Leader

Pictures coming.
I finally got a chance to head down to the INOX movie theatre in downtown Hyderabad to view the movie entitled “Leader”. I was accompanied by the assistant director named Sashi. He was a young man around 28 years old and spent some time studying film over in the US. Sashi spoke very good English and had a great deal of patience and understanding with me. He would be my personal Telugu interpreter over the next three hours as we watched the movie together.

Every Sekhar Kammula movie I’ve seen to this point has primarily been a love story but right from the beginning I could tell that this was going to be totally different. Basically the film is about a young politician (Arjun) who’s father (the current Chief Minister of an Indian state) dies in a car bombing. He is convinced by his grieving mother to run for the position replacing his father and shortly into the movie he is elected as the new controversial Chief Minister. Arjun announces his new agenda of eliminating corruption within the government and needless to say is not very popular with his highly corrupt cabinet. The movie is refreshingly unpredictable as there are surprises before intermission and a twist at the end.

I’m not a professional movie critic but as a human being I think this film has to be one of the most important movies ever made in Andhra Pradesh. When I go to a movie I want to be either entertained or changed as a person after watching. This is one of those movies that should change the way you think, especially if you are an Indian citizen. We all know that corruption occurs in every country but it seems to be especially ingrained in Indian politics and culture. This film shows how one man’s unselfish agenda and a desire to do the right thing can pave the way for national change. The process is obviously not smooth or easy as the lead character has to make tough decisions that are not always right but the key is that Arjun maintains an attitude of service to the people. At one point when he is the Chief Minister standing before a man of much lower caste, Arjun bends down to the ground sitting cross-legged apologizing to the man for making a wrong decision. Of course the other high and mighty cabinet members looked shocked at this gesture. The central theme of the movie is “Be a leader not a politician”.
Corruption is like a dam blocking the natural flow of a river. Maybe a movie like Leader can punch a small hole in the dam to weaken it and others will follow to continue to apply pressure. It’s an important movie and at least should sow the seeds of change in a few minds of the new generation. Sekhar Kammula took a risk creating this movie and I would dare other directors throughout India to address the same topic. In my short visit with Sekhar just a few days ago I got the impression that he put a great deal of his own heart and soul into this movie. Leader is an extension of his values. I have been cruising around the towns and villages of India over the past two weeks and it amazes me that on the one hand you have this futuristic high tech growth occurring, but on the other hand the country is still stuck in ancient corrupt business practices. One of the things that Americans are good at is coming together as a nation when it involves a righteous cause. As history teaches us, change does not occur overnight. Often individuals risk losing their jobs, their families, even their lives, but nothing will make you feel more alive than being involved in a righteous cause. It’s time to grow up India. Let the debates begin, turn the lights on, maybe even the shadows will speak. Every coffee shop, barber shop, restaurant and pub should be talking about the political issues that this movie raises. If you are cynical or apathetic about being able to combat corruption then you are already lost. If you are tired of living in a world where the rule of law is merely a suggestion or your ability to deal with the government and other businesses relies more on your pocketbook rather than a rulebook then this movie will give you hope.

On the way back to Hyderabad

Pictures and write up coming.

Women of the village

The women of the village were absolutely amazing. There was something very special about the way they lived. The men may be the backbone but the women are the lifeblood of the village. In general, life in the village is hard but the women made it look easy. They were the first to greet all visitors with a true servant's heart. Every now and then the women would take time to converse and relax, but most of the time they were either gathered in a circle on the floor chopping vegetables for the next meal, taking care of the children, tending the cows or carrying some large basket on their head or hips. Everyone knew their role and their responsibilities. The women lived life with energy and a sense of being as tough as the land. They also appeared very confident and secure. When I took photographs, the concept of smiling for the camera was somewhat foreign as most would quickly get serious and solemn looking, but I can assure you that the women smiled a great deal and random outbursts of laughter occurred often. Of course they may have been laughing at me but that's beside the point!

There also appeared to be no difference from the way an Indian woman of the village dressed and the way women of the city dressed. Every day I saw them dressed in very elegant and colorful sari's no matter the time or task at hand. In the mind of this western man the country is filled with princesses (ha ha). Maybe it's because the colorful sari dress is so different and boldly bright compared to U.S. fashion, or maybe it's the way a princess is portrayed in my childhood fairy tale books but that's the feeling I get when I see someone dressed that way.

Needless to say, the Indian women I encountered in the village define the words hospitable, tough, beautiful and VERY unselfish.

