Pataal Lok (the Under World), a new series released last month
on Amazon Prime, seems to have ruffled many feathers. There is a spate of criminal
complaints against the producers of this series, alleging racists, sexist and
communal bias in the story line and depiction. On the other side, there has
been abundance accolade for the intensity of plot and brave presentation.
Intrigued by the diverse opinions, I decided to watch the series and decide for
myself. My take is as follows.
The readers may note that I find it materially relevant for
my investment strategy. In my view, it involves some of the most critical
lacunae of our system including communities, political establishment,
administration, law enforcement & crime investigation, justice and criminal
reform system, which have a strong bearing on the economic growth and
development. I strongly believe that these lacunae have materially hindered our
growth potential and there is little to suggest that the things are changing in
any significant manner. Any assumption regarding India becoming a middle income
economy in the long term investment strategy must be critical evaluated in this
light.
For its cinematic value - tight plot, sharp script, engaging
dialogues, and perfect acting - Pataal Lok is a treat to watch. However, if
someone is not a usual audience (watch, enjoy and forget) and like to
critically analyze a piece of art for its social impact, it raises some serious
questions and answers almost none. For example, consider the following five
points:
(a) The protagonist, who is
a frustrated police officer, discovers that the cartel of media, Police, CBI
and politicians have staged a fake murder attempt and terror plot for vested
interest (remember 1997 Hollywood flick "Wag the Dog"). When he
confronts his seniors, he is advised to close his eyes or face the consequences
of disobedience. He is told that there are no lacunae in the system. It is well
oiled and all the wrong doing are well planned and executed.
The series suddenly refreshes the memories of many infamous
cases like Jessica Lal murder case, Aryushi murder case, Batla House encounter
case, BMW accident case, Salman Khan accident case, etc., and how the
investigating agencies and police did multiple flip flops in the investigation
and prosecution; and how media played the tune.
The plot may strengthened the belief of the unscrupulous that
everything is manageable in the country; while giving a glimmer of hope to the
righteous that with perseverance the culprits may be brought to justice even if
takes extraordinary amount of time and effort.
The question it leaves for the audience is "whether to
believe in the system which is so well organized with all its wheels well
oiled; or stop having whatever trust they have left in the system?" In my
view it raises the level of audiences' cynicism by a few degrees.
The fact that while many people and social organizations have
raised objections to the story line, the administration, media, police and
investigating agencies have not take any objection to their derogatory
depiction; might further hurt the belief of the people in the system.
(b) The series depicts two
instances of gang rape. In one case young girls are raped by their first
cousins, as the girls' father could not repay the debt in time. In the second
case a middle age lower caste woman is brutally gang raped by upper caste
strongmen, to avenge the crime of her son. Her son, unable to bear the
persistence tormenting and physical abuse by the upper caste youth, had killed
one of the upper caste youth and ran away.
Incest, sexual exploitation of borrower by money lenders and
landlords, and rape as a means of revenge have been depicted in many movies in
past 70yrs. It is a common knowledge that these phenomenon are not limited to
movies and are regular practices in our country. In that sense, the series does
show us a clean mirror.
However, nowhere in the series, which has media as one of the
key constituent of plot, any whisper is heard raising concern over these
issues. These instances are used as convenient sub plots to balance the anger
against the brutal killers. The audience is not provoked or motivated to spare
any thought for the deep rooted malaise widely prevalent in our society.
Unfortunately, no human rights or women rights organization has raised
objection on this.
The series thus raises the question, "do we actually care
for the rising instances of crime against women, or our conscious just stirs a
little bit whenever a case of rape gets higher TRP in the media?"
(c) In a sub plot, again
conveniently incorporated to balance the angst against the group of criminals, an
abandoned child is sodomized by a trafficker. After years of exploitation, the
child grows to be a transgender. He cross dresses as a woman and provides
miscellaneous services to various criminals.
Police mistaking this man as female is one of the few mistakes
in the plot; but no "child rights" activist expressing concern over
this issue can certainly not be a mistake. The audience again is left with
almost no disgust for child trafficking and sexual exploitation.
The question it raises is "with so much of insensitivity of
administration, police, media, and common people, how would we solve this very
serious problem prevalent in our society? Has struggle ended with
decriminalization of Section 377 of IPC?
(d) The series has a group
of four hardened criminals, who are engaged by a politician to stage a fake
murder of a star news anchor. Police, administrators, media barrens, hawala
operators and investigating agencies are accomplice in the plan.
Four sub plots are narrated to show how four innocent people transformed
into hardened criminals. The idea behind sub plots is to invoke some sympathy
for these criminals to balance the feelings of audience.
The question that the series leaves for audience is "why no
effort is shown for the reformation of these criminals who were innocent youth
before they took to the path of crime?"
To the contrary, these criminals are shown as tools in the hands
of politicians and police for carrying out their malevolent objectives. A
critical inference is that it is an attempt to generate sympathy for the
criminals and mistrust and disgust for the system per se, without offering any
solution or leaving any scope for debate.
(e) The protagonist police
inspector somehow manages to get his son migrated to a prestigious private
school in Delhi from the government school where he was studying before. He is
not able to tolerate the cultural shock. He is also not accepted by the upper
middle class and rich students of the private school. He is subjected to
constant ridicule and bantering. He develops rebellious tendencies - hates the
father, joins the company of petty criminals etc. and almost kills one of his
classmates.
The behavioral development of this teenager at this point in the
story bears some similarity to the gang of four criminals. Thankfully, timely
intervention by the father saves the boy from slipping into the underworld.
The question which is still bothering me is that "why
people are not rising to demand the "right to uniform education" for
their child?" People come on streets for all miscellaneous issues, but
they do not demand good education which is pre-requisite for poverty
alleviation and inclusion.
The system of caste and religion based reservation can never
succeed till the wide gap between the public and private education is bridged.
I believe this disparity in the education system has been intentionally
introduced to defeat the purposes of reservation. It suits the system
(politicians and elite) very well. The disparity was there in pre Mandal era,
but it seems to have increased tremendously post 1989.
Unfortunately, it seems not to have bothered many.
Readers' views are welcome
at vijaygaba.investrekk@gmail.com
