Boat (2024) Movie Script
'The year 1943'
'On one side while Indians were
demanding the British to Quit India'
'On the other side because of World War II
the entire world was ablaze and smoldering'
'German leader Hitler attacked Poland
and started World War II'
'He created major destruction
with his dictatorship'
'Therefore Allies opposed Hitler'
'Britain's Prime Minister Winston Churchill
headed the Allies'
'Japan supported Hitler'
'And bombed British ruled areas
of Colombo, Vizag and Kakkinandhiyavada'
'Through planes and created
major damage and destruction'
'The situation of bombing Madras at
any point of time continued for 6 months'
'Petrified, 70% of the population
ran away from Madras'
'Since Govt offices
did not function'
'Hospitals, court and basic necessities'
'Operated in open grounds once a week'
'Finally on October 11th'
'In the middle of the night at 11
Japan war planes bombed Madras Presidency'
'The day after the bombing'
'A very deep, lengthy, wide stretch of sea'
'Right in the middle of Bay of Bengal'
'Chapter - 1'
'Chapter - 1: Buckingham soldier
And grandson of a wanderer'
'Chapter - 2'
'Chapter - 2: Slaves dumb
and Japanese bomb'
'We will get shoals of fish
because of high tide, right?'
'As per British law
no one can enter the sea'
'Then what?'
Let the fish remain here
Shall we take out just the net?'
- 'Okay
- Move'
Imagine a camp in Santhome
for us Kasimedu residents!'
Means they have scant respect for us!
- 'Brother
- Brother-in-law'
Come, Ranga
Come, my dear
Have you informed our aunt
about the wedding?
I'm so happy for you, take care
You have no object-
Why should I object, Ranga?
Day after tomorrow
my sister is getting married to you
Let the Japanese go ahead
with their bombing
You both tie the knot at our village temple
Thank you, brother-in-law
We'll take leave
Be safe
Aren't you coming with us, grandma?
Your brother has hurt his leg
After his leg is bandaged
I will be there by noon
Shall we go?
Bye-bye, brother-in-law
All the best, Ranga
Are you sad I'm taking you
away from your family?
Don't worry
I will take good care of you
1 minute
My dear brother!
I am feeling weird
Because he is as tall as a palm tree?!
Don't be funny!
Our younger brother
is not here either
Listen
Rangan's family is not aware
our brother is in jail
Don't blabber and mess this up
Do you get it?
Grandma and I are at this camp
only to take him with us
He will certainly attend your wedding
Understand?
Be on your way, dear
Go
Can't you obey simple instructions?
'Move... move on'
This is the medicine
prescribed for my aunt
I don't think you will
get this medicine here
Even if you get it
These British 'dogs' won't give it to us
Why not inject poison and kill them, sir?
- Revolution?
- Got to do something, right?
You keep doing it anyway
All of you asserted your solidarity
by running MKT's film for 2 years
Then what?
Didn't get freedom, eh?!
Will you screen a film in 1 theater
for 2 festival seasons'
And to top it all
you brag about this
Shameless fellows!
Come to one side
We must send your younger brother
to work only in a mill
You have bought 10 mills indeed to
make him sit in the billing counter easily!
We have been suffering
for generations in this sea
Let him at least study
and come up in life
Have you kept that letter safe?
Then? Starved for 10 days
with no food or water
Roamed every street
sheer blood, sweat and tears
And finally got this letter, right?
See, I have it safe with me
'Don't raise your voice here, silence!'
'Move back a little'
Next person
Please come forward
Maintain some distance
Back... come back
- What is your problem?
- Too many problems to count, doctor!
Not getting interest for money lent
If repaid, the cash gets spent!
I have problems in the house
and outside-
- What is the problem with your health?
- Tooth is shaking for the past 2 days
Was it before or after the bombing?
As if they threw the bomb
into my mouth?
Open your mouth
Open wide
- Aaaaa!
- Wider, man
Don't you ever brush your teeth?
Sometimes I do
After Alamu gets married
all of us should go
And pray to our family deity Kali Amman
Pray to Goddess Shakti
as well as Someswaran
Who is that?
He is the one giving us
loan for 2% interest often
Rubbish! You are comparing
a loan shark with the lord!
You deride him now but take
the cash happily when he gives it!
Greetings, sir
What is the matter?
Sir
- Who is the checklist officer here?
- He is over there, sir
What is its capacity?
Around 20 people can hide in this bunker
We have 6 like this, sir
- Okay
- Sir
Good morning, sir
Tell me, sir
I'm Martin Morricone
Investigation Officer
Extremely dangerous matter
- We have to immediately trace a person
- We can check it, sir
- When is the due date for your baby?
- Last night
Did the bombing coincide
with your baby boy peeping out?
- Father
- During the Battle of Panipet
New born babies were named Panian!
Then what will you name a baby
born in Madras while bombing?
If it's a boy baby
I will name him Kundan
If it's a girl, then Ku-
Enough, I was just making conversation
How did you get this
recommendation letter?
Munusamy is the munsif of our area
He took a lot of effort
and got it for us
I believe, some people
hit the British police
My brother by chance passed by
They locked him up too, sir
Forget now but come back later
- Leave now
- Sir
Day after tomorrow is my sister's wedding
I want my brother to
attend her wedding
Please let him go, sir
I believe it is Hitler
who sent Japan warplanes
He must be a lunatic!
Does that mean Churchill, Stalin, Charles,
Roosevelt are normal and not lunatics?
I haven't befriended them, sir
Crisis for the whites
Isn't Hitler achieving
what we are unable to?
We should applaud him for that and be happy
100% right
- 'Jai Hind, long live India'
- Is your name Jai Hind?
My name is Kumari Muthu
Matches with this finger print
He may even be
a very dangerous killer
But his name isn't mentioned, sir
Can we check at the counter?
Are you the one who led the protest
of your group last month?
He is asking if you led the team
of revolutionaries last month?
Sir, I mean-
Sir!
Hey! Sit down
Please don't hit him, sir
- File this letter
- Yes, sir
I'm in charge of your brother's case
He will be in jail
at least for 3 years!
Sir, 8 Japanese war planes
have returned to bomb this area
6 bombs have already been dropped
Orders via phone to evacuate
everyone from here, sir
- Bomb!
- [Telugu] Oh God!
What can we do if he talks like this?
- Hey...!
- Hmm?
First fold this letter and keep it safe
Only this can save your brother
Go meet a higher rank officer
Listen, in this commotion, make it look
like you took your brother and just escape
Your risk!
Grandma, shall we do this?
- Madam, don't come this side
- Stop right there
- Listen to me, don't come
- Move aside, lady
Why, brother?
- Get up and come
- Come
- Did they thrash you so hard?
- Yes, brother
- I wanted to at least give this letter
- We'll deal with that later
- Let's go
- Fine, listen
Let's take our boat and reach mid sea
No one can come there
and we can be safe
Only then we can escape
from both police and bombings
Understand?
- My leg hurts like hell
- Is that so?
Grandma, you go ahead
and get into the boat
Come
Come along
- Pa, where did you go?
- Where were you, dear?
Lakshmi, even if we run from here
it will take us 1/2 hour to reach Mylapore
Not only that on Mount Road
British battalion is waiting
They will bomb
this place for sure
Safest way is to get into a boat
and escape into the sea
We can escape from both policemen
as well as the bombings
- How, father?
- Trust me and come
God help us!
- Brother?
- Hmm
I'm unable to walk
Take the boat, quick
Keep going, I'll follow
- Hurry up
- Go, brother
I'll go push the boat
Kumara, come
Hurry up
Where is Chokku?
He's unable to move fast
- He's coming behind
- Put it inside
- Where, father?
- Grandma, remove the mooring
I'll push the boat and get in
Hello, son
Can we get in with you?
My daughter is with me
Sir, come
'Annaiya'...brother
[Telugu] I don't know what to do
All this bombing makes me restless
You think weekly bombing
will give us peace of mind?
Don't blabber
Just get in
[Telugu] Get in, son
Grand-
- 'Hurry up, sir'
- Get in, quick
Grandma, give me the oar
Chokku, have you come?
Push it little to the east
Push it hard
[Telugu] Careful
Move before they drop bombs on our head!
Watch your step, pa
[Hindi] Please stop
Sir, can I also join?
Clear the boat from the sand
and then get in
- Yes
- 'Push it hard'
Push it a bit more and then get in, man
He's asking us to push but isn't it
hard to push and get in?
Easy for me
- Where do you work?
- Politics
Then you can push
- Push harder
- Let's leave before the bombing
Push
- [Telugu] Hurry up
- Push with all your might
Moving, push a bit more
Long live Hanuman!
Asthma, huh?
- Please take us also
- Don't leave us behind
They will drop us and come back
- Hey, wait
- I was just joking
'Boat'
- Here
- Give it
You can row sitting down
We have to stand and row
until we cross the waves
- Keep us safe, Lord Narayana
- Bombs drop only from there!
For the next few days
pray to Japanese planes!
At least the pilot won't drop any bombs!
Oh God!
- Keep him safe in the bunker
- Okay, sir
We must ensure he is alive
And then kill him part by part!
First get that boat back
Nab his brother too
Without anyone seeing us
Enough if we go
a little farther into the sea
We can escape from the bombing
- Huh?
- What a relief!
Shall I row for sometime?
No need, boat is a bit heavy
That's why it is dragging
I'll take care
Hey Chokku
'He is calling you'
'My name isn't Chokku'
Oh!
Chokku...?
Hey Chokku
- Chokku
- Hey!
- Your younger brother is missing!
- Huh?
What do we do?
My brother didn't get in?
Who are you looking for?
My younger brother
We don't know
When I came running, someone grabbed
a 20 year old boy and was holding him down
Why didn't you tell me earlier?
Kumara, they will torture him once again
Turn the boat to the shore
- The bank is flooded with police
- Let them be
We will get caught unnecessarily
Hey, who are you?
You got in seeking refuge
My brother is only important to me
This is my boat
Grandma, turn it to the shore
'Turn'
What now, pa?
BROTHER!
THEY ARE HOLDING ME CAPTIVE IN THE BUNKER
'I WILL BE SAFE'
They are planning to nab you
Don't come back and get caught!
Only then you can
take care of other matters
'Go back'
Don't get caught
Go...!
Hey...!
Hey...!
Return of your own accord
If you get caught
'That's it'
Turn the boat back to the sea
What are you saying, grandma?
Are you out of your mind?
'If we get caught'
No one will be around
to save your brother
Your sister's marriage
is day after tomorrow!
We must definitely escape
Bombing will start, hurry up
Don't scream, pilot may hear and see us!
Sit down, everyone
- Why is he shooting?
- Why, ma?
Police are also shooting
'Turn the boat, quick'
Stop them somehow
HEYYYY!
HUGE DANGER!
'He is warning us about something?'
A dangerous terrorist
is with you in that boat
Can't hear anything
Row before they start shooting again
'Chapter : 3'
'Chapter : 3 - 2 oars to travel
and a lot of brawl and quarrel'
Grandma, why are you crying?
Poor boy, my younger grandson
Wonder how he is coping with the police!
Don't worry
We have the letter from
the Collector, right?
That's enough
We'll somehow get him out with that
How did you get that recommendation letter?
Don't even ask me, uncle
To get that letter from
the British Collector
We waited outside Ripon building
for 6 whole days!
I believe every morning
he will play with his horse
We fell at his feet
and his horse's feet as well!
What happened after that?
Even that man agreed
But that horse refused to accept
That horse threw a fit
They have pampered
even the 5-sensed animal!
With flared nostrils
it stood enraged
Then what? We cleaned up
all its 'downloading'
- We got the recommendation letter
- From the horse?
Ridiculing me?
My sister Alamu is
getting married this Friday
That too, a love marriage!
Fantastic!
This world war is the real 'Deepavali'
A festival of lights indeed
Soldiers from countries
all over the world drop bombs
On heads of naive people!
No bombs left for
the next world war it seems!
Then?
Only use virus
Biological warfare
I read this last week
in Tamil newspaper 'Swadesamithran'
If such a world war occurs
We should wear a mask
in our own homes
And roam around like a thief!
We have to pay for our sins, right?
Poor man!
Is he mad?
Literate lunatic!
That's why I didn't educate you
Thank you very much, grandma
Brother, how much longer should we go?
First we have to cross the sea-limit
What is that?
12 miles from the shore
Police will be patrolling
till that point
Last week, they shot 2 boats
If we get caught,
we'll be skinned alive
How much risk you're taking for our sake!
You will accumulate only blessings
What am I accumulating?
Only worries from the day I was born
Those are merits due to good deeds from
your past birth, don't confuse the two
Does that mean no one from my hood
has acquired merits from good deeds?
No, don't get me wrong
I quoted only our sacred texts and rules
That applies for only those
who think they are superior
I will apologize
on behalf of my father
Please forgive him
Your words are like melodious tunes
set to a 'raga' and 'tanam' in a concert
Is that so?
Uncle, can I ask you something?
Of course
- When will a shark appear?
- Why?
I want to feed a shark with puffed rice
I have never seen a shark
that eats puffed rice in this sea
We are all in the same place
At least introduce yourselves
My name is Vijaya
My husband's name is Beemanna Rao
He left the house 6 months ago
Is he working out of town?
He is working in
Vijayawada jail as a prisoner!
He's in Congress
The entire Congress party
is in jail and tortured
That stout lady pestered us to come
to Madras with business as a carrot-bait
We came to this wretched Madras
and got caught!
He is my son Magesh
He is in 3rd grade
He has a minor health issue
Who is that 'stout lady'?
My mother-in-law!
I'm Muthumari
This is my grandson Kumaran
We hail from Kasimedu
Yes, sir
My name is Narayanan
Trying for a job in Ripon building
That is my daughter Lakshmi
She has just finished Form V
Wanted to learn Carnatic music in Tanjore
I have told her she can do anything
she wants after she gets married
I have a small doubt
You want to know how deep is the sea?
You said something about 'nokku'
What does it mean?
Your vertebrae
will be bent double
Oh!
What does that mean?
Hit your foot like
nailing a horse shoe
My God!
Enough, I don't want any meaning!
My name is Lal
There wasn't any train for me to
return home, for the past 3 weeks
Otherwise why will I
stay in this lazy town?
My state is Rajasthan
So Madras is your state to
spit sweet betel leaf, huh?
My name is Raja
From Palakkad city
My job is to write
But there is a small problem
My uncle is having an eye surgery
'So I came here to take care of his hotel'
In between all this
I have to go to Calcutta too
Thought I'll relax
and I got caught here
I was living happily in Theni
My name is Muthaiyya
I retired as librarian
from Presidency college
I came to submit a research letter
and got caught in this commotion
I am in Madras for 30 years
Nothing is proper here
Improper, huh?
Finally no one here
is a proper Madrasi
Only my grandma and I are proper Madrasis
Kumara, I'm from Madras too
Mylapore near Kosapet
is my native place for generations
It was just a figure of speech!
Will we forget the city
that gave us sustenance?
I'm also a little bit of a Madrasi
Uncle, to all of you
Madras is like pickle
But to us
Madras is the main meal
Doesn't matter how many
people drop bombs on us
Till our last breath, Madras soil
will be our land of paradise!
Do you understand?
Grandma, can you hear
the sound of patrol boats?
I can't hear now
I can hear the sound in the air
If we get caught by them
they will shoot us dead
- Let us head south, huh?
- Quick... quick
Why don't we turn the boat
and go to some other country?
We can go to Burma
That's close by too
Antarctica is closer!
Huh? Then let us go there
Listen, how many of you know to swim?
Only the 2 of you?
Rotten luck!
'1 hour after leaving the shore'
In the midst of these fears
You are sitting in style
with your hand on your cheek?
A man suffering from toothache
will also sit only in this posture!
Not style
- Who is this?
- Father
What happened, pa?
Mouse... mouse
- Mouse...!
- Why are you hitting it?
Mouse, I say
- Sit down
- Where did it go?
It's right here
How is this mouse
linked with this boat?
Throw that wretched being into the sea
How are you connected to this boat?
Shall we throw you also into the sea?
Listen to me loud and clear
We are totally 10 including this mouse
- Excellent decision
- Huh?
Not me
He said it
When even your God eats meat,
this is how you will be
Our God doesn't like
butter and curd rice, it's true
The reason you are not allowed
into the temple
It is only because you are
not orthodox, understand
Don't let us in
Even if our God is outside city limit
He is superior indeed
Who is superior? Tell me
You have to crane your neck and
to look up at our temple tower!
Crane our neck it seems
He is right
Such high temple towers exist only in
our homeland, nowhere else in the world
That's our tradition
Cultural heritage
The place where the temple is built
Stones used in construction
Architectural and sculptural skill
Coordination of the 5 elements of nature
All these involve a science
indigenous to our land
- Therefore
- You said it, brother
Kumara, listen
Loud and clear
At least from now on
Understand as a native to this land
you have a right to enter that temple too!
Enter the temple
thinking it belongs to you
I'll do as soon as I reach the shore
Then non vegetarian and vegetarian issues
will get solved automatically
This is why our E.V.R revolts and posts
his views daily in 'Viduthalai' newspaper
If the city splits into 2, then it is
celebration time for the manipulators
Why should we behave in such a way
for them to celebrate?
I have water
Take small sips
I have some basil water too
I have a can of water with me too
So sad I didn't bring any food
for Magesh to eat
Hmm... don't worry
We can share this Malabar king fish
If you dry it in the open
the spice will hit your brain!
Can't you throw the net in
the sea and catch fish?
- Can't fish in this place
- Oh!
If you want to catch Catfish,
Mackerel, Lizard fish
We must go very far
[Telugu] Sister, how is this?
- Who is this?
- Uncle Kumaran
Very nice
Show it to uncle
Uncle, how is this?
What is this? Looks really ugly!
- This is you
- Then it is perfect!
Take
- Uncle
- Hmm...?
Can I ask you something?
Want to feed omelette to the octopus?
Uncle...!
We are in mid sea, right?
Shall we go to Mani Pallava island?
Where is that, dear?
Row straight, turn right and then left
But only the good hearted can see it
Then none of us can go there!
