Who are Nero's Guests?
"For me, the issue was never Nero. The issue was Nero's Guests. Who were Nero's guests? After 5 years of covering farmers' suicides, I think I have my answer. I think YOU have the answer."
P. Sainath continues.
"In ancient Rome, King Nero threw a large party- such a party that was never seen before. The elite clouts of citizen in arts, commerce and science were present at this party, hosted in an open garden area. Nero had a slight problem - he didn't have enough lamps to light up the whole party arena. Then Nero came upon an excellent idea - he brought a few prisoners and slaves and tied them to a pole; and set these folks on fire.
The elite circles of Rome ate, drank finest of wines in the magnificent light created by burning humans.
Not a single soul protested and not a single person condemned Nero's barbarous act. What sort of people were these who popped another fig into the mouth as a human being burst into flames?"
Deepa Bhatia is the director /editor of the documentary. She's done a terrific job here. The camera follows Sainath in the rural areas of Vidarbha, listening to the plights of the farmers as Sainath notes down the facts and questions the families. Camera shows us the devastated families, their sorrow, their overwhelming grief and the hitherto unknown horrors in Vidarbha. (Actually these stories are well known and received, but they fail to penetrate the cemented media slabs which don't see any "value" in them).
Camera captures these facts brutally and presents them without any dilusion or makeup. Sainath explains the causes, results and possible solutions with a voice beaming with compassion. And yet he doesn't shed a tear. And he doesn't break down in front of camera every now and then.
Here's the documentary for you -
Comparing Apples with Apples
The presentation factor is a huge plus for the documentary while it is the biggest no-no for Aamir Khan's show.
Several other factors remain the same -
The duration is an hour for both.
Both try to feature the social issue(s) facing contemporary India.
Both interview the victims and their families.
Both try to seek the answers.
Both have a common agenda - making people aware of the issue(s) by talking to victims, knowing the stories of anonymous.
Then why does the documentary strike a chord and the show touches the veneer of my consciousness and leaves me befuddled?
When I watch the documentary, the protagonist is not imposed on me. He's the one who's doing all the work and yet the camera doesn't make him a preachy, larger than life character. The camera is a faithful observant who reports back what it sees. And what the camera sees and hears is what makes the difference.
When I can see and feel the pain of common Indians, I don't need to know how does the protagonist "feel" and how does he "react". I don't want the protagonist to repeat the same things which the victims have already expressed by mere body language and eye contacts. I don't want the protagonist to overkill the issue by bombardment of tears. Let there be no intermediate wall between the people and the viewer.
Even when the protagonist tells me about something - the causes, facts and statistics about the issue, the documentary captures it in a complete guerrilla manner. Sainath doesn't become the larger than life preacher that is Aamir Khan who constantly pokes questions at the victims or gives a sermon on the podium.
Nero's Guests make the farmers' grief strikes me hard. Makes me feel guilty. Asks me uncomfortable questions. Demands answers from me. Leaves me with a burning thought that is difficult to ignore.
Satyamev Jayate makes me emotional via Aamir Khan. I feel empathy for the victims via Aamir's questions. The show tells me to support the cause by sending an SMS.
The documentary makes me sad when I see the 21 year old son of a dead farmer talking about his father's death and his own future. The camera listens in silence.
The show tells me to feel sad by making a teardrop roll on the well presented cheek of Aamir Khan.
Why not give importance to the real people who're fighting these battles? why not tell the stories thru their souls and let the camera do the work? Why meddle between the naked truth and the viewer?
Satyamev Jayate treats the viewer like a patient and gives him/her an injection of consciousness thru a syringe that is Aamir Khan.
Sorry Aamir, Let me embrace the poison of honesty on my own.
Disclaimer - I'm not demeaning Aamir Khan in any manner. I sincerely appreciate his work. I'm trying to draw parallel between this documentary and SMJ in terms of presenting a burning issue with all sincerity and honesty.
