NOBLEMEN

India, 2019, 107 minutes, Colour.
Kunal Kapoor, Ali Haji, Muhammed Ali Mir,
Directed by Vandana Kataria.

A very high-sounding title. In fact, the affluent school where the action takes place is named after a Noble. However, as might be expected, not all the behaviour of the students is noble.

The film is interesting in coming from India, quite a secularised India according to this presentation, not a great reliance on Indian cultural and religious traditions. Rather, the students in the school have become quite westernised, drugtaking, sexual attitudes, arrogance in authority. In fact, the school in the film looks very much like a British public school of the past.

While the film offers a view of this kind of Indian society and school, it is also a film about bullying. Which, of course, was inherent in the life of many of the British public schools. There are prefects and captains, arrogant in their authority, some being put on a pedestal, indulging in drugs behind the scenes, demanding on their fellow students, the main leader here, a sports captain and hero, having his entourage around him.

In terms of culture, the school is putting on a performance of Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice. The new and sympathetic teacher, Murli (Kunal Kapoor) casting, holds rehearsals, supervises the group in some method acting, releasing emotions, understanding the role of the body… And there are excerpts recited, strikingly, of Shylock’s pricking and bleeding speech as well as Portia’s quality of mercy speech.

What also makes the film distinctive is that the central character, a teenage student, not interested in sport, raises the ire of the arrogant prefects. And there is a frightening bullying scene of the fat boy in the school taken from the shower and brutalised and pummelled, naked, eventually taken to hospital. The central character, Shay, is his friend. However, it emerges that Shay has a homosexual orientation, some moments of self-discovery in the sequence where the teacher emphasises the role of the body.

Shay is also very friendly with one of the few girl students in the school who is to play Portia.

There is a graphic sequence in the latter part of the film with the prefect and his entourage abduct Shay from his dormitory and there is a vicious sodomy attack on Shay. In the meantime, Shay has come to rely on the sympathetic teacher, impulsively kisses him, the teacher reacting with shock and only later trying to be sympathetic.

The further complication is included Shay, issues of revenge that were manifested in Shakespeare’s play, Shay’s treatment of the teacher, of the bullies, and the audience finally wondering what the psychological effects of all this experience has been on Shay as he dons the costume and make up for Bassanio, goes on stage to recite his lines.

Disturbing and challenging – raising bullying and sexual issues across cultures.

1. An Indian film? India in the 21st-century? Indian cultural and religious traditions? Secularised? The absorption of Western styles? The British education tradition?

2. The setting, the affluent school, the buildings, exteriors and style, interiors, dormitories, classrooms, offices, the surrounding countryside, the mountains? The musical score?

3. The tone of the title, elegance, status, pride – and the danger of arrogance? The title of the school?

4. Life in the school, the role of the principal, assemblies, his speeches, certain freedoms, anti-drugs? His dealings with the other teachers, the head of the house whom he did not trust, Early, encouraging him, vision? The deputy, his upbringing, looking down on Murli, treatment of the boys, the offences happening in his care, his eventually becoming principal, laying down disciplinary law? Murli, younger, new, change of vocation, working with the students, creative, putting on the play, his elocution and speeches, his method style for acting, encouraging the students, roaring, emphasis on the body and its neutrality, care for the boys?

5. Status in the school, hierarchy, prefects, sports captains? The ethos of sport? The ethos of the arts, putting on The Merchant of Venice? Selection of cast, rehearsals, Murli speeches, the response of the students, Pia and her being Portia, Shay and his being Bassanio? The jealous student wanting to be Bassanio? The background of sports, Arjun and his being the captain, selection, his performance, the student’s reaction?

6. The focus on Shay, his background, skyping with his mother, wanting her to come to Foundation Day? Her support of him, wise counselling in their discussions? His lack of interest in sport? Eager to be in the play, Bassanio? His friendship with Pia, company, discussions, in the play, the relationship? His friendship with Ganesh? Good company, finding the bird and tending it? His response to the bullying of Ganesh? The hospital visit?

7. Arjun, dominant, tall and arrogant, his associate following him always, the other acolytes, sharing his vision? Captain, the football, his success? The phone calls from his father – and his being dominated by his father? His behaviour in the school, with the other boys? The persecution of Ganesh? His dislike of Shay? The interactions with the others who had put him on a pedestal?

8. Shay, his age, sexuality, the episode with Murli and the body, his response to Murli, the sexual response? His denial? Yet his being with Murli, the kindness, the spontaneous kiss? His reaction?

9. Shay and his being locked out of the building, going to Murli, the food, the talk, the kiss, Murli’s reaction? Shay and his disappointment, hurt? That We went to the principal about Shay is being locked out? The dire consequences for Shay?

10. The buildup to the attack on Shea, abducted from the dormitory, the ball in his mouth, with Arjun and the others, the jar, the brutality of the rape, the effect on Shay, the bleeding, returning, the shower the blood? Ganesh and his response?

11. Shay in hospital, not wanting any attention, Pia and Ganesh and their visit? Murli and his visit? Shay and his lack of response?

12. Going to the head of the house, to the principal, the denunciation of Murli? The deputy and his nasty reaction to Murli? The principal talking to Murli, realising the truth, but merely offering his resignation?

13. The play, Shay saying he would withdraw? Murli and the rehearsal, his announcement of resignation, encouraging the show to go on?

14. Shay, talking with them early, Murli and his bewilderment yet supported Shay?

15. The attack on Billy, the boys, Shay watching, the bashing, putting them early in the pool, Shay going, comforting him, yet drowning him? The complexities of Shay his motivations, the vengeance or saving Murli by drowning him?

16. The consequences, the new master of the house, the resignation of the principal, discipline to be installed, the students lining up, Shay donning the costume and make up, his speeches as Bassanio?

17. The basis in The Merchant of Venice, the themes of revenge, the discussions about motivations and action for revenge, Shylock’s speech about printing and bleeding, Portia and the quality of mercy, the variations on Shakespeare’s themes?