Semester 1 (2023)

Subject: -Sociology of Modern India

Assessment 2: -Movie Screening
Name of Movie: -Paar (1984)
Student Name: - Kotha Golla Veeresh
Calibri Admission Number: -MADE1230147

Introduction: -The Paar (The Crossing) is a Hindi movie directed by

Goutam Ghose. The film was based on the Bengali story Paathi by
Samaresh Basu. It shows class discrimination, domination of landlords,
migration and sexual problems faced by the people.

Summary of the film: -The film explains the exploitation of rural

Bihar, in which landlords were to destroy a village and kill the teacher.
Landlords have not followed the instructions which were given by the
Government (fixed wage to daily wage laborers). The laborers were
killed by the landlord's brother, Naurangia is one member among those.
He and his wife (Rama a pregnant woman) went to Kolkata city to
protect themselves. But in the city, they did not find any work. Finally,
they decide to return home, for the charges they agree to drive the herd
of pigs through the river, causing the pregnant Rama to believe she has
lost her baby. Naurangia had found movements of the baby (In the
stomach).

Analysis of Concepts with both Academic resources and Movie

explanation
After the study of both resources, I would like to explain three important
concepts i.e., Caste, Patriarchy, and Class. These there playing a
significant role in present days also.

Concept of Caste

Witsoe J. (caste networks and regional political economy) mentioned

people's participation in the electoral process surged in North India from
the late 1980s, especially among people from lower caste and class
backgrounds. In the movie with the guidance of the teacher, the Harijan
community, Ramnaresh became a village Pradhan. The upper caste
landlords did not digest these things and killed the teacher. (Explains the
upper caste and class difference, where upper-class people wanted to be
in power (Witsoe J.Concept of caste and power). The landlords
destroyed the Harijan community village it explains (Witsoe J.Concept
of Cast dominance. Lankesh, P. (1988/2004). The touch, translated by
K.V.Tirumalesh ). In the story, Basalinga (Upper caste farmer) wants
good doctor service (for eye operation), and in the movie Naurangia
(Untouchable) is willing to serve (Wants work) for money. Both are
different but the purpose is service, and the caste Played a key role in
their works. After knowing their caste, the municipality person took
them to a piggery agent. The agent was given work to cross the 36 pigs
(Wage is 27- and 7-rupees commission to municipal person) into the
river. During that, the piggery agent asked the intermediary person -Is it
possible for them. The intermediary person said they belong to the
Harijan community; these caste people are strong, and they know how to
deal with the animals. It explains caste exploitation because they
migrated from rural to the city of Kolkata (Calcutta) and even though
they did not know anyone in the city they faced problems with their
Caste. We can relate this to ("Witsoe J -Untouchable caste whose ritual
impurity perpetuated a class of landless and often bonded laborers p no
40 and he differentiated three interrelated aspects of caste -Casts
identification, caste dominance, and caste networks.

Concept of Patriarchy

Geetha, V. (2007). Patriarchy: A history of the term, The patriarchy

(The absolute rule of the father or elder person in the family and
domination of male decisions over women's). We can observe these in
the movie, all members of the Naurangia family are listening and
following the family head (Naurangia’s father) talks. He is only guiding
all members with his experience. His wife also has the same experience,
but no one cares about her talking like a family head. The head is not an
economic source to the family, they are following the Patriarchal form
structure. We can clearly observe male dominance in Kolkata city -One
of the factory worker is drunk every time. He beats his wife for money
and uses abusive words (Sex worker). (male domination against women”
pg.no.5 of Geetha’s reading Patriarchy: A History of the Term) -
Societies construct male authority and power. Another example -
Naurangia agreed to transfer the 36 pigs across the river for 27 rupees.
He took the decision without concern of his wife. Rama (4 months
pregnant) refused this work for the safety of her baby, but Naurangia did
not listen to Rama’s talk. Finally, after more arduous work they crossed
the river with 36 pigs. The piggery person gave 27 rupees to Naurangia.
Rama also contributed an equal amount of work for the safety of pigs.
But money was taken by Naurangia-sex discrimination by advocates of
the principle of comparable worth (Paula England -Devaluation and the
pay of Comparable male and female occupations).

Concept of Class
After the murder of the landlord's brother, they sent some force to kill all
untouchables. This means the upper-class people had more ability and
power to dominate the lower-class people. For the protection of their
lives, Naurangia and his wife Rama went to Kolkata (Calcutta) City and
Naurangia faced more problems while searching for a job (Jan Breman-
Footloose Labour) because of rural inequalities, so they migrated to the
city. While searching for a job Rama is alone (with no shelter and no
food) and they sleep on the footpath road. During the night one person
shows money to Rama with different feelings (“Chatterjee’s gender
and sexuality”) there is no security for women in the society. Naurangia
went to the jute mill for a job, he requested Sardar as Sardar please favor
me, I have a wife. She is 4 months pregnant. Sardar replied, “Even
though you don’t have any shelter or food to eat, you are having kids". It
shows the discrimination of the lower class. In the present society, we
can observe these in rare conditions compared with the past.

Conclusion: -Govt introduced laws and acts for the development of low
caste people, but the landlords formed a barrier in that implementation.
The discrimination of caste is not only in rural areas but also in urban
areas. Inequalities are at various levels of gender, Caste, and Class.

REFERENCES
Ghose, G. (1984). PAAR. Indian film.
Witsoe, J. (2017). Caste networks and regional political economy. In Jodhka,
S., & Manor, J.(eds.) Contested Hierarchies, Persisting Influence: Caste and
Power in Twenty-First Century India, 39-59.
Lankesh, P. (1988/2004). The Touch, translated by K. V. Tirumalesh. In
Vanamala Viswanatha (ed.) When Stone Melts and Other Short Stories. New
Delhi: Sahitya Akademi:
Breman, J. (2020). The Pandemic in India and Its Impact on Footloose
Labour, Indian Journal of Labour Economics 63: 901-919.
Geetha, V. (2007). Patriarchy: A History of the Term, Chapter 1 of her
Patriarchy. Calcutta: STREE, pp. 4-29.