Storm in a teacup?

Sins (Indian-English; 2005)

Director: Vinod Pande

Vinod Pande had been a screenwriter, director, broadcaster in his own right. And he is still at it. He had been the centre of attraction, sometimes for the wrong reasons. This 2005 film, done in English, set in God's own country, created a lot of hoopla in its days. Despite its adult listing by the Indian film board, the public was still livid as it painted a Roman Catholic clergyman as an abusive adulterer.

Against the background of idyllic Kerala beaches and countryside, a priest gives a student nurse a ride who was late for her examinations. What a ride it turned out to be. Little recommendations here and help there to help the nurse in her studies and employment turned into a torrid affair. Despite being an open secret, the preacher climbed the ladder of the priesthood and later became a Bishop. To appease the incessant public chatter, the parish arranged for a yeoman to marry her.

The situation became bizarre as the priest becomes suspicious that the nurse had fallen for the mock husband. He becomes abusive. The nurse does indeed see the tender side of her husband and plot an escape hatch. The plan gets ugly as the cleric, in return, plans an elaborate intent to harm her. She (with her unborn child) is killed, and the disgraced priest is convicted and sentenced to death by hanging.

It is supposed to be based on a true story. But, so what? People do not enjoy being critiqued, and the lowest point being highlighted. They rather hear the achievement than their embarrassments, but not as much as other people's lowest ebb.

The public's disgruntle on this film not just about the abysmal portrayal of a holy man and the total disregard of their religious sensitivities, but also because of the bold exposure of the female anatomy, relatively to what the Indian public was used to. The producers rebutted, showing that the film is classified as an adult film; hence it is a choice. The filmmakers would like to showcase the cinematography's beauty, the display of changing human emotions, and the destructive nature of forbidden love.

Anyway, the movie had its due screening, and the directors went on to make other movies. It may have just been a storm in a teacup. So did the leading stars.

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