Vasthuhara (1991) - full transcript
Perpetually it happens.
In 1947 too, it happened.
From East Bengal to West Bengal.
Ranaghat of West Bengal,..the place
where its soil swamped by refugees' tears
and atmosphere filled by their sighs.
Those whose life only was spared
by the turmoils of partition, stayed here.
When gets haunted by the memories
of their home and native place,
they couldn't resist to go back.
But when they came back,
they understood eveything has changed.
New language, new culture, new symbols,
and new smell. Again to Ranaghat..
When the government panicked by seeing
the unending outflow of refugees, they said;
'these refugees are foreigners, deport them
as per our citizens' wish.'
But the west bengal people
didn't obey this order.
They asked; 'at the time of partition,
why didn't you inquire citizens' wish?'
These people aren't refugees.
They are the people, whose land
had been stolen because of you.
"The Dispossessed."
Later, a board appeared above
the temporary camp in Ranaghat
on 10th March, 1950.
Camp of endless burdens.
That endless burdens still persist,
even after two decades.
Yesterday a woman came here
for seeing you. Looks like bengali.
Almost everyone of 70,000 malayalees here
are living only in their secluded world.
He hides his dreams and sorrows inside,
and put a smiling face outside.
He tries to forget himself
in the wine glasses occasionally.
Just the 1% of population,
and 16th according to language.
Hey, Ouseppachan. Come.
He is Venu.
He is working in the project department,
that recruit refugees to Andaman.
This is Ouseppachan.
The king of Rubber merchants in Kolkata.
Oh, it not like what they exaggerate.
I came here to remember you
about our Onam celebration.
That'll be like what we said earlier.
Let him come too.
Sure.
But no need of our Variyar sir.
He don't even allow us to open a bottle.
That's right.
Swami, two tea.
Sir, are you a malayali?
Yes, by birth. Now bengali. Next..
How do you learn malayalam?
Sir, can you take me too to island.
I'm also a refugee.
Are you farmers?
Caste?
Not farmers.
Caste is Kayastha.
This project is intended for Namasudra.
For the farmers from scheduled caste.
Want to escape from this damn Kolkata.
Else, my two children..
Have the tea.
Are your children literate?
Daughter studied MA. Didn't write exam.
Son..polytechnic..
Will look some other job vacancies in island.
In any bengali schools.
Save me sir.
There'll be any way.
Please go with peace.
Who's this woman?
I have seen her somewhere.
But when?, At which place?
The poverty stricken farmers,
poor small artists, circus players
who performed on road side,
the victims of brutal feudalism..
From them, the scheduled caste farmers
is going to some unknown place
of this world to survive.
[Reciting a malayalam poem]
Great work.
In these days, a malayali poet
who thought of writing
a poem named 'Bangladesh' is..
We don't know to respect our own people.
We talk about all these bengali writers.
But are they willing to understand our writers?
At most, they may heard about Thakazhi.
That's all.
Not all the things you said are right.
Never forget the slogan and support given
by bengalis at the time of Kayyur revolt.
Agreed. But here, so many malayali boys
are marrying bengali girls.
But why not marrying a malayali girl..
Where's parochialism in what i said?
Leave it and move to next round.
If the black is finished,
here it is the white horse.
Sorry sir. Didn't recognize at first.
My daughter Damayanthi.
Went for strike in college. Didn't complete
post graduation. Got a teacher's job,
after i begged so much in front of many.
But what to say now..
She's a poor girl. Please forgive.
There are facts in what she said.
Sir, when will you return back to island?
As soon as my job is finished.
Mostly, within two months.
Can you please enquire about
the job you have said earlier?
Sure.
Write you address here.
Panikkar is my husband's name.
Did you go to Kerala?
Once. Till the front door of husband's house.
Couldn't go beyond that.
What's your husband's name?
Kunjunni Panikkar.
How is that family's disappointment
became mine too?
I think this Kunjunni Panikkar is my uncle,
who left the village years ago.
Kunjunni uncle, the man who was
my hero in the childhood. The rebel, writer..