'Is that so?'
I can see a black stone fort
far ahead in the distance
He claims he has a golden heart!
He alone can see the fort it seems
What, Sait?
- Can you see?
- No
- Bad man
- So be it!
Grandma, give me water
Kumara, here
Drink
Watch it, don't capsize the boat
Kumara, row full swing
I'll take care
You take rest
Take
- Oh! My letter
- Is this the recommendation letter?
Yes, uncle
Fantastic, Kumaran
You can get your brother out
in 10 minutes with this letter
What are you saying?
- Flew away
- Oh my God!
'Shall I get it?'
No, you might stumble
I'll get it myself
- Sorry, Kumara
- Careful
Careful, brother
- Tread gently
- Don't fall
Somehow retrieve it
'Brother'
It is stuck there
Gentle... careful
- Don't, brother
- He jumped in
Uncle...!
Kumara
Be careful, Kumara
- Don't, brother
- Kumara... kumara
I can hear a patrol boat
Come back soon
Kumara, don't go there
We'll get caught
Don't go
Uncle!
'The letter has vanished'
Kumara, don't go
You shouldn't go there
Careful, uncle
UNCLE!
- Come back
- Kumara...!
Return to the boat
Thank goodness, the sound of
the patrol boat has receded now
Row faster, Raja
'Chapter: 4'
'Chapter: 4 - The king arrived, dear
and stood sense deprived here'
What will we do without the letter?
I am so worried
Grandma, all of us will pray for you
Your grandson will be fine, don't worry
'He got that letter
cleaning up boots, uncle'
Trust is the key to life, Kumara
Believing we will get our freedom
for the past 200 years
Haven't we lived from
one generation to another, huh?
Kumara, the boat seems to be dragging
That's how it is
This is an old canoe
usually used in Kerala
It can hold only 6-7 passengers
Including this kid
we are 9 of us
We have to change the balance
- You shift to that side
- Come, dear
'Both of you sit together'
'Sir, move a little bit'
Enough?
Is your wrist hurting?
Only strong winds and waves
Moulds a skilled fisherman
Sir, the tradewinds have started blowing
So...?
Muthaiyya, look at our fate
This boat is moving only with
my 'dhoti' as makeshift sail
If the seams tear
your chapter will be in tatters!
- Ma
- [Telugu] Come, Magesu
- Hungry?
- You said he is unwell?
He has a problem in his head
If we don't attend to it in time
He will lose his eyesight
Don't worry, sister
He will be fine
Grandma, give it a piece of fish
Hiii!
- Mr Narayanan
- Keep quiet
Re-started the topic of vegetarian
and non vegetarian?
Not that
I meant Kumaran is helping
Lord Ganesha's vehicle!
You are a sadist
You don't believe in God
Zip your lips and sit
He has concern for society
'Whaat?!'
Social service, my foot!
Trees are being felled
Sand from the river bed is smuggled
Houses are being constructed
on dried ponds and lakes
Illicit liquor consumption is rampant
Young innocent girls
They are being raped
He has no guts as a true male
to question all this
He pokes his nose into topics
like curd rice and meat balls
Leaving aside life in general
You take immense pleasure
in poking our day to day life style
If we sum up and analyse
looks like uncle is a sadist!
This is the final response for
one who cannot reply
Let me be a sadist in your eyes
Even my dearest wish is to
make Magesh a famous sadist
That's 'scientist'
Leave that poor boy alone
Make the baby to be born a sadist
No hope at all
God help them!
Kumara, what is that?
'Tin cans floating in mid sea'
Looks like milk powder
- 'Oh god!
- What is this, sir?'
A huge boat has capsized
- Lord Ganesha
- Can't see any survivors
Then the passengers?
'Who is the owner of this boat?'
This is a British patrol boat
It must have capsized
just a while ago
Who could have shot them down?
If there are any survivors?
Just keep your mouth shut, Vijaya
'Can we take the milk powder?'
'Take it if you can'
- Hey!
- Who is this?
Who are you, man?
I told you not to jinx it
We have one more idiot aboard
Do you want a towel, sir?
This boat is already over loaded
Get off the boat
It will break due to overload
Speak English, we have
a critical situation here
He doesn't know Tamil?
Icing on the cake!
Excuse me
What he says
You'll be in the boat
We'll be in trouble!
Could you please go out?
Then you get off the boat
You came here to work for us
And the Crown!
- What is he saying?
- Telling you to jump off the boat
[Malayalam] He is saying
your job is to work for us
Hey!
How dare you barge in
and ask me to jump!
'You jump, I say'
Narayanan asked me to say so
- 'Such a big gun'
- It's okay
'It's cool... cool
It's okay'
I'm a superintendent of police
I also clearly understand the High seas
and how the Navy operates
Now you row the boat
Hey! He's cursing me in colored words
and all of you are gawking at him?
He said he knows all about boats
and told you to start rowing, Kumara
Okay, 'slowpoke'
We will obey your orders
This dim-wit doesn't know our language
- You row, we'll handle him
- Is that so?
I want the radio box, officer
- Okay
- [Hindi] Thank you
Move
Are you comfortable, sir?
Yeah
Spread your legs and hands
Relax
Let us 'bracket' him
This white monkey is on board now
Should we share this fish with him too?
You have your own problem to deal with
We have no time
Get away from the shore
Head out to sea
Grisly face!
We are going that side only
What is he saying?
Hey grisly-face!
Don't row to the shore
Go towards mid-sea
Is that so?
Okay, red monkey face
Isn't it wrong to deride like this?
Then isn't he wrong
in deriding him as 'grisly face'?
Why are you getting annoyed?
Is he your cousin or what?
Can you get this radio working?
If I do, will you jump
right into the sea, you buffalo?
Hey uncle! I think he understood
You are the buffalo!
She isn't my cousin,
you 'slow-poke slug!'
'Am I a red monkey?'
All of you are a bunch of fools!
He's suddenly speaking
fluent local Tamil?
Remember
I am your boss
Wow! So handsome
What a dignified look!
Then get your daughter married to him
How many of you here?
Why did you roam here?
Sir, don't you know?
This morning
the Japanese
Such a commotion has taken place?
Then what?
Tell me, how did you land here?
I have been sent on patrol rounds
due to shortage of workers
Yesterday the Japanese submarine
U boat must have come this way
They seized 3 of our patrol boats
'They are shooting everyone at sight'
This happened in Colombo too
- What was the reason?
- Madras city will soon be attacked
They are communicating to
the combat pilots only from the sea
So we should quickly cross the sea-limit
- Otherwise danger
- Sea-limit means?
I told you
12 miles from the shore
No police will come on their round
Sir, you speak fluent Tamil
I can even read your literature
- I'm a writer
- Oho!
Irwin Thomas
Do you know Constantino?
- No, I don't
- 'His other name'
Veeramamunivar
He is the one who wrote
Your epic Thembavani
Now tell me
Who is the fool?
Why do you have any doubt?
Hey! Move your leg out of the way
I won't
Listen to him, Raja
Move your bloody feet
Brother, just do it
He has a gun, sir
'That's it'
'This is MY boat'
Understand?
We are roaming around
with sickles and knives like idiots
Look how he captured
this boat with a single gun
'Yes, indeed'
Magesh, give me your gun
I'll show you a trick
No need
How can you give a gun to a kid?
[Telugu] Don't you have any manners?
Bloody!
For all you Indians
We taught refinement and manners
[scornful chuckle]
Kumara?
You said no one goes to sea nowadays
Then your livelihood as a fisherman?
If I don't find work here
I'll work as a coolie, uncle
Whatever it is,
only the sea gives us satisfaction
My leader will always say, 'each to his own
in finding their comfort zone'
I can hear some engine sound
Train's engine?
How will a train come to mid-sea?
That's the sound
of a boat's engine
Come on, row the boat
towards your left and go
Kumara, he's asking you to
steer to that side
- Go
- Okay, uncle
- Are we on the right track?
- The 'learned' said so
Look, we'll go straight
and collide into Japan boat
Why are you so quiet?
Say something
The pain is all mine
Raja, which leader did you mean?
Leader Jinnah
Are you part of Muslim League?
You said your name was Raja?
Raja
- Raja Mohammed
- Oho!
Your leader wants to split
this country into two
Then won't this dream of India being
a Hindu kingdom be shattered, Narayanan?
Look how he's manipulating
Sir, how will it break?
This land of ours is
the heritage of Hindus
- That is-
- 1 minute, Raja
Mr Irwin
This is our family problem
We can solve it
Don't try to cover up
We have always been living
in solidarity as siblings
But only now, for the past 20 years
adding oil and igniting the lamp
A scheming old man
is warming his hands in the cold
Which old man?
Your King George of course
- Hey!
- Grandpa!
Mark my words
Your land will split into two
Let it split 10 ways
Even then there will be a temple
in every Muslim area
And vice versa, mosques in
the areas where Hindus reside
That's the very design
of Indian religion, Mr Irwin
If Hindus and Muslims don't fight
and get a separate land for themselves
Looks like Irwin will
consume rat poison!
In case we hit Irwin
and pack him off to England
- Hey!
- Just a figure of speech, sir
In the future, many rogues here can ignite
the flame of religious bias in many areas
There's a chance of them
benefitting hugely
Sait, what are you thinking?
If our nation splits into two
Which side will Rajasthan be in?
You'll lose your interest money
That's your problem, right?
'4 hours later'
Kumara
I can hear some engine sound
'Again, huh?'
I told you
Yes, it's a Japanese boat
- What do you mean?
- Oh God!
Good lord!
What do we do now?
Kumara, come here
Raja, you take the oars and row
'Muthaiyya, Narayanan, stay still'
All of you lie low
with heads bent
Bend... bend your heads
'Crouch a bit more, Kumara'
'Raja, pass on the oar'
Move, brother
Watch the boat
'Keep us updated on
their distance from us'
'Okay'
Officer, they will know you are British
They should be a mile away from us by now
They will realize
only when they come closer
Before that, we should hoist
the Japanese flag on this boat
And signal them
What will happen if they close in?
He will shoot us all down
and seize this boat
They are coming close enough
to be able to identify us
'What is happening?'
What is the distance now?
- 1 'Kaadham'
- That means?
1.5 km
Oh! We are waving the Japanese flag, eh?
'Good idea'
We should soon let them know
via these flags we are one of them
That boat is heading towards us
Don't know what's in store
'What are you saying?'
Sir, the boat stopped right there
What will they do next?
[Malayalam] They turned back?
'What happened?'
They are also signalling
with their flag
What is it now?
The boat has changed its course
What a relief!
Praise be to Lord Muruga
- Careful
- He was into a drill session for so long
'What Irwin did now is called
Semaphore signal'
Careful
However disgusting, we had
a narrow escape thanks to his good deed
He pickled us
to save his own life
He is heaping praise
where it isn't deserved
'Chapter: 5'
'Chapter: 5 Dove that lost its way'
Shark that swam into play'
'Come'
Hiiii... mouse
- 'Stick to one place
- How did it come to you, uncle?'
If called with love, it responds
Will it come even if I call?
Try your luck
Hey!
What is its name?
You choose a name
This is a she-mouse
And pregnant too
- Is that so?
- Like my mother
Then how about
'Paechi akka Muthumani'?
Paechi akka
What a lovely name
- Don't you agree, pa?
- Shucks!
Imagine naming a dirty mouse!
Dirty mouse
- That means?
- Your mouse Paechi is dirty
Like Kumara
My dear sir!
Thanks to coolies like me
you sit in cool comfort
Hey! Shut up
Stick to your rowing
Keep quiet, Kumara
As if he can be nasty
This is wrong
Why do you deride him?
Sir, this boat belongs to both of us
How can you ask me
to shut up and row?
Of all the passengers here
You are the illiterate poor fellow
Then you have to work under me
If you aren't here,
Muthaiyya or Raja will take over
Then is no one equal?
Don't blabber, Kumara
How can everyone be equal?
Raja is superior to you
Vijaya is superior to Raja
Sait is on a higher level than Vijaya
If that is the case
you are the lowest in this pyramid
Narayanan sir is super superior
Our ancestors sat awake at night
And concocted these laws
of their own accord
Then it can't be changed
But if something untoward
happens to Irwin
Then Narayanan sir
has to serve him
By the law of the world
Irwin is superior to Narayanan sir
'Is that so, sir?'
Don't you understand
what 'serve' means?
I mean he has to clean sir's feet
in case some dirt gets stuck
But if something happens to King George
Irwin has to salute the king
and clean his feet!
Because even Irwin is inferior
to that royal old man
Hey!
Sir is showing off his gun
Go on, row the boat
You are having a go at him
better than me, uncle
Once you are dead, all donkeys
are treated the same in the cemetery
Whaat?!
Er... forgive me
All sirs are equals
Sait, instead of repairing it, you are
licking like you're threading a needle
He's showing off worse
than its inventor Marconi
'5 hours later'
1 minute
Stop rowing
Why, sir?
Hold this
Yes! We have crossed
the sea limit plus extra 2 miles
Thank God!
Praise be to Lord Vishnu
We have crossed the sea-limit
Kumara, Japanese air bombing
and patrol boat
You were the one who saved us
from both disasters
Yes, thank you so much
Thank me when we are back on shore
We have only crossed half the well
What should we do next?
Cross the other half of the well
It's a huge well
Make it fast
For the next 2 hours
we stay here, be silent
Only then we can move
Yes
It may be more than 2-3 hours it seems
For such attacks to end
- Is that so?
- Shall we ask akka to sing a song?
Good idea
Ask her to sing
Our fear of being in mid-sea
will vanish with the waves
No need classical Carnatic
Sing a folk song
Should we serve, even more,
entertaining you with a folk song?
Shall I mix Classical notes
with folk music and sing?
'What did you say?'
"I sit here in style
You look at me blank all the while"
"I know it all, is it clear?
Not a simpleton sitting here"
"I know what I am up to
I hope you do so too"
"I sit here in style
You look at me blank all the while"
"You will get it from me
if you think you can fool me happily"
"I sit here in style
You look at me blank all the while"
"I know it all, is it clear?
Not a simpleton sitting here"
"I know what I am up to
I hope you do so too"
Your father is watching you!
"Father, even you bug me always"
"When I see you, you turn away your face"
"Father, even you bug me always"
"When I look at you,
you turn away your face"
"In this boat so small and cramped
You give me pins & needles unplanned"
"You roll your squid-eyes
Glancing here, there, sidewise"
"You pull me like a magnet to iron filings
My heart melted with million feelings"
"You pull me in your direction
My mind crumbles in submission"
"Not knowing your reaction
My mind trembles in confusion"
"When you listen to my song
Kiss me on my lips, all along"
"I sit here in style
You look at me blank all the while"
"You look at me blank all the while"
- Aiyo!
- You sang well, akka
Bless you, my dear
'This is CH control room
Is anyone there?'
Control Room is calling me
- Move
- Push it in front
- Hold this
- Give it over there
I thought it wasn't working
being dunked in the sea
But it's working
Thank God
'Hello, this is control room'
'Can you hear me'
Hello, Alpha 23
Alpha 23
This is 2nd lieutenant
Irwin Thomas speaking
'CH Control Room
We read you loud and clear, sir'
'What happened, sir?
I am a Tamilian'
'Shall I ask someone else to talk?'
- No problem
- Hey!
I thought this is a radio box
Till now, I thought
it was a temple donation box!
I believe the Japanese bombed Madras
'That's a rumor, sir'
How shocking!
Just a rumor?
So the city is in commotion
- What is this?
- A few war planes were flying
Immediately a rumor spread all over Madras
that it was an air-attack by the Japanese
- Is it?
- 'Yes, sir'
'Where are you now?'
Sitting in front of Narayanan!
Narayana-
Idiot!
A group of people escaped
in a boat petrified by the bombing
I am in mid-sea along with them
'They left from Santhome this morning'
'Kerala's traditional boat
with 7-8 passengers, right?'
- 'Yes
- Sir, don't let go of them'
'A dangerous terrorist
is hiding in that group'
Are you sure?
- Terrorist, huh?
- 'Yes, sir'
'To escape being caught here
he got into that boat'
Hello... hello?
HULLO!
What happened, officer?
Oh! Connection wire has snapped
Battery is intact
But this won't work
Oh shit!
If it had been connected for 30 seconds
I could've sent the coordinates
They would have sent a bigger boat
We are stuck in this mid sea
tired and hungry believing a rumor
All that's fine
Who is the terrorist?
If you own up of your own accord
I'll take you to the police
If I track you down by myself
You'll only end up as a dead body
Huh?
Librarian?
I am not a librarian
CID officer
Oh great!
Yes, Muthaiyya
Even I know there is
a terrorist in this boat
'I lied I was a librarian
to track him'
Your senior officer?
Mr Martin Marricone
Ah! I know him very well
So you have found out
the identity of the terrorist?
Give me some grace time
I'll surrender him to you skilfully
What or who is C.I.D?
You sent me to school till 3rd grade
You ask me questions 1 mile long?
We are only 8 of us here
Shall we do 'Inky Pinky Ponky'...?
I'll suggest your idea to him
He might make you CID too
Huh?
Hahn!
- Cigar?
- No
I don't smoke
I'll find out very soon
What happened?
What is this?
- Good lord!
- [Hindi] Water is flooding inside
Ma, water is seeping in
Oh God!
Move aside
[Telugu] What do we do now?
- Will the boat sink?
- What do we do, Kumaran?
We will be fine, right?
- Careful, Kumara
- What is it, uncle?
What happened, Kumara?
All of you shut up!
Sit in your respective places
What do you know
about the sea except in theory?
Did you listen to me when I said
we are overloaded?
If the boat cracks
all of us will sink with it
Only 2 of us know to swim
I've hurt my leg
I can't swim either
Look here, you were the last
to get into my boat
You jump into the sea
I will save the rest
You bloody slave!
- That means?
- To serve us like a servant
It is your duty
If you like, you jump
Who will save my grandma if I jump?
Is that tramp of an old lady important?
Dump her in the sea
You'll get it from me
This is my boat
and how dare you!
You die, man
You had better die
- Let him go
- Listen to us
Kumara, don't hit him
Don't... don't
You black dog!
