Movie 'PK' Review

In the age of social media outrage, it is difficult not to become part of it. Social Media, twitter, facebook, whatsapp & discussion forums are buzz with comments as to how movie is anti-Hindu. Even before I decided to watch movie, I was bombarded with all outrageous issues movie ‘PK’ raised. I paid extra attention while watching movie, which I otherwise I would not have paid attention to such idiotic masala movie. I am not a movie reviewer by any criterion but this is small attempt to put down some of the notes I made during movie & some afterthought. Theme of the movie appears to question mindless karmkand/rituals followed by all religion. However Large portion of the movie spent to ridicule hindu karmakand. Movie indeed is preachy and there are holes in the script everywhere. 

Anti-Human Movie

PK is not only anti religion but also anti human as well. I now I am taking bit too far, but isn’t it symbolic, in the first encounter between alien and humans in movie ‘PK’, human steal property (remote control) of the alien.  

Pakistani Connection

Female Lead’s (Anushka Sharma) love interest is Architect student (Sushant Singh Rajput) who happens to be Pakistani. In my opinion, there is nothing wrong in falling love with Pakistani citizen. But in the context of story, it was more to do with story writers own love for ‘Aman ki Asha’ kind of campaign, which has forced them to make Muslim boy a Pakistani. Story writer & director have gone out of the way to show, how nice & polite Pakistani’s are. On the backdrop of Peshawar incident, this looks idiotic & ironical.

Fear of God vs Love of God

Most of the movie is based on questioning hindu karmakand & rituals including way of worship. While usual disclaimer would include that this is work of fiction & didn’t meant to hurt religious sentiment etc, but it becomes very obvious that disproportionate time is spent to criticise mindless rituals we Hindus carry out. Just because movie maker are biased to single out hindus, mindless karmakand doesn’t become valid.  Babas & Sadhus have made business out of superstition of the common people.  Other than social media, most of the folk who have seen movie will react, what wrong they have shown? Most of us agree that likes of Nirmal Baba etc no way represent Hinduism. Yes there are thugs who are there to make money and exploit poor, innocent and vulnerable people.

I liked the fact that movie tried to show that most of us worship god because we fear him. What movie didn’t show is that we have tradition in this country where people have been taught to worship for love of god. However I would like to state that following was certainly in bad taste

1.   Chase sequence of Shiva and lead character might look funny but of course it had malicious intent. While watching movie you know that person was dressed up as lord shiva, but point was being made is, like actor was false god, are we sure that lord shiva is not false god?  

2.   Pontificate on idol worship: There are multiple scenes in the movie where it was implied that idols are false god. “If god made us, how can we make god?”  Murti Puja has been integral to our way of worship.  सगुण साकार(with form and characteristics)  and निर्गुण निराकार ((with form and characteristics) is sacrosanct for Hindus. Instead of going in to rationale of ‘MurtiPuja’ I would just like to quote two shloka from Bhagwad Gita.

मय्यावेश्य मनो ये मां नित्ययुक्ता उपासते

श्रद्धाया परयोपेतास्ते मे युक्ततमा मताः (Bhagwad Gita 2/12)

“The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Those who fix their minds on My personal form and are always engaged in worshiping Me with great and transcendental faith are considered by Me to be most perfect.” मयि मनः आवेश्य here “मयि” (In me) word is in सगुण साकार(with form and characteristics)

यो यो यां यां तनुं भक्तः श्रद्धायार्चितुमिच्छति ।
तस्य तस्याचलां श्रद्धां तामेव विदधाम्यहम् (Bhagwat Gita 21/7)

“Whatsoever form any devotee seeks to worship with Shraddhâ,—that Shraddhâ of his do I make unwavering”

3.   Superstition: What is superstition? Rituals followed without understanding meaning behind it. It is but obvious that random kripa given by nirmal baba cannot be termed as hindu karmakand. Hindus in general shown as superstitious, most of them trying to cut it short by not playing hard instead were praying hard to achieve goals. While praying is important but karmayoga is part of our culture & theology. Lord Krishna didn’t gifted Mahabharata war victory to Arjuna. Arjuna had to fight hard to win the war. Doing own karma is part of our Dharma; outcome of this karma is dependent on god. Irony committed suicide when ‘PK’ character asks female lead to dance with him because she was sad. You won’t know whether dancing will make you happy or not till the time you dance. Some will feel happy, someone will not. So in a way dancing is also karmakand. But anyways idea of movie was only to question one kind of superstition.

