EASING THE LOAD, PRIYA STYLE

Featured in the Indian Panorama section, Baaram which means burden, the Tamil film directed and produced by Priya Krishnaswamy revolves around a widowed night watchman, Karuppaswamy and his sons during his last days, when he is subjected to the practice of Thalaikoothal.

A veteran film-editor, Priya Krishnaswamy made her directorial debut with Gangoobai produced by NFDC in 2013. She said, “When I read news about elderly infirm parents being despatched with a cold head-bath (‘Thalaikoothal’) and getting killed and heard this had social sanction, I could not believe it; until I saw Satyameva Jayate by Aamir Khan who foregrounded the issue."

Priya said it acted as a catalyst to do a documentary on this. She found out there were 26 documented ways to kill the elderly and that this practice is prevalent not only in south India but also in north India as well as in other countries.
 

“Baaram is based on true events; I find it incredible, it is all about humanity. As a mother, daughter and grand-daughter, I cannot believe that we have lost out on our humanity. When we lose out on these values, we lose out on kindness, gentleness. It had a social sanction, there were traditional killers and it was being done for free. What began as tradition and was for free is now a business with brokers and commissions.”

Priya wondered of the cultural messaging that this is the country that wants sons, yet the ones who murder the elderly are the sons themselves. "We do not have social infrastructure to take care of the elderly. This systemic failure has infiltrated the family as well. The breakdown of the joint family is a problem that I want to showcase through this movie. When we lose out on a generation before us, we lose out on kindness, wisdom, culture, cuisine. That made me think hard and it all happened."


[International Film Festival of India - Goa - Event covered by Behindwoods' accredited Senior freelance writer KV Vasudevan]