A few days ago, I inadvertently watched a movie called “Ta Ra Rum Pum” in a friend’s house. I don’t usually watch Hindi movies but this one kind of sneaked up on me in a moment of carelessness. As expected, there was the usual nonsense which I see no point in commenting over. But one thing really got my goat up, and well…shocked me really.
In brief, Saif Ali Khan who’s the “hero” of this flick used to be a rich guy who then fell into dire straits. His family consisted of two daughters, a wife, and a family dog who apparently grew up with them from the start. As part of his “cutting back” measures, our grand and noble stud shamelessly does something which is a punishable offense and also one of the vilest acts imaginable.
He abandons the dog on the streets.
Mind you, this is supposed to be the hero of the frigging movie! Not portrayed as some slimy vile bugger without a shred of decency. Indian audiences are supposed to be compassionate and cheer a person who leaves a loyal, loving, trustworthy and innocent member of a family on the streets to starve without love, affection, or the knowledge of what they did wrong.
And the screenplay writers! How could they even think that this is a quality which they want their hero to possess? Would they have made him abandon his children as well?
For those who don’t understand, here’s the skinny. When you get a dog, you take full responsibility for him or her. They are your child. If you can’t handle that responsibility, don’t bloody get a dog in the first place. Abandoning your kids is a crime. Doing the same to a dog is also a crime- not figuratively, but legally as well. You can’t just walk away from your responsibilities when the going gets tough.
For those using the argument that one’s own flesh and blood is more important than a dog, ask yourself whether you’ll do the same to an adopted child just because they’re not your flesh and blood. No you wouldn’t.
What really irritated me was that this insensitive man is portrayed as the “good” guy. To me, a person who does something like that borders on the psychopathic and should be locked away. They treat animals like objects who don’t have feelings. In return for a companion who loves them and doesn’t know a thing about how the big bad world really is, they give them pain, and despairing loss.
Remember when you were a child and you had a desperate fear of being abandoned by your parents? I’m sure there were a few moments like that. Every child has them. Now imagine your worst fears come true. Would you visit that upon even your worst enemy?
I’m still seething while I write this and I’m frustrated by my inability to get my feelings across through the pitiful medium of words. But I hope something of what I’m trying to say reaches those who read this.
Indian movies are generally insensitive to animals. When they do show compassion, it is always rewarded, by the animals saving the savior’s life and often sacrificing their own lives.
Saif Ali Khan chased and killed Black Buck in real life. I can’t understand those who can kill for pleasure either.
In reply to indianhomemaker
Oh he was the guy was he? Well – I guess I blame the screenplay writer, not the actor. But if I was an actor I would raise an objection – because I’m supposed to be playing the hero and not the villain.
I absolutely share your feelings. I cannot imagine what was going through the minds of people who made the stupid movie. How can you just abandon a dog like that? Though of course I have seen people doing that and it makes me so angry.
There was a Pomeranian roaming in the colony I moved to. It seems the owners just left it when the truck driver refused to take it along with him. But they could have taken the dog with them, or at least found some one to take care of it or some shelter. Instead they just left it at a strange place (it was a sort of guest house they had moved into temporarily). The dog would stand outside the gates and cry and wouldn’t let anyone close. The next day it was run over by a vehicle.
I hate people who abandon pets.
In reply to Shail
I wonder how these people would have felt had they seen the pitiful crying of their dog. Would they have repented, regretted, or ignored it?
Never, ever, EVER would I abandon my dog. And I cannot imagine how any person can look into the kind, trusting eyes of their dog and then just turn around and dump it on the road to fend for itself. I remember being outraged at the movie you talked about. That scene made a crappy movie a lot worse that it already was.
In reply to Athira
At least there’s someone for whom that scene stuck in their mind :)
Our Gabbar Singh was found abandoned, and we have found homes for two other similarly abandoned dogs (in Pune). I wonder if this father and family man gave a thought to what would happen to the dog… ?
