The issue of caste is always a touchy subject in India. While some shy away from the topic, others dare to brave the system, and still others, like the folk band in 18 Feet , choose to embrace it.
Director Renjith Kuzhur’s directorial debut, which will be screened at Everest Talkies by Vikalp Bengaluru on August 24, is a gripping documentary on a group of Dalit musicians from Kerala who celebrate their identity.
On why he calls his documentary 18 Feet, Renjith explains that when untouchability was rampant in the country earlier, communities had to keep different distances from the upper castes. A distance of 18 feet was how much the Dalits of Vadama village in Kerala’s Thrissur district were supposed to keep from the Namboodiri Brahmins in those days. “It varied from region to region and community to community. The name of the movie, hence, is symbolic. Whatever the number of feet, the distance still exists in people’s minds, even though it is not openly practiced now.”
Renjith goes on to explain that while the general notion is that there is no caste system in Kerala, “It does exist. It is very subtle and intangible. Everyone knows about it but nobody talks about it.”
That’s where Karinthalakkoottam comes in. “One of the pioneer folk song bands in Kerala, the band is a significant part of the State’s culture,” elaborates Renjith. “When they started, folk songs weren’t popular. This group collected songs from villages and performed them with the original traditional musical instruments. They revived the folk song culture and through their influence, the trend has spread across the State and the formation of over 2,000 groups in Kerala.”
The movement doesn’t stop there. The band is a collective of people from lower castes who have chosen to embrace and celebrate their identity, rather than hide it, and through their music, showcase their community to the world.
“The documentary’s central character is P. R. Ramesh, the founder of the band, who used to be a bus conductor in Guruvayur Bus Depot until last week when he got promoted to a station master in Trivandrum, says Renjith. “The other band members also do odd jobs from being an electrician to a JCB driver. I hail from the same village as the rest of the band. While initially, my idea was to document their music and lives, the film veered towards identity when each of the band members, with Ramesh leading the way, opened up about their Dalit identity. They were not just talking about it, they were celebrating it. The film goes on to voice their powerful, personal stories and memories, interspersed with their music that spreads the message of equality, love and harmony.”
The 34-year-old director, who has tasted success in editing a range of films, hopes people don’t just celebrate the theme of the film, but also embrace its emotions. “I hope people will learn not to suppress their feelings and talk openly about them without fear.” An alumnus of the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute, Kolkata, Renjith premiered the film at the Mumbai International Film Festival earlier this year, where it won him the best editor award.
Catch 18 Feet at Everest Talkies, Frazer Town, on August 24 at 7 p.m.
