The Deafening Silence

The Central University of Hyderabad is back in news again.  And, nothing that seems to be emanating is either encouraging or heartening.  The return of the Vice Chancellor, after a prolonged absence on personal grounds – possibly, investigation into his role in abetting Rohith Vemula’s suicide being one of the reasons – resulted in a pandemonium; students immediately have risen up in protest.  But, what has followed is not just baffling but is downright inhuman.  Students have been mercilessly beaten up, with one even ending up in the ICU, molested; even professors not spared.  And, scores have been rounded up and put behind bars and continue to stay there without being produced before the judiciary, and hence with little chance for bail.  A friend too – Moses Tulasi – has been taken into custody; Moses is a budding film-maker and was at the campus to film the happenings. 

I just was surfing through various news channels online of mainstream media, to see what kind of coverage has this been receiving, only to draw a blank from most places, barring the Indian Express.  Even NDTV – which was at the forefront of reporting during the JNU crisis – is strangely quiet.  The only news that one can get are from sources like the Wire or student updates.  There is a media blackout at the University, along with blocking of internet, and even hostel mess.  All this only points fingers at the establishment with the suspicion that it was all meticulously planned and executed.  1000s of policemen do not appear on the campus all of a sudden at the outset of a student unrest.  Nor are students beaten up mercilessly even while not protesting – they have been even picked up on the charge of ‘cooking in public place’. 

Colleges and universities are places for not just literacy but all-round education and learning.  Education and learning encompass experimenting with different ideas – both old and new – and embracing a philosophy for a life ahead.  And, universities have always been places of action – student unrest is just a thought away.  It is not a new thing that a VC has been gheraoed – most of us would have witnessed these during our student days.  Many of us might have been active participants too.  Not always have students been right either – or wrong.  But, that does not make it correct to take away their right to protest or to let police run riot in a university campus.  The students might have been wrong – there are reports alleging that they pelted stones at the officials and the police, which could be made-up stories too to defend the reprehensible action – but punishing them without trial is a no-no.  Nor, allowing the police to unleash terror on the campus.  There are allegations of women students being molested apart from use of excessive force.  What has been made worse is that dozens of students and a few faculty members have been taken into custody and they were produced before a magistrate at late-night to escape from the habeas-corpus writs.  Those who have been trying hard to follow-up on the arrested students have reported that there has been abuse in their detention too. 

One, the governments are becoming less and less tolerant of criticism and are willing to use force to impose their views and get their way.  FTII, JNU and HCU are examples of the spreading malaise, with the HCU students bearing the worst so far.  And, the advice emanating from those governing too has been childish.  Public opinion too is being influenced with canards like wasting tax payers’ money and anti-national behavior.  These do not behoove well for the future – as the future leaders of the nation are today’s students.  It is time for the governments to let the students be and find their political moorings.  Repression is not the answer.

Two, there is an urgent need for police reforms.  We need to have rules that restrict police action against protesting mobs – students or otherwise – with any kind of force; restraint should be the first lesson that police needs to be taught. It is time that the Supreme Court itself take up this matter and address it; possibly draw some guidelines for all the states to implement.  The police is there to protect the ordinary citizens – students included.  And, not to cause fear. The stories of police atrocities that were only heard from the distant areas are now ringing true in our living rooms too, thanks to their entry into college campuses.  If they have gained entry there, tomorrow it could be our homes too – uninvited.  Because we hold a different opinion.  This needs to stop and stop right now.

I have not touched upon the roots of trouble at the HCU.  That would require another piece – and a lot more reading from my side.  Safe to say, it is the disadvantaged that are always targeted first.  In the meantime, I hope and pray that all those that have been remanded to judicial custody are released at the earliest.  And, that better sense prevails in the state government – which currently has distanced itself from the actions – and it advises that all cases against the students the faculty arrested are withdrawn unconditionally.  And, that there shall be an unbiased inquiry into the happenings at the HCU. 

Post-Script: I read the interview of Prof. Podile Appa Rao, VC, HCU in the Scroll.  I curled with distaste at the hypocrisy.  

Kapoor & Sons: Review

I saw the trailer of 'Kapoor and Sons' during my 'Kshanam' outing.  Frankly, I wasn't impressed with it the least then.  I hadn't even thought I would watch this movie.  Talk about preconceived notions!  However, I woke up to some decent reviews of the movie in the papers yesterday, prompting me to rethink and watch it.

