step in and attempt to scare the tribals into casting votes haphazardly, by treating the EVM like a toy with many buttons. Just choose any button and leave! Get the process done and let these polling officers leave for other important work. Enraged by this dumbing down of the mighty election process, Newton gets into a verbal and almost physical brawl with the head police officer. Being the idealist that he is, Newton just couldn’t stand by and watch the election go by as a joke in his jurisdiction. As the brawl ensues, the most touching scene comes; when an elderly and almost senile tribal man intervenes and says ‘I am the village headman. Please don’t fight. I will resolve whatever problem you both have!’
This makes the heart melt in a puddle. How simple and pure at heart are these villagers! What is their destiny in a country like India. They do not have access to facilities like clean drinking water, sanitation, pukka homes or cooking gas; neither can they dream of education for their children or a better life for future generations. What does the political system DO really? Does any work get done to improve their lot? Makes one wonder what is even the point of elections in India? The largely touted ‘largest democratic elections’!
The voting ultimately happens as predicted by the police personnel, with voters casting random votes due to lack of knowledge and illiteracy. This very ineffective and practically void election process gets covered by both Indian and international media; with the polling officers getting praised and interviewed for their efforts. When some tribals get interviewed, they have nothing to say. Just glum faces and a silent resentment, as they have to accept their fate of being undeveloped and living in constant danger in this war torn constituency. They even declare to reporters that their lot will never improve, whether they cast votes or not!
India may have reached on the moon, but a lot needs to be done on the ground to reduce the vast income inequalities that exist in the wide spectrum of India’s populace. A majority of our population is still in villages, agriculture is still the largest part of the Indian economy. Till we make the change to uplift our brothers and sisters in the villages and jungles, we can never really be a true, vibrant and equanimous democracy. Big words like secular, democratic and republic really mean nothing unless actually made to mean something on the grass root level.
