"Koozhangal," also known as "Pebbles," is a 2021 Tamil movie directed by P. S. Vinothraj. The central theme of the movie is about retrieval. A father seeks to retrieve his wife, the son who accompanies him seeks to retain his childhood, and the mother, who remains unseen in the movie, seeks to retrieve some water. "Koozhangal" was the nomination from India for the 94th Academy Awards. "Koozhangal" has won several international awards and recognition such as...
"S. Srivatsan of The Hindu wrote in his review stating "There has never been a Tamil film that has captured the vastness of rural life in a more austere, art-house fashion. PS Vinothraj knows what are all the basics of filmmaking that is lacking, even in the works of celebrated filmmakers." Baradwaj Rangan of Film Companion South wrote "Despite the many tragedies in the scenario (both natural and man-made), the film doesn't beg for our sympathies. Only at the very end do we feel a twinge."
This is not a review blog on "Koozhangal." This is a note on how I perceived this movie as a whole. My first understanding of feminism came from the works of Bell Hooks. This is a description on how my understanding of feminist ideas got a visuals through this amazing piece of cinema. So before I delve into the world of "Koozhangal," I will have to introduce you to the world of Bell Hooks, and I am just anticipating that you will be able to view the movie through the right lens.
Lens of Bell Hooks
I think the idea of feminism is one of the most misunderstood ideas among mass culture. The blame has to go to the media, mass culture, and society as a whole. Very much like men, women also share adequate blame in confining ideas of feminism to narrow narratives. Feminism is not about hating men and actually works to improve men's lives. It also doesn't believe that all women are magically anti-oppressive. It is also very clear that women can be oppressors; that women can contribute to sexism and sexist exploitation. Feminism is a project to end sexism, sexist exploitation, and oppression. Both men and women are victim of this, As men follow the path of men before them, women adapt to this status quo, belief that this is what men are supposed to be, and eventually become enablers of sexist exploitation. This sexist exploitation becomes a major tool for patriarchy. Patriarchy creates a hierarchy of power structure; this power structure becomes a part of the system.
Patriarchal violence because it is a demonstration of power through physical force and violence. And this is socialized into young boys; a lot of the time, young boys are taught that they're supposed to be aggressive and violent. They're not supposed to have any connection to their feelings or their emotions or to be expressive. They have to engage in physical contact sports and be competitive. And so it's important to acknowledge how these things are not biological; men don't have a biological predisposition towards violence. Tons of men don't ever commit it. And if it was a biological certainty, that would be really weird. Instead, we have to acknowledge the way that society plays a part in encouraging boys in this way. And then when they become men, those of us who haven't recognized the faults in it might be more inclined to commit those acts of violence.
Men are not evil by nature . In fact, if you observe young boys, they're all very friendly; they're very caring and kind. It seems like it has less to do with some kind of natural biological disposition towards aggression, competitiveness, violence, and more to do with the way that society shapes and molds young boys to become men who are violent and aggressive. Well simply, if people are struggling, that's going to amplify the oppression that they experience. If families are struggling, women are going to be more and more dependent upon men because sexism dictates that men will be the most likely to get a job. And so in a heterosexual dynamic or couple, women are going to be more and more dependent upon men. This further enhances the patriarchy.
Any time that there is an effort to exert physical coercive control over people, this resonates with histories of patriarchal oppression - of men committing violence against women to control their bodies. And of course, this extends to children as well where children experience so much abuse by both men and women, parents and adults.
So, think about a world where the rules of the land are centered around sexism. This is exactly the story "Koozhangal," also known as "Pebbles," is going to tell us.
Koozhangal aka Pebbles
My father picked me up with a stern look on his face and ordered me to follow him. I could sense something was wrong; he seemed angrier and more upset than usual.
As we walked, it dawned on me that his fury wasn't directed at me but at my mother, Shanthi. She had left for her family home without a word. My father's frustration grew , he borrowed money from his friends and dragged me along to catch a bus to the nearby village where she was staying.
The bus ride was tense. My father got into an argument with a fellow passenger, making everyone around us uncomfortable. I tried to make sense of his mood but felt lost in the chaos.
When we arrived at the village, he turned to me and said, "Go ahead and tell your mother to come with us." I nodded and hurried towards my grandmother's house. She welcomed me with open arms and joyfully invited me inside for something to eat. As I settled down, she informed me that Shanthi had already left for our home earlier that day.
Inside the house, Pandi—my mother's younger brother—was fuming. He knew all too well about my father's drinking problem and abusive behavior towards Shanthi. He couldn't understand why she married such a man or why she endured so much suffering.
"Pandi," my grandmother said gently, "you need to meet him and arbitrate this issue." But Pandi refused out of pride, supported by his wife who believed men should act tough while women had to adjust.
Just then, my father arrived at the house. The moment Uncle saw him, a heated argument broke out between them. They exchanged harsh words that quickly escalated into a physical fight. In his rage, my father called Uncle a hypocrite and accused him of having an affair despite being married and his aunt normalizing it.