To mother,
Here i unexpectedly met the
widow of Kunjunni uncle.
Her name is Arathi Panikkar.
It is said that Delhi is the city of tombs.
Then, Kolkata is the tomb of shattered dreams.
It'll take time for malayalees to understand
that each bengali around him, give up their
identity and self respect for survival.
Her husband, who was seen as healthy,
died of cholera last week,
while preparing to go to island.
What'll be the future of this poor widow,
like many other widows of Ranaghat?.
And, what'll be that of Kunjunni uncle's widow?
I'm sure that they are Kunjunni uncle's
wife and daughter. But the tone of rejection
and exasperation in my mother's lines...
Where are they?
Who?
Kunjunni's wife and children.
I came without bringing anyone.
Where is he?
It's good he hasn't bring them.
How did you find them?
How's their life?
What about the share of Kunjunni uncle here?
Kunjunni's land is with me.
I'm not going to give it to some outcasts.
Paddy field is with Bhavani.
Don't expect it from that stingy woman.
How's her life there?
And children..?
In a miserable condition.
Madhavan. People call me Madhavan master.
Kunjunni strongly worked for our organization.
He wrote letters to me when he was in Dhaka.
Where is his family?
Bhavani Aunty wants to see you.
Did you see Arathi?
Yes.
Sit.
Are they in Calcutta?
Does she look old?
Somewhat.
More than me?
Arathi is younger than me.
Kunjunni's paddy field is with me.
You should pay attention to what i'm saying.
That field is a tenure property.
They give that to me as my share
like a punishment.
But i legally overcame it,
using my intelligence.
Are you listening?
Yes.
You know what law is.
So you say, must i give that property
to Arathi?
Then i say; there is no need to hand over it.
But i'm willing to give.
I'm ready to give the paddy field.
If they want as money,
sell this land.
Come here before you return.
Sure.
Give this to Ananthan,
but don't get noticed by Kunjunni.
Give this to Kunjunni,
but don't get noticed by Ananthan.
For how long we have to live like this?
Let all these busy travellings get finished.
Even if everything get finished,
do you think your family will agree with it?
I'll never be like Kunjunni uncle.
Please..
somebody will see.
I heard that you visited that slut.
She might slam in your face.
Bhavani Aunty agreed to hand over the field.
Oh..so she, herself is giving the property
to Kunjunni's family!
She is the one who is responsible for
him to leave this place.
Please leave me Kunjunni.
Somebody will see.
That innocent Ananthan, earned money
and worked hard in foreign countries.
But when he returned, he had to commit
suicide because of that slut's perfidies.
I'm returning today itself.
Then why you came here?
To get the share of some vagrants. Is it?
You always find these types of people.
I'm aware of everything you do.
You have money for all these matters,
but for taking me to Vellore..
You have money to treat not only in Vellore,
even in America.
Income from all these properites,
then the money your relatives are sending..
Shall i come with you to Calcutta.
May find any job there with malayalis..
The malayalis there are doing jobs like
rubber business, tailoring,..
What job will be appropriate
for a brahmin like you?
Even cooking is ok for me.
At least, the starvation of my family
can be reduced.
Did you see them?
How's his daughter looks like?
Is she fair skinned, like Kunjunni?
Does she has long beautiful hair,
like Kunjunni?
This is your mother.
Can you recognize?
I'm taking this,
for showing it to Arathi Aunty.
But you have to give it back.
You didn't return any of the things,
you took from me.
I'll give back everything you gave,
with some new good books.
There are so many good book stalls in Kolkata.
This is for Arathi's daughter?
Her name is Damayanthi, right?
May i leave. Will write when i reach.
Tell Arathi that, i'll accept
all the decisions she makes.
I'm going. Don't reveal the death news.
Your Ananthan uncle commited suicide,
in a lodge in Madhura.
That's why police has came. Don't tell
anybody about this.
Hey..what's this?
Please come.
Daughter's parole is going to expire.
She went to submit a plea to magistrate.
If it doesn't get..
Don't you understand who i am?
What you are saying?
I know you are the refugee officer.