Other Religion criticized?

In following scene, there was attempt made to mock other religion

• Christianity: There was joke on why Jesus is paying for ‘PK’'s sin, since ‘PK’ just came to earth whereas Christ was born 2000 years before.  In other scene one guy talks about conversion to Christianity. Well reason given for not converting is more hilarious. “If god wants me to be Christian, he will make me born to Christian parents”. Does director/story writer suggesting that before 2000 years god didn’t want anyone to be Christian? Isn't it obvious?
• Islam: In reference to bomb blast shown in the movie, ‘PK’ mentions that because some idiots wanted to save their ‘Khuda’ he has lost his kind friend. Again here writers are smart enough to use ‘Khuda’ and not ‘Allah’
• Shikh gentlemen is shown begging for Rs 500. I am sure there must be few beggars who are Sikhs, I am yet to see one. Here again, I don’t see need to show character associated with any religion.   

Characterization of ‘PK’

Questioning plot of the Bollywood movie should be blasphemy, so that no idiot like me tries to make sense out of the movie story.Planet where ‘PK’ comes from Planet where no one lies. They don’t have spoken language. Astronauts are supposed to be smart nut. However Planet where, ‘PK’ came from

•  Doesn't believe in self-defense, hence could not even secure his only communication device with mother ship.
• Language is medium to communicate, even if ‘PK’ didn't understand language or later learned ‘Bhojpuri’. Far away from being astronaut, he sounded idiot.  It was quite apparent, He lacked basic problem solving capability.
• Even though he was not supposed to lie, ‘PK’ lies at the end of the movie. Only inference I can draw is that love makes him to lie. In most part of the movie ‘PK’ not capable of lie was virtue, but in the end he lied so that female lead would not know ‘PK’’s feeling. So in the end of the movie lie was shown virtue, I would not even go in differentiation between fact vs truth (Satya).
•  ‘PK’ could download language in six hours, but has to carry recorded voice of his love interest to his planet. But he was smart enough to carry two bags of battery.
•   ‘PK’ and other aliens could make engineering marvels like spaceship which can even hide behind cloud, but could not make cloths. While I would give benefit of doubt for First trip but even in second trip, Ranbir Kapoor in his special appearance was shown bare chest.   

Will ‘PK’ change anything?

‘Tare Zameen par’ or ‘Three idiots’ or any other movie on social issue hasn't changed much. Yes it has brought some kind of awareness. But again idea of such movie is not bring overnight change but to create sustained narrative in favor of particular ideology. ‘PK’ is certainly part of this sustained effort. 

Kitchen, Toilet and Caste

National Council of Applied Economic Research conducted survey of more than 42000 households in India to conclude that one in four Indians still practice untouchability. 

Biggest caste survey: One in four Indians admit to practising untouchability http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/one-in-four-indians-admit-to-practising-untouchability-biggest-caste-survey/#sthash.4GuSY7v8.dpuf

These surveys are sticks which left liberals wants every now and than to paint Indians in general and Hindus in particular regressive and backward. At the same time it would be wrong to assume that survey doesn't reflect ground realities. It is beyond doubt that even after six decades of independence; our societies are still stricken with evils like untouchability.

Social Media is buzzing with rhetoric, valid, stupid commentary on this subject. In this Blog I will try to share my own opinion, experience about Caste.

My Caste, Forward, Backward or Other          

Do you know your caste? Of Course I do, from childhood I wore caste on my sleeves. My parents have made sure by conscious effort or simply by association of people, we are aware of caste. No I am not from forward caste, We are from Tailor community, in Gujarat our caste is classified as OBC, whereas in Maharashtra, our caste is not listed as OBC. My parents never ever mentioned about whether we are from forward or backward caste. It’s just that most of my relatives including my father were in to Tailoring professions; hence it was but obvious that we use to constantly relate to our caste and profession of our forefathers. 

Was I subjected to discrimination? 

Call it benefit of born and brought up in Mega city Mumbai, I don't recall single instance where I was subject to discrimination. No my socio-economic condition did not have any contribution to non-discrimination. I have spent 25 years of my life in 100 Sq feet room in a chawl or slum if you may want to call it. Even if some incident might have happened it just did not stuck to my conscious which I can remember now. 

