Swades: The Movie

In appreciation of the scene; Mohans return journey, after meeting Hariram. The director has managed to convey the profundity of India's problems related to poverty. At the same time the age old tradition of respect and care of fellow human beings, very much rooted in Indian culture, is nicely bought out. Hariram continues to endure shame for his inability to keep the lights on for his family. The situation has become hopeless with no alternative sources of income in sight. Hariram is born in the family of potter's and in the same tradition becomes a potter. With income levels depleting, Hariram turns to farming but the community ostracizes him. The village is not willing to accept potters becoming farmers. This is the community expression of fear from, breaking away from tradition and change. Hariram looks to coming to cities, there is his wife's brother who migrated to cities took up jobs around manual labor. But the middle-men exploitation drives many of the folks back. So in a situation like this Hariram is in no position to repay his debts. And Mohan the US based scientist is embarrassed, overwhelmed by the situation. Hariram offers shelter and food to Mohan, for his journey has been long. It is during that late night, sleeping on the open air make-shift jute bed, thatched roof on top with the moon still managing to sneak through the hay, that reality dawns upon Mohan. The sheer desperation of the external environment and the hospitable, warm heartedness of Hariram; surges forth an emotion not experienced by Mohan before. On his way back, Mohan is reflective on the events. His journey back is again through the vast Indian heartland. Shoulder to shoulder with people, the population, he perches himself on different vehicles. The last leg in the train, there is a stop which is just to arrive when Mohan spots a kid in an oversized short with a kettle of water and mud-glasses selling water for couple of cents to the passengers. 'Water...take water for ...cents' shouts the kid to passengers at the window. Poverty is stark. What can one do to extricate from the situation? Is there hope? With the train set to leave the station, Mohan buys the mud glass of water. The train moves and the kid is in the station, watching out from the window, the heart is heavy, emotions crack up. There is a surge.......This is after all the land we were born. The land is calling its son's of soil. Help this land out brother! This is our land.