I'm Kunjunni Panikkar's sister's son.
Sit.
Which sister's..?
Does Devaki has only one son?
Yes. I'm Venu.
I've visited home, recently.
Who kept this?
Bhavani Aunty.
Hope, Bhavani is fine.
Yes.
Bhavani's beautiness..
Have you seen Bhavani Aunty?
No. But heard about her many times.
Why you suddenly went to home town?
The share of properties you deserve..
The memory of the visit
made by me and your uncle, to there
isn't faded.
Gate wasn't opened.
A group of aged people yelled from yard.
Women and kids behind the windows looked at us.
We came back.
In train, both of us cried uncontrollably.
India's partition was during that period.
How Kunjunni uncle died?
He died of cholera,
in a refugee camp.
Damayanthi was only two months old.
And i was pregnant.
To send a telegram to your family,
i got money by begging in refugee camp.
My brother was in a higher position,
when i and my children roamed the streets
of Kolkata with hunger.
But i didn't seek help from anyone.
Bhavani Aunty is willing to give the property.
I don't need anything from anyone.
I'm leaving, Aunty.
I rejected only the wealth you offered,
not the relationship with you.
I need it always.
I came in the middle of many busy jobs.
I prepare food for you.
Aunty, where is the son?
He is hiding somewhere.
She knows, but wouldn't disclose
the location even to me.
Your mother mayn't be able to
go for tuition job in future.
You should try for a job.
The advice from loved ones
will always be reactionary.
This is a universal truth.
Siren of ship..
The time to go to island has arrived.
This necklace suits you well.
Does my 'Murappennu' feel romantic?
I'm not your 'Murappennu', brother.
Low-tide in Ganges,..
The speed of ship is increasing.
The aeon of hope of 'the dispossessed'
has begun.
The journey to the shores of
the promised land somewhere in
eastern islands, has started.
In 1971 April, the refugee flow
from east bengal
resulted in the war between
India and Pakistan in that December.
It is the beginning of an another fleeing
of millions, through the bloodstained
path of history.
'The dispossessed'
In 1947 too, it happened.
From East Bengal to West Bengal.
Ranaghat of West Bengal,..the place
where its soil swamped by refugees' tears
and atmosphere filled by their sighs.
Those whose life only was spared
by the turmoils of partition, stayed here.
When gets haunted by the memories
of their home and native place,
they couldn't resist to go back.
But when they came back,
they understood eveything has changed.
New language, new culture, new symbols,
and new smell. Again to Ranaghat..
When the government panicked by seeing
the unending outflow of refugees, they said;
'these refugees are foreigners, deport them
as per our citizens' wish.'
But the west bengal people
didn't obey this order.
They asked; 'at the time of partition,
why didn't you inquire citizens' wish?'
These people aren't refugees.
They are the people, whose land
had been stolen because of you.
"The Dispossessed."
Later, a board appeared above
the temporary camp in Ranaghat
on 10th March, 1950.
Camp of endless burdens.
That endless burdens still persist,
even after two decades.
Yesterday a woman came here
for seeing you. Looks like bengali.
Almost everyone of 70,000 malayalees here
are living only in their secluded world.
He hides his dreams and sorrows inside,
and put a smiling face outside.
He tries to forget himself
in the wine glasses occasionally.
Just the 1% of population,
and 16th according to language.
Hey, Ouseppachan. Come.
He is Venu.
He is working in the project department,
that recruit refugees to Andaman.
This is Ouseppachan.
The king of Rubber merchants in Kolkata.
Oh, it not like what they exaggerate.
I came here to remember you
about our Onam celebration.
That'll be like what we said earlier.
Let him come too.
Sure.
But no need of our Variyar sir.
He don't even allow us to open a bottle.
That's right.
Swami, two tea.
Sir, are you a malayali?
Yes, by birth. Now bengali. Next..
How do you learn malayalam?
Sir, can you take me too to island.
I'm also a refugee.
Are you farmers?
Caste?
Not farmers.
Caste is Kayastha.
This project is intended for Namasudra.
