MOD

                       MOD (THE TURN)

Mod is a 2016 Hindi language film directed by Pushpa Rawat .Through this film the director

intends to focus on the idlers in her locality in Ghazibad and expose the lives of the youngsters who

hang out around a water tank for drinking,playing cards and smoking.At the onset itself we find those

young men to be mysterious and the film maker unravels it for us by interviewing the men and their

family members as the movie progresses .City dwellers are usually ignorant of the hard realities of

rural people and the struggles they encounter.Interested in having a glimpse of these youngsters’

lives….?Watch Mod…..I’m sure this is not one among the movies which we usually watch……I promise

you a novel experience. When the film maker projected camera at the youngsters they felt ill at ease.Having found

their efforts to make her leave in vain they left the place themselves.The question arises…Why did

they lead a disorganized life?Why were they eccentric?Why did they isolate themselves from the

rest?Most of them were forced into this predicament owing to family

problems,unemployment,drudgery at home etc.They didn’t choose that life deliberately.They viewed

themselves as inferior to others and felt that they did not deserve the company of the educated and

the civilized.They claimed that they were not worthy to be interviewed.That solitary life did not

deprive them of the human emotions.They loved and also wished to be loved.But they also knew that

their dream was next to impossible. As they were not well educated or well established they

couldnot expect a girl from a well to do family to be betrothed to them. They wished to mend their

ways but they realized that it was too late.Some of them regretted the mistakes they made by not

studying and wished to go back to the past and change everything.We also find the parents taking

blame on themselves for not giving enough education to their children and not being able to lead

them towards the correct path.They claim that they were too much interested in giving quality

education to their daughters that they were oblivious of their sons and neglected them

completely.These youngsters were introverts and were not much outspoken about their

problems.They suppressed their pain within themselves and considered solitude to be a means of

escape from their despicable reality.This doesn’t mean that they are irresponsible idlers,they cared

for their families and concerned about them genuinely.They were not very mean.They worked hard

and earned,the only problem was that their earnings were meagre.Usually the language expected

from these kind of no gooders is very unpolished and immodest.But we find them speaking to the

director in a respectable way.Their polite speech reiterates their good character.They considered

themselves as unworthy people and never wanted to be interviewed.They were averse to

camera.Unlike these youngsters,the children were very curious of the camera and wished to learn the

mechanism by which the camera worked and also were eager to own one.Perhaps they never beheld

something of that sort. The youngsters were not treacherous.They seldom meant any harm.They lived their lives

bereft of complaints and grudge.But they also grew weary of their lives which had no

desires,aspirations or ambitions.At certain point the youngsters confessed to the director that they

loved her company orelse they wouldn’t have let her sit with them.This shows that the youngsters

were interested in getting influenced and longed for the company of others….To know more about these mysterious youngsters ….Watch Mod and unravel the mystery yourselves.

-Santhwana Thomas.