Fandry is a great work of art showcasing the injustice, yokel, discrimination on the basis of caste, colour and creed present in the society we live in. Fandry which means Pig is both catchy as well as compelling title.
Written and Directed by Nagraj Manjule.
The movie sets in a small Maharashtra village and the story revolves around a Boy named Jambhuvant kachru Mane (nickname Jabya). It’s a story about how a boy is keen on finding a black sparrow so he can make the upper caste girl to fall in love with him. It’s his superstition that the ashes of the bird will plant the seed of love in the girl.
He lives on the outskirts of the village with his parents, 2 sisters (one is a widow with a child) and a grandfather. His father does the work described as the job done by the low caste people like sweeping the drains, catching pig (pigs are considered untouchables and so were they). His father was used to being obedient and has accepted his fate.
Jabya on the other hand, was rebellious and dared to dreamed out of his league. He hadn’t accepted his fate and that he nothing more than a poor low-caste boy.
The story starts and continues on with Jabya and his best friend Pirya searching for a black sparrow. He’s told by bicycle mechanic Chankya to do so, who sees himself in Jabya. As he also went against the world to marry the girl he loved but was taken away forcefully from him. He then, left his stable and luxurious life and came here to waste it with spirituality and alcohol.
He is also seen in the whole movie asking for a pair of jeans with the thinking that he will confess his love to her by wearing them. So, he and his friend Pirya go outside of the village to sell ice trollies and save money for the jeans. Jabya takes Chankya help in his quest of love and is later revealed in his dreams, he is wearing jeans and how he threw the ashes on Shalu and she falls for him.
The story revolves around how his father struggles to save money for the dowry in his daughter’s marriage, about how he neglects and remains obliged to everyone and is willing to do any work given to him.
The movie reaches its climax, when Jabya and his family are chasing the pig around the school. He doesn’t want anyone to see him chasing the pig especially Shalu. His family catches the pig and they are going. The ironic part was the background shows us different social activists and reformers who devoted their lives to eradicate the evils present in the country like SavitriBai Phule, B.R. Ambedkar and many more. But then he reaches at his boiling point and expresses his anger and implodes by throwing stones at higher caste boys who called him FANDREY meaning PIG. In the last scene, the stone is shown approaching towards audience and the film ends.
The last scene aims at the audience that how caste and these ill practices are destroying and annihilating the lives of several villagers across the country. We as audience are targeted to not tolerate and help and create a nation with no such ailments.
It’s a must watch for all. I would recommend everyone to watch and advice everyone they know to watch this movie. It conveys strong message about the society we live in and there are still places where these Malpractices are being carried. We need to educate, inform and aware people about them.