a scene Slaves of the Empire Directed by Rajesh James.
Often oppressed classes or groups receive a certain kind of treatment in documentaries, mostly highlighting their hardships. While such an approach is well-intentioned, it makes the filmmakers and even the audience ignore the fact that there is more to their lives than what is seen through the prism of oppression. They too have happy moments and guilty pleasures.
Documentary by filmmaker Rajesh James Slaves of the Empire Highlighting the lives of laundry workers at Fort Kochi’s Dhobikhana, it takes a different approach, capturing the joyous energy of their daily lives. The Dutch are believed to have brought the first group of slave workers from the Vannar community from Tamil Nadu to work in laundry houses. Generations later, the community continues to thrive here, washing and ironing clothes the old-fashioned way away from homes and institutions, in a large shared space.
The documentary, which begins its journey at major festivals, focuses on the lives of four workers – Rajan, Pratti, Rajasekharan and Selvaraj – all of whom are elderly citizens, just like most of the workers at the dhobikhana, as hardly anyone from the next generation is attracted to the work. Around 40 families still depend on the dhobikhana.
One of the interesting stories is of Selvaraj and his being a Rajinikanth fan. We see how the man takes some of his savings and goes to a printing shop and gets a big size print of his favourite star on his birthday with Selvaraj’s name written on it. Rajan’s conversations with his wife are funny as she understands his tough exterior. The entire documentary is in stark black and white with some soulful pictures of their daily life and the rituals they love so much even today.
“The Dhobikhanas are often in the sight of tourists, but hardly anyone is interested in knowing its history. They are not people who can be sympathised with, as they lead a happy life. The work did not start out as a documentary. I have been interacting with them for quite some time and was interested in learning about their daily lives, customs and leisure activities,” says Mr. James, faculty at Sacred Heart College, Thevara.
His previous documentary In the thunder, lightning and rainwhich told the stories of three women who endured physical and mental suffering, took a similar approach of looking beyond their sad pasts and celebrating their strength of character.
