Mandela: Reminds us, we are still stuck in a warp!

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Mandela has to be one of the definitive films of 2021. Mandela and Karnan (featuring Dhanush and another 2021 release) trudge the same path of caste based oppression but the genre of the two remains starkly different. While Karnan pretty much follows the age old path of revenge, violence and the down and out protagonist fighting back; Mandela takes a completely different route to addressing the issue of caste based oppression. In a small village Soorangudi (Tuticorin district) a small time low caste barber suddenly becomes the most important man in the village, as his only vote will decide the future of the village elections and the gram panchayat. The village has a history of conflict with the northern and southern part of the village at loggerheads (a caste based divide). Both the sides have their respective leader and who are ironically the sons of the local panchayat head. The head has strategically married two women from the two different sides of the village, but it still does not seem to solve the problem. Often, any productive work taken up in the village leads to project being vandalized and destroyed. 

The opening scenes are about a toilet being constructed inaugurated with the Panchayat fund and soon the warring North and South side of the village swoon on the toilet (as to who will use first) and in the process destroy the toilet and we are back to where we started. The men defecate in the open and the women do that at 3am in the morning. Mandela is the debut film of Madonne Ashwin and it excels in the plot and backed by some fantastic casting and acting, the film shines.

The take on oppressions of lower caste through the route of black comedy simply excels and the nuances in showcasing those age old traditions are showcased through humor and wit. The barber, Mandela (played brilliantly by Yogi Babu) along with his side kick cannot enter any house from the main gate. They have to use the back gate often protected through a barbed plant or had to get grocery for every upper caste of the village and numerous other instances where the two were ridiculed or cursed or abused. It finally took the local postmaster cum postman to get the barber a name first and then id proofs. In one of the classic scenes where the process of naming the barber takes place (till then he was called Smile or Jackass) it brings out the class divide at it's best. Mandela the name finally zeroed on is inspired from Nelson Mandela as the barber believes that the name has a caste neutrality and upon seeing the original Nelson Mandela picture, he starts believing, he is a look alike of him.     

The film is out and out credit to the brilliant script and plot of Madonne Ashwin. As a debutant, it is a confident and an extremely smart film to plan for. It never leaves any lose end and Yogi Babu shines in the title role. The second half of the film is his domain and frame and after frame he owns it. Especially, in those moments where he is the village hero at one time and pretty soon becomes the most hated one too. He is ably supported by the cast of Sheela Rajkumar, Sangili Murugan, G.M. Sundar, Kanna Ravi, and a slew of others who are spot on in casting. Madonne in his film does not give out a message or is not preachy anywhere. Through simple acts in the remote village of Tuticorin district, as viewers we are aghast to still find caste and the taboos so prevalent. In 2013 travelling through Netherlands, on a teaching assignment, I was in a class of working professionals (mostly Dutch nationals and a few Indian students too). I was discussing about how caste system and its wearies are still prevalent. The Indian students simply refused to believe. This is 2021 and I was thinking of those students when watching Mandela. 

For a country like India with deep faultiness based on religion, caste, power, and money, it will perhaps be never possible to do away with such cracks in the society. Thousands of years back when these lines were created in the society on the basis of caste, one never realized that it will take such an ugly turn. Today, it rears its ugly head in several manifestations of life. Education, jobs, daily lives, availing utility or visiting social places, caste and it's aftermath its invisible hand that dominates, elections, vote banks, politics and most of all the given norms of society. Sad, tragic and ironical for a country, which thrives on diversity. 

And this is why Mandela the film is so important. It should be seen to understand how deep the crisis and the fault lines are. It will never heal and never go away. But, we can definitely pray that these films show us a mirror. 

It's on Netflix. Go watch!      


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