Analysis of Serious Men movie - Mindvoices
Serious Men is the aspiration of lower caste protagonist to achieve social mobility in order to escape from the socially underprivileged life. Who are all Serious Men in the world according to protagonist Ayyan Mani played by Nawazuddin Siddiqui, they are all seriously chasing behind the success and money but lacking to live a meaningful life. He believed the social mobility can be achieved only through Good quality Education.
What reservation meant for different social strata?
The upper caste Arvind Acharya who was the boss to Ayyan Mani believed the education system should be based on the merit system which had a repercussion on Ayyan mani's son Adi admission into the top school in Mumbai. But the reservation was justified according to Ayyan Mani because of historical injustice that happened to their community for centuries. He believed the son of the office boy in school will be a helper again if there is no equality of opportunity provided to them.
Why there is systematic discrimination for the marginalized?
Arvind Acharya replied to the confused reporter about his Project Ballon on collecting microscopic samples from the stratosphere, the second layer in the atmosphere where an airplane can fly without turmoil. "If you understand, you would be me" when we think beyond just the words. There might be an answer for questions like Why were lower caste groups not allowed to study Vedas even in the ages of 21st century, Why the priests from the lower caste were not allowed to enter the inner sanctum in most of the temples? The answer might lie in Acharya's reply to the reporter. It is like systematically acting against the group from the lower strata to achieve upward mobility.
"The assertion of Lower strata group by overthrowing existing dominant forces"
After the press conference, Ayyan Mani became the Serious Man where he let out the Acharya's name board and sit on his chair where Acharya sat. This is a symbolization of an assertion of a lower caste group to achieve upward mobility.
"Means are more important for achieving the ends"
"Noble ends should not be achieved through Wrongful means". Ayyan mani attempted to achieve upward mobility as a noble end but strived through wrongful means of overburden lies which cannot be justified. Ayyan mani's intentions were right but man's crooked minds spoilt the good deeds. Both Acharya and Ayyan mani exploited the conditions by their crooked minds and greediness for a higher level. Both failed as good conscious humans in the end.
Religious conversion: Portuguese, British, and Missionaries from the west exploited the condition of lower caste groups and converted them into a particular religion. Indian constitution strictly forbids forced religious conversion but some missionaries schools still exploit the lower caste group for religious conversion.
Child development: Adi was forced to do certain things in life for the sake of his father leaving the personal positive growth and development. A child must grow as a child but the parents pushed their desires and ambitions into the minds of children This will strongly affect the psychological development of children. Parents must realize the Rat race is just an illusion of a happy life.
Serious Men is a good satire on contemporary realities adapted from the Hindu Literary Festival winner Serious Men by the author Manu Joseph.
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