Irwin, stop it
Don't... don't
No, Mr Irwin
Lakshmi, move back
'Irwin, listen to me'
Don't... don't shoot
'Kumaran uncle'
'Kumara?'
Hey! Damn you
I missed because of you
'Paechi'
'Get up'
'Are you alright?'
'Another hole'
What to do now, Kumara?
Listen, why magnify this issue further?
I said so right then
Ask him to jump
I'm the only one fighting him
from the moment he got in
None of you supported me
If he had jumped,
things wouldn't have got worse
Taking into consideration
the boat's condition now
3 people here have to jump into the sea
- 3 of us?
- Only then the boat can move
But my grandma and I won't jump
Who are those 3?
You decide amongst yourselves
Look there!
What is that?
Which one?
What is that, grandma?
'God help us!'
Hey!
It's a shark!
Shark, huh?
All of you sit
Sit down, be quiet
[Hindi] Has it gone?
[Telugu] Is it a big shark?
Kumara, is that a shark?
Yes, you can never predict a shark's move
It can roam anywhere
It will tear you to shreds
even if it is not hungry
Going by its fin
it must be bigger than our boat
[Telugu] What to do now?
Don't make me say this
again and again
This is my boat and my home-town
You decide which 3 of you intend jumping
Otherwise this boat will crack
and we will be shark feed
Which 3?
'Chapter 6'
'Chapter 6: Dried fish in vain
Only skulls remain'
- What is this?
- Kerosene
To keep the shark away from us
One way to buy time
The oil will float on water
without getting dissolved, right?
Why is he pouring gallons of oil?
To facilitate an oil bath for the shark?
Police sir
You are pointing your gun
in all directions ever since you boarded
Why can't you shoot the shark with it?
This is a Webley revolver
These bullets can't kill the shark
It won't harm the dangerous shark
Only threaten innocent Indians!
Water has stopped
seeping into the boat
Can't you gently row back to the shore?
I thought you were the most intelligent
You are talking just like them
I'll row and show
'Hey! Wait... wait
It's highly dangerous'
Don't... don't row
Stop it, stop it right now
At least now do you believe me?
First try to lessen the load in this boat
as much as possible
- Kumara
- Yes, Raja?
- Is shark that scary?
- Yes
'7 hours later'
A shark can sniff
even better than a scent hound
Its eyes are as sharp as a hawk
Like a lion it pounces
in the flash of a lightning
What is near Narayanan sir's leg?
Oxygen cylinder
It is used in case of
difficulty in breathing
- Please let me keep it
- What do we do now?
How long will this boat keep afloat?
If the boat is retained
in standstill position
If the water level doesn't rise
It will last roughly
from 6 hours to 4-5 days
We have 2 issues to face
Our drinking water is really less
We have only 1 smoked fish for food
2nd problem
If the shark gets wind
of human smell
It just won't give up
So 3 of you have to jump into the sea
Otherwise 10 of us will end up
As the shark's dinner!
Very soon I'll find out
the identity of the terrorist
You decide who the other 2 will be
Speed up, CID
Yes, uncle, we need to go shopping!
Make it fast
Listen everyone
Madras is my native place too
Eliminate us from the competition
Competition?
Drink water without panicking
and blabbering
Competition it seems!
Real blessing in disguise
You saved my life
Thank you so much, Paechi
Throw that dirty rat!
Shouldn't the rest stay on the boat?
How did it harm you?
Raja, why are you
poking your nose unnecessarily?
I am talking to you
- I'll shoot you dead
- Hey man!
If I hit the middle of the boat
with my oar
Boat will split into 2
Everything will be swallowed
Want to watch me?
Why so many lives to be sacrificed
for one single lousy mouse
Okay, let me begin
The terrorist will automatically
fall into my net
[Malayalam] 'But there is
a small problem'
When you introduced yourself
You said you had some problem
in your writing profession
I was a journalist
in Malayalam Manorama
Because I wrote against the British
they filed a case against me
Why did you want to go to Calcutta?
Why?
Muslim League conference
- I'll kill you
- Hey!
[perturbed voices]
- Hey Raja!
- What?
Give the knife to grandma
Attempted murder
Why are you armed?
I am a cook
Can I cut vegetables with a shovel?!
Why didn't you carry
your 'dosa' pan too?
You ask him
Why did you suspect him?
He's criticizing even Mahatma Gandhi
So capable of killing our leader, no?
Oho!
Which party are you?
We provide protection for Gandhi
I fell for your glib lie!
'Headlines Again'
Wow!
We got our communication again
Hey! Already the boat is
splitting into four
Just sit quiet
What have you achieved to rejoice?
'The petition submitted to release Nehru,
Gandhi & other important leaders from jail'
'Has been rejected again'
'All India Radio News bulletin ends now'
'Film songs follow'
'A song from Ashok Kumar'
'In the soulful voice of
M.K.Thyagaraja Bhagavathar'
Oho! Tremendous!
"Serving no purpose in life whatsoever
why fill our hearts with lust and anger?"
Won't our hero MKsing peppy folk songs?
I meant his voice will suit folk songs
Hey... hey, shark!
- Where is the shark?
- Look... look there
Uncle, all of you bend and sit down
Crouch and don't get up
[song from 'Ashok Kumar']
Sait, switch off that song
I didn't mean it when I said I want to
feed puffed rice for the shark, ma'
Thank God!
The shark has gone
It seems to be circling our boat
Grandpa, trust me
From Manipallava island,
in order to rescue us
Guardian angel Ras and Meta
her mighty stooge will land swiftly
All we need to do
is pray to them for help
Pray with all your heart, my boy
I will pray too
Pray earnestly
Oh gawd!
Give me water
Why are you staring at the sky, Kumara?
The cloud is splitting into two
The upward wind is swirling
'That means?'
A storm is brewing
Don't tell any of them, okay?
[song from 'Bandhan']
Kumaran, you proudly claimed to
be a Madrasi and took exception
All of you are South Indians
What if all of you join hands
and push me into the sea?
What unshakeable faith he has in all of us!
He seems oblivious of us fighting over
shortage of water or power
Hey madcap! Don't blabber in hunger
Take a few fish bits from grandma and eat
Here, take
Let's share a small piece each and talk
Mad grandma!
You want to eat and talk!
Sait isn't accepting we are Madrasis and
they are here to make a living in Madras
Grandma, listen to me
- Good and bad people-
- Keep quiet, man
Like a crab trapped in a cracked pot
Huh!
Uncle, come, let us eat
and then identify the terrorist
Uncle, don't you eat fish daily?
Magesu, if I go from sea to shore
I can afford to have fish for a meal
If I don't go
the fish will eat me!
Poor souls, both of them are starving
Lakshmi
- Treat this as emergency
- Blasphemy... sacrilege!
- 'Matsya' avatar of Vishnu
- Fish is matted?
They can at least eat moss or algae
But we don't have even that
It's alright, grandma, we are used to
taking sacred vows for 10 days at a stretch
Even I follow sacred vows
I eat only 3 'dosas'!
This is how politicians fast too!
'10 hours later'
- 'All India Radio, Tamil News'
- Sait, this is a different station?
'Depending on the signal
the station will vary'
'Not in our hands'
[Radio News]
'1st anniversary of 'Murasoli' Newspaper
started in war times'
'By the founder and writer
M. Karunanidhi was celebrated'
'Deluge of Koovum river
due to heavy rains'
'The shows of 'Sivakavi' starring MKwere cancelled in Gaeity Theater'
Kumara, what birds are these?
I don't know the name
They migrate from the east
Stay in Vedanthangal for 2 months
They fly back by mid September
Wish we could have had wings too!
'Brother, look at this'
- 'Water is flooding in
- Take that bowl'
'Lakshmi, come here,
why are you getting involved?'
'Weather forecast'
'Due to weather changes, in a few hours
in the south eastern direction'
'A cyclone is strengthening
in the Bay of Bengal'
'In Madras, Pondicherry, Cuddalore'
'People of Cuddalore are requested
to take adequate precautions'
[song from 'Bhaktha Gowri']
Is the warning meant for us?
Only for people living on the seashore
Not for those in mid-sea
This is the icing on the cake!
What do we do now?
If you expect me to
solve everything, what can I do?
- Raja?
- What, Kumara?
The shark has gone
I'll dive in quickly
and give you the rope
A cyclone is expected, only if we tie
a rope on both sides our boat will be safe
Grandma, give me that rope
I'll dive in and throw the rope
Tie it firmly at the bow
Okay, Kumara
Be careful
Careful, brother
- Pull... pull
- Kumara?
Is he coming up?
Can you see him?
- Take it
- 'You shouldn't tie it in the middle'
According to science
it should be tied to its bow
Is Kumara a fisherman or you?
We will listen to him
Kumara, let go
We will tug it up
Give... give
- Help him up
- Take it from this side
Careful
Where is he?
Did he come up or not?
There he is
Pull
The rope is entangled in my foot
Let go, sir
He has fallen in
Your leg got entangled, Kumara?
Wait, all of you don't stand
on the same side of the boat
- Kumara!
- Step back
I'm telling you to move back
Move... move
Come... come
MA! LOOK THERE...SHARK!
Shark!
Kumara!
Kumara!
- Come up
- Kumara!
Shark is heading towards us
Kumara...!
- Oh gawd!
- Kumara
- Kumaran
- Brother!
[Hindi] Hurry up!
What are you doing?
'It's our only food, Lakshmi'
Kumara!
Kumara, shark has gone
Come back in here
Come... quick!
He is here
- Hold my hand
- Quick!
- Lift him up
- Quick!
'Chapter - 7'
'Chapter - 7: A mouse unruffled
A blame unsolved'
[song from 'Arundathi']
All of us are already tired
Shall we do a check on which one of us
has to be alive and for what reason
Rest of us will give in
based on humanitarian grounds
I have even bought a ticket to go
to Calcutta to meet my leader Jinnah
Many decisions will be
made there benefitting Kerala
I have to go
I haven't earned much
as an accountant
I have to borrow money
And get my 3 daughters married
Please be compassionate
Yes
Only if my father goes home
my 2 sisters can get married
- I can stay behind
- What's wrong with you?
You think you know everything?
How will I live without you?
7 families live together
as one at home in Rajasthan
My friend has my house document
No one knows that
He has passed away
If I don't go to his house
and retrieve that document
My home which is already
under litigation in court
We will lose possession
of our home permanently
[Hindi] Please help me
'Next?'
What are you all looking at?
This doesn't concern me
I AM YOUR RULER!
Our problem is-
'Grandma, quiet
Listen all of you'
This is my boat
My city
My grandma and I need not die
Kumara, I am also a Madrasi
'Our poet Thiruvalluvar
belonged to Mylapore'
'You can see the proof in edicts from
6th century about Mylapore & Thiruvallikeni
Thiruverkadu temple has been mentioned
in verse 1 of 'Saivite Holy Order'
My family has lived here for generations
but I didn't brag about it
- What?
- Kumara
Listen to your conscience and speak
You hold positions
as collector and accountant
Have you ever lent your voice to
people like me who are suffering?
Even now you treat
my hamlet as a graveyard!
This is my boat and my city
My grandma and I won't
sacrifice our lives
You die if you want
What do we care?
Kumara, you have forgotten something
That is the crux of the problem
Uncle
I haven't forgotten anything
The kerosene you poured
didn't stop the shark, uncle
It is just a belief, son
Till now the shark didn't attack us, right?
Drink this water
And save yourself
'That stout lady pestered us to come
to Madras with business as a carrot-bait'
That was a lie!
You said your husband's mother died
when he was very young
But when you got into this boat
You said your mother-in-law
compelled you to come to Madras
If it is only 7 years
since you got married
How do you have an 8 year old son?
Explain, dear
My first husband died
Then I got married a second time
That was also for Magesh's surgery
CID is one who comes to
wrong conclusions it seems
Uncle, looks like you'll claim
Magesh is the terrorist!
So, Raja
In Cochin
Aren't 40 of your party members in jail?
How do you-
My friend
Michael is the superintendent there
You are true to your cause
I will get them out for sure
1 minute, all of you look here
Sait uncle will show us a film
That too, with the puppets I made
Do something, man
We should get distracted
and not be scared
'16 hours later'
'Long long ago'
'A group entered India to trade'
'They are the British'
[humming a marching tune]
'A brave man stood up
to question these atrocities'
'He was'
'Mangal Pandey'
[Telugu] I know, Mangal Pandey
belongs to Pandya dynasty, right?
Don't torture me
He hailed from Uttar Pradesh
'In 1857'
'Opposing the British'
'He was the first man to sow the seeds
of freedom in the minds of Indians'
'The British killed him
and hung him on a tree publicly'
'That was the First War
of Indian Independence'
- Even before 1857-
- Look here, CID
Stick to investigation
Don't sermonize
Torture!
'Therefore in the route he showed'
'Not scared of the British guns
we will also trample them bravely'
'And chase them away'
'Jai Hind!'
How was my show?
Oh gawd!
This gun is your protection
Will you trample us?
[song from 'Bhakta Naradar']
"A love that blossoms with flavor
in the heart of this youngster"
[Hindi] Thank you, Mr Irwin
You slapped me so hard
My rotten tooth fell out!
'You turned an Inspector into a dentist!'
Uncle, what is that in the sky?
First, snuff out the lamp
Must be Japanese planes
They attack only at night
Are all these bombs?
I think they are flying from
Andaman islands to Singapore
When will all this end?
- Water is seeping in again
- Chapter close!
Everyone, move
Sait, squeeze the water out
I can't do the dirty job all alone
- Others also help
- Do it, man
'Due to heavy rains in Madras'
'Lakes in villages around Nungambakkam
and Mambalam are likely to break'
'The cyclone is now
eastward bound into the Bay of Bengal'
'As announced by
the Meteorological Department'
'What is this for, grandma?'
If we scratch on the shark's spine
It will lose its sense of smell
because of its own blood
'All of you, listen'
'The crack is becoming worse'
I've almost cracked
the identity of the terrorist
We've been discussing from yesterday
who should dive in, but we haven't decided
We should decide soon
Otherwise all of us will sink into the sea
What is it, dear?
I will forsake my life
Magesh needs his eye sight
He has to be treated in Bombay
Take him to the address I tell you
Make sure my child doesn't cry
Take good care of him so he is happy
Thank God!
- Kumara
- Keep quiet!
My dear lady, you jump
Will you sit with
your son for 10 minutes?
Yes, I want to
Then...? Get down
Raja, give her a hand
Careful
Magesu!
My dear son
What's this?
You attend to your job, Irwin
You'll be alive, happy?
Everyone here wants to live
'That's why no one prevented
a pregnant woman from dying!'
'Give some time, sir'
Mother Nature is on our side
Clouds have dispersed
From now on, the winds
will only blow southwards
No one needs to be scared
[song from 'Mangamma Sabadham']
Ma, I'm hungry
No one has eaten as yet
Bear with it a little longer
Grandma, I have a task to do
before the shark turns up
'Uncle, come back soon'
- Hurry
- Here, grandma
Give
Isn't this an unnecessary risk to take?
- What if something had happened?
- We can starve
He's a small boy
So I decided to dive
Thank you, uncle
Pluck the roots off
and eat just the tuber
Our good fortune
I got it at just 50 feet
It will be as tasty as basil leaf
You may feel dizzy
Don't panic
You gave everyone
But not me
'Even my father was so hungry
he ate without noticing it'
'Oh! He didn't give you?'
Wait, I'll give you
Kumaran, can I have some more?
'Sait, what happened?'
'Lakshmi, no one will get up for
10 minutes if they eat this tuber'
I wanted to talk to you in that time gap
Can we talk now?
What is the matter?
You may have felt sad for me
and looked at me pitifully
But I feel strange,
when you look at me often
I wanted to tell you
not to look at me like that
Because I see my face
reflected in the water daily
Disliking my own face, I will
spit at my image and go my way
It is the heart that counts
while beauty is skin deep
I don't believe in people
being superior and inferior
Your strength
The way you embrace nature
All this is new to me
I don't know to say
whether it is respect or love?
Maybe after we reach
the shore safe and sound
Let us think about it
This is my gift to you
I embroidered flower design myself
'So glad, thank you'
- What happened?
- Kumara, get up
- Get up
- Did you sleep too?
What, grandma?
'I heard someone chatting in the distance'
You can be so romantic!
Shameless old lady!
Don't show all your teeth!
By the way, you could have
snatched the gun from that foreigner
I didn't think of that
[Telugu] Hey! Mother, look here
'Beautiful, no?'
Uncle, what is this fish called?
Sting ray, it is always a loner
Only during breeding season
they will swim from south to west
Oh! Is that so?
'Leader Netaji's speech to the people
inviting them to join Indian National Army'
'This is Subash Chandra Bose
Speaking to you from Tokyo'
'28 hours later'
Last stage in my investigation
- Lal Sait
- Yes, CID
'Leader Netaji's speech-'
Don't walk in the center
He will split the boat into two
'Give me blood
I will give you freedom'
[Malayalam] What did you say?
'All of us should fight bravely'
He said he wants to
split the nation into two
Kumara?
- Kumara?
- What, Raja?
Did you say I'll split it into two
Yes, so what?
- Hit you!
- Don't
How dare you!
What did he say
for you to lose your cool?
Isn't it wrong to say
I'll split the nation into two?
You deaf creature!
He said you will crack the boat
into two if you walk in the middle
He said you will crack the boat into two
Boat, 'padagu' in Tamil
Forgive me, Kumara
I was too impulsive
- It's alright, Raja
- Hey Kumara!
'Paechi'
'My pet mouse'
I cannot be forgiven
for this sin of mine
No forgiveness at all
What could you do?
Forget it
One who fights and wins
is not a brave warrior
Despite the rush of anger
One who controls it is a brave man
So said our Prophet
I have turned into a coward, Kumara
I have murdered a living thing
because of my uncontrolled rage
'Chapter 8'
'Chapter 8: Elephant enraged
Army helter-skelter ran scared'
'He finally reached Delhi'
'In Coimbatore, yesterday, the leader
of Justice Party, E.V.Ramaswamy'
'Said he is in total agreement with
Dr Ambedkar and leader Jinnah's ideologies'
'He announced his support in his speech'
'Therefore he indicated the decisions
they make will be supported'
'...from they lower line
by both Justice party and the leader'
Sait
I hit you in a rash moment of impulse
It's alright, officer
When Gandhi and Nehru are thrashed
Who am I?
