A 90-minute feature film Baaram (The Burden) on the prevalence of the illegal practice of Thalaikoothal — a form of senicide — in various parts of Tamil Nadu, is set to be released soon.
Directed by Mumbai-based filmmaker Priya Krishaswamy, the film seeks to capture the gravity of the offence which is committed by people in some parts of the State discreetly and has been shot in parts of Puducherry and Tirunelveli.
“Given the urgency and enormity of the problem — people above 60 are likely to constitute a huge chunk of the population of the country in the coming years with many of them likely to subsist below the poverty line (BPL) — what we are hoping to do with the film is to release it in theatres and on online platforms in order to bring the issue of elder abuse to the forefront of our social discourse,” said Ms. Krishnaswamy, a film editor from the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune.
After initial research that went on for about two years, the film was shot in 18 days. The film also seeks to capture how even unsuspecting elements in the society are involved in the gruesome practice.
Besides theatre artistes, Baaram ’s cast also includes students and faculty of the Department of Performing Arts of Pondicherry University and local residents.
And why was Baaram shot as a feature film and not as a documentary? “Well, how many people see documentary? Feature film can take an issue to the masses better,” contended Ms. Krishnaswamy.
The filmmaker is about to apply for censor clearance.
