Ooru (ಊರು)
Ooru, a short realistic fiction directed by Manjunath Jambe. ಊರು , village is not just a settlement of people living in community or it is just a group of houses. Villagers not only have bondage with one another but also with everything around them. So, they feel, they belongs to that place not the other way around the place belongs to them. If this sense of belonging vanishes, it leads to catastrophe. There is a tendency in village youth to abandon the village in search of luxury in cities. This is the subject of the movie Ooru.
Story: Shivram Hegde, though well educated, got a job offer in Mumbai has decided to stay in his village and received reasonable respect from villagers. He is worried about youngsters leaving villages in search of luxurious life in city. He regrets that the youngsters fail to understand that “rice can’t be born in factories and can’t get bananas out of computers”. But he has unflinching hope that his son Ravi will never abandon the village. However, Ravi gets an job offer from MNC in Bengaluru, it is a wish of every youngster to put his knowledge into practice. Ravi is no different. He compares, life in village to life of frog in a well. So he decides to leave for Bengaluru against his father’s wish.
In Bengaluru, Ravi lives a comfortable, luxurious life, he get married and later a son. He never bothers to visit his parents, once his son Adi, watching a discussion on farmer’s on TV, suddenly feels like visiting his grandparents. The labourer Rudra takes him around the village and gives a commentary on the state of affair, How their farm has given place to a factory, how people have left village in search of jobs. Adi realizes it is nothing like his father has described. He felt his father wronged his parents then Adi decides to……
What does he decide?
How does Ravi feel about his son’s decision?
Or is it just Ravi’s dream ending in Nightmare? The movie will answer.
Review: The village itself is the protagonist of the story. The characters are participants and witnesses for the changes taking place in the village. Purushottam Thalavata‘s acting gives meaning to the silence to the character Shivram hegde. The actor who played the role Rudra had given justice to the character. All other characters may have failed to be surreal.
Dialogue in this movie are like punctuations in a long sentence of silence. Even silence communicates what it can. Dialogues like “How can I sacrifice tender coconut water here, for mud water in the city” is not just Shivram hegde’s word but an explanation for the contrast between village and city. Thanks to the dialogue writer Chandan shankar.
The opening song by Ananya bhat “It has been long since we forgot our town” which expresses the regret. The Cinematography has succeeded in capturing lush green beauty of villages. Contribution of other technicians cannot be ignored.
In these days of exodus of youth from village to city, deserted village, cramped cities, soring prices, farmer’s suicide, where is to find the solace and peace? Where is the solution? The movie may have an answer.
Critics rating: 4/5
Movie link: https://youtu.be/o0QKlJzvqP0