Shops are being allotted
in George Town, right?
Yes, sir, we've been trying
to get from my father's time
We weren't lucky
- If I can get
- 100% you will get
No one needs to save us now
Enough, if a few people give us food
and even take money for it
It will be a godsend!
This is a good business
If you have unheard names
like Naki or Komoto
Business will boom!
The day both laziness & temerity of wealth
reach their peak in people's minds
...all this fraudulent business
will bloom and boom
Uncle, I want water to drink
Does anyone have water?
What I had is over now
Uncle
This is our last ration of water
Uncle, we are in great danger
Word of caution to take care
I am also saying so
[Telugu] 'I can't bear this pain'
- This is Tamil
- [Hindi] Is it so?
'Take a deep breath'
Raja, look at this
Paechi has died after
delivering her mouse pups
Saving them
Our repentance for Paechi
Murder is solo
Making amends is group, huh?
Ma, Paechi akka gave birth to twins
Really? We will have twins too
[Telugu] I will distribute 2 sweets each
to everyone in the whole of Guntur
Deliver babies in Madras
Distribute candies in Guntur!
You seem to have
a pent up anger about Madras
Haven't residents of Madras
prospered in their own city?
Maybe...5%
Raja, when you come to Madras
with your pockets empty
Both you and I are struggling
10 years later you settle down
making ends meet comfortably
Even then I continue
to be a fisherman
50 years later, you build a house
with your kith and kin in a plot of land
100 years later
you'll make that land yours
You name roads too after you
Even then I retain status quo
In such a fertile land of riches
I have no opportunity
Because I did not get
the education and logic you got
In the end you make this a trading city
and grab the gains and authority
Look at Narayanan sitting here
bragging about being a Madrasi
Has he felt sad for me? Never
Raja, let me make it clear
I am not envious of your progress
You got to be where you are
with your skill and hard work
But when you reach
an elevated status
You look down at me with derision
alienating me as untouchable
Doesn't it reek of contempt?
You tell me
On the dot!
Thiruvanandhapuram, Hyderabad, Bombay
Same problem in all trading centers
In the near future they may even
displace you to suburbs outside city limits
- Oh gawd!
- Water is gushing in
The boat can't take this load, uncle
Do something, uncle
Uncle, look there
- What?
- Oh god!
Shark! Down
All of you, crouch
It will go away
if we hide as usual
Is this a pup to
play 'hide & seek'?
Sait was right
It disappeared
Didn't I say so?
It will vanish if we hide
Won't that damn shark
leave us alone in peace?
Magesh, give me
Magesh, give me the gun
I'll show you a trick
- Magesh, give me
- What trick, grandpa?
Give me the gun, Muthaiyya
What are you doing, Muthaiyya?
Why did you shoot, uncle?
I am the terrorist
the British are looking for
To the eyes of immoral men
One who revolts for his lawful rights
will of course appear as a terrorist!
Dim-witted slow-pokes!
In Indian National Army
led by Subash Chandra Bose
I am the chief commander in the spy team
Irwin, only I know how much I struggled
to grab this gun from you
- Kumara
- Uncle
This is my boat from now
Sait
Take my uniform from my bag
- Which bag?
- TAKE IT OUT!
Give it to him
'Uncle said he never smokes
He is taking such a deep drag!'
Don't worry
This boat will leave from here
in a short while
'We will dump Irwin into the sea'
Only I'll decide who the next 2 are
in the remaining 9 people
- Muthaiyya sir
- I'll bash you if you call me by my name
Army discipline is a must
Call me 'commander'
'Commander... commander... commander'
Commander?
In political context-
I know all that rubbish!
Intentions, ideologies
Who should survive
I WILL BE THE ONE TO DECIDE
He's screaming his throat hoarse
That shark won't return I hope?
Tramp of a trader who came into India
to earn money through lending money
What did you say?
I am your ruler, eh?
Magesh, lie down on your mother's lap
[Telugu] Come, son
'Writer!'
'Ruler!!'
Boss! Bloody foreigner
Are you teaching manners
to India, imbecile?!
Sait
Hold
Idiot! Hold the cylinder,
not massage my knee!
Unlike what you think, this is
not a cylinder with oxygen
Then what is it, uncle?
SD 50 war bomb
Japan bomb smuggled here
We had planned to blast this in our harbor
But since the police rushed in
I quickly jumped into this boat
He says it's a bomb
Can't find the wick
Sait, keep it inside
I have to share my Oracle
Come one by one
- Oracle?
- First
Who told you to shower equal love
to the good and the bad?
Do you get that same affection in return?
You look educated
in this uniform
Love is to express unconditionally, no?
Before I slap you real hard
go and sit in that corner
Did Mangal Pandey start
the 1st War of Indian Independence in 1857?
- Yes, Commander
- Then here, 100 years before that
Pulithevan, Azhagumuthu Kone,
Marudhu Pandiyars
Rani Velu Nachiyar, Kattabomman
Pazhassi Raja of Kerala,
Dalawa Veluthambi, Tipu Sultan of Karnataka
Sangolli Rayanna
Kittur Chennamma
Why did they sacrifice their lives
fighting the British?
Did they want to fix
a lightning arrester on Mt Everest?!
Can you manipulate History just because
you're archiving from the capital city?
If questioned, British are tallying after
they officially came into power it seems
Lunatic! Before that, what about those
who fought for the freedom of our natio-
Commander, don't shoot me
Don't shoot
In the course of time
you will thrust your language on us!
Praise be to Velu Nachiyar
the guru of Mangal Pandey!
Yuck! Go and sit
Commander
You are repulsed by a mouse
If asked why, you reply 'orthodoxy'!
But you go gaga over a white monkey
What do you call that, huh?
Is it a virtue of the educated
to adjust conveniently about anything?
Grandma and Kumaran
are illiterate slaves
You are a literate slave, that's all
Bharati is a brave Tamil poet
who wrote poems against the British
He belongs to your clan, right?
Go... go
Have you read Jinnah's book
Speeches, statements, messages
of the Quaid-e-Azam?
I've read leader Netaji's
'Call Of The Motherland'
2 leaders can be friends
But 2 volunteers can never be friends
The reason we have been split into 3
These conspirators, like being born to
manipulators in our epics Sakuni and Kuni
Who are we and
how will we win this war?
And regain Indian rule
I don't know
- Why such a bushy hair style?
- Why, uncle?
Are you jealous you don't have?
- May be
- Evident!
Do you know what you forgot?
As long as a slave is kept busy with work
he will forget to ask for his rights
You are sailing in the same boat!
That's why from Irwin's boat
this is now my boat
An issue more dangerous
than yours has cropped up
What you'll do hereafter
Only I will dictate
GO
Looks like he won't stop now
'I will tie Irwin's hands now
and feed him to the shark'
I've noted down in this paper
the next 2 names and what has to be done
As soon as I call out, without arguing
you should trust me and come here
Why should we trust you?
Thank God!
I wanted to ask the same question
History records the death of dictators
stoned by the people who revolted
You will now be the shark's prey
- Where is the rope?
- Near the radio, Commander
Hey! You sit still
I can take it
Raja, Kumara
Next are both your names
he has written here
Scared of dying, are you blabbering?
- HEY!
- Hit him
Raja, grab him
Don't, listen to me
- Don't spare him
- Hear me out
Who are you to decide
who should die?
Raja!
Will you get into my boat
and ask me to get out?
- Kumara
- First grab the gun
- Listen to me
- Give it to me
Kumara, don't
Let him go
- Don't kill him
- Wait, I'll explain
- Give it
- Hold tight
- I'm telling you to let go
- Don't do it
Uncle, listen to me
Hey! Get lost!
- Hit you
- Don't... don't, Kumara
Attend to him
Focus on him
You there!
Uncle
- Give it to me
- Magesh!
Our guardian angel Ras hasn't come to
save us only because this gun is with us
You made a big blunder
Irwin lied
The next name on this list
My name and Magesh's name
But he has only written
how we can escape
Show it to me
'Throw Irwin into the sea and with
this knife chop the boat's wooden planks'
If we can do a floating pyramid
Lakshmi and Magesh who are least heavy
can sit in it and row with one oar
If the shark pops up, I thought
they can be taken back into the boat
This is the Hungarian Vetrovox method
Don't worry
- We can escape as per your plan
- Don't be stupid!
Even I can manage it
only with great difficulty
I will last only another 5 minutes
Don't say that, uncle
Hey! Push that away
Uncle, don't panic
You will be alright
It's heavy
I can't balance it
Sait...!
'Catch it'
Oh my lord!
Are you doing this deliberately?
If it hits the sea bed and explodes
this boat will go up sky high in flames
It will hit rock bottom
in 40-50 seconds
Oh god!
What, uncle?
Bloody thing didn't explode
- Made in our country, eh?
- Sait
It can explode at anytime
'Give all my belongings to my family'
In our spy team
3 of us are in Madras
That's me, Senapathy, Rajan
Only with our information
the Japanese bombed Madras
You may think of this as betrayal
Our leader Subash Chandra Bose did not
believe in Gandhi and Nehru's policy
Before the bomb explodes from beneath us
Somehow try and escape from here
You shouldn't come to the state of
fighting each other and dying, HUH?!
"The good deeds of the departed soul"
"We will benefit too, on the whole"
Jai Hind!
Uncle
"Their good qualities will be
the talk of the town proudly"
"Their just nature will be
a part of us in our memory"
Poor uncle!
We just threatened him to
try and grab the gun
But you killed him
- If all of us kill join hands and kill you
- Kumara, sit down
- Sit down
- We are willing to lend a hand
Why are the two of you
sitting so quiet?
Raja, Sait
He isn't armed now
Are you both on his side?
I am asking you both
Kumara, don't compel anyone
This is each individual's choice
There may be so many reasons
that can't be shared
You really believe that?
I am so happy for you!
Leave it, Kumara
Let us leave it to destiny
'33 hours later'
[The Magic Flute from the Royal Opera]
'All India radio'
'Enjoy the opera from Ellabelle Davis'
Who tied this here?
Sait
Wait a minute, I'm coming
- Why did you tie this?
- No one is willing to jump
All of us will die of hunger
I have fixed a bait
Now... I've caught a fish
You claim to be educated!
That shark is circling us night and day
Sniffing the blood of this fish
won't it head to our boat?
Baiting and bouncing with joy!
Hey! Illiterate country bumpkin!
Muthaiyya body would have
appeased its hunger
It won't come this side at all
Bloody shark!
What, grandma?
- 'I wanted to at least give this letter
- We'll deal with that later'
'Brother, a very important piece of news'
'Our Alamu doesn't want to marry this boy'
What are you saying, brother?
'The groom Rangan's father
had a private talk with Alamu'
'If you marry my son'
'He said, your brother need not repay
the money he borrowed to buy his boat'
'Though she didn't like Rangan
she agreed to lessen your financial burden'
'But I met someone in the jail here'
'Rangan is up to no good'
'No one is aware'
'He is known to be a playboy too'
'So somehow or the other
go and stop Alamu's wedding'
How can you test us like this, Lord?
This is for all your ears
I am head deep in my problem
My sister's wedding
is tomorrow evening
I have to stop it
Muthaiyya is dead
Another 2 persons
You decide who will die
Otherwise I will decide
and throw 2 of you in
And go my way
Decide soon
'Chapter - 9'
'Chapter - 9: 1 strike of the knife
9 heads in strife'
[song from 'Alibaba - 1937 - Bengali]
I have saved Rs 100 in the post office
I will give it to you
Spare me alon-
Let that money remain
in the post office!
Your pain will subside now, officer
'37 hours later'
Having lasted so long,
hope this boat holds till dawn
Pray to all your favorite deities!
We can't move from here tonight Because
it is tough to notice the shark at night
The bomb under the water
can explode anytime
Whether you decide of your own accord
which 2 persons are prepared to die
'Or if I push you myself'
I have to leave at dawn for sure
That's all
Officer wants me to tell you this
No one will come forward
volunteering to die
We saw how Vijaya's offer to jump
changed in the last minute, no?
Each of us will name
2 people who should die
And write it on a paper
Whoever gets the maximum vote
Everyone will push those two
into the sea and kill them
- How cruel, pa?
- Keep quiet, dear
I agree
- Tell
- Speak up, Raja
I also... agree
Same way, only 7 of us as victims
That is not right
Kumaran and his grandmother
- They should be included in the list too
- Good point indeed
Then they should be informed too
This boat belongs to them, pa
- How then-
- Understand the situation, Lakshmi
He won't accept so easily
He has only the right to
ask us to leave this boat
He doesn't have the right
to tell us to leave this world!
Sait brother, at least
you try convincing him
[song from film 'Ashok Kumar']
Kumaran cannot be persuaded, Lakshmi
"Without 6 senses, values intact
truth and non violence in fact"
Irwin is a bad man, brother
But once we get out from here
he has promised to help me
One name is
British officer
Second name
Your choice, father
That's it
Radio battery is dead
Oh gawd! What happened?
I am scared
First empty the water
'We haven't even repaid our debts'
'How will we get our 3 daughters married?'
[Malayalam] 'It is our dream
for 28 years'
'If we get support of leader Jinnah'
'Millions of people
will benefit in life'
'Otherwise everything will collapse, Raja'
'Look, instead of roaming around
with dance and music as excuse'
'Only if you take up a job'
'We can repay your father's debt
and be able to breathe easily'
[Hindi] 'Right now, it is essential to have
our house document in our possession'
'If you don't get it
all of us have to commit suicide'
[Telugu] 'Vijaya, take Magesh
to the hospital at the earliest'
'If we waste time'
'He can't be saved'
What happened?
I think something is leaking
when the bomb slipped
Here, all of us have written the names
Read it
1st paper
Kumaran
Grandma
2nd paper
Kumaran
Grandma
Next
Grandma
Kumaran
4th paper
Vijaya
Irwin
Next
Kumaran
Grandma
Last one
Kumaran
Raja
On the whole,
officer, Raja and Vijaya
1 vote each
Kumaran 5 votes
Grandma 4 votes
Okay, according to our rules
Those who got the maximum votes
Kumaran
And his grandmother
should be killed
'Do you all agree?'
'42 hours later'
Isn't it atrocious to want to kill him
without even his knowledge?
I will definitely tell him
Lakshmi, is there any day
we don't feed the crows?
Even if we see
an army of ants at home
All we will do is
sweep them aside
But we won't kill those ants
Our predicament is such now
I have to get 2 of your sisters married
and ensure they settle down in life, dear
I'll fall at your feet and beg you
Don't cry, pa
Time is up
How do we intend killing them?
I use this spoon to take my Siddha medicine
Shall we use this?
I have this
Copper wire
I flicked it from the medical camp
In the hotel this is used to kill a fish
I kept it just in case
I catch a fish
Officer, we have decided to kill
Why do we need all this?
Can't the hand serve as the weapon?
Then you have to take over
this assignment and do it, Raja
I want to get out of here
I don't deny it
But how can you ask me to kill?
I can't do it
'You shouldn't come to the state of
fighting each other and dying, HUH?!'
Oh God!
Hey!
Kumara!
Kumara
Ouch!
Why are you behaving like this?
What, my dear?
Nothing, pa
'48 hours later'
Hey... hey!
Hey grandma!
- What are you doing?
- Come, Kumara
Poor souls! They are scared
They become even more wicked
the longer they are on the boat
Sea is our mother
The sun will be our companion
We can swim like crabs, come
- What about the shark?
- Trust our guardian deity!
Otherwise let it feast on us
Dive bravely, we can swim
If possible we will
reach the shore, come
"Our mother and this salty sea
will always be our guardian deity"
"Our earth gives in graciously
for people to prosper joyously"
Uncle
Is she our guardian angel Ras?
'Chapter - 10'
'Chapter:10 - Tramp in a garden
He has no place of his own'
'14 days later'
News of Kumaran and his grandmother
reaching the shore safely
We have not got any News
from any source
Yes, we haven't received
any complaint or information
Most probably, both of them... that shark-
I wanted to tell you
Lakshmi
She is going next month
to Thanjavur to study music
My father has declined
the job at Ripon building
He has joined as copywriter
in Alliance Publishers
I am also leaving for Bombay tomorrow
Coming week, surgery has been
scheduled for Magesh
I met my leader
I am going by rail to Rajasthan
on Wednesday at 10:00 p.m
If we are all alive today
We have to thank
Kumaran and his grandmother
Shall we all join together
to ensure their souls rest in peace
And perform the required obsequies?
Also for Muthaiyya
'Definitely'
- On New moon-
- Ma, look at this
Father, that is mine
That's the Elephant Gate case, sir
'2 brothers joined and stopped the wedding
of Rangan from Kasimedu, sir'
'A case has been filed against them
So I've kept them under lock-up, sir'
Kumara!
"Our mother and this salty sea
will always be our guardian deity"
Kumara, you are not charged with any case
"Our earth gives in graciously
for people to prosper joyously"
"The sea that never runs dry, for eternity
will appease hunger for humanity"
"Skies that dawned with strife
Naturally this too will pass in our life"
"The sea that ceases to sleep
will sustain lives real deep"
"The silvery moon shining above
spreads its light with radiant love"
"The wind and the skies support you
Bravely fight for your rights so true"
"Time will wait for us diligently
March towards freedom in solidarity"
'Kumara'
You are the sole soul
responsible for saving all our lives
We have to do something for you
What do you want?
Ask me
Will you give my hometown back to me?
'Until today approximately 60,000 natives
of Chennai have been relocated'
'30 km from the city limit
to various regions'
'Similarly the same has been followed'
'in every State all over India
with love and affection!'
'Despite our robotic busy lifestyle
we shall overcome this too... cheers!'