Children of the village

My "flock" of children that followed me everywhere. They definitely were not shy. I felt like a rock star the two days being in the village as all of the children wanted to shake my hand and ask me questions about America. I also got the feeling that the "shake of the hand" is not a very common thing in India but everyone kind of felt it was the right thing to do with me. One day I was on the porch trying to converse with Manohar's relatives and a crowd of people started forming on the walls of the temple across the street just to get a look at the "westerner". They enjoyed copying many of my gestures such as nodding my head in agreement or giving a "thumbs up" sign. Communicating was very difficult when Manohar wasn't around but I gave it a shot. It was like a game of charades and everyone wanted to play. We seldom truly understood each other but always got a laugh. Many times the children would form circles around me and try to teach me Telugu. I took French and German classes in college but Telugu may top both of them as far as difficulty to learn but maybe it's just my age showing.

What can be accomplished in a morning?

Arriving at his cousins house we were immediately greeted by his aunt, 3 nieces and their mother. We sat down on the standard 3 foot high cement slabs located on the front covered porch and were served an appetizer of dried dates and shortly after a plate of some sort of whole grain “grits”. Good way to start the morning eating healthy. After we finished our food and continued to converse, a special guest walked up from road and peeked its head into the porch – a friendly white cow with a hump on its back. I naturally wanted a picture taken with my arm around the cow and the children got a good laugh. We ended with a small cup of hot sweet milk. Another fifty feet down the alley we arrived at another relative’s house. Again we were served another tasty light meal and a cup of chai tea. I was worried that if we stopped at another house I may not be able down another bite! During our visits I noticed that Manohar was talking Telugu to a farmer and his cousin as they followed us down the alley. As we jumped back on the motorcycle little did I know that we were headed to a piece of land that Manohar was looking to purchase. He told me that he had been wanting to buy land to build a special home for elderly woman in the village now for 20 years. It just so happens that today was the day Manohar was bound and determined to make the deal. After another chai tea back at his cousins house and a little compromise from the land owner, Manohar was the proud owner of an acre of land at the edge of town and the beginning of a dream come true. It’s amazing what can be accomplished in a morning on a leisurely motorcycle ride with Manohar. You never know what to expect.

Hot Chai Tea Anyone?

One morning Manohar and I took off on a motorcycle heading to his father’s village about 3 kilometers away. His motorcycle driving skills seem to be mediocre at best but I jumped on the back of the bike looking for some fun and decided the cool breeze would feel good. We stopped along the way at a little vendor in town selling hot chai tea which tasted especially good as the early morning sun was rising.

Village life in India

That evening we headed to the village of Murogudy where the festival was held. This is where I would spend the next two days. The entire village would participate in the festival but I mostly interacted with 40 – 50 members of Manohar’s extended family which covered homes on two entire blocks. One thing to keep in mind is that everyone in the village speaks Telugu so I need Manohar around to be my interpreter. The minute we arrived and I sat down on a patio at his Uncle’s home I was offered authentic Indian food as made in a remote village with plenty of rice, spice and curds. Everything is fresh and in the case of the curds right from the cow living with us in a special portion of the house. All the relatives gathered around to watch the “westerner” eat and converse with the elders. I didn’t realize I was the main attraction at this comedy club but all of the adults and especially the children had laughs at my expense. As I began eating the food with my fingers as a “true” Indian would I noticed that after about the first 4 or 5 bites there was a small fire brewing in my mouth and I needed a shot from my new best friend on the trip called “Cold bottled water”. After the laughter died down I approached each bite a little more gingerly and made sure the water was always nearby. The adults all had questions about living in the U.S. and the children were more interested in pictures of my family on the Iphone. After the meal, I was served a very hot cup of Chi Tea and quickly learned how to hold the small metal cup with no handles by the lip – not by the sides … I repeat … not by the sides. Again, I love providing so much entertainment.

The two days included sleeping outdoors on cots with mosquito nets. The nights were hot and humid. The days were hot in the upper 90’s with no A/C available anywhere. Your only relief was to be had sitting under ceiling fans on covered porches. My first few days of the vacation being pampered in Hyderabad were officially over. I was now in an Indian village with no refrigeration and no A/C. I was sharing space with cows, dogs and chickens on dirt roads while battling mosquitos. Sleeping was difficult. As if the heat and humidity wasn’t bad enough, half the town continued celebrating until 4:00am each night. When I use the word celebrate here I’m not talking about a few people listening to music with lively conversation around a small campfire, I’m talking 20 hand drums … 10 fully lighted torches, huge booming fireworks and maybe 50 people chanting loudly in unison as they parade through the town. As the parade faded in the distance and I started dozing off, a loud BOOM would occur seemingly right over our house giving me a startle. Frustrated, I look over to my left at the cot next to mine where Manohar was still snoring like bear in hibernation! Man, he was sawing down some major trees. I believe that guy could sleep through a gun battle. The roosters also appear to be different here in India where they begin crowing at 4:30 am as opposed to waiting for sunrise as roosters in the US. I could have used an extra hour.