Frustrated beyond measure, my father stormed off towards the bus stop intending to confront Shanthi at home. In a desperate move, I grabbed the money from his pocket and tore it apart right in front of him.
I ran as fast as I could but eventually felt his grip on my hand tightening before he started beating me mercilessly. With no other choice left but to walk back home on foot due to lack of money for another bus ride—he blamed my mother for everything that transpired.
As father marched along the dusty road back towards our village—with him occasionally lashing out at me, I picked up a pebble from the ground and put it inside my mouth; somehow it gave me comfort amidst all this turmoil.
At one point during our journey back home—father asked if I had any matches so he could light up a cigarette—but I lied saying I'd lost them when in reality they were safely tucked away in my pocket because deep down—I didn't want him smoke.
On our way—we met my teacher and her husband who offered me help ,but only allowed myself go along with her and husband while leaving behind father, agitated father continuing alone towards our village—his path crossing with unexpected obstacles including encountering snakes scaring him off temporarily before continuing ahead bravely despite bleeding nails striking rocks unknowingly underfoot.
A stray puppies followed him closely behind faithfully till reaching destination finally. Whereupon seeing me waiting patiently near entrance leading inevitable confrontation resulting another round beatings.
I brought the puppy safely inside the home. Thereafter, Father asked my grandmother about Mother's whereabouts. She replied that Mother went to fetch water. Meanwhile, Father settled down in the kitchen, drinking water hastily and devouring the food prepared earlier.
He ate hungrily, with marks of anger and frustration etched deeply across his face, reflecting turbulent emotions brewing within, silently simmering beneath the surface, awaiting the next inevitable eruption.
World of Koozhangal
Privilege of Leisure
For scientists, time is objective; it's measured in milliseconds. For humans, it can be boredom and frustration, so we indulge in activities to crush this boredom. We call this leisure. Leisure is a privilege. Here, when the men around the village are busy playing poker, the women in the village are making food, fetching water, and making sure the men's lives are easier.
Through out the movie, you see the men in the village taking rest ,and women indulged in some activity's.
Village of Contradictions
The village is filled with many crises. There is no electricity, drought, and bound to poverty. In the middle of all that, this is a place where you have any time access to alcohol were water comes once in a while.
Fragile Masculinity
When Ganapathi makes his way back to his village, he encounters a snake that terrifies him profoundly. There is a fundamental question: the masculine bully is also prone to his own vulnerabilities. His whole attitude towards his kid, wife, and others around him are profiles he created from masculinity. Men are following the lives of men before them. In fact, this statement is established when Ganapathi exerts violence on his son; he makes the argument that "you are being like your mom." Shanti clearly doesn't like what Ganapathi does, just as Velu doesn't. Velu is an outlier to the masculine men he is. This takes us back to Bell Hooks' argument: children are not inherently violent; it is the social consciousness of sexism through masculinity that eventually changes them.
What does education and Independence mean?
Am clearly not a fan of the this popular idea, education has this magical toolkit to alter the course of various kinds of exploitation. Rather, I think it's more about politics and how we graduate in our philosophical thinking. So, what does independence mean for women? You can explore this argument from the scene where Velu's teacher offers him a lift to his village. In this scene, you see Velu's teacher riding the scooter with her husband on the pillion seat. As Velu takes the front seat, the husband offers to help and switches seats. You can think of this as how both the couple were voluntarily switching roles in their marriage. This again brings us back to bell hooks' argument: "If families are struggling, women are going to be more and more dependent upon men because sexism dictates that men will be the most likely to get a job. And so in a heterosexual dynamic or couple, women are going to be more and more dependent upon men. This further enhances the patriarchy."
A world of myth and village tales
This reference is to a village folk story, a tragic tale of love and loss unfolded, leaving behind a legacy of fear and reverence. It was a story of star-crossed lovers, divided by the rigid boundaries of caste.
The upper-caste man, driven by passion and desire, fell deeply in love with a woman from a lower caste. Their secret romance blossomed, but the village soon discovered their relationship, and outrage erupted. The upper-caste community, consumed by shame and rage, committed a heinous crime on the women.
The lower-caste community seethed with anger and grief, demanding justice for the senseless killing. As tensions escalated, the villagers decided to honor the memory of the young woman by building a temple in her name. However, this gesture of reverence came with a chilling twist.
Locals whispered about strange occurrences on the village roads, where the murdered woman's spirit was said to roam. When groups of people traversed the roads, she would vanish into thin air. But when someone dared to walk alone, misfortune struck. They would trip, fall, and bleed, as if the vengeful spirit exacted a price for disturbing her restless soul.
Victims of Geography
Victims of geography,the entire village has been devastated by drought. The land is parched, and water sources are scarce. The only available water must be collected with great care to avoid stirring the mud. Shanthi, who went to fetch water, likely has to wait a long time for her turn. By the time she returns, we can assume her husband's anger has subsided.
The end
The movie closes with a scene of pebbles, symbolizing how this cycle of events has persisted for a long time. Each time, Velu silently bears witness to it all.
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