Page 23 - THE CHANGING WORLD OF RAY

dealt by riot police. Recently, den terror and violent disor-

in Kolkata there were pro- der, such as the bombing of

tests and demonstrations a cinema full of spectators.

over the eviction of people These events accompany

living in slums to be rebuild long and endless takes of the

in the name of ‘progress’ young unemployed waiting

[16/4/2012]. Athens, Cairo, in the cue for a job interview.
London, Birmingham, Ma- In this nightmarish world,

drid, Paris, Delhi, Kolkata, Siddhartha’s visions are the

Kathmandu, Tehran, Los only means of escaping pov-

Angeles, Buenos Aires, Jo- erty and inequality, set in

hannesburg, and the other the context in which life is

melting pots of a world on limited, Shakti is blocked,
fire, where youth unemploy- and anger is let loose. There

ment, criminalization of im- is a scene in the film that

migration, privatization of shows a mob attacking the

social services, the military owner of a Mercedes car, be-

and the health system, dis- cause the careless and rich

crimination, violence, drug driver had just hit a little
addiction, alienation, and girl on the street. Siddhar-

poverty are all global, social tha joins the mob that tries

deceases. to lynch the driver. But then,

as he looks at the back of the

For the youth today, car, he sees another little

like Siddhartha in Pratid- girl in shock and tears. She

wandi, the promises of a new is the daughter of the driver
world were broken, despite looking at her father get-

the enthusiastic celebrations ting beaten up on the pave-

of the ‘beautiful world’ in TV ment. It is this kind of dou-

adverts bombarding them ble perspective that makes

with fake smiles and false Ray look as if he is a-po-

degrees. litical, meaning an auteur

In Pratidwandi, there are who never takes a political
also other moments of sud- side, and rather chooses to