Sukhpreet Kahlon
New Delhi, 29 Jan 2022 8:00 IST
The short monochrome film is an ode to the communities that reside in harmony with each other in Mattancherry, Kerala.
Written and directed by Naveed Mulki, the 12-minute-long film A Letter From India unfolds with the narrator writing to his father, who dreamt of travelling across the country but was unable to do so. However, the father spent some time in Mattancherry, Kerala and the narrator describes how, through this incredible place, his father had actually managed to fulfil his dream.
Inspired by black and white photographs taken by Biju Ibrahim documenting the 39 communities that live in Mattancherry, which is just about five square kilometres in area, the film celebrates the rich, diverse heritage of the land. The photographs are featured in the film as the narrator describes the incredible confluence of people in such a small area.
The film is stunningly shot by Shaktiraj Singh Jadeja and the theme of travel resonates throughout as the narrator walks through different spaces, encountering people from different communities, engaged in their work. It traces history, going back to the early inhabitants of the land, who came from everywhere. We are told about the Jews, the Gujarati community, people from Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Yemen and Hyderabad and so many others who all came for various reasons and decided to stay on. As the narrator says, “Each little pocket here is home to a different community.”
This diversity is seen as enriching every aspect that it touched — from food, music and the arts. We are given an example of a synagogue being revived by funds received from Hindus, Christians and Muslims, as well as the ways in which local flavours enrich the cuisine. Apart from a celebration of diversity, the short film is also an ode to labour and the dignity of work, recognizing the dreams and experiences of workers.
The ending celebrates the nation as the place for this confluence with the narrator concluding, “This letter is coming to you from India herself. The India you dreamt of. The India that has always been alive and well here." This is the idea of India that we must always remember and cherish.