Culture charcha on UK Asian Film Festival and Nukkad Naatak film

The same day as India and the UK signed a Free Trade Agreement that has long been opposed over human rights abuses and worker exploitation it potentially enables, the same day after releasing fear mongering messages on social media about what to do during a black out and choosing revenge instead of dialogue, the same week when India broke the Indus Water treaty, in the corner of East London, at the Rich Mix theatre a group of Indians gathered for the UK Asian Film Festival on 6th May 2024.

Rich Mix theatre was previously a leather factory in the 2000s. Now in the totally redeveloped Shoreditch area, to advance public education in the history of migrant communities and their contributions to economic and cultural life, particularly by establishing the Rich Mix Centre as a home for exhibitions and exhibiting items of educational value. It is also invested in working towards eliminating racial discrimination and promoting equality of opportunity and good relations between persons of different racial groups.

Tongues on Fire has spearheaded the UK Asian Film Festival for the past 27 years. No small feat curating powerful shorts, full-length feature films. Hosted across London, Leicester, Coventry, and other cities . This year, the theme was 'Longing and Belonging'. For a company invested in dialogue over difference, it would have been such an inspiring proof of solidarity to center films that speak to the friendship across borders. Perhaps, critique how homes of marginalized groups across Asia, like the Uyghur Muslims, Manipur Kuki tribes, Ambedkarite slums in Mumbai or Kashmiri civilians, Bastar indigenous tribes are being decimated systematically. While their labour is stolen for meagre wages, and their land is being flattened in the guise of 'development'.

As one grew up watching the imperfect TV series of 'Nukkad' on Doordarshan National Television, which brought some of the struggles of the marginalized trying to piece together a living in the urban cities of 1986. One went to the screening of the film, A Street Play (Nukaad Naatak), imagining the film could have paid homage to the rich and varied tradition of street theatre across the length and breadth of India. Each region specializes in unique costumes, traditions, and instruments that bring the form alive. Perhaps show the struggles and dynamics of the Jana Natya Manch and the Indian People's Theatre Association. Brave enough to artistically reminisce through interviews, eyewitnesses, court hearings, and articles about the abrupt assassination of charismatic Safdar Hashmi, while he was performing the street play, 'Halla Bol- Raise your Voice'.

However, the film proceeds to peddle stereotypes and is an extremely disheartening watch. Shockingly, the film was selected to be showcased at the Festival. This review is shared in the hope that the funders, organizers, academics, and producers could do better before platforming such films in the future.

Casual colourism and Sexism and disservice to queer identities

The story centers on the trials and aspirations of Molshri and Shivang as they are 'leaders' of their college street theatre group. Molshri is characterised as a 'Hitler' for her views on wanting to change the world. The audience laughing to Molshri's reflection on whether she is scary makes one wonder why even Diaspora Indians find determined women funny. One is unable to locate Molshri's politics that starts with making theatre on organ donation to enrolling five students in the basti. Her personality, likes, and friendship is foreshadowed by being a leader.

Shivang is scripted as the desi Gay, generational wealth inheriting, rudraksh wearing, 'stereotypically good looking' who can only imagine to be gay abroad and with Canadian men. Certainly touched a chord of resonance with some members of the audience with laughter and resonance. The grief, anger, bullying and harassment of queer students on campus around ragging is shown but with no retribution. The movie also missed an opportunity to speak about the increasing suicides in various educational institutes while holding tender friendship at its center. It also reinforces the American view of queerness, validated only through 'coming out'. It totally erases the responsibilities of allies to show up with open arms of acceptance and instead imagines an 'ideal world' where no queer college groups are necessary. This reflects again on the clique nature of upper class queer urbans who have no clue about the history of queer resistance and organizing.

Equally problematic is their stance of revenge on behalf of a marginalized bahujan's bullying by stealing from his employer and getting him in more trouble. There seems to be complete disregard for any agency of the recipients of their help. Somehow, cycling across campus and being well-meaning for one's own means is glossed over.

The casting seems to have completely missed that the protagonists are fair-skinned and the marginalized are dishevelled and darker. In the basti scenes, Nirmala Hajra's parents seemed to have their faces blackened too.

Gaps in the Education sector are not addressed

A total of 24.8 (248 Million) crore students have been enrolled in the academic year 2023-24 is no small feat. One of the themes of the movie is about declines in student enrollment, instead of any introspection on this as perhaps being a reflection of the widespread unemployment faced by landless labourers. The failure of our education system to provide learning for students of different ages and abilities. The shortage of regular teachers has been addressed in several implementation drives on the whims of the government. The continuing atrocities of Bahujan students to access basic necessities of water, respect, and clean food in schools are not even mentioned.

