Agraharathil Kazhuthai
Encyclopedia
Agraharathil Kazhutai is a 1977 Tamil language
film directed by avant-garde
filmmaker John Abraham.
John's second film, Agraharathil Kazhutai made in Tamil
, is a hard hitting satire on the brahminical bigotry
and superstition, where a donkey
becomes the central character.
After the death of the donkey some miracles start happening in the village. People start believing that it is the donkey that brought about all the miracles and starts worshipping the dead body of the donkey. The villagers give a ritual funeral to the donkey by burning it. In a symbolic end, fire spreads and engulfs the entire village. Only the professor and the girl survive.
Even though this film won a National award
, Doordarshan
was forced to cancel a scheduled a TV screening and the Tamil press ignored the film as the Brahmin lobby tried to have the film banned.
(For the story, Courtesy to and sourced from Cinema Of Malayalam)
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
film directed by avant-garde
Avant-garde
Avant-garde means "advance guard" or "vanguard". The adjective form is used in English to refer to people or works that are experimental or innovative, particularly with respect to art, culture, and politics....
filmmaker John Abraham.
John's second film, Agraharathil Kazhutai made in Tamil
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
, is a hard hitting satire on the brahminical bigotry
Bigotry
A bigot is a person obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices, especially one exhibiting intolerance, and animosity toward those of differing beliefs...
and superstition, where a donkey
Donkey
The donkey or ass, Equus africanus asinus, is a domesticated member of the Equidae or horse family. The wild ancestor of the donkey is the African Wild Ass, E...
becomes the central character.
Plot
A donkey strays into a village dominated by the upper cast Brahmins. Prof. Narayana Swamy decides to keep it at his house. He appoints a mute girl to look after the donkey. The entire village turns against the donkey and his caretaker. When the girl's stillborn baby is deposited outside a temple, the donkey is blamed and is killed.After the death of the donkey some miracles start happening in the village. People start believing that it is the donkey that brought about all the miracles and starts worshipping the dead body of the donkey. The villagers give a ritual funeral to the donkey by burning it. In a symbolic end, fire spreads and engulfs the entire village. Only the professor and the girl survive.
Even though this film won a National award
National Film Awards
The National Film Awards is the most prominent film award ceremony in India. Established in 1954, it is administered, along with the International Film Festival of India and the Indian Panorama, by the Indian government's Directorate of Film Festivals since 1973.Every year, a national panel...
, Doordarshan
DoorDarshan
Doordarshan is an Indian public service broadcaster, a division of Prasar Bharati. It is one of the largest broadcasting organizations in India in terms of the infrastructure of studios and transmitters. Recently, it has also started Digital Terrestrial Transmitters. On September 15, 2009,...
was forced to cancel a scheduled a TV screening and the Tamil press ignored the film as the Brahmin lobby tried to have the film banned.
(For the story, Courtesy to and sourced from Cinema Of Malayalam)
Cast
- M. B. SreenivasanM. B. SreenivasanM. B. Sreenivasan , or MBS, as he was popularly called, was a famous South Indian music director who worked mainly in the Malayalam and Tamil film industries.-Biography:...
as Professor Narayanaswami - Krishnaraj
- Raman Veeraraghavan
- Swathi as Uma
- S. Gopal
- Sreenath Sreenivasan as Host
- Savithri Rajan
- Sri Lalitha
Additional details
- Also Known As: Donkey in the Brahmin Ghetto
- Colour: Black and White
- Sound Mix: Mono