{"id":177606,"date":"2017-05-19T21:48:03","date_gmt":"2017-05-19T16:18:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?p=177606"},"modified":"2017-05-23T05:31:03","modified_gmt":"2017-05-23T00:01:03","slug":"lucky-a-moving-south-african-film-about-the-transforming-society","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/lucky-a-moving-south-african-film-about-the-transforming-society\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Lucky\u2019: A Moving South African Film About The Transforming Society"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Laksiri Fernando<\/a> –<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Dr. Laksiri Fernando<\/p><\/div>\n

I first thought of watching the movie on NITV (National Indigenous Television \u2013 Australia) last night (18 May 2017), because \u2018Lucky\u2019 was also my pet name, as a child. But when I was watching, it turned out to be quite a learning experience as it was about post-apartheid South Africa. One exceptional observation was that there was no \u2018white\u2019 to be seen. The reason is not any \u2018apartheid\u2019 on the part of the author\/director, Avie Luthra, but the context is a remote Zulu village and a provincial town.<\/p>\n

The Story<\/strong><\/p>\n

Lucky is a ten-year old Zulu boy (performed by Sihle Dlamini) who wants to pursue schooling in the town after his mother dies of a terrible sickness. He was very keen in learning English. Perhaps this was his mother\u2019s wish inculcated in Lucky\u2019s mind. He is left with little money and an address in the town of his uncle (mother\u2019s brother). Money was sufficient to get a ride to town. The address was helpful to locate the uncle\u2019s ramshackle apartment.<\/p>\n

What pictures throughout the movie is still prevailing poverty or hardship and underdevelopment with human relations which have become almost inhuman. The last ailment is however not the trait of the young boy, Lucky, with immense enthusiasm and kindness to others. That is the hope that any transforming society has for the future.<\/p>\n

Uncle does not have even a cassette player in his apartment. Lucky\u2019s urge is to listen to a message that his mother has left in a cassette tape before she died in a hospital in town. In the dilapidated apartment building, there is an old Indian lady, Padma, quite a character in the whole film. In seeing the struggle of this old grandma, Lucky\u2019s heart also melts. He fetches the lady drinking water. That is how the relationship starts. At the same time, he has the pragmatic urge to use her cassette player to listen to his mother\u2019s message. This is fulfilled although Padma was naturally suspicious of the \u2018black boy\u2019 and doesn\u2019t want him to come closer. Her antipathy is also governed by the age-old notions of \u2018untouchability\u2019 of the Hindu caste system.<\/p>\n

The episodes in this regard are quite humorous nicely acted by Jayashree Basvaraj as Padma.<\/p>\n

Mother\u2019s Message<\/strong><\/p>\n

In the cassette message, mother says, Lucky\u2019s father is dead. She has apparently given enough money to the uncle, sufficient for Lucky to attend school which uncle vehemently denies. That is how the quarrel begins between the uncle and the nephew. They themselves facing hardships, uncle\u2019s new partner is more vicious than the uncle. Lucky goes after the old lady for solace, which becomes a nuisance to her. At the same time, her heart starts to melt. He follows her to a restaurant which the old lady frequents to have meals. The young Indian woman who owns the restaurant throws a new vision to the story.<\/p>\n

\u2018Is he a nuisance?\u2019 she asks. \u2018This is new South Africa, we should be more tolerant,\u2019 she advises Padma.<\/p>\n