For the farmers from scheduled caste.
Want to escape from this damn Kolkata.
Else, my two children..
Have the tea.
Are your children literate?
Daughter studied MA. Didn't write exam.
Son..polytechnic..
Will look some other job vacancies in island.
In any bengali schools.
Save me sir.
There'll be any way.
Please go with peace.
Who's this woman?
I have seen her somewhere.
But when?, At which place?
The poverty stricken farmers,
poor small artists, circus players
who performed on road side,
the victims of brutal feudalism..
From them, the scheduled caste farmers
is going to some unknown place
of this world to survive.
[Reciting a malayalam poem]
Great work.
In these days, a malayali poet
who thought of writing
a poem named 'Bangladesh' is..
We don't know to respect our own people.
We talk about all these bengali writers.
But are they willing to understand our writers?
At most, they may heard about Thakazhi.
That's all.
Not all the things you said are right.
Never forget the slogan and support given
by bengalis at the time of Kayyur revolt.
Agreed. But here, so many malayali boys
are marrying bengali girls.
But why not marrying a malayali girl..
Where's parochialism in what i said?
Leave it and move to next round.
If the black is finished,
here it is the white horse.
Sorry sir. Didn't recognize at first.
My daughter Damayanthi.
Went for strike in college. Didn't complete
post graduation. Got a teacher's job,
after i begged so much in front of many.
But what to say now..
She's a poor girl. Please forgive.
There are facts in what she said.
Sir, when will you return back to island?
As soon as my job is finished.
Mostly, within two months.
Can you please enquire about
the job you have said earlier?
Sure.
Write you address here.
Panikkar is my husband's name.
Did you go to Kerala?
Once. Till the front door of husband's house.
Couldn't go beyond that.
What's your husband's name?
Kunjunni Panikkar.
How is that family's disappointment
became mine too?
I think this Kunjunni Panikkar is my uncle,
who left the village years ago.
Kunjunni uncle, the man who was
my hero in the childhood. The rebel, writer..
To mother,
Here i unexpectedly met the
widow of Kunjunni uncle.
Her name is Arathi Panikkar.
It is said that Delhi is the city of tombs.
Then, Kolkata is the tomb of shattered dreams.
It'll take time for malayalees to understand
that each bengali around him, give up their
identity and self respect for survival.
Her husband, who was seen as healthy,
died of cholera last week,
while preparing to go to island.
What'll be the future of this poor widow,
like many other widows of Ranaghat?.
And, what'll be that of Kunjunni uncle's widow?
I'm sure that they are Kunjunni uncle's
wife and daughter. But the tone of rejection
and exasperation in my mother's lines...
Where are they?
Who?
Kunjunni's wife and children.
I came without bringing anyone.
Where is he?
It's good he hasn't bring them.
How did you find them?
How's their life?
What about the share of Kunjunni uncle here?
Kunjunni's land is with me.
I'm not going to give it to some outcasts.
Paddy field is with Bhavani.
Don't expect it from that stingy woman.
How's her life there?
And children..?
In a miserable condition.
Madhavan. People call me Madhavan master.
Kunjunni strongly worked for our organization.
He wrote letters to me when he was in Dhaka.
Where is his family?
Bhavani Aunty wants to see you.
Did you see Arathi?
Yes.
Sit.
Are they in Calcutta?
Does she look old?
Somewhat.
More than me?
Arathi is younger than me.
Kunjunni's paddy field is with me.
You should pay attention to what i'm saying.
That field is a tenure property.
They give that to me as my share
like a punishment.
But i legally overcame it,
using my intelligence.
Are you listening?
Yes.
You know what law is.
So you say, must i give that property
to Arathi?
Then i say; there is no need to hand over it.
But i'm willing to give.
I'm ready to give the paddy field.
If they want as money,
sell this land.
Come here before you return.
Sure.
Give this to Ananthan,
but don't get noticed by Kunjunni.
Give this to Kunjunni,
but don't get noticed by Ananthan.
For how long we have to live like this?
Let all these busy travellings get finished.
