Pichaikaran (பிச்சைக்காரன், Beggar, Tamil; 2016)
My friend told me that the tone for Chinese New Year this year is somewhat sombre, to put it mildly. Gone are the days when the eardrum exploding firecrackers used the usher the arrival of the lunar new year. Some low ranking staff are tightening their belts, resorting to wearing last year's unused garments for this year's celebrations. Sure, that is austerity but ask someone who has been on the other side of the numerous success stories of capitalism, the ones that the narcissistic politicians like not to talk about.
The people on the losing end of economic development have often been accused of many things; that they are lazy, have poor work ethics, that they do not plan, that they lack willpower and creativity. In reality, most of them do not fall into the categories above. They certainly do not lack in the creativity department. They have mastered the art of stretching the last ringgit to its last fibre. They live in a well balanced but precarious household where just one small malady can tip the balance. A freak or careless accident, someone with a terminal illness to care, an ailing child to mind or even the beginning of a schooling year all heralds the start of a familial crisis when economic generation suffers. Meeting biological needs like hunger takes precedence over trivial matters like birthday and anniversary celebrations.
In its own way, this film, which was recommended by a close friend who had been on the losing end of development and managed to unshackle himself from its clutches. This film brought memories of his humble beginnings, and it tries to impress upon us that we are all beggars. The rich extend both palms to the divine in return for granting of personal boons. The poor do the same only to need their biological needs. The filmmaker, in his own cheeky way, tells us that begging is just another profession just like any vocations. There is a time for undivided attention at work to reap the best of what you can give and an 'after-office' time to unwind!
A scene from this movie went viral around the time of demonetization of ₹500 and ₹1,000 notes. In a prophetic way, in an unrelated snippet, a beggar calls in on a talk show to suggest discontinuation of the above notes to put a stop to India's poverty!
A recently returning foreign-trained MBA graduate, Arul, finds his mother, a mill owner, who is a success story of rags to riches, seriously injured in a freak accident in her factory. All the modern medical treatment at their disposal could not treat her serious head injury. She remain comatose. The advice from a sage suggests that Arul should do penance by living the life of a beggar for 48 days for his mother's recovery. In midst of all that, there is a maternal uncle who is hell bent on appropriating the whole business. There is still time for hero to find time for love during his crusade. Despite all the masala and mind bending scenes, it is still an enjoyable flick but don't ask me why our hero's one-week stubble remain unchanged over 48 days!
My friend told me that the tone for Chinese New Year this year is somewhat sombre, to put it mildly. Gone are the days when the eardrum exploding firecrackers used the usher the arrival of the lunar new year. Some low ranking staff are tightening their belts, resorting to wearing last year's unused garments for this year's celebrations. Sure, that is austerity but ask someone who has been on the other side of the numerous success stories of capitalism, the ones that the narcissistic politicians like not to talk about.The people on the losing end of economic development have often been accused of many things; that they are lazy, have poor work ethics, that they do not plan, that they lack willpower and creativity. In reality, most of them do not fall into the categories above. They certainly do not lack in the creativity department. They have mastered the art of stretching the last ringgit to its last fibre. They live in a well balanced but precarious household where just one small malady can tip the balance. A freak or careless accident, someone with a terminal illness to care, an ailing child to mind or even the beginning of a schooling year all heralds the start of a familial crisis when economic generation suffers. Meeting biological needs like hunger takes precedence over trivial matters like birthday and anniversary celebrations.
In its own way, this film, which was recommended by a close friend who had been on the losing end of development and managed to unshackle himself from its clutches. This film brought memories of his humble beginnings, and it tries to impress upon us that we are all beggars. The rich extend both palms to the divine in return for granting of personal boons. The poor do the same only to need their biological needs. The filmmaker, in his own cheeky way, tells us that begging is just another profession just like any vocations. There is a time for undivided attention at work to reap the best of what you can give and an 'after-office' time to unwind!
A scene from this movie went viral around the time of demonetization of ₹500 and ₹1,000 notes. In a prophetic way, in an unrelated snippet, a beggar calls in on a talk show to suggest discontinuation of the above notes to put a stop to India's poverty!
A recently returning foreign-trained MBA graduate, Arul, finds his mother, a mill owner, who is a success story of rags to riches, seriously injured in a freak accident in her factory. All the modern medical treatment at their disposal could not treat her serious head injury. She remain comatose. The advice from a sage suggests that Arul should do penance by living the life of a beggar for 48 days for his mother's recovery. In midst of all that, there is a maternal uncle who is hell bent on appropriating the whole business. There is still time for hero to find time for love during his crusade. Despite all the masala and mind bending scenes, it is still an enjoyable flick but don't ask me why our hero's one-week stubble remain unchanged over 48 days!
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