Gour Hari Dastaan
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Casts: Vinay Pathak, Konkona Sen Sharma, Ranvir Shorey, Tannishtha Chatterjee, Rajit Kapur, Vipin Sharma
Banner: Siddhivinayak Cinevision Pvt Ltd
Director: Ananth Narayan Mahadevan
Producer: Bindiya Khanolkar, Sachin Khanolkar
Music: Dr L Subramaniam
Release Date: 14th August 2015
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Story line: GOUR HARI DASTAAN is a story of an Odisha freedom fighter, Gour Hari Das who made his way through a long battle of silent war that lasted for 32 years, against his own government to prove his patriotic association towards the nation. He fought for a certificate recognizing his work as a freedom fighter which took three full decades to arrive. At the age of 84, the much sought-after certificate, when it was ultimately awarded, was a bittersweet victory. ‘Gour Hari Dastaan’ talks about the brutal reality of the country today that has lost the essence of what our freedom fighters had given up their lives for. Gaur Hari Das loved to talk about his adventures as a freedom fighter…a favourite used to be, how at the age of eighteen, he was asked to deliver letters as a messenger of the “vanar sena”. He used to be on the run at nights, along railway tracks, using the headlights of approaching trains to find his way in the darkness.
But soon he realized that people and kids were sniggering behind his back, dubbing him a fibber. It hurt, but he never craved to prove himself right. Until one day his son sought admission in the Victoria Jubilee Technical Institute in King Circle, and Das was told that a freedom fighter’s certificate would facilitate an entry into the institute. Das had his first brush with bureaucracy when he was told that he could not obtain a certificate from Maharashtra, as he had fought from the state of Orissa. Which forced him to point out that he hadn’t fought for a state, but for the country!
Disillusioned, Das backed out and refused to pursue the matter anymore. Even his family discouraged him. “My wife and children told me not to fight the government for recognition…they said I’d get nothing”. I could see that today’s generation was fast losing faith. I shuddered to think of their future…It was then that a friend, Rajeev Singhal suggested that he meet Mohan Joshi, an advocate with conviction and a tough man who wouldn’t fall for any smooth talk. If Das could convince Joshi of his intentions, then maybe Joshi could find a way out…
Before he met Joshi, there were even offers for a certificate and higher pensions if Das greased a few palms. But he hadn’t braved the British, and spent time behind bars for 180 days to succumb to red tapism now.
The utter callousness of the officials was an eye opener to Das. And a new Das was born… He suddenly realized that this wasn’t the country he had fought for. And this was the country he couldn’t abandon either! He was determined not to let the sacrifices of his ilk be squandered by a set of people out to erode a value system they had upheld in the face of near impossible situations. He is surprised to discover that today’s youth have either no idea of independence or scant respect for freedom. There was a time when bombs were manufactured by them to blow up bridges constructed by the British. Today’s youth had militant leanings, destroying the very fabric that Gaur and innumerable others had fought to build. And not unexpectedly, the fight against his own countrymen was getting tougher. The law at one stage even accused him of being a fraud trying to cheat the government for pension. “When I asked them to stand by their theory, go ahead and arrest me, they just did not react. At least the British showed some self respect. We appear to have become a spineless nation”. “Today there is no powerful ruling party or even a strong opposition in the country to raise and solve the real problems of the citizens” Standing on a bridge that connected the past with the present, Das waged a 30 year battle to prove his credentials. A battle strewn with the bodies of a decaying system, a fumbling democracy and guilty consciences. And then the struggle bore fruit…he won!…And as he walked out of the government office, clutching the precious certificate that proclaimed him to be a freedom fighter, he turned back for the most scathing famous last words…”the fight with our own people was tougher…we were better off in the Raj era!!”.
Gour Hari Dastaan – The Freedom File based on Hari Gaur Das’ memoirs, is a telling comment on a country’s present that has failed to justify the past. It’s the dramatic tale of two generations locked in a see-saw battle… one extolling values, the other groping in the dark. And it’s the future that’s at stake!
Know more about the captain of the Ship, the director: Anant Mahadevan, is a screenwriter, actor, and director of Hindi and Marathi films and television serials in India.Having been an integral part of the Indian television serials and Hindi movies since the 1980s, he is also actively involved in the professional English and Hindi theatre. Ananth along with Sanjay Pawar received the National Award (2010) for the Best Screenplay and Dialogues for the successful Marathi movie Mee Sindhutai Sapkal’. The Marathi film “Mee Sindhutai Sapkal ” also fetched him the special jury award at the National Film awards 2010.
Facts And Figures:
Gour Hari Dastaan was part of the Indian Panorama at the International Film Festival of India (2014) Goa, at the International Film Festival of Kerala IFFK (2014), the International Film Festival of Bangalore, and the International Film Festival of Chennai (2014).
My Gut Feel and comments:
Going by the promo it’s evident that a sensitive real story has been adapted and presented with honesty and simplicity. It’s refreshing to see Vinay Pathak back in action with remarkable supporting star cast. Story seems to be powerful and movie coming at very right occasion of Independence Day as a satire on our govt. norms and society’s insensitivity towards the value for which we fought for freedom. In reality now the fate of this movie seems to be harsh reflection of our society where movie like this applauded at film festivals already however will not reach to mass audience effectively. Its releasing against a commercial movie Brothers and as Bajrangi Bhaijaan still going strong for sure at theaters this movie find it hard to get due share of screenings. I hope it reach to larger audience as it hold as strong message around importance of patience and persistence. I would give this movie 3.5 out of 5 stars, two days before the release.