"The silvery moon shining above
spreads its light with luminous love"
"The wind and the skies support you
Bravely fight for your rights so true"
subtitled by rekhs
'On one side while Indians were
demanding the British to Quit India'
'On the other side because of World War II
the entire world was ablaze and smoldering'
'German leader Hitler attacked Poland
and started World War II'
'He created major destruction
with his dictatorship'
'Therefore Allies opposed Hitler'
'Britain's Prime Minister Winston Churchill
headed the Allies'
'Japan supported Hitler'
'And bombed British ruled areas
of Colombo, Vizag and Kakkinandhiyavada'
'Through planes and created
major damage and destruction'
'The situation of bombing Madras at
any point of time continued for 6 months'
'Petrified, 70% of the population
ran away from Madras'
'Since Govt offices
did not function'
'Hospitals, court and basic necessities'
'Operated in open grounds once a week'
'Finally on October 11th'
'In the middle of the night at 11
Japan war planes bombed Madras Presidency'
'The day after the bombing'
'A very deep, lengthy, wide stretch of sea'
'Right in the middle of Bay of Bengal'
'Chapter - 1'
'Chapter - 1: Buckingham soldier
And grandson of a wanderer'
'Chapter - 2'
'Chapter - 2: Slaves dumb
and Japanese bomb'
'We will get shoals of fish
because of high tide, right?'
'As per British law
no one can enter the sea'
'Then what?'
Let the fish remain here
Shall we take out just the net?'
- 'Okay
- Move'
Imagine a camp in Santhome
for us Kasimedu residents!'
Means they have scant respect for us!
- 'Brother
- Brother-in-law'
Come, Ranga
Come, my dear
Have you informed our aunt
about the wedding?
I'm so happy for you, take care
You have no object-
Why should I object, Ranga?
Day after tomorrow
my sister is getting married to you
Let the Japanese go ahead
with their bombing
You both tie the knot at our village temple
Thank you, brother-in-law
We'll take leave
Be safe
Aren't you coming with us, grandma?
Your brother has hurt his leg
After his leg is bandaged
I will be there by noon
Shall we go?
Bye-bye, brother-in-law
All the best, Ranga
Are you sad I'm taking you
away from your family?
Don't worry
I will take good care of you
1 minute
My dear brother!
I am feeling weird
Because he is as tall as a palm tree?!
Don't be funny!
Our younger brother
is not here either
Listen
Rangan's family is not aware
our brother is in jail
Don't blabber and mess this up
Do you get it?
Grandma and I are at this camp
only to take him with us
He will certainly attend your wedding
Understand?
Be on your way, dear
Go
Can't you obey simple instructions?
'Move... move on'
This is the medicine
prescribed for my aunt
I don't think you will
get this medicine here
Even if you get it
These British 'dogs' won't give it to us
Why not inject poison and kill them, sir?
- Revolution?
- Got to do something, right?
You keep doing it anyway
All of you asserted your solidarity
by running MKT's film for 2 years
Then what?
Didn't get freedom, eh?!
Will you screen a film in 1 theater
for 2 festival seasons'
And to top it all
you brag about this
Shameless fellows!
Come to one side
We must send your younger brother
to work only in a mill
You have bought 10 mills indeed to
make him sit in the billing counter easily!
We have been suffering
for generations in this sea
Let him at least study
and come up in life
Have you kept that letter safe?
Then? Starved for 10 days
with no food or water
Roamed every street
sheer blood, sweat and tears
And finally got this letter, right?
See, I have it safe with me
'Don't raise your voice here, silence!'
'Move back a little'
Next person
Please come forward
Maintain some distance
Back... come back
- What is your problem?
- Too many problems to count, doctor!
Not getting interest for money lent
If repaid, the cash gets spent!
I have problems in the house
and outside-
- What is the problem with your health?
- Tooth is shaking for the past 2 days
Was it before or after the bombing?
As if they threw the bomb
into my mouth?
Open your mouth
Open wide
- Aaaaa!
- Wider, man
Don't you ever brush your teeth?
Sometimes I do
After Alamu gets married
all of us should go
And pray to our family deity Kali Amman
Pray to Goddess Shakti
as well as Someswaran
Who is that?
He is the one giving us
loan for 2% interest often
Rubbish! You are comparing
a loan shark with the lord!
You deride him now but take
the cash happily when he gives it!
Greetings, sir
What is the matter?
Sir
- Who is the checklist officer here?
- He is over there, sir
What is its capacity?
Around 20 people can hide in this bunker
We have 6 like this, sir
- Okay
- Sir
Good morning, sir
Tell me, sir
I'm Martin Morricone
Investigation Officer
Extremely dangerous matter
- We have to immediately trace a person
- We can check it, sir
- When is the due date for your baby?
- Last night
Did the bombing coincide
with your baby boy peeping out?
- Father
- During the Battle of Panipet
New born babies were named Panian!
Then what will you name a baby
born in Madras while bombing?
If it's a boy baby
I will name him Kundan
If it's a girl, then Ku-
Enough, I was just making conversation
How did you get this
recommendation letter?
Munusamy is the munsif of our area
He took a lot of effort
and got it for us
I believe, some people
hit the British police
My brother by chance passed by
They locked him up too, sir
Forget now but come back later
- Leave now
- Sir
Day after tomorrow is my sister's wedding
I want my brother to
attend her wedding
Please let him go, sir
I believe it is Hitler
who sent Japan warplanes
He must be a lunatic!
Does that mean Churchill, Stalin, Charles,
Roosevelt are normal and not lunatics?
I haven't befriended them, sir
Crisis for the whites
Isn't Hitler achieving
what we are unable to?
We should applaud him for that and be happy
100% right
- 'Jai Hind, long live India'
- Is your name Jai Hind?
My name is Kumari Muthu
Matches with this finger print
He may even be
a very dangerous killer
But his name isn't mentioned, sir
Can we check at the counter?
Are you the one who led the protest
of your group last month?
He is asking if you led the team
of revolutionaries last month?
Sir, I mean-
Sir!
Hey! Sit down
Please don't hit him, sir
- File this letter
- Yes, sir
I'm in charge of your brother's case
He will be in jail
at least for 3 years!
Sir, 8 Japanese war planes
have returned to bomb this area
6 bombs have already been dropped
Orders via phone to evacuate
everyone from here, sir
- Bomb!
- [Telugu] Oh God!
What can we do if he talks like this?
- Hey...!
- Hmm?
First fold this letter and keep it safe
Only this can save your brother
Go meet a higher rank officer
Listen, in this commotion, make it look
like you took your brother and just escape
Your risk!
Grandma, shall we do this?
- Madam, don't come this side
- Stop right there
- Listen to me, don't come
- Move aside, lady
Why, brother?
- Get up and come
- Come
- Did they thrash you so hard?
- Yes, brother
- I wanted to at least give this letter
- We'll deal with that later
- Let's go
- Fine, listen
Let's take our boat and reach mid sea
No one can come there
and we can be safe
Only then we can escape
from both police and bombings
Understand?
- My leg hurts like hell
- Is that so?
Grandma, you go ahead
and get into the boat
Come
Come along
- Pa, where did you go?
- Where were you, dear?
Lakshmi, even if we run from here
it will take us 1/2 hour to reach Mylapore
Not only that on Mount Road
British battalion is waiting
They will bomb
this place for sure
Safest way is to get into a boat
and escape into the sea
We can escape from both policemen
as well as the bombings
- How, father?
- Trust me and come
God help us!
- Brother?
- Hmm
I'm unable to walk
Take the boat, quick
Keep going, I'll follow
- Hurry up
- Go, brother
I'll go push the boat
Kumara, come
Hurry up
Where is Chokku?
He's unable to move fast
- He's coming behind
- Put it inside
- Where, father?
- Grandma, remove the mooring
I'll push the boat and get in
Hello, son
Can we get in with you?
My daughter is with me
Sir, come
'Annaiya'...brother
[Telugu] I don't know what to do
All this bombing makes me restless
You think weekly bombing
will give us peace of mind?
Don't blabber
Just get in
[Telugu] Get in, son
Grand-
- 'Hurry up, sir'
- Get in, quick
Grandma, give me the oar
Chokku, have you come?
Push it little to the east
Push it hard
[Telugu] Careful
Move before they drop bombs on our head!
Watch your step, pa
[Hindi] Please stop
Sir, can I also join?
Clear the boat from the sand
and then get in
- Yes
- 'Push it hard'
Push it a bit more and then get in, man
He's asking us to push but isn't it
hard to push and get in?
Easy for me
- Where do you work?
- Politics
Then you can push
- Push harder
- Let's leave before the bombing
Push
- [Telugu] Hurry up
- Push with all your might
Moving, push a bit more
Long live Hanuman!
Asthma, huh?
- Please take us also
- Don't leave us behind
They will drop us and come back
- Hey, wait
- I was just joking
'Boat'
- Here
- Give it
You can row sitting down
We have to stand and row
until we cross the waves
- Keep us safe, Lord Narayana
- Bombs drop only from there!
For the next few days
pray to Japanese planes!
At least the pilot won't drop any bombs!
Oh God!
- Keep him safe in the bunker
- Okay, sir
We must ensure he is alive
And then kill him part by part!
First get that boat back
Nab his brother too
Without anyone seeing us
Enough if we go
a little farther into the sea
We can escape from the bombing
- Huh?
- What a relief!
Shall I row for sometime?
No need, boat is a bit heavy
That's why it is dragging
I'll take care
Hey Chokku
'He is calling you'
'My name isn't Chokku'
Oh!
Chokku...?
Hey Chokku
- Chokku
- Hey!
- Your younger brother is missing!
- Huh?
What do we do?
My brother didn't get in?
Who are you looking for?
My younger brother
We don't know
When I came running, someone grabbed
a 20 year old boy and was holding him down
Why didn't you tell me earlier?
Kumara, they will torture him once again
Turn the boat to the shore
- The bank is flooded with police
- Let them be
We will get caught unnecessarily
Hey, who are you?
You got in seeking refuge
My brother is only important to me
This is my boat
Grandma, turn it to the shore
'Turn'
What now, pa?
BROTHER!
THEY ARE HOLDING ME CAPTIVE IN THE BUNKER
'I WILL BE SAFE'
They are planning to nab you
Don't come back and get caught!
Only then you can
take care of other matters
'Go back'
Don't get caught
Go...!
Hey...!
Hey...!
Return of your own accord
If you get caught
'That's it'
Turn the boat back to the sea
What are you saying, grandma?
Are you out of your mind?
'If we get caught'
No one will be around
to save your brother
Your sister's marriage
is day after tomorrow!
We must definitely escape
Bombing will start, hurry up
Don't scream, pilot may hear and see us!
Sit down, everyone
- Why is he shooting?
- Why, ma?
Police are also shooting
'Turn the boat, quick'
Stop them somehow
HEYYYY!
HUGE DANGER!
'He is warning us about something?'
A dangerous terrorist
is with you in that boat
Can't hear anything
Row before they start shooting again
'Chapter : 3'
'Chapter : 3 - 2 oars to travel
and a lot of brawl and quarrel'
Grandma, why are you crying?
Poor boy, my younger grandson
Wonder how he is coping with the police!
Don't worry
We have the letter from
the Collector, right?
That's enough
We'll somehow get him out with that
How did you get that recommendation letter?
Don't even ask me, uncle
To get that letter from
the British Collector
We waited outside Ripon building
for 6 whole days!
I believe every morning
he will play with his horse
We fell at his feet
and his horse's feet as well!
What happened after that?
Even that man agreed
But that horse refused to accept
That horse threw a fit
They have pampered
even the 5-sensed animal!
With flared nostrils
it stood enraged
Then what? We cleaned up
all its 'downloading'
- We got the recommendation letter
- From the horse?
Ridiculing me?
My sister Alamu is
getting married this Friday
That too, a love marriage!
Fantastic!
This world war is the real 'Deepavali'
A festival of lights indeed
Soldiers from countries
all over the world drop bombs
On heads of naive people!
No bombs left for
the next world war it seems!
Then?
Only use virus
Biological warfare
I read this last week
in Tamil newspaper 'Swadesamithran'
If such a world war occurs
We should wear a mask
in our own homes
And roam around like a thief!
We have to pay for our sins, right?
Poor man!
Is he mad?
Literate lunatic!
That's why I didn't educate you
Thank you very much, grandma
Brother, how much longer should we go?
First we have to cross the sea-limit
What is that?
12 miles from the shore
Police will be patrolling
till that point
Last week, they shot 2 boats
If we get caught,
we'll be skinned alive
How much risk you're taking for our sake!
You will accumulate only blessings
What am I accumulating?
Only worries from the day I was born
Those are merits due to good deeds from
your past birth, don't confuse the two
Does that mean no one from my hood
has acquired merits from good deeds?
No, don't get me wrong
I quoted only our sacred texts and rules
That applies for only those
who think they are superior
I will apologize
on behalf of my father
Please forgive him
Your words are like melodious tunes
set to a 'raga' and 'tanam' in a concert
Is that so?
Uncle, can I ask you something?
Of course
- When will a shark appear?
- Why?
I want to feed a shark with puffed rice
I have never seen a shark
that eats puffed rice in this sea
We are all in the same place
At least introduce yourselves
My name is Vijaya
My husband's name is Beemanna Rao
He left the house 6 months ago
Is he working out of town?
He is working in
Vijayawada jail as a prisoner!
He's in Congress
The entire Congress party
is in jail and tortured
That stout lady pestered us to come
to Madras with business as a carrot-bait
We came to this wretched Madras
and got caught!
He is my son Magesh
He is in 3rd grade
He has a minor health issue
Who is that 'stout lady'?
My mother-in-law!
I'm Muthumari
This is my grandson Kumaran
We hail from Kasimedu
Yes, sir
My name is Narayanan
Trying for a job in Ripon building
That is my daughter Lakshmi
She has just finished Form V
Wanted to learn Carnatic music in Tanjore
I have told her she can do anything
she wants after she gets married
I have a small doubt
You want to know how deep is the sea?
You said something about 'nokku'
What does it mean?
Your vertebrae
will be bent double
Oh!
What does that mean?
Hit your foot like
nailing a horse shoe
My God!
Enough, I don't want any meaning!
My name is Lal
There wasn't any train for me to
return home, for the past 3 weeks
Otherwise why will I
stay in this lazy town?
My state is Rajasthan
So Madras is your state to
spit sweet betel leaf, huh?
My name is Raja
From Palakkad city
My job is to write
But there is a small problem
My uncle is having an eye surgery
'So I came here to take care of his hotel'
In between all this
I have to go to Calcutta too
Thought I'll relax
and I got caught here
I was living happily in Theni
My name is Muthaiyya
I retired as librarian
from Presidency college
I came to submit a research letter
and got caught in this commotion
I am in Madras for 30 years
Nothing is proper here
Improper, huh?
Finally no one here
is a proper Madrasi
Only my grandma and I are proper Madrasis
Kumara, I'm from Madras too
Mylapore near Kosapet
is my native place for generations
It was just a figure of speech!
Will we forget the city
that gave us sustenance?
I'm also a little bit of a Madrasi
Uncle, to all of you
Madras is like pickle
But to us
Madras is the main meal
Doesn't matter how many
people drop bombs on us
Till our last breath, Madras soil
will be our land of paradise!
Do you understand?
Grandma, can you hear
the sound of patrol boats?
I can't hear now
I can hear the sound in the air
If we get caught by them
they will shoot us dead
- Let us head south, huh?
- Quick... quick
Why don't we turn the boat
and go to some other country?
We can go to Burma
That's close by too
Antarctica is closer!
Huh? Then let us go there
Listen, how many of you know to swim?
Only the 2 of you?
Rotten luck!
'1 hour after leaving the shore'
In the midst of these fears
You are sitting in style
with your hand on your cheek?
A man suffering from toothache
will also sit only in this posture!
Not style
- Who is this?
- Father
What happened, pa?
Mouse... mouse
- Mouse...!
- Why are you hitting it?
Mouse, I say
- Sit down
- Where did it go?
It's right here
How is this mouse
linked with this boat?
Throw that wretched being into the sea
How are you connected to this boat?
Shall we throw you also into the sea?
Listen to me loud and clear
We are totally 10 including this mouse
- Excellent decision
- Huh?
Not me
He said it
When even your God eats meat,
this is how you will be
Our God doesn't like
butter and curd rice, it's true
The reason you are not allowed
into the temple
It is only because you are
not orthodox, understand
Don't let us in
Even if our God is outside city limit
He is superior indeed
Who is superior? Tell me
You have to crane your neck and
to look up at our temple tower!
Crane our neck it seems
He is right
Such high temple towers exist only in
our homeland, nowhere else in the world
That's our tradition
Cultural heritage
The place where the temple is built
Stones used in construction
Architectural and sculptural skill
Coordination of the 5 elements of nature
All these involve a science
indigenous to our land
- Therefore
- You said it, brother
Kumara, listen
Loud and clear
At least from now on
Understand as a native to this land
you have a right to enter that temple too!
Enter the temple
thinking it belongs to you
I'll do as soon as I reach the shore
Then non vegetarian and vegetarian issues
will get solved automatically
This is why our E.V.R revolts and posts
his views daily in 'Viduthalai' newspaper
If the city splits into 2, then it is
celebration time for the manipulators
Why should we behave in such a way
for them to celebrate?
I have water
Take small sips
I have some basil water too
I have a can of water with me too
So sad I didn't bring any food
for Magesh to eat
Hmm... don't worry
We can share this Malabar king fish
If you dry it in the open
the spice will hit your brain!
Can't you throw the net in
the sea and catch fish?
- Can't fish in this place
- Oh!
If you want to catch Catfish,
Mackerel, Lizard fish
We must go very far
[Telugu] Sister, how is this?
- Who is this?
- Uncle Kumaran
Very nice
Show it to uncle
Uncle, how is this?
What is this? Looks really ugly!
- This is you
- Then it is perfect!
Take
- Uncle
- Hmm...?
Can I ask you something?
Want to feed omelette to the octopus?
Uncle...!
We are in mid sea, right?
Shall we go to Mani Pallava island?
Where is that, dear?
Row straight, turn right and then left
But only the good hearted can see it
Then none of us can go there!
'Is that so?'