Lopsided Savarna Patriarchal Gaze

The films don the caps of Savarna saviour out to fix the world as they deem fit. With no curiosity or understanding about the past realities, or imagination for a just and equal future for all. It reinforces patriarchal ideals of a girl child who must help with household chores and stud,y while her elder brother will burn his hand if entrusted with the same task. The only scene about teaching in a movie to revolutionize the education shows the Principal parroting the tenet of our country being a motherland and a fatherland. A nationalist vision of working hard till you crack it, meritocracy with no shame in the lack of mention of caste, religion, socio socio-economic realities. 

Fair compensation for all employees in the film is alluded to.

The Director, Tanmay, got very emotional in the discussion, speaking about the marriage of the main protagonist, Choti.  We are assured that all the extras from Dhanbag who are daily wage earner were paid fairly for their time, effort, and delivery of dialogues. However, the main star of the film has not had an opportunity to travel to the UK to participate in these film screenings or discussions, even remotely. Though the director seems surprised that the movie has not thrust her into stardom.

Platforming Private initiatives

It seems counterintuitive that the film platforms private entities like Teach for India and McKinsey. Do the writers and producers not trust the ongoing initiatives from the government, like the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, the Mid-day meal scheme, that have increased the regularity of the students' participation and retention in school?

Platformed Discriminatory Work Practices

The film platforms the savarna practices of everyday bullying of the bahujan staff. Using disrespectful and foul language and arbitrary holding back of salary is normalised with no consequences. In a theatrical recreation of a court scene, Judicial proceedings against an individual when the organisation is responsible for safety precautions, etc., were prevalent due to illiteracy earlier, but now with draconian laws like the UAPA, we have several academicians, critics, and organizers locked up in jail with no bail.

Inadequate Research disconnected from reality

During the question-and-answer session when the director and actress were asked about the significance of the black clothes with red shawl. They said it was a uniform among street theatre practitioners. The scholar in the room pointed out about Jana Natya Manch and Safdar Hashmi's connection to the communist party/Left-wing Politics in India, choosing the red colour. The actress or director did not elaborate on specific research on the schemes mentioned in the film, like the Right to Education Act, Below Poverty Line, and ADHAR paperwork that they felt is not accessible for the marginalised community in the present government administration.

Lack of Regional representation in script, culture, language, or music.

The actress mentioned how they had a month to work on developing the script and shooting in Dhanbad after being inspired by their observations at  Bagula Basti. There is a casual mention about the Bengal border in the script. However, the movie has no visible muslim men, women, or children. The film is in a way, documenting the present living conditions of indentured labourers who travel to cities based on promises by contractors for work.  However, apathetically, does not reflect on the state's colluded middle man's corruption that leads to a lack of access to safe housing, insurance, education, and clean water. Nor does it ask questions to hold anyone accountable. However, it harbours a great dislike for those let down from all sides of society for so many centuries. It seems to make this behaviour palatable in the European context by referring to the nuances of caste politics by likening to gypsies in gross generalization. In another instance, during the teaching of the alphabet, K for Koyal is translated in the subtitles as A for Aeroplane.

Institutionalised Hate is being normalised.

Kayaantaran Studios was founded by Molshri, an actor-producer, and Tanmaya, a writer-director, in Jharkhand in 2023. As the director Tanmaya, professes, he is 'only a filmmaker and not an activist' and is looking forward to the commercial release of this film. It uncovers the mirage of social justice that savarna liberals practice. The tendency not to stand in the way of state militarisation or listen to the people from the ground, but surely be willing to engineer a profit out of the spectacle. What is spine-chilling is the grotesque and superfluous praise that the film receives. However, on closer investigation of the programme, one notes book readings platforming Mahkumbh, Paighaam, and 'Jai mata ji lets rock' are also platformed in the festival.

Asia is more than just India

It is difficult to understand the dexterity of vision and expertise of the majority of Indian origin staff to curate a festival for Asia, which actually comprises 47 countries that range from Egypt to Japan and Indonesia to Russia. One finds it appalling that even with so many academics and personalities involved in the project, the cries of the families lynched, shot at gunpoint, or exploded by missiles have not reached the ears of those sitting in glass palaces. 

For more details on what is happening in Bastar, Chhattisgarh, close to where this film was shot.

Please watch -https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?ref=watch_permalink&v=719418197081089

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PA

A member of ILS

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