"Nothing can dim the light that shines from within." I was reminded of this quote by Mary Angelou as I watched Kinshuk Surjan's documentary feature film titled "Marching in the Dark". The film is an evocative tribute to the widows of Marathwada who have survived the suicides of their husbands - the men driven to despair and eventually death after years of failing harvests, rising debts and the cruel play of climate change.
Surjan introduces us to Sanjeevani, an every woman who is not anyone's idea of a hero. If anything she is a victim - of her circumstances, of the unfair deal that she has got in life and of a male-oriented world that she is part of. But she has a quiet strength to her that is evident from the first time we meet her. She is grappling with grief and the burden of raising two small children after the suicide of her husband. She is a breadwinner as well as a homemaker. She works in her brother-in-law's farm who has given her family shelter and takes up stitching work on the side while also working at the clinic of the local doctor. And through it all, we explore the dynamics of the region - the endless cycle of drought that continues to wreak havoc in the farming community - and its impact at a personal level.
The filmmaker takes us into Sanjeevani's world - the small hut she lives in, its leaky roof, the hearth at which she cooks, the little exchanges with her children, the farm where she toils, the time she takes out in between chores to study for her BA exam (which she hides from her extended family). And then gently and sensitively Surjan eases us into her inner world , giving us an insight into Sanjeevani's struggles with her grief. Her participation in a support group for women who have survived the suicide of their farmer husbands shines a light on the tragic flaw of our society -- despite the fact that we Indians pride ourselves on being family-oriented, we cut out the women when they need our emotional support the most.
The coming together of the women through a support group is perhaps the only external glimmer of light that shines through in this journey of darkness. Each woman propping up the other to be strong and resilient as they encounter yet another suicide. These women don't have the luxury of being weak or being a victim. They don't have the luxury of crying over their fate -- "don't cry" is their constant refrain as they hug and wipe each others' tears. Theirs is a bond of solidarity, solace and sisterhood.
Ultimately, in this march through darkness, nothing can dim the light that shines within Sanjeevani who emerges not as a victim figure but one of strength and resilience.
Here is a link to the trailer of Marching in the Dark
About the Director: Kinshuk Surjan, a 35-year-old filmmaker from Bhopal, India, has a background shaped by
growing up in a family of farmers on one side and journalists on the
other. His debut short film, POLA, which explores the agrarian
crisis through a young boy’s perspective, earned him the Indian National
Student Film Award for Best Film and Best Script in 2013. Kinshuk
received a scholarship to pursue his master’s degree at DocNomads. In
2017, his graduation film, *DE FLANDRIEN*, won the Flanders Audiovisual
Fund’s VAF( Belgium) WILDCARD, supporting his research for his first
feature film, Marching in the Dark.
Excellent review of a significant film. How does one get to watch it?
ReplyDeleteThanks, Shoma-di. :)
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