The fate of cattle has been hogging the headlines for several months. It’s now the turn of the goat.
Suresh Sangaiah’s Oru Kidayin Karunai Manu (A Goat’s Mercy Petition) will hit theatres on June 2. Produced by Eros International, the Tamil-language film is about village politics from a goat’s point of view. Starring Vidharth and dubbing artist Raveena in the lead roles, Oru Kidayin Karunai Manu was premiered at the New York Indian Film Festival on May 6. The trailer indicates a vow at a temple, a goat’s sacrifice, a feast and a court hearing. A judge tells members of the village, “You were going to the temple but ended up at the court.” A sign of things to come?
The movie marks the debut of Sangaiah, who has previously worked as an assistant director in M Manikandan’s Kaaka Muttai (2015). Excerpts from an interview.
How did the film come about?
The story was born out of what I have witnessed in my village. I have seen an entire village come together for the smallest of reasons. Don’t they say that for a state to flourish, the village has to flourish and for the village to flourish, the family has to be well? I saw that my village understood the importance of a community and it was that idea that I wanted to bring to the fore. Especially since we live in an age where we lead isolated lives.Where does the goat fit into this celebration?
For any gathering, food and especially, meat on the menu is absolutely important. It can bring people together or make them fight with each other. People even ask about the menu before deciding to go for a wedding. So, a goat, for instance, can be a reason for an entire village to gather around. It could be slaughtered for food or as a ritual, but it can also bring people together. I thought it would be interesting to write a story with a goat at the centre and even write it from the goat’s point of view.
Were you worried about talking about animal sacrifice, especially at a time when the subject has become deeply sensitive?
I’m not scared about these things. I wanted people to hear and see this story. Whether it is right or wrong to sacrifice or kill a goat is not the subject of this film. My goal was only to show how a goat brings an entire village together. In our cities, we may not think of the economy surrounding food as a big deal. But in villages, the economy around food, especially meat, helps many families survive.
A goat, for instance, is as much a key member of the village as any other. It is grown, nurtured and yes, also eventually killed. It is a part of a larger ecological cycle, a component of an interdependent environment.
What is the ritual significance behind sacrificing a goat?
Cows are worshipped, so they are not to be killed. Many people believe that the smaller deities in villages like the goat. Sometimes, a goat is not enough, so they add some chicken to it.
My film tries to explore the idea that instead of sacrificing a goat, what if you just leave it at the temple?
Did you use a real goat?
We have used a real goat in the film. But there is a sequence that shows a goat’s sacrifice, for which we have obviously used a CGI version.
A central government notification bans the sale of cattle in animal markets and their killing in religious sacrifices. Will this move make filmmakers more reluctant to take up the subject?
I think the freedom to explore narratives of all kinds must always be upheld. A filmmaker is only always trying to tell a story, not promoting or denouncing an agenda.
Did you have to struggle to find funding?
I didn’t find it hard to get the funds for this film. Manikandan was initially supposed to produce the film, but couldn’t because of various reasons. But he approached Eros Entertainment and pitched the film to them. I believe that the scope for such narratives is only increasing.
What was the film’s premiere at the New York Film Festival like?
Watching the film felt like revisiting my village. Everybody who watched the film said they really liked it. Indians there were nostalgic about home.
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