UMRIKA

India, 2015, 98 minutes, Colour.
Suraj Sharma, Tony Revelori.
Directed by Prashant Nair.

Umrika.. as in America, the United States. It is the way that villagers in India pronounce this dream country, Umrika?

This is a film for Indian audiences, but is also a film that has a wide reach to audiences outside India. It offers the possibility for outsiders to enter into India, into a country village and its way of life, the simplicities of tradition, changes for a new life. It also has sequences in the city, the enormous contrast to the village, the busy streets and population, the difficulty in getting jobs, the possibilities for getting entangled in debt, in criminal activities – and all with the dream of getting away to the United States.

The film opens with scenes of the village, and the farewell to Udai on his way to America, fulfilling his mother’s dream when her uncle came back from United States with wealth, and this is what she has wished for her beloved son. There is voice-over, from Udai’s younger brother, Rama, not so well loved by his mother, but devoted to his father, having his brother on a pedestal. For some months there is a crisis as there is no letter from Udai as he has promised. And then, letters arrive regularly, full of news, details of life in the United States, with pictures accompanying the letters.

By this time, Rama (Suraj Sharma, an engaging screen presence) has grown up. When his father dies, he discovers some surprising truths about the letters and decides that he will go to Umrika to track down his brother. What happens is that he is trapped in the city, given accommodation by a cousin and making friends, getting a job delivering sweets, but also stealing a bicycle to help him on his way. His friend Lalu (Tony Revelori, from The Grand Budapest Hotel and Dope) arrives in the city, a blunter and more direct personality, yet support for Rama.

Rama might imagine that he could be a Slumdog Millionaire, but there is no television competition here, no easy money, on the contrary, some surprises, some disillusionment, some indebtedness to shady entrepreneurs. Speaking of films, the villagers watch King Kong with amazement. Later, in the city there is a screening of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom – with hostile Indian characters and the audience pelting the screen!

The film ends just as we have reinvigorated our hopes that there will be a future for Rama, and an audience desire to know what will happen to him, whether he really will get to Umrika and what he will do there.

This is a very humane and genial film, with plenty of the flavour of India, and a pleasing invitation for the audience to immerse itself in Indian life.

1. A pleasing film for an Indian audience? International audience? A film about people, places? Themes?

2. The presentation of the village, the mountain background, the people, the homes, the fields? Ordinary?

3. The comparisons with the city, the streets, accommodation, the sweet factory, deliveries, illegal operations, barbershop, restaurant? The musical score?

4. The 1980s, the Cold War, change, the place of India, initiatives in the villages, the coming of electricity? The background of Russia and Gorbachev? Ronald Reagan? The feel of the period?

5. Village life, Udai, the preparations for his departure, the group, the photos, the reactions, his mother and her love, her dreams of his going to America, memories of her own uncle and his riches on his return, wanting the best for her son? Rama, young boy, not feeling loved by his mother, devotion to his father, devotion to his brother, wanting to learn, leaning to read? His response to the lack of letters from Udai, the tensions? The letters arriving, joining the family, in the village? The years passing?

6. The detailed letters from Udai, life in America, the photos? The revelation that the father wrote the letters, the information from the postman, the room of the collection of photos, the many stamps? The mother not knowing, joyful? The choice of aspects of America, the dreams of Indians and the imagination of the United States?

7. The father, the accident, his death? The effect? Rama learning the truth? His decision to go to the city, to go to America to find his brother?

8. The city and its life, freedom for the young man from the village, Rajan and his help, accommodation, the friendship of Gopi? Work? Delivering the sweets? Rama and his stealing the bike, profiting? The fat man and the sweets, the packages, Rama delivering them, getting the money, saving it? As a character, his personality, pleasant, charm, the girl at the restaurant, taking her out, the movies, Indiana Jones and hostility? the possibilities?

9. His devotion, writing the letters, spending so much time on the letters, fulfilling the task of his father, the consolation for his mother?

10. His friendship with Lalu, at home, his arrival, his father sending him out to get a job in the city, sharing with Rama? His brusque manner, especially in his direct speech? The decision to visit Patel, the interview, Lalu and his comments?

11. The deliveries, the gun, an atmosphere of fear?

12. Rama and his decision to follow Rajan, discovering the truth about his brother, Udai as a barber, indebted to Patel? His having been where Rama is? His confessing his need to leave home, the village, the protectiveness of his mother? The effect of the revelation on Rama?

13. Rama, his decision to go to America, the money in his box, Udai paying?

14. The final drinks, Lalu, the camera? Lalu and his job from Gopi for filming?

15. Rama meeting, the van, in the container? Transferred to the ship?

16. Udai, with Patel, his debt for many years to come?

17. In the village, the mother, watching the video, and the scene of the two brothers in New York, Umrika?