Jai Bhim — A Chant or a Trigger?
Ippo laam yaar sir Jaathi paakuraa (Sir, is there anyone who considers caste nowadays?)
Firstly this is not a movie review about — Jai Bhim which was directed by TJ Gnanavel and starring Suriya as the protagonist. I’m Moovi & I’m a movie buff so starting my first blogpost on movies. (I promise there will not be any more wordplays ahead xD)
Through the course, there will be a set of questions for you to think or ponder upon, keep the answers within yourself. All you need is to keep an open mind to maneuver this article.
The movie Jai Bhim is based on a real story of a tribal community called Irular who incidentally come under the Scheduled Tribes as per the Indian Constitution. By Law, the poor souls belonging to the Irular Community are to be provided their basic rights which they are entitled to, but as it turns out they are just being exploited due to information asymmetry even to this day.
The legislature needs the Executive & judiciary to keep checks & balances between these two. What happens next is shown as an intense courtroom drama & I would suggest this is a must-watch.
Now as told previously coming to the set of questions…
At one end Jai Bhim overtakes the cults such as The Shawshank Redemption, the Godfather in IMDb ratings whereas a group of people, who wanted the movie to be brought down, issued open threats on the star of the movie. Are we, as a society turning more & more intolerant?
Not just the Irulas, a set of other communities who were the owners of the land (Mannin mainthar) having thorough knowledge about the geographic orientation, were being socially, economically, educationally, structurally targeted & reduced to a set of people who are struggling for basic necessities & of course education. How did this happen & who is responsible for this?
Are the educated youth, even those in institutes of national importance not associating them with caste even in a state like Tamil Nadu where caste surnames are being done away with by our previous generation?
Have the honour killings stopped, wherein a victim is mostly a person from the lower community?
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Aren’t caste-based matrimony (Don’t want to take a particular community name) such as community matrimony a thing nowadays?
Why are Ambedkar statues put inside a cage for protection, especially in some regions of TN?
Why haven’t we seen someone dress up as Ambedkar during our fancy dress competitions in our childhood days?
Why is still he perceived as a threat even after 65 years of his demise by certain political parties & associated groups wherein they try to twist his ideology?
As we are entering into the 75th year of independence, why is it still that the President of India Shri Ram Nath Kovind & the mayor of Chennai Smt., R Priya, belonging to a particular community makes it up to the headlines?
When movies like Pariyerum Perumal and Asuran wherein they showcase the sufferings of the oppressed are being accepted, wherein movies that show retaliation of the oppressed like Karnan, Kaala, or even Jai Bhim for a reason always surrounded by controversy?
Even in a developed state such as TN, why Ambedkar Jayanti is still not celebrated in peace, even in the recency, there was a clash between two political parties?
Is Jai Bhim, a chant of the oppressed or a trigger for the rest?
Why is a leader, who is to be celebrated by the whole of India, the father of the Indian constitution — Bharat Ratna Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar restricted & portrayed as a leader for a particular community?
Have we got a full understanding of the purpose of reservations? (I believe, whether to stay or not should always be a point of discussion)
As mentioned earlier, linger these questions on your mind, ponder over, no need to answer anyone just think over.
Expect a lot of breezier, lighter topics in the future in contrast to this one.
Ippo laam yaar sir Jaathi Paakuraa?
