banner

05 January 2012

Stanley Ka Dabba- Of Child Labour and Education

Stanley
Last night, a movie disrupted my plan to finish Haruki Murakami's Kafka on the Shore. I was just channel-walking when I stumbled upon Stanley Ka Dabba on Astro Box Office Channel 952. I was glued to the TV screen till it's finished. 

You can imagine the kind of movie that I like- The King's Speech, The Queen, A Beautiful Mind which brings message and never have any romantic love appeals. The same thing goes to Stanley Ka Dabba. I am not good in writing synopsis. This piece of synopsis of the movie is taken from the movie's website.
Verma
The BAD teacher who takes his students' food
Miss Rosy
The teacher adored by her students.
She always give chocolate to the main character, Stanley
 when he recites poem in the class.
Mrs. Iyer
This is the normal teacher in  any Asian society- you must follow the rule.
If innovation does not grow in Asia, this kind of teacher is some of the
parts in society to be blamed.
What's in the Dabba
Imagine this boy in your mind's eye. He arrives in school much before any of his classmates to drum away his blues on empty benches. He stuffs himself with water instead of the nutritious food that his schoolmates relish during the lunch break. He covers up for his lack of social rank with the finesse of the most seasoned diplomat. Who is this child? What is he like? Why is he anything like he is? Wouldn't you like to know? Meet Stanley, the protagonist of the much awaited 'Stanley Ka Dabba
'Stanley Ka Dabba' is the latest offering from the insightful writer-director, Amole Gupte that throws light on the everyday life of a school going child. The character, Stanley, tugs at your heartstrings with his indomitable spirit, while warding off the hostile world he is surrounded by at all times, everywhere. The film reveals how this is child-soldier, rises above his choking real life situation on the way setting a template for all whiners to learn from, even emulate.
Like most others his ilk, Stanley loves to be amongst friends and win the appreciation of his peers and colleagues. He uses his sparkling wit and innocent wisdom to impress everyone he touches. At times spinning-a-yarn amongst friends about his mother's flight, while on occasion conjuring some heartfelt poetry to impress the lovely English teacher, Rosy Miss (Divya Dutta). There are though teachers like the pungent Science Madam, Ms Iyer (Divya Jagdale) whose rigid beliefs smother Stanley's innovative science experiment with all the contempt at her disposal. Then there is the gluttonous Hindi master, Verma Sir (Amole Gupte) who emerges as the catalyst in helping the boys bond for Stanley's dignity and rightful place in the school.
The camaraderie between the boys comes to the fore when they thwart Verma Sir's desperate attempts to polish off their dabbas with all the guile at their disposal. The gang makes the 'invincible' Verma show his true vulnerable self for once as he marches from one possible hideout to another in the school premises trying to binge upon their home made food.
Stanley, the little protagonist of Amole Gupte's, latest film 'Stanley Ka Dabba' shows how, like the proverbial lotus, can one rise above all the filth around and make the world a better, beautiful place to live in.
The way he goes about bringing cheer to his colleagues and his little friends is what makes him the Stanley we all need to be in today's day and age. Wise and sensitive, loving and mischievous: living every moment as if there is no tomorrow.
Dabba GangIn the movie, the main character, Stanley has no parents. His parents die in a car accident and he is forced to work with his uncle in a food stall. However, he still wants to go to school and as the synopsis mentions, every of his classmate brings their very own Tiffin-boxes. In Malaysia it looks like 'bekas mangkuk tingkat'. 
His classmates share the food with him. However, there is one bad teacher who just like to take his student's food. It does not make sense to grasp the concept of a teacher taking his students' food at first but in the movie, it is portrayed smoothly and with logical sense. You may see it once you watched the movie from the beginning.

The movie depicts how child labour is extensively practised in Indian society. Childhoods are taken away and how education can bring change to the phenomena are just some things that make you think when watching the movie. It's a no-Ombak Rindu (well, it's not fair for me to say this either but we all know how a Malay love movie goes anyway) but the message shows us that there is something wrong with the world. 

When I went to India, I saw families sleeping on the streets at night. Slumdog Millionaire is the only movie I've seen to date that depicts the real India. But Stanley Ka Dabba takes it a step further. It shows the microcosm of the child labour and education in India. I recommend you to watch this movie.-The Chukai Insider

No comments:

Post a Comment

Anonymous comments will be deleted except comments from 'anonymous' people I know. Please refrain from comments of a racist, sexist, vulgar or derogatory nature and note that comments can be edited, rewritten for clarity or to avoid questionable issues. The Chukai Insider also reserve the right to delete off-topic comments.