The movie tells the story of a dysfunctional Punjabi family that has settled in Coonoor (near Ooty).  The aged patriarch - who has a great 'lust' (pun intended) for life and leaves no chance to garner attention - has a heartache and his two grandsons - living in London and New Jersey - come running.  Grandpa has only two wishes before he dies.  That he is buried alongside his mates from the army and that there's a 'full family picture' which he can proudly hang on the wall, 'Kapoor and Sons: Since 1921'.  The parents (grandpa's son and his wife) have enough troubles in their marriage - money, responsibility, cheating and the works - to ensure fireworks at every opportunity.  The grandsons - Rahul and Arjun - aren't chummy either.  One's way too perfect while the other is always found wanting, and the resentment is palpable even when not expressed.  The grudges each nurse result in simmering anger waiting to explode; and it does with consequences, of unmasking the facades.  Rahul has a secret that isn't known to anyone and living a lie.  Harsh, the father has lost his job at the bank and also failed at business.  Sunita, the mother believes her husband is cheating on her and also has squandered her money.  Arjun is frustrated at his inability to be a published author - like his celebrated and successful author brother - and has a nagging feeling that he was cheated by his brother.  Tia is the effervescent local girl that also adds to the milieu as she cozies up to both the brothers, making things a bit more difficult.  All these relationships of husband-wife, parents-children, siblings and more come undone as the family prepares for the patriarch's photograph.   

'Kapoor and Sons' is quite a misleading title.  One would possibly enter the cinema expecting to watch a movie about yet another loud Punjabi family that loves its culture, curry and kukkad (not to forget, daroo) and celebrates the same through songs and dances.  It isn't.  Nor is it set in 'sadda Punjab'.  The movie is marvelously written and told.  The characters are real, life-like and believable. So is the treatment to the subjects dealt with - head-on and no squirming or shying away.  The humour is decidedly adult and unapologetic.  The acting is top class by most - it helps that the cast boasts of Rishi Kapoor, Rajat Kapoor and Ratna Pathak Shah.   Alia Bhatt is shines despite the film's only badly written role.  The two male leads are in excellent form, even though I felt Fawad Khan was a shade better than Siddharth Malhotra.  There are a few grouses of course.  For one, it seems the mainstream Hindi cinema isn't yet to say the 'G' word, even though it is quite central to this movie - that is quite surprising and disappointing too, as the director, Shakun Batra doesn't pull punches otherwise.  Alia's role is poorly defined, though vital to the story moving forward.  And, lastly, the party number.  Duh is the only thing I could say about it.  Yet, all these seem inconsequential when compared with the final result.  Go watch it.  Highly recommended.  

Kshanam: Movie Review

The decision to watch a Telugu film - at the cinemas after a long time - was made on a whim.  It was partly influenced by the rave reviews the movie was gathering and also a recommendation we saw by a friend on Facebook.  Before either of us could change our minds, the tickets were booked.  

'Kshanam' is a thriller, a rarely explored genre in Telugu movies (which mostly conform to the ultra-commercial elements of songs-fights-revenge).  Shweta (Adah Sharma) has undergone a harrowing experience of being brutally assaulted and losing her daughter to kidnappers; the little girl has remained untraceable ever since.   The assault had left Shweta in a coma for a week.  When she wakes up nobody believes that she had a daughter; the police close the case after a while.  In desperation she calls her ex-boy friend to come and help her.  Rishi (Adivi Sesh) is an investment banker in the US who has returned dejected from his medical course after Shweta has dumped him in favour of a match by her father under duress.  He is still nursing the heartbreak and yet he reluctantly agrees to help - much against the advice of his mother and friend in the US to return.  As he tries to unravel the mystery, he too suspects if Shweta is mentally unstable as he finds no clue to indicate she ever had a daughter.  What happens thereafter is the crux of the movie.  

The movie begins languorously with the telling of love story of Shweta and Rishi in flashback and provide the context for the movie and gathers momentum in the second half. For the most part it also manages to hold the element of surprise of a whodonit.  Some of the characters are beautifully etched - particularly that of Rishi, the protagonist - and perform competently too.  The songs play in the background and do not eat into the runtime.  And, there is minimal time wasted with unwanted tracks or side-stories irrelevant to the main theme.  These ensure that the attention of the audience in the movie.  The attention to detail in styling the hero appropriately in different phases of his life comes as a welcome change.  Quirks shown in the investigating inspector - as a selfie-obsessed person - are interesting.  

'Kshanam' made at a small budget has gone on to become a blockbuster.  There are talks to remake it in Hindi and other languages.  It appears clearly influenced by several Hollywood movies that deal with identity theft/elimination.  As the story and screenplay writer, Sesh has given himself a great role and complete screen time, but he hasn't wasted it.  The same cannot be said about other parts.  Adah as Shweta has to only look pretty, coy or sad.  Other characters feel undercooked.  And, there are too many plot-holes.  One doesn't understand why Babu Khan, a tough car dealer-cum-mechanic decides to help the hero.  Nor why Shweta doesn't ever complain about the behaviour of her brother-in-law to her husband.  The police officer from UP continues not to notice the loss/theft of his ID card forever.  Rishi too goes about conducting his investigation into the case without care about secrecy or armed with a suitable excuse to answer the questions: who are you and why are you interested in the case? And, black people are stereotyped as crooks and criminals.  I wasn't impressed with the movie, even though the entire Telugu fraternity is going gaga over it.  If I say anything more I'd be giving away the suspense.