A few years ago I saw 'Time Pass' [ part 1] in the nearest multiplex. My fellow patrons occupying the next seats were mostly from Lalbag Parel area. This was totally my deduction from their response to the Lalbag Parel lingo in the movie, could be, they were from different parts of Mumbai. And when the antagonist, father of the girl, a lower division clerk from the BARC, Mr Lele confronts the hero, Lalbag Parel style, THE Hero, in his typical caste declaring nasal twang, entire row practically went berserk! If the ridicule would have reached the screen the actor who played the role either would have died in ecstasy for the applause he got for his caricaturist performance or died in shame for the covert hatred that marooned in the garish applause. And 'Time Pass' was super duper hit! I am not ashamed to say that I did not like it for its overt or covert casteist overtures! And so I precisely refrained myself from watching the second part though it showed some things, not in the same vein!
Saw 'Sairat ' in the same multiplex probably on the same screen, and it seemed that much water has flown under the bridge!
The plot essentially is the same. High [ Class, Caste, Creed does not matter here] brow girl elopes with a low brow boy and the hell is let loose! Because here the father of the girl is not a poor Brahman lowly clerk from BARC, he is an aristocratic high-class custodian of the society from THE ruling class! In the previous movie, it's the father of the girl who leaves the town for fear of castigation, here...! No applause, no hoots or boos, only pin drop silence, even in the movie hall!
It's time to come to the reality, real reality and not the one perpetrated by the ruling class for years together, holding Brahmans responsible for every misgiving in the society, pointing finger at Manu every time, whom hardly anybody has read in details!
Thank you Mr Nagraj Manjule for bringing out the true heinous face of the society that still prevails despite the claims made to the contrary!
Every father, after all he is THE father of a daughter, will feel the same way, whether he is 'Lele' or 'Patil'. It's the reaction first and then the action taken on it, that matters, and there lies the crux of class values, Vain egos versus practical solution ! And here real enlightening education with upbringing, definitely counts !
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