Babu (பாபு, Tamil; 1971)
I remember this movie as the one that we, in our childhood, could not watch as our annual Deepavali film. Amma was disappointed when we could not get the tickets and had to watch something else instead. Many of its songs used to fill the airwaves regularly, and one of the songs, 'Kanji Varuthappa', was a hit during Thaipusam at the refreshment stalls before movie songs were banned by the Thaipusam organising committees. Even though the song talks about the various avatars of Lakshmi and their roles, there is the uneasy colloquial association of kanji (broth) and vanji (woman) in the same sentence!
At one look, one can easily see that it sees its socialistic-communistic leanings. The story, written by a writer from Kerala, argues about the actual meaning of divinity and the division of classes. It tries to wake the general public from the slumber that God paves the way for us to follow. We are masters of our destiny.
The signature tune of this film, 'Itho Enthan Deivam Munnale' (Here in front of me is God), tries to tell the audience that God lives in simple things in life. You see Him in a child's innocent smile and a philanthropist's compassionate gaze. He lives in the heart of the kind individuals.
His Grace is seen in the blossom of a flower, the fragrance of bloom, creepy crawlies and the quenching flow of the river. One attains divinity through education. Wealth is in performing public service. Joy is in uplifting others and seeing the smile of a downtrodden. Herein lies God! Our life is in our toil and sweat. What else could this sound like but communist propaganda?
I remember this movie as the one that we, in our childhood, could not watch as our annual Deepavali film. Amma was disappointed when we could not get the tickets and had to watch something else instead. Many of its songs used to fill the airwaves regularly, and one of the songs, 'Kanji Varuthappa', was a hit during Thaipusam at the refreshment stalls before movie songs were banned by the Thaipusam organising committees. Even though the song talks about the various avatars of Lakshmi and their roles, there is the uneasy colloquial association of kanji (broth) and vanji (woman) in the same sentence!
At one look, one can easily see that it sees its socialistic-communistic leanings. The story, written by a writer from Kerala, argues about the actual meaning of divinity and the division of classes. It tries to wake the general public from the slumber that God paves the way for us to follow. We are masters of our destiny.
The signature tune of this film, 'Itho Enthan Deivam Munnale' (Here in front of me is God), tries to tell the audience that God lives in simple things in life. You see Him in a child's innocent smile and a philanthropist's compassionate gaze. He lives in the heart of the kind individuals.
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A clip from the song 'Kanji Varuthappa'.
The lyrics suggest that food unites all of us.
Because of societal pressures, the Brahmin avoids the
prawn in the Christian missionary's tiffin. The Hindu
priest gets upset when the meat eater's gravy somehow
mixes with his, but he likes it, even though he shows
his resentment!
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Babu grew up as a rough and tough kid on the street. Despite his tough exterior, he is tender on the inside, ever to help out a soul in need. By circumstance, he takes the job of a rickshaw puller in his adulthood. [In the socialist circle, the position of a rickshaw puller must be the epitome of abuse of human labour; the well-to-do, by virtue of their wealth and subsequent upliftment of class, can easily buy the toil and sweat of the poor.]
The other main characters comprise his confidante, a religious restauranteur (VK Ramasamy) who looks up to him and after him; a ruthless but comical moneylender (MRR Vasu); his fellow rickshaw puller (Nagesh) and a kind, liberal-minded wealthy contractor who gave Babu shelter and a warm meal (Balaji).
Babu was pleasantly surprised that someone well-to-do could be so kind as to give him due recognition as a human being that he became eternally loyal to him like a guard dog.
After serving time for murdering the killer of his sweetheart, he is shocked to see the contractor's daughter (a very young Sridevi) begging for food. For the single kindness that her deceased father had given him, Babu decides to make it his lifetime duty to support the contractor's widow (Sowkar Janaki). Understanding the importance of education, he educates her with his meagre income.
As the child grows older with the company she keeps in her convent school, she is embarrassed of the man who singlehandedly rose her from the pits. Over the years, the rift grows, but finally, life knocks sense into her. She graduates from university and marries a man of her liking after a little glitch with his high social status.
Money and accumulation of wealth are portrayed as a bad thing here. The urge to be chasing after affluence is frowned upon. The pursuit of education for self-development and empowerment of society is revered, not for selfish self-interest.
A little bit of trivia here. Vijayasree, who made a brief appearance as Babu's love interest before being killed off, is a sultry actress from the Malayalam cinema. She had made quite an impact there and was labelled the Marilyn Monroe of the East for her vivaciousness. Sadly, her short career ended prematurely at 21 years of age when she committed suicide.
The other main characters comprise his confidante, a religious restauranteur (VK Ramasamy) who looks up to him and after him; a ruthless but comical moneylender (MRR Vasu); his fellow rickshaw puller (Nagesh) and a kind, liberal-minded wealthy contractor who gave Babu shelter and a warm meal (Balaji).
Babu was pleasantly surprised that someone well-to-do could be so kind as to give him due recognition as a human being that he became eternally loyal to him like a guard dog.
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Two families of different classes join;
the industrialist and the labourer.
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As the child grows older with the company she keeps in her convent school, she is embarrassed of the man who singlehandedly rose her from the pits. Over the years, the rift grows, but finally, life knocks sense into her. She graduates from university and marries a man of her liking after a little glitch with his high social status.
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| Vijayasree |
Money and accumulation of wealth are portrayed as a bad thing here. The urge to be chasing after affluence is frowned upon. The pursuit of education for self-development and empowerment of society is revered, not for selfish self-interest.
A little bit of trivia here. Vijayasree, who made a brief appearance as Babu's love interest before being killed off, is a sultry actress from the Malayalam cinema. She had made quite an impact there and was labelled the Marilyn Monroe of the East for her vivaciousness. Sadly, her short career ended prematurely at 21 years of age when she committed suicide.
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