In reply to indianhomemaker
I wonder too. I wish someone who’s abandoned their pet would comment here to make me understand how someone could do that. In the interests of understanding, I would not be judgmental towards that one person who tried to explain to me their reasoning. It won’t be easy though…
In reply to bhagwad
I blame ignorance and parsimony. A lot of people keep their dogs chained up or caged all the time. When the frustrated dog finally snaps, it’s considered a monster and kicked out of its home. People choose to move out of town, or into a building which does not allow pets, it’s cheaper and “easier” just to dump the dog and drive away. Children are taught to fear dogs from the time they’re babies. How many times have you heard a parent say, “Don’t touch that dog! It will bite you”? The only stories they learn in school are the ones in which the mongoose saves the baby and dies for its troubles and that awful Khushwant Singh story in which someone beats a poor snake to pulp (in graphic detail). Maybe a course of James Herriot in school will teach our children to love all things great and small?
In reply to Athira
Perhaps the notion of having consideration for all living things? That humans are not unique in their ability to feel?
I have a friend from a village in Malaysia. She was lucky enough to grow up in a wealth family and never experienced poverty, and is a bit westernised, but for the most part it is a fairly poor country.
One thing she commented on was that when she first oved here she found it strange that people would fuss over their animals so much- giving them nice blankets, spending all the money on expensive food etc. This is because where she comes from, people don’t have animals unless it is a benefit to them (keep away predators from livestock, using them for food, using the hair for wool.. you get the idea). If they are worrying os much about where the next meal for their child is coming from, they are probably not going to worry so much about their pet.
I don’t think people should abandon their pets.. but I also understand that it’s a culture thing, and oyu should always try to understand somebody else’s circumstances before you pass judgement on them.
In reply to Em
I can understand that em. Except that there are some things one can pass judgement on. If a parent abandons their children, then I think I can pass judgment on them regardless of their circumstances.
I always found the story of Hansel and Gretel nauseating.
am with you
I have a dog and my family does not like him to be referred to as a dog. He is part of our family now. Its basically about people’s sensitivities and their upbringing.
Animal sensitivity is yet to find its stronghold in India. However, shouldn’t this come naturally to humans?
About the movie.. if the hero did abandon the dog, then he should have portrayed as a bad guy..or atleast they should have shown some amount of guilt on his side. Back home in India, our neighbor’s dog used to be locked up in a cage most of the time and the people used to be very irregular with his meals (very rich people with servants n all..so no dearth of dog-food or help). And the poor guy used to howl and keep barking till he got food. I wish people took their responsibility seriously.
In reply to neha
Yes – it should come naturally to humans. It’s well known in fact that one of the earliest indicators of a psychopathic profile is cruelty to animals – so I think empathy for all living creatures is a basic requirement of a healthy human psyche.
Haha, I appreciate your feelings for the dog but being a regular reader of your blog this post dragged my attention towards one of your previous post. In an earlier post on this blog, you had argued that it is absolutely okay for one to abandon his religion if he is poor and another side (religion) pays him to do so. Now, the comparison may sound over the top, but is it okay for someone to abandon his religion but not his dog?
You will argue that dog is a living being but not religion. But as many give bigger importance to religion than a dog. You will now say that you object the logic of people to give more importance to religion than to a dog. But if you say so, aren’t you objecting a person’s right to have his own views? What kind of Liberalism you stand for?
In reply to what next
Liberalism doesn’t mean that you can hurt other living creatures. Choice is fine as long as no one else is physically hurt because of your actions. That’s the principle of liberalism.
Do you think liberalism allows people to abandon their children? No – because while a person has every right to view their children as worthless, they were responsible for their children by bringing them in to the world. With adopted children, they take up that responsibility. So even if you hate your kids, they’re your responsibility and you have to treat them well and take care of them till they’re mature.
It’s a question of who is getting hurt. When abandoning a religion, no living creature is physically injured or wounded.