Perek: The Resolve to Revolt and Stand Tall Against Oppression

Soma reviews a short film, Parek – The Nail Story, by Ranadip Mukherjee. An exclusive for Different Truths.

The producer of this Bengali short film, Perek – The Nail Story, is Sambit Group. Most of those who acted in it are of the theatre background. There is a lot of difference between film acting and acting on stage, but the actors have tried their best to prove themselves.

Ranadip Mukherjee got attracted to Prachet Gupta’s, Perek – The Nail Story, as his stories are based on real life. Sudeshna Bandyopadhyay penned the screenplay of this story. It is a very low budget film. All the artist acted without any make-up in this film.

Ranadip Mukherjee got attracted to Prachet Gupta’s, Perek – The Nail Story, as his stories are based on real life. Sudeshna Bandyopadhyay penned the screenplay of this story. It is a very low budget film. All the artist acted without any make-up in this film. Which again gave it an offbeat look. There are altogether 24 actors in it. It was a challenge for Ranadip to fit in the characters properly but he did it very well.

The story of this film revolves around Sanatan, a hard-working middle-class man, who had suffered exploitation throughout his life. This story reveals his sufferings, as a young boy in a joint family, in the beginning, and subsequently, an employee of a private firm. Sanatan is a simple and soft-hearted person. He has a daughter and a son. His son stays separately. Both of them are married and they demand exclusive possession of Sanatan’s flat as hereditary right. His drunkard and insolvent elder brother, who once was a very rich man, used to rebuke Sanatan by condemning him as an idiot and a good for nothing. He often demanded money from him and didn’t even hesitate to curse him on his refusal.

Being under pressure from his children and elder brother, worried Sanatan committed a clerical mistake. Which made his boss furious and he insulted Sanatan in front of his other colleagues.

Basically, Sanatan was peeved with everyone in his family as they exploited him to the fullest. Being under pressure from his children and elder brother, worried Sanatan committed a clerical mistake. Which made his boss furious and he insulted Sanatan in front of his other colleagues.

Here the title, Perek, is symbolic. The story written by Prachet Gupta is a lovely story based on human emotions. In the film, Sanatan and his emotions are trampled by everyone. So, he started comparing himself with his shoe. He is always bullied, insulted and abused. The shoe is like a subaltern, crushed under our feet. We give least importance to it. But once a Perek (nail) got stuck in Sanatan’s shoe. It kept on pricking him.

Suddenly, a thought crossed Sanatan’s mind. Since he was wearing shoes on his feet, the shoe had revolted. It inspired him to revolt against his present situation, as he identified himself with the nail in the shoe.

Finally, one day Sanatan went to the cobbler to remove the Perek (nail) out of it. Suddenly, a thought crossed Sanatan’s mind. Since he was wearing shoes on his feet, the shoe had revolted. It inspired him to revolt against his present situation, as he identified himself with the nail in the shoe. He asked the cobbler to keep the Perek and not to take it out. As it taught him how to stand up against those who bullied, hurt him and had let him down.

Was Sanatan able to stand tall? What happened at the end? Was he able to consolidate his position and make others understand the pain he had been going through?

Ranadip is a graduate of applied art at Rabindra Bharati University. From an early age he was interested in painting, drama and music. His first film making started with artists from different theatre groups in Delhi.

Ranadip is a graduate of applied art at Rabindra Bharati University.

From an early age he was interested in painting, drama and music. His first film making started with artists from different theatre groups in Delhi. His first Bengali feature film, Dhatri – The Mother, was screened at the Muktadhara auditorium in Delhi.  He worked as creative director of a full-length film, Vivekananda, produced by Kashi Films.

His short film, Perek – The Nail, was screened at the12th Cine Festival in Delhi.

Susovan Saha, a Civil Engineer, stated, “Thanks to Ranadip da to take initiative for such a short film Perek. This is my first time in front of a camera for film shooting. We’ve enjoyed and experienced a lot being a part of it.”

“I am overwhelmed to get a chance to work under Rono da’s direction and that doubles when Bengal Association paved the platform for Perek. We are really grateful as a team…”

Mithun Bhowmik, opined, “I am overwhelmed to get a chance to work under Rono da’s direction and that doubles when Bengal Association paved the platform for Perek. We are really grateful as a team.

I played the young version of the hero Sanatan, who is very mediocre in both lifestyle and thoughts. His mundane life rolls on bedrock of joint family. He has no expectations from anyone and life as a whole. That does not disappoint him.

“Of course, it was a splendid experience to work in such a great storyline and with my co-stars. Besides, we as a team faced many challenges. Most of us are associated with different professions but Rono da had given much flexibility and guidance in that way. We didn’t find financer and so Rano da had to sponsor this project. There are many such projects in pipeline. We hope to get sponsors in the near future.”

“…But rest of the movie making was an uphill task for Rano da, as logistics, arranging money or general production management was done by a single person, i.e. himself. And he pulled it off.”

Akshay Maiti rued, “The shooting experience makes me both sad and proud about our beloved Rano da. We, the whole team, enjoyed a lot because most of the cast were friends being from same theatre group and thus the team spirit was our strength. But rest of the movie making was an uphill task for Rano da, as logistics, arranging money or general production management was done by a single person, i.e. himself. And he pulled it off. That is why we are proud of him. We might have helped him in odd jobs, but that is so insignificant.”

Shimli R Choudhary, opined, “Though my portion in Perek was really short but I learnt how to be presentable in front of the camera. Our director and story writer were really amazing to work with.”

You must watch this short film. It conveys a larger meaning of life. The film is in black and white, but the last scene is coloured.

You must watch this short film. It conveys a larger meaning of life. The film is in black and white, but the last scene is coloured. A beautiful way to make the audience feel that colours return to our lives when we stand up against injustice.

Cast

Dhiman Chakraborty, Radha Roy Chowdhury, Munmun Bhattacharyya, Saptarshi Majumdar, Sreyashi Maity, Akshay Maity, Amaresh Banerjee, Sikha Banerjee, Tina Majumder, Sharmili Bhowmik, Tapati mukherjee, Sushobhon Saha, Rikta Saha, Mithun Bhowmik, Ashish Das, Bhaskar Bandyopadhyay, Tanmoy Bhattacharyya, Shimeli Roy Chowdhury, Gautam Banerjee, Shamit Das, Anamika Chatterjee, Raja Chatterjee and Ranadip Mukherjee

Child Artistes

Ayush Maity, Arush Maity, Deshna Banerjee, Adhiraj Chatterjee, Rumeli Bhowmik and Aishani Majumdar

DOP, Praveen and Raaj; Screenplay, Sudeshna Bandyopadhyay; Direction, Ranadip Mukherjee.

Photos sourced by the author