4 Movies That Give You A Glimpse Of Real India
Cinema, a few argue, is an escape from reality but is it really? Or should it be, especially in times which are fraught with troubles?
We are here to share a wonderful list of movies that will give you an insight into what India really is and how independence has hardly changed some harsh truths. This collection of movies by maestros of the Indian New Wave is sure to give you a glimpse of the harsh realities that the country has been tackling for years now.
Uski Roti — It’s been 50 years since Mani Kaul’s directorial debut, Uski Roti, released and it’s still considered to be a hidden gem in the history of Indian cinema. One of the seminal works of the Indian New Wave, it remains majorly under-exposed. Adapted from a short story by Mohan Rakesh, Uski Roti is about a Punjabi woman Balo, who goes to the bus stop to give her husband Sucha Singh, a bus driver, his daily bread. While Balo is restricted to a monotonous, laborious routine that consumes her entire day, all for the sake of her husband, he spends his downtime with cards, liquor, and other untoward pursuits. Later, in the movie, she finds out that he is cheating on her.
Garam Hawa — The first feature by M.S. Sathyu, this movie is set in post-partition India, a Muslim businessman and his family struggle for their rights in a country that was once their own.The film was controversial from its inception, as it was the first film to deal with the human consequences resulting from the 1947 partition of India.
Manthan — A veterinarian, Dr Rao, makes a visit to a village, where he intends to commence a co-operative society dairy for the betterment of the rural people. Inspired by the pioneering milk cooperative movement of Verghese Kurien, and written jointly by him and Vijay Tendulkar, this is a masterpiece by Shyam Benegal. It is set amidst the backdrop of the White Revolution of India. Aside from the great measurable success that this project was, it also demonstrated the power of “collective might” as it was entirely crowdfunded by 500,000 farmers who donated Rs. 2 each.
Aakrosh — In the 1980s, a lawyer defends a man who is under arrest for killing his own wife. As he proceeds with the case, he learns the harsh truth about life for scheduled tribes in India. Lahanya Bhiku is an Adivasi, charged with the murder of his wife Nagi in a town in Maharashtra. Bhaskar Kulkarni is the government-appointed defence lawyer and the prosecutor is Dusane, Bhaskar’s mentor who also happens to belong to an Adivasi tribe. The film plays out as a social drama, with elements of an investigative thriller as we follow Bhaskar trying to get to the bottom of the case. He faces numerous obstacles, not the least of which is his client’s unending silence. This film talks about the real struggles of the lower castes in India and the tacit understanding that justice is not for all.
