Fandry

Fandry (English: Pig) is a 2013 Marathi-language film, written and directed by Nagraj Manjule in a directorial debut. It stars Somnath Avghade and Rajeshwari Kharat. The story focuses on a young boy's infatuation amidst caste-based discrimination. The film—set in Akolner, a village near Ahmednagar—revolves around the issue of caste discrimination and narrates the story of a teenager from a Dalit (Oppressed caste) family, who lives at the village fringe, and falls in love with an upper caste girl.[4][5]

Fandry
Film Poster
Directed byNagraj Manjule
Produced by
  • Navalakha Arts
  • Holy Basil Productions
Starring
  • Kishor Kadam
  • Somnath Avghade
  • Suraj Pawar
  • Chhaya Kadam
  • Nagraj Manjule
  • Rajeshwari Kharat
Music by
CinematographyVikram Amladi
Edited byChandan Arora
Distributed by
  • Reliance Media Works
  • Zee Entertainment
Release date
  • 17 October 2013 (2013-10-17) (MIFF)
  • 14 February 2014 (2014-02-14) (India)
Running time
104 minutes
LanguageMarathi
Budget₹1.75 crore (US$250,000) [1]
Box office₹7 crore (US$980,000) (Lifetime)[2][3]

The film won the Grand Jury Prize at the Mumbai International Film Festival.[6] The film was released theatrically on Valentine's Day 14 February 2014.[7] At the 61st National Film Awards, it won the Indira Gandhi Award for Best Debut Film of a Director.[8]

Plot

Fandry is a story set in the background of caste discrimination depicting the love of a 13-year-old boy.

Jambhuvant Kachru Mane (nickname: Jabya) (Somnath Awghade), a pre-teen lives in a makeshift house on the outskirts of a caste segregated village with his parents and 2 sisters (one a widow with a toddler). The family belongs to an Oppressed-caste community (Kaikadi) and earns its living by doing menial jobs. Owing to the caste-ridden power structure of the village society, the boy's father has a fearful and submissive personality which is exploited by the upper-caste villagers.

Jabya is disillusioned by the predicament of his family and shows interest in school where he has also fallen in one-sided love with a forward caste girl named Shalini (nickname: Shalu) (Rajeshwari Kharat) who he has never talked to but tries desperately to get her to notice him.

The plot opens with Jabya and his school friend Pirya (Suraj Pawar) armed with a slingshot trying to catch a bird (the Black Sparrow) in the wilderness. However, the bird call that punctuates the film is that of the Red Wattled Lapwing (Titawi), which is supposed to bring bad luck. The black sparrow, with its distinctive forked tail, and the call of the red wattled lapwing occur repeatedly throughout the film. The duo keep trying to catch the bird in the entire film for an unknown reason which is later explained in the film. According to a local legend, it is believed that when the ash obtained by burning the black sparrow is sprinkled on someone, it hypnotizes them to fall in love with the person sprinkling it.

Jabya also befriends a bicycle mechanic named Chankya (Nagraj Manjule) who sees his young self in the boy. Chankya had once married a girl but she was soon forcefully taken away by her brother and left him beaten very badly. Since then he has renounced family life and taken up refuge in spirituality, mysticism and liquor. Jabya seeks support from Chankya in his quest to obtain his love, which Chankya readily extends. Perhaps the idea of sprinkling the ash of black sparrow on Shalu is suggested to Jabya by Chankya himself. The idea, however, is executed only in Jabya's dream.

Back in the village, Jabya's family members comply as they are exploited and dehumanized by the villagers over and over again. In the film's climax, Jabya finally acknowledges the existence of the kingdom and the boundaries of its residents (castes). He realises that he himself is the odd one out who is trying to assimilate in a world that prefers to stay within their own boundaries (a form of security).

He understands that his own boundaries have collapsed in his attempts to assimilate with the other castes and has thus become vulnerable to their attacks. Reaching self-awareness for the first time in his life, he suddenly explodes in rage and grabs a rock and throws it at his oppressors, thus re-establishing his boundary. His personal quest to assimilate with the others now broken by himself.

