India held the unique position of being the largest producer of tea in the world for nearly 100 years, until it was overtaken by China in 2005. Now India is the second largest producer of tea in the world. But India paid a huge price in order to become world number one. Forests were destroyed, wildlife like tigers and elephants were shot dead, but probably the greatest tragedy was the living and working condition of the tea plantation workers. One of the finest directors in the country – Bala, whose latest film “Paradesi”, based on the novel “Red Tea” by Paul Harris Daniel, depicts the tragic life of the workers in the pre-independence era.
The movie starts by depicting the pathetic lives of people in a village in southern Tamil Nadu during the British times, where even getting a morsel of rice was considered a luxury. One supervisor from a tea estate taking advantage of their poor living condition easily lures them with false promises like good pay, a house, daily food etc. Only on arrival do they realize the trap of being forcibly bonded to the tea estate owners. Not only are the workers made to endure routine torture and beatings from the supervisors, but many more succumb due to diseases and blood sucking insects because of the poor and unhygienic conditions.
Bala in this movie, graphically depicts the barbaric exploitation of the tea plantation workers, how English owners use Indian supervisors to get the landless agricultural labour from poverty ridden villages. While English capitalist class live the high life, tea plantation workers die in large numbers because of an unknown virus. He also shows how medical service to the poor is used as a means to proselytize the vulnerable.
All the actors have been lauded for their realistic performance in this movie. Sahitya Akademi awardee Nanjil Nandan’s dialogues, GV Prakash’s music and Chezhiyan’s camera, these three combination helped bring pre independence scenarios exactly as they were onto the screen.
While tea shops are a common feature all over India, before sipping that hot “Chai”, do remember there is a horrible history behind tea cultivation in India. Yes! The lives of tea plantation workers have improved relatively through struggles, but not to a great extent. Malnutrition and starvation deaths do occur in tea estates even today.
Chennai