Not sure about other people who are subject to discrimination but in my case, relatives and occasionally neighbors would frequently remind us while growing up to learn art of my forefathers quickly so that I can be helping hand to my father. May be it was a hint that most of us follow caste profession so should you.

Do I view my Caste in Negativity?

While growing up, I have been told ‘n’ number of times "all these education will go in vain". "There is hardly any job in market.” “Your father can not afford cost of your education". "You are grown up boy, why don't you contribute economically to your family." “Becoming CA is not your cup of tea”. Add to our misery my father passed away early, I was in last year of college. 

I have mentioned challenges posed mainly from relatives and Caste members, but irrespective of these occasional taunts, I must appreciate that my caste organisation has played huge role in my education. Most of Gujarati Castes has their caste specific samaj (organisations). Our Caste was no different; we had many organisation and charitable trusts from the money donated by well off family of our caste. There are many initiatives and social activities our caste use to carry out throughout year. Some of the example being

• ·      On every 15th Aug our caste used to honor top 3 students of caste per each Standards/class. I have still got Medal from 1st standard to certificate of appreciation when I passed CA.  

• ·   Our Caste organisation use to provide text books for any college or post-graduation studies. I was lucky to avail the facility; I have studied from Junior college to Chartered Accountancy using text books provided by caste.  
• ·        This particular initiative which I always remember was in a way unique. Kandivali unit of our caste made mandatory rule for all members last rites rituals will only be performed by caste. In case of death in any family member of caste residing in Kandivali, all necessary arrangements, including cost, for last rites were taken care by our caste organisation. This rule was applicable for all whether rich or poor. I am not sure about others but when my father passed away, if not this initiative, I would have to seek help of friends to meet cost of his last funerals. 

Trusties/Elders of Caste had been helpful and always cheered me to work hard and complete my studies. 

Kitchen, Toilet

Many of us on social media bloated that they would not mind their cleaners to cook for them. Of course this is obvious for people who believe equality. However I would like to point out that if cleaners indeed good in cooking food, he/she would be working as cook in your house and not as cleaners. I am not sure about other city, but in Mumbai, you can hire part time cleaners and cooks. Both Cleaners and Cooks will come for one hour or half hour depending on your engagement and will compete their work with due efficiency. Even if we disregard hygiene factor for a part time cleaner, does he/she have required skills to meet your everyday culinary needs? If your answer is yes, why not hire him/her as cook itself. At least in Mumbai, if cleaner knows good cooking, he/she will not be doing cleaning work. If you ask any economist, he/she will justify this behavioral pattern purely from economics point of view?

Of course I might be wrong, but in my opinion important part of this Kitchen Toilet debate is 'skill'. Cleaning at different places and cooking to meet culinary need of different people is different skill. Both skills yield different wage. If Cook refuse to clean the utensil, reason can be many, including

• He/she feel cleaning is lowest of low work; Cook being superior will/should not do cleaning job.
• If He/She is part time, time spent on cleaning could be utilized in another cooking job, which will earn more money.   

With regard to perception of low work, it’s not that such low or high perception exist in blue collar jobs. It exist everywhere, look around your work places you will find examples. Instead of pointing finger at others, Let me illustrate my own experience. Once I was offended by my Senior Chartered Accountant colleague when I was asked to go to Income tax office to file tax return. In those old days tax return were filed personally in tax office. Filing tax returns are either done by experienced peons or junior article clerks. While I was junior article clerk I had done enough of tax return filings. After qualifying CA, I thought going to tax office to file tax return was not my job. But my senior thought otherwise. It was good learning anyways; today being entrepreneur we are subjected to do practically everything. 

Conclusion

Generations and millions of people have suffered due to century of discrimination. However world has changed so should we for better. Each segment of our society has to reinvent themselves. These include Caste as well. Many societies are making attempt to reinvent themselves. Dignity of labour is important virtue, our society has to inculcate. In my case, caste has provided required support for my education. Not that I have less respect for my forefather’s occupation but no amount of money can compensate value of education.

Each occupation requires different skills. Since we don’t live in pure socialist society, each of skills will carry different economic compensation and related social environment. Dignity of Labour is important virtue we have to learn, hence we should not reduce debate to Kitchen Toilet and caste only.