I can see a black stone fort
far ahead in the distance
He claims he has a golden heart!
He alone can see the fort it seems
What, Sait?
- Can you see?
- No
- Bad man
- So be it!
Grandma, give me water
Kumara, here
Drink
Watch it, don't capsize the boat
Kumara, row full swing
I'll take care
You take rest
Take
- Oh! My letter
- Is this the recommendation letter?
Yes, uncle
Fantastic, Kumaran
You can get your brother out
in 10 minutes with this letter
What are you saying?
- Flew away
- Oh my God!
'Shall I get it?'
No, you might stumble
I'll get it myself
- Sorry, Kumara
- Careful
Careful, brother
- Tread gently
- Don't fall
Somehow retrieve it
'Brother'
It is stuck there
Gentle... careful
- Don't, brother
- He jumped in
Uncle...!
Kumara
Be careful, Kumara
- Don't, brother
- Kumara... kumara
I can hear a patrol boat
Come back soon
Kumara, don't go there
We'll get caught
Don't go
Uncle!
'The letter has vanished'
Kumara, don't go
You shouldn't go there
Careful, uncle
UNCLE!
- Come back
- Kumara...!
Return to the boat
Thank goodness, the sound of
the patrol boat has receded now
Row faster, Raja
'Chapter: 4'
'Chapter: 4 - The king arrived, dear
and stood sense deprived here'
What will we do without the letter?
I am so worried
Grandma, all of us will pray for you
Your grandson will be fine, don't worry
'He got that letter
cleaning up boots, uncle'
Trust is the key to life, Kumara
Believing we will get our freedom
for the past 200 years
Haven't we lived from
one generation to another, huh?
Kumara, the boat seems to be dragging
That's how it is
This is an old canoe
usually used in Kerala
It can hold only 6-7 passengers
Including this kid
we are 9 of us
We have to change the balance
- You shift to that side
- Come, dear
'Both of you sit together'
'Sir, move a little bit'
Enough?
Is your wrist hurting?
Only strong winds and waves
Moulds a skilled fisherman
Sir, the tradewinds have started blowing
So...?
Muthaiyya, look at our fate
This boat is moving only with
my 'dhoti' as makeshift sail
If the seams tear
your chapter will be in tatters!
- Ma
- [Telugu] Come, Magesu
- Hungry?
- You said he is unwell?
He has a problem in his head
If we don't attend to it in time
He will lose his eyesight
Don't worry, sister
He will be fine
Grandma, give it a piece of fish
Hiii!
- Mr Narayanan
- Keep quiet
Re-started the topic of vegetarian
and non vegetarian?
Not that
I meant Kumaran is helping
Lord Ganesha's vehicle!
You are a sadist
You don't believe in God
Zip your lips and sit
He has concern for society
'Whaat?!'
Social service, my foot!
Trees are being felled
Sand from the river bed is smuggled
Houses are being constructed
on dried ponds and lakes
Illicit liquor consumption is rampant
Young innocent girls
They are being raped
He has no guts as a true male
to question all this
He pokes his nose into topics
like curd rice and meat balls
Leaving aside life in general
You take immense pleasure
in poking our day to day life style
If we sum up and analyse
looks like uncle is a sadist!
This is the final response for
one who cannot reply
Let me be a sadist in your eyes
Even my dearest wish is to
make Magesh a famous sadist
That's 'scientist'
Leave that poor boy alone
Make the baby to be born a sadist
No hope at all
God help them!
Kumara, what is that?
'Tin cans floating in mid sea'
Looks like milk powder
- 'Oh god!
- What is this, sir?'
A huge boat has capsized
- Lord Ganesha
- Can't see any survivors
Then the passengers?
'Who is the owner of this boat?'
This is a British patrol boat
It must have capsized
just a while ago
Who could have shot them down?
If there are any survivors?
Just keep your mouth shut, Vijaya
'Can we take the milk powder?'
'Take it if you can'
- Hey!
- Who is this?
Who are you, man?
I told you not to jinx it
We have one more idiot aboard
Do you want a towel, sir?
This boat is already over loaded
Get off the boat
It will break due to overload
Speak English, we have
a critical situation here
He doesn't know Tamil?
Icing on the cake!
Excuse me
What he says
You'll be in the boat
We'll be in trouble!
Could you please go out?
Then you get off the boat
You came here to work for us
And the Crown!
- What is he saying?
- Telling you to jump off the boat
[Malayalam] He is saying
your job is to work for us
Hey!
How dare you barge in
and ask me to jump!
'You jump, I say'
Narayanan asked me to say so
- 'Such a big gun'
- It's okay
'It's cool... cool
It's okay'
I'm a superintendent of police
I also clearly understand the High seas
and how the Navy operates
Now you row the boat
Hey! He's cursing me in colored words
and all of you are gawking at him?
He said he knows all about boats
and told you to start rowing, Kumara
Okay, 'slowpoke'
We will obey your orders
This dim-wit doesn't know our language
- You row, we'll handle him
- Is that so?
I want the radio box, officer
- Okay
- [Hindi] Thank you
Move
Are you comfortable, sir?
Yeah
Spread your legs and hands
Relax
Let us 'bracket' him
This white monkey is on board now
Should we share this fish with him too?
You have your own problem to deal with
We have no time
Get away from the shore
Head out to sea
Grisly face!
We are going that side only
What is he saying?
Hey grisly-face!
Don't row to the shore
Go towards mid-sea
Is that so?
Okay, red monkey face
Isn't it wrong to deride like this?
Then isn't he wrong
in deriding him as 'grisly face'?
Why are you getting annoyed?
Is he your cousin or what?
Can you get this radio working?
If I do, will you jump
right into the sea, you buffalo?
Hey uncle! I think he understood
You are the buffalo!
She isn't my cousin,
you 'slow-poke slug!'
'Am I a red monkey?'
All of you are a bunch of fools!
He's suddenly speaking
fluent local Tamil?
Remember
I am your boss
Wow! So handsome
What a dignified look!
Then get your daughter married to him
How many of you here?
Why did you roam here?
Sir, don't you know?
This morning
the Japanese
Such a commotion has taken place?
Then what?
Tell me, how did you land here?
I have been sent on patrol rounds
due to shortage of workers
Yesterday the Japanese submarine
U boat must have come this way
They seized 3 of our patrol boats
'They are shooting everyone at sight'
This happened in Colombo too
- What was the reason?
- Madras city will soon be attacked
They are communicating to
the combat pilots only from the sea
So we should quickly cross the sea-limit
- Otherwise danger
- Sea-limit means?
I told you
12 miles from the shore
No police will come on their round
Sir, you speak fluent Tamil
I can even read your literature
- I'm a writer
- Oho!
Irwin Thomas
Do you know Constantino?
- No, I don't
- 'His other name'
Veeramamunivar
He is the one who wrote
Your epic Thembavani
Now tell me
Who is the fool?
Why do you have any doubt?
Hey! Move your leg out of the way
I won't
Listen to him, Raja
Move your bloody feet
Brother, just do it
He has a gun, sir
'That's it'
'This is MY boat'
Understand?
We are roaming around
with sickles and knives like idiots
Look how he captured
this boat with a single gun
'Yes, indeed'
Magesh, give me your gun
I'll show you a trick
No need
How can you give a gun to a kid?
[Telugu] Don't you have any manners?
Bloody!
For all you Indians
We taught refinement and manners
[scornful chuckle]
Kumara?
You said no one goes to sea nowadays
Then your livelihood as a fisherman?
If I don't find work here
I'll work as a coolie, uncle
Whatever it is,
only the sea gives us satisfaction
My leader will always say, 'each to his own
in finding their comfort zone'
I can hear some engine sound
Train's engine?
How will a train come to mid-sea?
That's the sound
of a boat's engine
Come on, row the boat
towards your left and go
Kumara, he's asking you to
steer to that side
- Go
- Okay, uncle
- Are we on the right track?
- The 'learned' said so
Look, we'll go straight
and collide into Japan boat
Why are you so quiet?
Say something
The pain is all mine
Raja, which leader did you mean?
Leader Jinnah
Are you part of Muslim League?
You said your name was Raja?
Raja
- Raja Mohammed
- Oho!
Your leader wants to split
this country into two
Then won't this dream of India being
a Hindu kingdom be shattered, Narayanan?
Look how he's manipulating
Sir, how will it break?
This land of ours is
the heritage of Hindus
- That is-
- 1 minute, Raja
Mr Irwin
This is our family problem
We can solve it
Don't try to cover up
We have always been living
in solidarity as siblings
But only now, for the past 20 years
adding oil and igniting the lamp
A scheming old man
is warming his hands in the cold
Which old man?
Your King George of course
- Hey!
- Grandpa!
Mark my words
Your land will split into two
Let it split 10 ways
Even then there will be a temple
in every Muslim area
And vice versa, mosques in
the areas where Hindus reside
That's the very design
of Indian religion, Mr Irwin
If Hindus and Muslims don't fight
and get a separate land for themselves
Looks like Irwin will
consume rat poison!
In case we hit Irwin
and pack him off to England
- Hey!
- Just a figure of speech, sir
In the future, many rogues here can ignite
the flame of religious bias in many areas
There's a chance of them
benefitting hugely
Sait, what are you thinking?
If our nation splits into two
Which side will Rajasthan be in?
You'll lose your interest money
That's your problem, right?
'4 hours later'
Kumara
I can hear some engine sound
'Again, huh?'
I told you
Yes, it's a Japanese boat
- What do you mean?
- Oh God!
Good lord!
What do we do now?
Kumara, come here
Raja, you take the oars and row
'Muthaiyya, Narayanan, stay still'
All of you lie low
with heads bent
Bend... bend your heads
'Crouch a bit more, Kumara'
'Raja, pass on the oar'
Move, brother
Watch the boat
'Keep us updated on
their distance from us'
'Okay'
Officer, they will know you are British
They should be a mile away from us by now
They will realize
only when they come closer
Before that, we should hoist
the Japanese flag on this boat
And signal them
What will happen if they close in?
He will shoot us all down
and seize this boat
They are coming close enough
to be able to identify us
'What is happening?'
What is the distance now?
- 1 'Kaadham'
- That means?
1.5 km
Oh! We are waving the Japanese flag, eh?
'Good idea'
We should soon let them know
via these flags we are one of them
That boat is heading towards us
Don't know what's in store
'What are you saying?'
Sir, the boat stopped right there
What will they do next?
[Malayalam] They turned back?
'What happened?'
They are also signalling
with their flag
What is it now?
The boat has changed its course
What a relief!
Praise be to Lord Muruga
- Careful
- He was into a drill session for so long
'What Irwin did now is called
Semaphore signal'
Careful
However disgusting, we had
a narrow escape thanks to his good deed
He pickled us
to save his own life
He is heaping praise
where it isn't deserved
'Chapter: 5'
'Chapter: 5 Dove that lost its way'
Shark that swam into play'
'Come'
Hiiii... mouse
- 'Stick to one place
- How did it come to you, uncle?'
If called with love, it responds
Will it come even if I call?
Try your luck
Hey!
What is its name?
You choose a name
This is a she-mouse
And pregnant too
- Is that so?
- Like my mother
Then how about
'Paechi akka Muthumani'?
Paechi akka
What a lovely name
- Don't you agree, pa?
- Shucks!
Imagine naming a dirty mouse!
Dirty mouse
- That means?
- Your mouse Paechi is dirty
Like Kumara
My dear sir!
Thanks to coolies like me
you sit in cool comfort
Hey! Shut up
Stick to your rowing
Keep quiet, Kumara
As if he can be nasty
This is wrong
Why do you deride him?
Sir, this boat belongs to both of us
How can you ask me
to shut up and row?
Of all the passengers here
You are the illiterate poor fellow
Then you have to work under me
If you aren't here,
Muthaiyya or Raja will take over
Then is no one equal?
Don't blabber, Kumara
How can everyone be equal?
Raja is superior to you
Vijaya is superior to Raja
Sait is on a higher level than Vijaya
If that is the case
you are the lowest in this pyramid
Narayanan sir is super superior
Our ancestors sat awake at night
And concocted these laws
of their own accord
Then it can't be changed
But if something untoward
happens to Irwin
Then Narayanan sir
has to serve him
By the law of the world
Irwin is superior to Narayanan sir
'Is that so, sir?'
Don't you understand
what 'serve' means?
I mean he has to clean sir's feet
in case some dirt gets stuck
But if something happens to King George
Irwin has to salute the king
and clean his feet!
Because even Irwin is inferior
to that royal old man
Hey!
Sir is showing off his gun
Go on, row the boat
You are having a go at him
better than me, uncle
Once you are dead, all donkeys
are treated the same in the cemetery
Whaat?!
Er... forgive me
All sirs are equals
Sait, instead of repairing it, you are
licking like you're threading a needle
He's showing off worse
than its inventor Marconi
'5 hours later'
1 minute
Stop rowing
Why, sir?
Hold this
Yes! We have crossed
the sea limit plus extra 2 miles
Thank God!
Praise be to Lord Vishnu
We have crossed the sea-limit
Kumara, Japanese air bombing
and patrol boat
You were the one who saved us
from both disasters
Yes, thank you so much
Thank me when we are back on shore
We have only crossed half the well
What should we do next?
Cross the other half of the well
It's a huge well
Make it fast
For the next 2 hours
we stay here, be silent
Only then we can move
Yes
It may be more than 2-3 hours it seems
For such attacks to end
- Is that so?
- Shall we ask akka to sing a song?
Good idea
Ask her to sing
Our fear of being in mid-sea
will vanish with the waves
No need classical Carnatic
Sing a folk song
Should we serve, even more,
entertaining you with a folk song?
Shall I mix Classical notes
with folk music and sing?
'What did you say?'
"I sit here in style
You look at me blank all the while"
"I know it all, is it clear?
Not a simpleton sitting here"
"I know what I am up to
I hope you do so too"
"I sit here in style
You look at me blank all the while"
"You will get it from me
if you think you can fool me happily"
"I sit here in style
You look at me blank all the while"
"I know it all, is it clear?
Not a simpleton sitting here"
"I know what I am up to
I hope you do so too"
Your father is watching you!
"Father, even you bug me always"
"When I see you, you turn away your face"
"Father, even you bug me always"
"When I look at you,
you turn away your face"
"In this boat so small and cramped
You give me pins & needles unplanned"
"You roll your squid-eyes
Glancing here, there, sidewise"
"You pull me like a magnet to iron filings
My heart melted with million feelings"
"You pull me in your direction
My mind crumbles in submission"
"Not knowing your reaction
My mind trembles in confusion"
"When you listen to my song
Kiss me on my lips, all along"
"I sit here in style
You look at me blank all the while"
"You look at me blank all the while"
- Aiyo!
- You sang well, akka
Bless you, my dear
'This is CH control room
Is anyone there?'
Control Room is calling me
- Move
- Push it in front
- Hold this
- Give it over there
I thought it wasn't working
being dunked in the sea
But it's working
Thank God
'Hello, this is control room'
'Can you hear me'
Hello, Alpha 23
Alpha 23
This is 2nd lieutenant
Irwin Thomas speaking
'CH Control Room
We read you loud and clear, sir'
'What happened, sir?
I am a Tamilian'
'Shall I ask someone else to talk?'
- No problem
- Hey!
I thought this is a radio box
Till now, I thought
it was a temple donation box!
I believe the Japanese bombed Madras
'That's a rumor, sir'
How shocking!
Just a rumor?
So the city is in commotion
- What is this?
- A few war planes were flying
Immediately a rumor spread all over Madras
that it was an air-attack by the Japanese
- Is it?
- 'Yes, sir'
'Where are you now?'
Sitting in front of Narayanan!
Narayana-
Idiot!
A group of people escaped
in a boat petrified by the bombing
I am in mid-sea along with them
'They left from Santhome this morning'
'Kerala's traditional boat
with 7-8 passengers, right?'
- 'Yes
- Sir, don't let go of them'
'A dangerous terrorist
is hiding in that group'
Are you sure?
- Terrorist, huh?
- 'Yes, sir'
'To escape being caught here
he got into that boat'
Hello... hello?
HULLO!
What happened, officer?
Oh! Connection wire has snapped
Battery is intact
But this won't work
Oh shit!
If it had been connected for 30 seconds
I could've sent the coordinates
They would have sent a bigger boat
We are stuck in this mid sea
tired and hungry believing a rumor
All that's fine
Who is the terrorist?
If you own up of your own accord
I'll take you to the police
If I track you down by myself
You'll only end up as a dead body
Huh?
Librarian?
I am not a librarian
CID officer
Oh great!
Yes, Muthaiyya
Even I know there is
a terrorist in this boat
'I lied I was a librarian
to track him'
Your senior officer?
Mr Martin Marricone
Ah! I know him very well
So you have found out
the identity of the terrorist?
Give me some grace time
I'll surrender him to you skilfully
What or who is C.I.D?
You sent me to school till 3rd grade
You ask me questions 1 mile long?
We are only 8 of us here
Shall we do 'Inky Pinky Ponky'...?
I'll suggest your idea to him
He might make you CID too
Huh?
Hahn!
- Cigar?
- No
I don't smoke
I'll find out very soon
What happened?
What is this?
- Good lord!
- [Hindi] Water is flooding inside
Ma, water is seeping in
Oh God!
Move aside
[Telugu] What do we do now?
- Will the boat sink?
- What do we do, Kumaran?
We will be fine, right?
- Careful, Kumara
- What is it, uncle?
What happened, Kumara?
All of you shut up!
Sit in your respective places
What do you know
about the sea except in theory?
Did you listen to me when I said
we are overloaded?
If the boat cracks
all of us will sink with it
Only 2 of us know to swim
I've hurt my leg
I can't swim either
Look here, you were the last
to get into my boat
You jump into the sea
I will save the rest
You bloody slave!
- That means?
- To serve us like a servant
It is your duty
If you like, you jump
Who will save my grandma if I jump?
Is that tramp of an old lady important?
Dump her in the sea
You'll get it from me
This is my boat
and how dare you!
You die, man
You had better die
- Let him go
- Listen to us
Kumara, don't hit him
Don't... don't
You black dog!
