The lockdown might be over but the world is still trying to figure out new ways to deal with the pandemic every day. Even though the New Year has come out with new hopes, it’s difficult to move past the plea of many who lost their everything in the pandemic. In India, the biggest tragedy during the lockdown remained the plight of the migrant workers.
As India went into lockdown, thousands of migrant workers from various parts of the country were forced to walk to their homes in remote areas. Some of them with a huge burden of earning money and the pressure of feeding the kids. While the pain is too big to imagine and too personal to explain, director Vivek Upadyay attempted to narrate the story in his short film titled Pravasi: A Migrant’s Tale.
The film, which is available on Disney+Hotstar, shows the life and times of a group of migrant workers who simply decide to head their home far away from the cities they are working in when the lockdown is announced by the government to curb the growing cases of the coronavirus.
Talking to india.com in an interview recently, Vivek mentioned that his film resonates with the pain and challenges that a regular migrant worker faced during the entire phase. “It wasn’t easy for anyone. Those who survived that time are either fortunate or privileged. India is such a diverse country that any change affects every section of people. Migrant workers were the worst affected by the lockdown. Everytime we think about that time, those helpless faces walking miles with their families start flashing in front of our eyes. I took up the issue because it touched my heart and also I thought that people will take time to make a full-fledged film on it. Making a short film and releasing it on OTT was the best option. I am glad I could contribute to a purpose.”
Pravasi: A Migrant’s Tale is one of the first films commenting on the plea of the migrant labours. It’s currently streaming on Disney+Hotstar.