Kerala's Legacy Lives On: 'Cross Belt' in San Francisco

Thapasya Arts San Francisco recently brought the powerful drama "Cross Belt," penned by the esteemed late N.N. Pillai, to the HUSD Performing Arts Center in Hayward. This staging, performed entirely by talented Bay Area artists, offered a compelling live rendition of a story widely recognized through its 1970 film adaptation.

While many associate "Cross Belt" with the film directed by Crossbelt Mani and produced by A. Ponnappan, featuring iconic performances by Sathyan, Sharada, Kaviyoor Ponnamma, and Adoor Bhasi, it's crucial to acknowledge the play's original theatrical roots. The narrative, whether on screen or stage, delves into a woman's desperate act of violence born from challenging circumstances, and the subsequent repercussions. N.N. Pillai's writing, both for the stage and the film, explores complex social issues and human drama, with the title "Cross Belt" itself alluding to the law enforcement theme central to the story.

Witnessing the Bay Area production evoked vivid memories of watching the classic black-and-white film. The local cast and crew delivered an exceptional performance, demonstrating that the spirit of Malayalam theater flourishes even far from Kerala. 

Their dedication and passion were palpable, creating an immersive and moving experience. The enthusiastic applause at the play's conclusion was a sincere expression of gratitude for the artists' commitment and talent.

This performance of "Cross Belt" served as a powerful reminder of the enduring strength of regional art and its ability to connect communities. It was a testament to the Bay Area's vibrant Malayalam cultural scene, where art and community seamlessly intertwine, leaving a lasting and impactful impression.

A Saturday evening well spent !

~Dawn

Society or culture or whatever you might want to call it, has created us all solely and wholly for the purpose of maintaining its continuity and status quo...!

 

Recently I had the opportunity to watch this movie on Netflix -What will people say! This is a 2017 internationally co-produced, directed and written by Iram Haq. This film's scene set in Pakistan were, all shot in Rajasthan, India.

To my surprise this film had its world premier at 42nd Toronto International Film Festival. This was selected as the Norwegian entry for the best foreign language film at the 91st Academy Awards - but it was not nominated.

My main reason to watch this film was Adil Hussain - an amazing actor and human being. 

As the story started unfolding, it started reminding me of some of the stories that I have seen in Canada. It's not only for India or Pakistan but you can see similar stories from families migrating from Iran, or any other country where the culture is different and women are not given much freedom in the name of family dignity, society pressure and what not. 

"Expectations were like a pottery. The harder you held them, the more likely they were to crack" ~ Brandon Sanderson

This movie is a must watch for everyone of all gender and race. This talks about equality and equal opportunity for everyone. 

The movie brings an amazing emotions of relationship between the family and siblings. The father, who loves his daughter and understands what is best for her yet, gets drowned in the societal and community cadence where he fears for his family's respect, his business overall trying to look good in front of his people and yet want the best for his daughter.

At the end the daughter makes the choice for herself and Father kind of supports that by not coming in her way!

A very important movie and message for the time where we still differentiate between the genders and defines the boundaries for a girl child and it's not limited to the child but until she dies she is supposed to be living by the rules and live in a box that someone else created for her or her gender.

"A gender-equal society would be one where the word 'gender' does not exists: where everyone can be themselves" ~ Gloria Steinem 

If you're a free thinker and watch this movie it will suffocate you when you see how the girl is taken back to Pakistan and left her there to live with her relatives. It's something that one cannot foresee ourselves to be in that situation imagine the ones who go through how tough it could be?

This movie at least should help open everyone's mind and heart.

"Culture is not made up but something that evolves which is human" ~ Edward T. Hall

~ Dawn

A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies.....!

It's been a long time when time when I was looking for a book by Manto - Saadat Hasan Manto. I had read about him through my browses on poets from Pakistan and his name used to pop-up here and there and when I read about him and his nature of calling a spade a spade, my curiosity grew.

Whenever as a family we go into book store (which these days are diminishing due to all these online shopping), I look for books by Manto or for Manto and no luck! It was last year when we went to India for a family wedding and happen to go around in Bangalore where we were actually looking to hangout at the old Bangalore side which I love it even today as it reminds me of the days when I went to Bangalore in 90s and it makes you feel you're back in those days where everything has its own pace and there is a peace. No one is racing, we went to Blue Frog and spent some good time eating food, drinks and music...it was heaven.

After that we wandered around and saw this book stall and we just got lost inside. My husband as he was collecting many books, I was looking for two books... one by Manto and the other by Nathuram Godse! 
Luckily found both and I am glad that I was able to finish this book as I started reading Manto only after coming back to San Francisco. In between I saw the move on Manto as that got released as well in 2018. The movie I felt good as I had completed 80% of the book and hence the stories were reminding me of how it was written and how those were shown in the movie..! 
Now comes to the actual book, yes as I was reading the book from the beginning each story gave me the insight about Manto and his keen observations to smallest things - it could be the wind but how the wind was blowing the curtain or the hair of the girl in what direction and how - thats how detail he is in his description which takes a reader to experience as if its happening to the reader!

"The face is the mirror of the mind, and eyes without speaking confess the secrets of the heart" 

I was very impressed with his writing style and as I was reaching each story made me think about Manto. How detail he is? How much he thinks of women and writes about them everywhere it was about Manto in my mind. His language and vocabulary, I was all high with Manto until I started feeling every story is about prostitutes. He used to write for movies but still his story is all about them and how rich people enjoy and what not. At one point to be frank I felt Manto has nothing else to write about other than women who are prostitutes.

"There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it" ~ Edith Wharton

But as you read next stories at the end, you realize whether its rich or poor people, women and her status in this society is what he is trying to show - a mirror!
This book actually not only made me curious through out but it also made me to think after I finished the book. I did think about those women from Manto's stories and also those men and I wondered life at that time and I compared to today and I felt nothing has changed. May be the standard and living styles might have changed based on the generation but ultimately society looks at women as an object, nothing has changed even though time has!!!

I also realized one thing that a point where I felt angry with Manto that he is only writing about prostitutes is also a skill of Manto to bring that anger in me for the women's sake and I give that credit to Manto. I wish there were more like Manto.

A good read and if you have ever lived near Bombay and Pune and have been close to Indian film industry then definitely it will touch your memories in a way to give that nostalgic kick to you.

I give 5/5 for this book and I want to read more of his books!

"...and it is also possible, that Saadat Hasan dies, but Manto remains alive." ~ Saadat Hasan Manto


~ Dawn