Amma & Appa

Rama and me liked Amma & Appa on Tatasky. Perhaps many middle class families discuss marriage, caste, community, religion the Amma and Appa way and the film shoots the moments. Tone of the debates is low, we could be with Amma when she says she cannot change, not with a thud but a mumble. Amma and Appa live without make ups. Their son, brought up in Cuddalore, marries a German girl; the German family comes home to Cuddalore, tries to grasp a Cuddalore living, where Amma loved none till she got married to Appa to love, tries to appreciate and fly out home, Germany. Amma & Appa are disappointed, they do not show it as they go about tending their garden; buffalos on the road, temple chariots... reminds me of Perumal Murugan. We have these discussions at home and know what it means... when me daughter Dakhi decided to marry Rajesh Patil, there was talk; but me mother came off best accepting the wedding entirely. There is some substance to Amma saying she wished for a Cuddalore daughter-in-law for her son from Cuddalore ... but not Tamil Nadu, not India but.... Germany, she takes off her steel specs, wipes her eyes. What does one say of this woman, slot her ....Yes, parents in India do find it hard to bless weddings of their daughters and sons, outside caste, community, nation. Amma and Appa are honest enough. There are no filmy turns and twists, the boy flies out to Germany with his German lady and her parents; no wails, disappointments stated ordinarily; Amma & Appa together at Cuddalore. No needless music ... something of a non-mantra  documentary done well by directors, Franziska Schoenberger and Jayalakshmi Subramanian. Wish there were English sub titles. Thanks for spotting a troublesome itch .....