Marathi Movie Review - Jogwa

Jogwa

Story: The movie is based on two characters – a determined girl called Suli and a bellicose man called Tayappa. Both of them are compelled by their families to devote their lives in service of Yellamma goddess. Initially, both of them accept their fates, but soon, a revolt develops within them against the custom and their life becomes very frustrating with both craving for freedom. Eventually, although unexpected, romantic attraction arises between them which becomes prone to issues like misuse of power, religious fanaticism, individual rights and the very meaning of spirituality.

Today, our world is being destroyed by people who claim that God is on their side and thus in their act of secularism, cause violent destruction. Such people consider themselves to be a privy to ‘sacred truths’ and thus would go up to any lengths to act upon these ‘truths’, no matter if people suffer in the process.

Suli and Tayappa are forced by their families to dedicate their entire lives as Jogta and Jogtin to serve Goddess Yellamma. Their individual rights come nowhere in picture. They are expected to give up all the luxuries in life in the name of religion. Although they initially accepted their role as devotees, their psyche reaches a new level of frustration eventually. Their free mind cannot take it anymore and is persistent in the need of freedom.

Indian society in general is inherently hypocrite. When generally asked as to what the people think about the prevailing religious practices, most of them criticize them. But when asked whether their families also consider the same point of view, there is a prevalent silence. These traditional and modern mindsets often create friction between people in the society. Usually, this results in violent acts of suppression by the religious cult over the others. Thus opposing it and then getting suppressed by it is what questions the people’s determination.

The use of religion to change or influence the psyche of people and is not just used in smaller societies as shown in Jogwa. It can afflict from an ordinary person, an international terrorist to the leader of a nation of the world.     

The shoving down of values and religious practices on people is like a disorder the extremists suffer from. It’s a state of mind wherein they consider themselves to be messengers of certain kind with the objective of transformation of the society. They don’t care if people have to suffer in the process since according to them; it is for the betterment of the masses.

Jogwa depicts this disorder which firstly Suli’s family goes through who under the superstition over Suli’s hair knots are convinced that it’s a sign of fate from the Goddess and conclude that Suli must serve the Goddess. If she doesn’t do it, the entire family will be punished by the goddess, that forms a very convincing argument and Suli decides to become a Jogtin. 

Another horrific story is of Tayappa who is forced to cross-dress and be a woman. The kind of cruelty he is subjected to by the society is not any kind of exaggeration. It is sadly true and still prevails in eastern Maharashtra. 

The climax shows that people on getting furious over the relationship of Tayappa and Suli and in an attempt to sabotage their romance and punishing them; they attempt to castrate Tayappa, who is supposed to be a woman according to the society. Suli on knowledge of this incident goes to the mountains and manages to stop this act of castration. Later, Tayappa removes his Sari and dresses like a man and threatens the Priest to marry Suli to him with appropriate rites. They live happily ever after.

Jogwa being a movie is bound to have a happy ending. But life is different from that as depicted in the movies. The religious sects are so powerful that they manage to suppress all other sects and their views through all means including violence. The general public is thus made to believe the tailored truth and they have to blindly follow it or face the consequences from both the family and the society at large.

Reintegration of the society is possible but it is slow process. It cannot be rushed as things prelevant have been for centuries and cannot be simply thrown out.    

Maya Chandrashekaran

FSLE -3