Ruchira reviews the poignant Hindi film “Jamun,” a story that beautifully confronts societal flaws and celebrates an educated woman’s inspiring triumph, for Different Truths.
It was by sheer chance that I stumbled upon this short, obscure Hindi-language film on the Internet, simply titled Jamun. I was slightly flummoxed as to what its contents would be. However, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the theme revolved around a highly relevant issue which plagues our society to no end. Jamun Prasad (aka Jamun), played by ace Bollywood actor Raghuveer Yadav, is a homoeopathic doctor.
A widower, he lives with his son Amar, an engineer and a daughter Chetna (Shweta Basu Prasad) who is studying to be a nurse. Due to certain adverse circumstances, the young man is unable to secure a lucrative job and settle down. It leads to frequent skirmishes at home, shattering domestic peace. Ultimately, he ends up in the company of notorious anti-social guys and tragically pays with his life. His family is shell-shocked.
Now focusing on the young nursing graduate, she is smart, intelligent, average looking, but unfortunately is afflicted by a strabismus (a squint) in the right eye. As is natural and expected, she gets bombarded with snide comments and rejected by several Ladkewales (prospective grooms). Even a neighbourhood boy who is initially interested in her jilts her for another girl. Possibly because of her physical ailment.
Though frustrated and disappointed, she refuses to yield to social pressure. She carries on with her profession with dogged determination. Meanwhile, the father, Jamun Prasad, is diagnosed with a severe degree of Parkinson’s disease. By what may be considered a stroke of good luck, Amit, a good-natured young doctor (with a heart of gold), steps in to function as a full-time caregiver to the elderly patient. Gradually, a bond starts to form between him and Jamun’s daughter, Chetna. Since both are engaged in the healthcare industry, their understanding deepens further. Amit encourages the young nurse to upgrade her skills further, opt for better-paid jobs and so forth.
The climax of the narrative comes when, one day, in the absence of his daughter as well as the doctor, Jamun decides to move out of his upper-story flat and move downstairs. In the process, he shakes, trembles, stumbles, and slides down the steps, but is saved in the nick of time by his daughter and the doctor who arrive on the spot. While Jamun Prasad is undergoing treatment, the two young people are drawn closer to each other. The movie ends on a positive note. Prasad is shown arriving at the doctor’s home (where he lives with his widowed mother) carrying packets of sweets. Next, the two guardians are shown engaged in an amiable discussion, while the two young ones look on hopefully. It may be safely assumed that the duo will live happily ever after
The movie is a hard-hitting one. Makes many of us ponder: why must an educated, economically independent woman be ostracised because of some slight drawback over which she has no control? Also, if it had been a male instead of the lady in question, would he have been treated likewise? Therefore, a shout out to all the Lakdawalas: Wake up and exercise an iota of humanity while choosing your life partner.
Picture from IMDb
Ruchira Adhikari Ghosh brings a liberal, wide-ranging outlook shaped by extensive travel across India and abroad. Educated at Holy Child School, New Delhi, Sacred Heart Convent, Ludhiana, and Panjab University, Chandigarh, she holds a Master’s in English Literature and a postgraduate diploma in Journalism and Mass Communication. With three decades in media, she writes on travel, books, music, performing arts, women’s issues, and especially food, drawing inspiration from rich life experiences. She is our Features Editor.
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