Even if everything get finished,
do you think your family will agree with it?
I'll never be like Kunjunni uncle.
Please..
somebody will see.
I heard that you visited that slut.
She might slam in your face.
Bhavani Aunty agreed to hand over the field.
Oh..so she, herself is giving the property
to Kunjunni's family!
She is the one who is responsible for
him to leave this place.
Please leave me Kunjunni.
Somebody will see.
That innocent Ananthan, earned money
and worked hard in foreign countries.
But when he returned, he had to commit
suicide because of that slut's perfidies.
I'm returning today itself.
Then why you came here?
To get the share of some vagrants. Is it?
You always find these types of people.
I'm aware of everything you do.
You have money for all these matters,
but for taking me to Vellore..
You have money to treat not only in Vellore,
even in America.
Income from all these properites,
then the money your relatives are sending..
Shall i come with you to Calcutta.
May find any job there with malayalis..
The malayalis there are doing jobs like
rubber business, tailoring,..
What job will be appropriate
for a brahmin like you?
Even cooking is ok for me.
At least, the starvation of my family
can be reduced.
Did you see them?
How's his daughter looks like?
Is she fair skinned, like Kunjunni?
Does she has long beautiful hair,
like Kunjunni?
This is your mother.
Can you recognize?
I'm taking this,
for showing it to Arathi Aunty.
But you have to give it back.
You didn't return any of the things,
you took from me.
I'll give back everything you gave,
with some new good books.
There are so many good book stalls in Kolkata.
This is for Arathi's daughter?
Her name is Damayanthi, right?
May i leave. Will write when i reach.
Tell Arathi that, i'll accept
all the decisions she makes.
I'm going. Don't reveal the death news.
Your Ananthan uncle commited suicide,
in a lodge in Madhura.
That's why police has came. Don't tell
anybody about this.
Hey..what's this?
Please come.
Daughter's parole is going to expire.
She went to submit a plea to magistrate.
If it doesn't get..
Don't you understand who i am?
What you are saying?
I know you are the refugee officer.
I'm Kunjunni Panikkar's sister's son.
Sit.
Which sister's..?
Does Devaki has only one son?
Yes. I'm Venu.
I've visited home, recently.
Who kept this?
Bhavani Aunty.
Hope, Bhavani is fine.
Yes.
Bhavani's beautiness..
Have you seen Bhavani Aunty?
No. But heard about her many times.
Why you suddenly went to home town?
The share of properties you deserve..
The memory of the visit
made by me and your uncle, to there
isn't faded.
Gate wasn't opened.
A group of aged people yelled from yard.
Women and kids behind the windows looked at us.
We came back.
In train, both of us cried uncontrollably.
India's partition was during that period.
How Kunjunni uncle died?
He died of cholera,
in a refugee camp.
Damayanthi was only two months old.
And i was pregnant.
To send a telegram to your family,
i got money by begging in refugee camp.
My brother was in a higher position,
when i and my children roamed the streets
of Kolkata with hunger.
But i didn't seek help from anyone.
Bhavani Aunty is willing to give the property.
I don't need anything from anyone.
I'm leaving, Aunty.
I rejected only the wealth you offered,
not the relationship with you.
I need it always.
I came in the middle of many busy jobs.
I prepare food for you.
Aunty, where is the son?
He is hiding somewhere.
She knows, but wouldn't disclose
the location even to me.
Your mother mayn't be able to
go for tuition job in future.
You should try for a job.
The advice from loved ones
will always be reactionary.
This is a universal truth.
Siren of ship..
The time to go to island has arrived.
This necklace suits you well.
Does my 'Murappennu' feel romantic?
I'm not your 'Murappennu', brother.
Low-tide in Ganges,..
The speed of ship is increasing.
The aeon of hope of 'the dispossessed'
has begun.
The journey to the shores of
the promised land somewhere in
eastern islands, has started.
In 1971 April, the refugee flow
from east bengal
resulted in the war between
India and Pakistan in that December.
It is the beginning of an another fleeing
of millions, through the bloodstained
path of history.
'The dispossessed'