A film that speaks in between the lines-Ottal

We were fortunate enough to be present for the closing ceremony of the 20th International Film Festival of Kerala ( IFFK ) which concluded 2 days before here in Thiruvananthapuram. Fortunate enough to have got the opportunity to see the film 'Ottal' ,directed by Jayraj which bagged several awards,including the Suvarna Chakoram in the fest. It is a sweet adaptation of Anton Chekhov's short story 'Vanka' set in the agricultural hotspot of Kuttanad in Kerala.

                                    It depicts the life of Kuttapayi, a small boy not more than 10, who lives with his grandfather in a tiny bamboo shed, making a living out of selling eggs of ducks. In spite of not being educated,Kuttapayi is a bright boy who weaves intense relationships with nature and its elements. He becomes good friends with Tinku, a boy from a wealthy middle class family and comes to know of the  joy of  going to school and learning. But it is the uneducated Kuttapayi who teaches Tinku many valuable lessons in life. In one scene the boys are shown to be walking besides a tree that had a group of sparrow nests. When Tinku asks Kuttapayi to take the nest out of the tree,Kuttapayi refuses to do so and teaches Tinku as well as the audience that humans are none to deny the poor birds the right to a home and the right to fly freely under the firmament.

                  But his grandfather,whom he lovingly calls Valiyappachayi soon falls prey to a lung disease. Valiyappachayi is troubled when he thinks about the future that lies ahead for his grandson. He cannot find anybody to look after Kuttappayi,in case he passes away at an untimely hour. Left without any other option, the old man is forced to sell Kuttapayi to the firework factories of Tamil Nadu. Kuttapayi is put under the notion that he is being sent to a good school in some far-off place and is over the moon.He tells all the people he knew that he was being sent to a school when at last he finds himself ending up being beaten and starved in the fireworks factory with other kids of his age. The film ends with his dream,his hope,that the letter he sends to his Valiyappachayi asking him to save Kuttapayi from the dungeons of the factory,reaches the right hands. The rest is left to the spectator. Whether or not Kuttapayi is saved is left to us.

                Kuttapayi's letter is a symbol of the hopes of those 150 million plus children who are denied a childhood. The director leaves a strong message to audience- now that we have seen the letter,it becomes our responsibility to save those millions,whether or not those letters reach their addressees. It becomes our responsibility to ensure that those children are put to the right places they belong to- schools.It becomes our responsibility to see to that ,that those children are not denied their childhood.

      Ottal is a film that instigates a thousand thoughts into your blank mind. It is a film of good hope.Of hope that someday,someone will come to save the abandoned . It is a film that asks us to be those saviors,without actually demanding anything of us. A film that speaks in between the lines. .  A film that you would regret not watching.Hats off to the whole crew.