Our Marathi Feature Film “Jhing Chik Jhing” closes the Nave Valan (New Wave) film festival running at NCPA currently. The film screens on the 13th of October 2010 at 6.30 p.m. It is being shown with English sub-titles.

The film tells the story of a young boy, Shyam, who desires to become ‘someone’. His father Mouli is a cotton farmer who ekes out a living growing cotton. His mother Manda and sister Dipti make up the remaining family. The 4 live in Vidarbha (where the bulk of farmer suicides are taking place).

As the film starts – Shyam is in trouble. He hasn’t worn the school uniform and is dressed in civvies – he promises his teacher that as soon as the cotton is sold, his father will buy him a new school uniform shirt. As the film progresses, you realise that the entire family has its hopes pinned on the cotton harvest being able to fetch a ‘good’ price – they can pay off the money lender – to whom they owe Rs.10,000 – the grocers and the fertilizer shop. If they are lucky, they can even redeem their pair of bullocks.

In a country where farmers cannot set their price – this is not to be and the parents decide that rather than lose their land – which is pledged to the money lender – the entire family will commit suicide on Republic Day – the day they are supposed to lose the land. Shyam, who has a great desire to live and succeed, overhears the parents – and decides he, and his family, are going to live.

What Shyam does to try and save them, and whether he succeeds or not is the crux of the film.

Do try and catch it on Wednesday and drop me a line on what you think of the film.

Some reviews of the film are:
India.com – here
Passion for Cinema – here