Irwin, stop it
Don't... don't
No, Mr Irwin
Lakshmi, move back
'Irwin, listen to me'
Don't... don't shoot
'Kumaran uncle'
'Kumara?'
Hey! Damn you
I missed because of you
'Paechi'
'Get up'
'Are you alright?'
'Another hole'
What to do now, Kumara?
Listen, why magnify this issue further?
I said so right then
Ask him to jump
I'm the only one fighting him
from the moment he got in
None of you supported me
If he had jumped,
things wouldn't have got worse
Taking into consideration
the boat's condition now
3 people here have to jump into the sea
- 3 of us?
- Only then the boat can move
But my grandma and I won't jump
Who are those 3?
You decide amongst yourselves
Look there!
What is that?
Which one?
What is that, grandma?
'God help us!'
Hey!
It's a shark!
Shark, huh?
All of you sit
Sit down, be quiet
[Hindi] Has it gone?
[Telugu] Is it a big shark?
Kumara, is that a shark?
Yes, you can never predict a shark's move
It can roam anywhere
It will tear you to shreds
even if it is not hungry
Going by its fin
it must be bigger than our boat
[Telugu] What to do now?
Don't make me say this
again and again
This is my boat and my home-town
You decide which 3 of you intend jumping
Otherwise this boat will crack
and we will be shark feed
Which 3?
'Chapter 6'
'Chapter 6: Dried fish in vain
Only skulls remain'
- What is this?
- Kerosene
To keep the shark away from us
One way to buy time
The oil will float on water
without getting dissolved, right?
Why is he pouring gallons of oil?
To facilitate an oil bath for the shark?
Police sir
You are pointing your gun
in all directions ever since you boarded
Why can't you shoot the shark with it?
This is a Webley revolver
These bullets can't kill the shark
It won't harm the dangerous shark
Only threaten innocent Indians!
Water has stopped
seeping into the boat
Can't you gently row back to the shore?
I thought you were the most intelligent
You are talking just like them
I'll row and show
'Hey! Wait... wait
It's highly dangerous'
Don't... don't row
Stop it, stop it right now
At least now do you believe me?
First try to lessen the load in this boat
as much as possible
- Kumara
- Yes, Raja?
- Is shark that scary?
- Yes
'7 hours later'
A shark can sniff
even better than a scent hound
Its eyes are as sharp as a hawk
Like a lion it pounces
in the flash of a lightning
What is near Narayanan sir's leg?
Oxygen cylinder
It is used in case of
difficulty in breathing
- Please let me keep it
- What do we do now?
How long will this boat keep afloat?
If the boat is retained
in standstill position
If the water level doesn't rise
It will last roughly
from 6 hours to 4-5 days
We have 2 issues to face
Our drinking water is really less
We have only 1 smoked fish for food
2nd problem
If the shark gets wind
of human smell
It just won't give up
So 3 of you have to jump into the sea
Otherwise 10 of us will end up
As the shark's dinner!
Very soon I'll find out
the identity of the terrorist
You decide who the other 2 will be
Speed up, CID
Yes, uncle, we need to go shopping!
Make it fast
Listen everyone
Madras is my native place too
Eliminate us from the competition
Competition?
Drink water without panicking
and blabbering
Competition it seems!
Real blessing in disguise
You saved my life
Thank you so much, Paechi
Throw that dirty rat!
Shouldn't the rest stay on the boat?
How did it harm you?
Raja, why are you
poking your nose unnecessarily?
I am talking to you
- I'll shoot you dead
- Hey man!
If I hit the middle of the boat
with my oar
Boat will split into 2
Everything will be swallowed
Want to watch me?
Why so many lives to be sacrificed
for one single lousy mouse
Okay, let me begin
The terrorist will automatically
fall into my net
[Malayalam] 'But there is
a small problem'
When you introduced yourself
You said you had some problem
in your writing profession
I was a journalist
in Malayalam Manorama
Because I wrote against the British
they filed a case against me
Why did you want to go to Calcutta?
Why?
Muslim League conference
- I'll kill you
- Hey!
[perturbed voices]
- Hey Raja!
- What?
Give the knife to grandma
Attempted murder
Why are you armed?
I am a cook
Can I cut vegetables with a shovel?!
Why didn't you carry
your 'dosa' pan too?
You ask him
Why did you suspect him?
He's criticizing even Mahatma Gandhi
So capable of killing our leader, no?
Oho!
Which party are you?
We provide protection for Gandhi
I fell for your glib lie!
'Headlines Again'
Wow!
We got our communication again
Hey! Already the boat is
splitting into four
Just sit quiet
What have you achieved to rejoice?
'The petition submitted to release Nehru,
Gandhi & other important leaders from jail'
'Has been rejected again'
'All India Radio News bulletin ends now'
'Film songs follow'
'A song from Ashok Kumar'
'In the soulful voice of
M.K.Thyagaraja Bhagavathar'
Oho! Tremendous!
"Serving no purpose in life whatsoever
why fill our hearts with lust and anger?"
Won't our hero MKsing peppy folk songs?
I meant his voice will suit folk songs
Hey... hey, shark!
- Where is the shark?
- Look... look there
Uncle, all of you bend and sit down
Crouch and don't get up
[song from 'Ashok Kumar']
Sait, switch off that song
I didn't mean it when I said I want to
feed puffed rice for the shark, ma'
Thank God!
The shark has gone
It seems to be circling our boat
Grandpa, trust me
From Manipallava island,
in order to rescue us
Guardian angel Ras and Meta
her mighty stooge will land swiftly
All we need to do
is pray to them for help
Pray with all your heart, my boy
I will pray too
Pray earnestly
Oh gawd!
Give me water
Why are you staring at the sky, Kumara?
The cloud is splitting into two
The upward wind is swirling
'That means?'
A storm is brewing
Don't tell any of them, okay?
[song from 'Bandhan']
Kumaran, you proudly claimed to
be a Madrasi and took exception
All of you are South Indians
What if all of you join hands
and push me into the sea?
What unshakeable faith he has in all of us!
He seems oblivious of us fighting over
shortage of water or power
Hey madcap! Don't blabber in hunger
Take a few fish bits from grandma and eat
Here, take
Let's share a small piece each and talk
Mad grandma!
You want to eat and talk!
Sait isn't accepting we are Madrasis and
they are here to make a living in Madras
Grandma, listen to me
- Good and bad people-
- Keep quiet, man
Like a crab trapped in a cracked pot
Huh!
Uncle, come, let us eat
and then identify the terrorist
Uncle, don't you eat fish daily?
Magesu, if I go from sea to shore
I can afford to have fish for a meal
If I don't go
the fish will eat me!
Poor souls, both of them are starving
Lakshmi
- Treat this as emergency
- Blasphemy... sacrilege!
- 'Matsya' avatar of Vishnu
- Fish is matted?
They can at least eat moss or algae
But we don't have even that
It's alright, grandma, we are used to
taking sacred vows for 10 days at a stretch
Even I follow sacred vows
I eat only 3 'dosas'!
This is how politicians fast too!
'10 hours later'
- 'All India Radio, Tamil News'
- Sait, this is a different station?
'Depending on the signal
the station will vary'
'Not in our hands'
[Radio News]
'1st anniversary of 'Murasoli' Newspaper
started in war times'
'By the founder and writer
M. Karunanidhi was celebrated'
'Deluge of Koovum river
due to heavy rains'
'The shows of 'Sivakavi' starring MKwere cancelled in Gaeity Theater'
Kumara, what birds are these?
I don't know the name
They migrate from the east
Stay in Vedanthangal for 2 months
They fly back by mid September
Wish we could have had wings too!
'Brother, look at this'
- 'Water is flooding in
- Take that bowl'
'Lakshmi, come here,
why are you getting involved?'
'Weather forecast'
'Due to weather changes, in a few hours
in the south eastern direction'
'A cyclone is strengthening
in the Bay of Bengal'
'In Madras, Pondicherry, Cuddalore'
'People of Cuddalore are requested
to take adequate precautions'
[song from 'Bhaktha Gowri']
Is the warning meant for us?
Only for people living on the seashore
Not for those in mid-sea
This is the icing on the cake!
What do we do now?
If you expect me to
solve everything, what can I do?
- Raja?
- What, Kumara?
The shark has gone
I'll dive in quickly
and give you the rope
A cyclone is expected, only if we tie
a rope on both sides our boat will be safe
Grandma, give me that rope
I'll dive in and throw the rope
Tie it firmly at the bow
Okay, Kumara
Be careful
Careful, brother
- Pull... pull
- Kumara?
Is he coming up?
Can you see him?
- Take it
- 'You shouldn't tie it in the middle'
According to science
it should be tied to its bow
Is Kumara a fisherman or you?
We will listen to him
Kumara, let go
We will tug it up
Give... give
- Help him up
- Take it from this side
Careful
Where is he?
Did he come up or not?
There he is
Pull
The rope is entangled in my foot
Let go, sir
He has fallen in
Your leg got entangled, Kumara?
Wait, all of you don't stand
on the same side of the boat
- Kumara!
- Step back
I'm telling you to move back
Move... move
Come... come
MA! LOOK THERE...SHARK!
Shark!
Kumara!
Kumara!
- Come up
- Kumara!
Shark is heading towards us
Kumara...!
- Oh gawd!
- Kumara
- Kumaran
- Brother!
[Hindi] Hurry up!
What are you doing?
'It's our only food, Lakshmi'
Kumara!
Kumara, shark has gone
Come back in here
Come... quick!
He is here
- Hold my hand
- Quick!
- Lift him up
- Quick!
'Chapter - 7'
'Chapter - 7: A mouse unruffled
A blame unsolved'
[song from 'Arundathi']
All of us are already tired
Shall we do a check on which one of us
has to be alive and for what reason
Rest of us will give in
based on humanitarian grounds
I have even bought a ticket to go
to Calcutta to meet my leader Jinnah
Many decisions will be
made there benefitting Kerala
I have to go
I haven't earned much
as an accountant
I have to borrow money
And get my 3 daughters married
Please be compassionate
Yes
Only if my father goes home
my 2 sisters can get married
- I can stay behind
- What's wrong with you?
You think you know everything?
How will I live without you?
7 families live together
as one at home in Rajasthan
My friend has my house document
No one knows that
He has passed away
If I don't go to his house
and retrieve that document
My home which is already
under litigation in court
We will lose possession
of our home permanently
[Hindi] Please help me
'Next?'
What are you all looking at?
This doesn't concern me
I AM YOUR RULER!
Our problem is-
'Grandma, quiet
Listen all of you'
This is my boat
My city
My grandma and I need not die
Kumara, I am also a Madrasi
'Our poet Thiruvalluvar
belonged to Mylapore'
'You can see the proof in edicts from
6th century about Mylapore & Thiruvallikeni
Thiruverkadu temple has been mentioned
in verse 1 of 'Saivite Holy Order'
My family has lived here for generations
but I didn't brag about it
- What?
- Kumara
Listen to your conscience and speak
You hold positions
as collector and accountant
Have you ever lent your voice to
people like me who are suffering?
Even now you treat
my hamlet as a graveyard!
This is my boat and my city
My grandma and I won't
sacrifice our lives
You die if you want
What do we care?
Kumara, you have forgotten something
That is the crux of the problem
Uncle
I haven't forgotten anything
The kerosene you poured
didn't stop the shark, uncle
It is just a belief, son
Till now the shark didn't attack us, right?
Drink this water
And save yourself
'That stout lady pestered us to come
to Madras with business as a carrot-bait'
That was a lie!
You said your husband's mother died
when he was very young
But when you got into this boat
You said your mother-in-law
compelled you to come to Madras
If it is only 7 years
since you got married
How do you have an 8 year old son?
Explain, dear
My first husband died
Then I got married a second time
That was also for Magesh's surgery
CID is one who comes to
wrong conclusions it seems
Uncle, looks like you'll claim
Magesh is the terrorist!
So, Raja
In Cochin
Aren't 40 of your party members in jail?
How do you-
My friend
Michael is the superintendent there
You are true to your cause
I will get them out for sure
1 minute, all of you look here
Sait uncle will show us a film
That too, with the puppets I made
Do something, man
We should get distracted
and not be scared
'16 hours later'
'Long long ago'
'A group entered India to trade'
'They are the British'
[humming a marching tune]
'A brave man stood up
to question these atrocities'
'He was'
'Mangal Pandey'
[Telugu] I know, Mangal Pandey
belongs to Pandya dynasty, right?
Don't torture me
He hailed from Uttar Pradesh
'In 1857'
'Opposing the British'
'He was the first man to sow the seeds
of freedom in the minds of Indians'
'The British killed him
and hung him on a tree publicly'
'That was the First War
of Indian Independence'
- Even before 1857-
- Look here, CID
Stick to investigation
Don't sermonize
Torture!
'Therefore in the route he showed'
'Not scared of the British guns
we will also trample them bravely'
'And chase them away'
'Jai Hind!'
How was my show?
Oh gawd!
This gun is your protection
Will you trample us?
[song from 'Bhakta Naradar']
"A love that blossoms with flavor
in the heart of this youngster"
[Hindi] Thank you, Mr Irwin
You slapped me so hard
My rotten tooth fell out!
'You turned an Inspector into a dentist!'
Uncle, what is that in the sky?
First, snuff out the lamp
Must be Japanese planes
They attack only at night
Are all these bombs?
I think they are flying from
Andaman islands to Singapore
When will all this end?
- Water is seeping in again
- Chapter close!
Everyone, move
Sait, squeeze the water out
I can't do the dirty job all alone
- Others also help
- Do it, man
'Due to heavy rains in Madras'
'Lakes in villages around Nungambakkam
and Mambalam are likely to break'
'The cyclone is now
eastward bound into the Bay of Bengal'
'As announced by
the Meteorological Department'
'What is this for, grandma?'
If we scratch on the shark's spine
It will lose its sense of smell
because of its own blood
'All of you, listen'
'The crack is becoming worse'
I've almost cracked
the identity of the terrorist
We've been discussing from yesterday
who should dive in, but we haven't decided
We should decide soon
Otherwise all of us will sink into the sea
What is it, dear?
I will forsake my life
Magesh needs his eye sight
He has to be treated in Bombay
Take him to the address I tell you
Make sure my child doesn't cry
Take good care of him so he is happy
Thank God!
- Kumara
- Keep quiet!
My dear lady, you jump
Will you sit with
your son for 10 minutes?
Yes, I want to
Then...? Get down
Raja, give her a hand
Careful
Magesu!
My dear son
What's this?
You attend to your job, Irwin
You'll be alive, happy?
Everyone here wants to live
'That's why no one prevented
a pregnant woman from dying!'
'Give some time, sir'
Mother Nature is on our side
Clouds have dispersed
From now on, the winds
will only blow southwards
No one needs to be scared
[song from 'Mangamma Sabadham']
Ma, I'm hungry
No one has eaten as yet
Bear with it a little longer
Grandma, I have a task to do
before the shark turns up
'Uncle, come back soon'
- Hurry
- Here, grandma
Give
Isn't this an unnecessary risk to take?
- What if something had happened?
- We can starve
He's a small boy
So I decided to dive
Thank you, uncle
Pluck the roots off
and eat just the tuber
Our good fortune
I got it at just 50 feet
It will be as tasty as basil leaf
You may feel dizzy
Don't panic
You gave everyone
But not me
'Even my father was so hungry
he ate without noticing it'
'Oh! He didn't give you?'
Wait, I'll give you
Kumaran, can I have some more?
'Sait, what happened?'
'Lakshmi, no one will get up for
10 minutes if they eat this tuber'
I wanted to talk to you in that time gap
Can we talk now?
What is the matter?
You may have felt sad for me
and looked at me pitifully
But I feel strange,
when you look at me often
I wanted to tell you
not to look at me like that
Because I see my face
reflected in the water daily
Disliking my own face, I will
spit at my image and go my way
It is the heart that counts
while beauty is skin deep
I don't believe in people
being superior and inferior
Your strength
The way you embrace nature
All this is new to me
I don't know to say
whether it is respect or love?
Maybe after we reach
the shore safe and sound
Let us think about it
This is my gift to you
I embroidered flower design myself
'So glad, thank you'
- What happened?
- Kumara, get up
- Get up
- Did you sleep too?
What, grandma?
'I heard someone chatting in the distance'
You can be so romantic!
Shameless old lady!
Don't show all your teeth!
By the way, you could have
snatched the gun from that foreigner
I didn't think of that
[Telugu] Hey! Mother, look here
'Beautiful, no?'
Uncle, what is this fish called?
Sting ray, it is always a loner
Only during breeding season
they will swim from south to west
Oh! Is that so?
'Leader Netaji's speech to the people
inviting them to join Indian National Army'
'This is Subash Chandra Bose
Speaking to you from Tokyo'
'28 hours later'
Last stage in my investigation
- Lal Sait
- Yes, CID
'Leader Netaji's speech-'
Don't walk in the center
He will split the boat into two
'Give me blood
I will give you freedom'
[Malayalam] What did you say?
'All of us should fight bravely'
He said he wants to
split the nation into two
Kumara?
- Kumara?
- What, Raja?
Did you say I'll split it into two
Yes, so what?
- Hit you!
- Don't
How dare you!
What did he say
for you to lose your cool?
Isn't it wrong to say
I'll split the nation into two?
You deaf creature!
He said you will crack the boat
into two if you walk in the middle
He said you will crack the boat into two
Boat, 'padagu' in Tamil
Forgive me, Kumara
I was too impulsive
- It's alright, Raja
- Hey Kumara!
'Paechi'
'My pet mouse'
I cannot be forgiven
for this sin of mine
No forgiveness at all
What could you do?
Forget it
One who fights and wins
is not a brave warrior
Despite the rush of anger
One who controls it is a brave man
So said our Prophet
I have turned into a coward, Kumara
I have murdered a living thing
because of my uncontrolled rage
'Chapter 8'
'Chapter 8: Elephant enraged
Army helter-skelter ran scared'
'He finally reached Delhi'
'In Coimbatore, yesterday, the leader
of Justice Party, E.V.Ramaswamy'
'Said he is in total agreement with
Dr Ambedkar and leader Jinnah's ideologies'
'He announced his support in his speech'
'Therefore he indicated the decisions
they make will be supported'
'...from they lower line
by both Justice party and the leader'
Sait
I hit you in a rash moment of impulse
It's alright, officer
When Gandhi and Nehru are thrashed
Who am I?
