In The World is Family, Anand Patwardhan uses the lives of his parents–their work, events they lived through and indeed, movements they were a part of–to paint a picture of India’s history, present and his hope for its future. Patwardhan’s parents (and other relatives) had shared spaces with prominent figures in Indian history such as Jawaharlal Nehru, B.R. Ambedkar and even Mahatma Gandhi and were involved in the fight against colonial British rule. He uses their movements’ cries for the unity of India to call for that again, in a time when political narratives divide Hindus and Muslims.
This film, while large in its messaging, is very personal. Patwardhan invites viewers into his family’s home and history, including family game nights, birthdays, and his parents’ ailing health. His father, having had heart surgery that left him with a speech impediment, is joyful, with a joke always at the ready; and his mother, a renowned potter who has trained abroad, now takes care of her husband and trains other potters, firm and unyielding in her convictions. Together with other relatives and friends, they recount their fascinating lives to Patwardhan, giving us a look at history not from the perspective of “the papers” but from real people who lived it.
Once again, we are reminded of the role of greed and the way that powerful narratives can be in either building or destroying communities. It seems, through The World is Family, that Patwardhan aims to use these personal stories to counter those negative narratives. He seems to be saying to the next generation, “it is possible to live in harmony with people who are different from us. Look, those who came before us did it.”
The World is Family is now playing at TIFF ’23. For more information, click here.