Cast
  • Somnath Awghade as Jambuwant Kachru Mane (Jabya)
  • Suraj Pawar as a Piraji (Pirya)
  • Chhaya Kadam as Nani
  • Kishor Kadam as a Kachru Mane (Nana)
  • Rajeshwari Kharat as Shalu
  • Bhushan Manjule as Dada Patil
  • Nagraj Manjule as a Chankya (Chankeshwar Sathe)
  • Sohail Shaikh as Sangram
  • Sanjay Chaudhri as Teacher
  • Vikas Pandurang Patil as a Navhi
  • Prashant Kamble
  • Jyoti Subhash
  • Suhas Sirsat
  • Moinuddin Inamdar as a principal
  • Pooja Dolas as a Vedant's mother
  • Shruti Awate as a Rani
  • Sakshi Vyavhare as a Dhurpa
  • Pravin Tarde as a Sarpanch
  • Suresh Vishwakarma

Crew
  • Story, screenplay, dialogues & direction – Nagraj Manjule
  • Producers – Nilesh Navlakha and Vivek Kajaria
  • Executive producer – Vivek Wagh
  • Costume designers – Gargee Kulkarni and Priyanka Dubey
  • Art director – Santosh Sankhad
  • Sound design – Nimish Chheda
  • Chief assistant director – Gargee Kulkarni and Kutub Inamdar
  • Assistant editor – Kutub Inamdar
  • On location sound – Christopher Robleto Harvey

Production and release

The film was praised at the Mumbai International Film Festival and was subsequently picked up by Zee Entertainment for distribution rights in Maharashtra in 125 to 150 screens. Vivek Kajaria, who produced the film along with Nilesh Navalakha, said "Fandry is one of the most awaited films of recent times and we have decided to go very strong on our marketing. Our partnership with Zee Entertainment has helped us a lot. We are trying our best to give it a wide release and hoping that the word-of-mouth will help us grow. Then it’s up to the audiences really."

The film released all over Maharashtra on 14 February 2014[7] and it was released in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Goa along with 12 states on 28 February 2014.[9]

Soundtrack

The soundtrack album of Fandry received positive reviews among the fans.

Track listing
No.TitleSinger(s)Length
1."Full Fandry Theme Song"Ajay-Atul5:10
2."Fandry Theme Song"Ajay-Atul3:11
Total length:8:21

Awards and festivals

Official Selections:[7]

Festival / Awards Category Result
Mumbai International Film Festival Best Film Won
BFI London Film Festival Best Film N/A
Abu Dhabi Film Festival Best Film N/A
International Children's Film Festival of India Best Film N/A
International Film Festival of India Best Film N/A
Göteborg International Film Festival[10] Best Film N/A
Pune International Film Festival[11] Best Film, Best Film(Audience), Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Actor Won
International Federation of Film Critics[12] Best Film of the year 2013 Won
Dharamshala International Film Festival[13] Best Film N/A
International Film Festival of Kerala[14] Best Film N/A
Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles[15] Best Indian feature film Won
Mata Sanman[16] Best Film, Best Actor, Best Director, Best Child Artist, Best Script, Best Editor Won
New York Indian Film Festival[17] Best Director Won
Reel Asian Film Festival 2014[18] National Bank Best First Feature Film Award Won
Seattle South Asian Film Festival[19] Outstanding Film in Social Category 2014 Won
National Award[20] Best Debut (Director), Best Child Actor Won

References
  1. http://www.hindustantimes.com/regional-movies/only-movie-villains-have-names-like-mine-sairat-director-nagraj-manjule/story-11sG7GmFBSjblydjwHPhdO.html
  2. http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/marathi-film-bollywood-mumbai/1/570052.html
  3. "1st Week Box Office Collection Of Marathi Film FANDRY". Box Office Capsule India
  4. "Fandry review: A charming film about caste, identity and young love". Firstpost. 14 February 2014. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
  5. "Movie review: Suhani Singh gives four stars to 'Fandry'". India Today. 14 February 2014. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
  6. "Golden Dream, Fandry win top prizes at Mumbai Film Festival". screendaily.com.
  7. "Fandry to release on 150 screens in February". DearCinema.com.
  8. "61st National Film Awards For 2013" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. 16 April 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 April 2014. Retrieved 2014-04-16.
  9. "`फँड्री`नं ओलांडली भाषेची सीमारेषा!". 24taas.com.
  10. "Fandry – Timeline Photos | Facebook". facebook.com.
  11. Pune International Film Festival Award winners
  12. "Nagraj Manjule – FIPRESCI India-Film Critics Award | Facebook". facebook.com.
  13. "Fandry – Timeline Photos | Facebook". facebook.com.
  14. "Fandry – 'Fandry' wins hearts at the Kerala Film Festival... | Facebook". facebook.com.
  15. "Fandry the official selection at Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles". The Times of India.
  16. "Fandry – Cover Photos | Facebook". facebook.com.
  17. "Nagraj Manjule – Mobile Uploads | Facebook". facebook.com.
  18. "Reel Asian Film Festival 2014 Awards Announced!". reelasian.com.
  19. "Fandry – Photos from Fandry's post | Facebook". facebook.com.
  20. "National Film Awards: List of winners". NDTVMovies.com.
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