Shops are being allotted
in George Town, right?
Yes, sir, we've been trying
to get from my father's time
We weren't lucky
- If I can get
- 100% you will get
No one needs to save us now
Enough, if a few people give us food
and even take money for it
It will be a godsend!
This is a good business
If you have unheard names
like Naki or Komoto
Business will boom!
The day both laziness & temerity of wealth
reach their peak in people's minds
...all this fraudulent business
will bloom and boom
Uncle, I want water to drink
Does anyone have water?
What I had is over now
Uncle
This is our last ration of water
Uncle, we are in great danger
Word of caution to take care
I am also saying so
[Telugu] 'I can't bear this pain'
- This is Tamil
- [Hindi] Is it so?
'Take a deep breath'
Raja, look at this
Paechi has died after
delivering her mouse pups
Saving them
Our repentance for Paechi
Murder is solo
Making amends is group, huh?
Ma, Paechi akka gave birth to twins
Really? We will have twins too
[Telugu] I will distribute 2 sweets each
to everyone in the whole of Guntur
Deliver babies in Madras
Distribute candies in Guntur!
You seem to have
a pent up anger about Madras
Haven't residents of Madras
prospered in their own city?
Maybe...5%
Raja, when you come to Madras
with your pockets empty
Both you and I are struggling
10 years later you settle down
making ends meet comfortably
Even then I continue
to be a fisherman
50 years later, you build a house
with your kith and kin in a plot of land
100 years later
you'll make that land yours
You name roads too after you
Even then I retain status quo
In such a fertile land of riches
I have no opportunity
Because I did not get
the education and logic you got
In the end you make this a trading city
and grab the gains and authority
Look at Narayanan sitting here
bragging about being a Madrasi
Has he felt sad for me? Never
Raja, let me make it clear
I am not envious of your progress
You got to be where you are
with your skill and hard work
But when you reach
an elevated status
You look down at me with derision
alienating me as untouchable
Doesn't it reek of contempt?
You tell me
On the dot!
Thiruvanandhapuram, Hyderabad, Bombay
Same problem in all trading centers
In the near future they may even
displace you to suburbs outside city limits
- Oh gawd!
- Water is gushing in
The boat can't take this load, uncle
Do something, uncle
Uncle, look there
- What?
- Oh god!
Shark! Down
All of you, crouch
It will go away
if we hide as usual
Is this a pup to
play 'hide & seek'?
Sait was right
It disappeared
Didn't I say so?
It will vanish if we hide
Won't that damn shark
leave us alone in peace?
Magesh, give me
Magesh, give me the gun
I'll show you a trick
- Magesh, give me
- What trick, grandpa?
Give me the gun, Muthaiyya
What are you doing, Muthaiyya?
Why did you shoot, uncle?
I am the terrorist
the British are looking for
To the eyes of immoral men
One who revolts for his lawful rights
will of course appear as a terrorist!
Dim-witted slow-pokes!
In Indian National Army
led by Subash Chandra Bose
I am the chief commander in the spy team
Irwin, only I know how much I struggled
to grab this gun from you
- Kumara
- Uncle
This is my boat from now
Sait
Take my uniform from my bag
- Which bag?
- TAKE IT OUT!
Give it to him
'Uncle said he never smokes
He is taking such a deep drag!'
Don't worry
This boat will leave from here
in a short while
'We will dump Irwin into the sea'
Only I'll decide who the next 2 are
in the remaining 9 people
- Muthaiyya sir
- I'll bash you if you call me by my name
Army discipline is a must
Call me 'commander'
'Commander... commander... commander'
Commander?
In political context-
I know all that rubbish!
Intentions, ideologies
Who should survive
I WILL BE THE ONE TO DECIDE
He's screaming his throat hoarse
That shark won't return I hope?
Tramp of a trader who came into India
to earn money through lending money
What did you say?
I am your ruler, eh?
Magesh, lie down on your mother's lap
[Telugu] Come, son
'Writer!'
'Ruler!!'
Boss! Bloody foreigner
Are you teaching manners
to India, imbecile?!
Sait
Hold
Idiot! Hold the cylinder,
not massage my knee!
Unlike what you think, this is
not a cylinder with oxygen
Then what is it, uncle?
SD 50 war bomb
Japan bomb smuggled here
We had planned to blast this in our harbor
But since the police rushed in
I quickly jumped into this boat
He says it's a bomb
Can't find the wick
Sait, keep it inside
I have to share my Oracle
Come one by one
- Oracle?
- First
Who told you to shower equal love
to the good and the bad?
Do you get that same affection in return?
You look educated
in this uniform
Love is to express unconditionally, no?
Before I slap you real hard
go and sit in that corner
Did Mangal Pandey start
the 1st War of Indian Independence in 1857?
- Yes, Commander
- Then here, 100 years before that
Pulithevan, Azhagumuthu Kone,
Marudhu Pandiyars
Rani Velu Nachiyar, Kattabomman
Pazhassi Raja of Kerala,
Dalawa Veluthambi, Tipu Sultan of Karnataka
Sangolli Rayanna
Kittur Chennamma
Why did they sacrifice their lives
fighting the British?
Did they want to fix
a lightning arrester on Mt Everest?!
Can you manipulate History just because
you're archiving from the capital city?
If questioned, British are tallying after
they officially came into power it seems
Lunatic! Before that, what about those
who fought for the freedom of our natio-
Commander, don't shoot me
Don't shoot
In the course of time
you will thrust your language on us!
Praise be to Velu Nachiyar
the guru of Mangal Pandey!
Yuck! Go and sit
Commander
You are repulsed by a mouse
If asked why, you reply 'orthodoxy'!
But you go gaga over a white monkey
What do you call that, huh?
Is it a virtue of the educated
to adjust conveniently about anything?
Grandma and Kumaran
are illiterate slaves
You are a literate slave, that's all
Bharati is a brave Tamil poet
who wrote poems against the British
He belongs to your clan, right?
Go... go
Have you read Jinnah's book
Speeches, statements, messages
of the Quaid-e-Azam?
I've read leader Netaji's
'Call Of The Motherland'
2 leaders can be friends
But 2 volunteers can never be friends
The reason we have been split into 3
These conspirators, like being born to
manipulators in our epics Sakuni and Kuni
Who are we and
how will we win this war?
And regain Indian rule
I don't know
- Why such a bushy hair style?
- Why, uncle?
Are you jealous you don't have?
- May be
- Evident!
Do you know what you forgot?
As long as a slave is kept busy with work
he will forget to ask for his rights
You are sailing in the same boat!
That's why from Irwin's boat
this is now my boat
An issue more dangerous
than yours has cropped up
What you'll do hereafter
Only I will dictate
GO
Looks like he won't stop now
'I will tie Irwin's hands now
and feed him to the shark'
I've noted down in this paper
the next 2 names and what has to be done
As soon as I call out, without arguing
you should trust me and come here
Why should we trust you?
Thank God!
I wanted to ask the same question
History records the death of dictators
stoned by the people who revolted
You will now be the shark's prey
- Where is the rope?
- Near the radio, Commander
Hey! You sit still
I can take it
Raja, Kumara
Next are both your names
he has written here
Scared of dying, are you blabbering?
- HEY!
- Hit him
Raja, grab him
Don't, listen to me
- Don't spare him
- Hear me out
Who are you to decide
who should die?
Raja!
Will you get into my boat
and ask me to get out?
- Kumara
- First grab the gun
- Listen to me
- Give it to me
Kumara, don't
Let him go
- Don't kill him
- Wait, I'll explain
- Give it
- Hold tight
- I'm telling you to let go
- Don't do it
Uncle, listen to me
Hey! Get lost!
- Hit you
- Don't... don't, Kumara
Attend to him
Focus on him
You there!
Uncle
- Give it to me
- Magesh!
Our guardian angel Ras hasn't come to
save us only because this gun is with us
You made a big blunder
Irwin lied
The next name on this list
My name and Magesh's name
But he has only written
how we can escape
Show it to me
'Throw Irwin into the sea and with
this knife chop the boat's wooden planks'
If we can do a floating pyramid
Lakshmi and Magesh who are least heavy
can sit in it and row with one oar
If the shark pops up, I thought
they can be taken back into the boat
This is the Hungarian Vetrovox method
Don't worry
- We can escape as per your plan
- Don't be stupid!
Even I can manage it
only with great difficulty
I will last only another 5 minutes
Don't say that, uncle
Hey! Push that away
Uncle, don't panic
You will be alright
It's heavy
I can't balance it
Sait...!
'Catch it'
Oh my lord!
Are you doing this deliberately?
If it hits the sea bed and explodes
this boat will go up sky high in flames
It will hit rock bottom
in 40-50 seconds
Oh god!
What, uncle?
Bloody thing didn't explode
- Made in our country, eh?
- Sait
It can explode at anytime
'Give all my belongings to my family'
In our spy team
3 of us are in Madras
That's me, Senapathy, Rajan
Only with our information
the Japanese bombed Madras
You may think of this as betrayal
Our leader Subash Chandra Bose did not
believe in Gandhi and Nehru's policy
Before the bomb explodes from beneath us
Somehow try and escape from here
You shouldn't come to the state of
fighting each other and dying, HUH?!
"The good deeds of the departed soul"
"We will benefit too, on the whole"
Jai Hind!
Uncle
"Their good qualities will be
the talk of the town proudly"
"Their just nature will be
a part of us in our memory"
Poor uncle!
We just threatened him to
try and grab the gun
But you killed him
- If all of us kill join hands and kill you
- Kumara, sit down
- Sit down
- We are willing to lend a hand
Why are the two of you
sitting so quiet?
Raja, Sait
He isn't armed now
Are you both on his side?
I am asking you both
Kumara, don't compel anyone
This is each individual's choice
There may be so many reasons
that can't be shared
You really believe that?
I am so happy for you!
Leave it, Kumara
Let us leave it to destiny
'33 hours later'
[The Magic Flute from the Royal Opera]
'All India radio'
'Enjoy the opera from Ellabelle Davis'
Who tied this here?
Sait
Wait a minute, I'm coming
- Why did you tie this?
- No one is willing to jump
All of us will die of hunger
I have fixed a bait
Now... I've caught a fish
You claim to be educated!
That shark is circling us night and day
Sniffing the blood of this fish
won't it head to our boat?
Baiting and bouncing with joy!
Hey! Illiterate country bumpkin!
Muthaiyya body would have
appeased its hunger
It won't come this side at all
Bloody shark!
What, grandma?
- 'I wanted to at least give this letter
- We'll deal with that later'
'Brother, a very important piece of news'
'Our Alamu doesn't want to marry this boy'
What are you saying, brother?
'The groom Rangan's father
had a private talk with Alamu'
'If you marry my son'
'He said, your brother need not repay
the money he borrowed to buy his boat'
'Though she didn't like Rangan
she agreed to lessen your financial burden'
'But I met someone in the jail here'
'Rangan is up to no good'
'No one is aware'
'He is known to be a playboy too'
'So somehow or the other
go and stop Alamu's wedding'
How can you test us like this, Lord?
This is for all your ears
I am head deep in my problem
My sister's wedding
is tomorrow evening
I have to stop it
Muthaiyya is dead
Another 2 persons
You decide who will die
Otherwise I will decide
and throw 2 of you in
And go my way
Decide soon
'Chapter - 9'
'Chapter - 9: 1 strike of the knife
9 heads in strife'
[song from 'Alibaba - 1937 - Bengali]
I have saved Rs 100 in the post office
I will give it to you
Spare me alon-
Let that money remain
in the post office!
Your pain will subside now, officer
'37 hours later'
Having lasted so long,
hope this boat holds till dawn
Pray to all your favorite deities!
We can't move from here tonight Because
it is tough to notice the shark at night
The bomb under the water
can explode anytime
Whether you decide of your own accord
which 2 persons are prepared to die
'Or if I push you myself'
I have to leave at dawn for sure
That's all
Officer wants me to tell you this
No one will come forward
volunteering to die
We saw how Vijaya's offer to jump
changed in the last minute, no?
Each of us will name
2 people who should die
And write it on a paper
Whoever gets the maximum vote
Everyone will push those two
into the sea and kill them
- How cruel, pa?
- Keep quiet, dear
I agree
- Tell
- Speak up, Raja
I also... agree
Same way, only 7 of us as victims
That is not right
Kumaran and his grandmother
- They should be included in the list too
- Good point indeed
Then they should be informed too
This boat belongs to them, pa
- How then-
- Understand the situation, Lakshmi
He won't accept so easily
He has only the right to
ask us to leave this boat
He doesn't have the right
to tell us to leave this world!
Sait brother, at least
you try convincing him
[song from film 'Ashok Kumar']
Kumaran cannot be persuaded, Lakshmi
"Without 6 senses, values intact
truth and non violence in fact"
Irwin is a bad man, brother
But once we get out from here
he has promised to help me
One name is
British officer
Second name
Your choice, father
That's it
Radio battery is dead
Oh gawd! What happened?
I am scared
First empty the water
'We haven't even repaid our debts'
'How will we get our 3 daughters married?'
[Malayalam] 'It is our dream
for 28 years'
'If we get support of leader Jinnah'
'Millions of people
will benefit in life'
'Otherwise everything will collapse, Raja'
'Look, instead of roaming around
with dance and music as excuse'
'Only if you take up a job'
'We can repay your father's debt
and be able to breathe easily'
[Hindi] 'Right now, it is essential to have
our house document in our possession'
'If you don't get it
all of us have to commit suicide'
[Telugu] 'Vijaya, take Magesh
to the hospital at the earliest'
'If we waste time'
'He can't be saved'
What happened?
I think something is leaking
when the bomb slipped
Here, all of us have written the names
Read it
1st paper
Kumaran
Grandma
2nd paper
Kumaran
Grandma
Next
Grandma
Kumaran
4th paper
Vijaya
Irwin
Next
Kumaran
Grandma
Last one
Kumaran
Raja
On the whole,
officer, Raja and Vijaya
1 vote each
Kumaran 5 votes
Grandma 4 votes
Okay, according to our rules
Those who got the maximum votes
Kumaran
And his grandmother
should be killed
'Do you all agree?'
'42 hours later'
Isn't it atrocious to want to kill him
without even his knowledge?
I will definitely tell him
Lakshmi, is there any day
we don't feed the crows?
Even if we see
an army of ants at home
All we will do is
sweep them aside
But we won't kill those ants
Our predicament is such now
I have to get 2 of your sisters married
and ensure they settle down in life, dear
I'll fall at your feet and beg you
Don't cry, pa
Time is up
How do we intend killing them?
I use this spoon to take my Siddha medicine
Shall we use this?
I have this
Copper wire
I flicked it from the medical camp
In the hotel this is used to kill a fish
I kept it just in case
I catch a fish
Officer, we have decided to kill
Why do we need all this?
Can't the hand serve as the weapon?
Then you have to take over
this assignment and do it, Raja
I want to get out of here
I don't deny it
But how can you ask me to kill?
I can't do it
'You shouldn't come to the state of
fighting each other and dying, HUH?!'
Oh God!
Hey!
Kumara!
Kumara
Ouch!
Why are you behaving like this?
What, my dear?
Nothing, pa
'48 hours later'
Hey... hey!
Hey grandma!
- What are you doing?
- Come, Kumara
Poor souls! They are scared
They become even more wicked
the longer they are on the boat
Sea is our mother
The sun will be our companion
We can swim like crabs, come
- What about the shark?
- Trust our guardian deity!
Otherwise let it feast on us
Dive bravely, we can swim
If possible we will
reach the shore, come
"Our mother and this salty sea
will always be our guardian deity"
"Our earth gives in graciously
for people to prosper joyously"
Uncle
Is she our guardian angel Ras?
'Chapter - 10'
'Chapter:10 - Tramp in a garden
He has no place of his own'
'14 days later'
News of Kumaran and his grandmother
reaching the shore safely
We have not got any News
from any source
Yes, we haven't received
any complaint or information
Most probably, both of them... that shark-
I wanted to tell you
Lakshmi
She is going next month
to Thanjavur to study music
My father has declined
the job at Ripon building
He has joined as copywriter
in Alliance Publishers
I am also leaving for Bombay tomorrow
Coming week, surgery has been
scheduled for Magesh
I met my leader
I am going by rail to Rajasthan
on Wednesday at 10:00 p.m
If we are all alive today
We have to thank
Kumaran and his grandmother
Shall we all join together
to ensure their souls rest in peace
And perform the required obsequies?
Also for Muthaiyya
'Definitely'
- On New moon-
- Ma, look at this
Father, that is mine
That's the Elephant Gate case, sir
'2 brothers joined and stopped the wedding
of Rangan from Kasimedu, sir'
'A case has been filed against them
So I've kept them under lock-up, sir'
Kumara!
"Our mother and this salty sea
will always be our guardian deity"
Kumara, you are not charged with any case
"Our earth gives in graciously
for people to prosper joyously"
"The sea that never runs dry, for eternity
will appease hunger for humanity"
"Skies that dawned with strife
Naturally this too will pass in our life"
"The sea that ceases to sleep
will sustain lives real deep"
"The silvery moon shining above
spreads its light with radiant love"
"The wind and the skies support you
Bravely fight for your rights so true"
"Time will wait for us diligently
March towards freedom in solidarity"
'Kumara'
You are the sole soul
responsible for saving all our lives
We have to do something for you
What do you want?
Ask me
Will you give my hometown back to me?
'Until today approximately 60,000 natives
of Chennai have been relocated'
'30 km from the city limit
to various regions'
'Similarly the same has been followed'
'in every State all over India
with love and affection!'
'Despite our robotic busy lifestyle
we shall overcome this too... cheers!'
"The silvery moon shining above
spreads its light with luminous love"
"The wind and the skies support you
Bravely fight for your rights so true"
subtitled by rekhs