Abraham’s name is vital when discussing India’s Parallel Cinema even though he only directed four features and tragically died at a young age of 49 in 1987. However, I hadn’t seen any of his four features and never came across a DVD/Blu-Ray of his films. That changed over the last 2 years when I finally saw his last film via the link posted below. Incidentally, Amma Ariyan also received a proper screening in 2021 via Bologna’s Il Cinema Ritrovato festival in a special section on Parallel cinema curated by Shivendra Singh Dungarpur, Cecilia Cenciarelli and Omar Ahmed.
The film’s structure consists of multiple flashbacks where each person sheds a little more light on Hari’s past and that helps piece together events that preluded Hari’s death. The story is set against the backdrop of the Naxalite movement in Kerala when police tortured and beat up youth. The details of the political ideologies and struggles aren’t spelled out but the omission of details works in the film’s favour as that lends the material a universal flavour. Multiple countries, including those in our contemporary times, have cases of police abusing their power and beating up innocent people based on differing political ideologies. In that sense, Amma Ariyan is powerfully relevant to our current world.
The community nature of the film also has relevance in our current world. In the film, all the people who help identify Hari form a community and drop everything to inform Hari’s mother. They want to do their part in helping out in whatever manner they can and share the grief of Hari’s death. The film’s ending features an emotional walk of the group including the mother. Over the last few years, we have seen many movements where people from different backgrounds have come together to share in a common sense of loss. Even in social media retweets or reposts of a tragedy are one form of people sharing in someone’s loss.
Amma Ariyan (Report to Mother) floored me, emotionally and technically. Technically, the film stands apart from other Indian films I have seen. Renowned film scholar Dr. Omar Ahmed notes the non-Indian influences on the film:
I can’t imagine how such a precious film did not get proper distribution earlier. For now, I hope more people can view this film and appreciate what it has to offer.
The film link is cut off above. Here it is:
Thank you for adding the missing link Sachin. I will avail myself of this imminently. I must say I got goose bumps reading your powerful capsule essay, and for two reasons. First, be rest assured this is exactly the type of find Allan reported on his his celebrated “Fish Obscuro” series. His aim with that project was to educate. He worked hard to discover films that were not readily available, in fact some required the assistance of special contacts. This Indian film falls squarely at the center of his perceived radar. Your choice here is fully in tune with what the auspices of this annual series intended. The other reason is the actual film. This sounds like a deeply-moving, elegiac work that will invariably remind many of us of Ray and Ghatak among others, though particularly of them (perhaps with a touch of Kiarostami as well) and it truly reeks of urgency based on the intimate story with what must surely be a haunting flashback structure.
Your sponsorship is an inspiration, your call for undivided attention noble.
Thanks for the kind words Sam.
Sounds like the film’s main theme or focus is community togetherness. This is most welcome when you consider the present divisiveness around the world. Beautifully-written piece.
Thanks Ricky. Yes that community aspect stands out considering that most people in the film were strangers to Hari. Their need to help stands out.