20 April 2010
Hyderabad

I finally got a chance to head down to the INOX movie theatre in downtown Hyderabad to view the movie entitled “Leader”. I was accompanied by the assistant director named Sashi. He was a young man around 28 years old and spent some time studying film over in the US. Sashi spoke very good English and had a great deal of patience and understanding with me. He would be my personal Telugu interpreter over the next three hours as we watched the movie together.

Every Sekhar Kammula movie I’ve seen to this point has primarily been a love story but right from the beginning I could tell that this was going to be totally different. Basically the film is about a young politician (Arjun) who’s father (the current Chief Minister of an Indian state) dies in a car bombing. He is convinced by his grieving mother to run for the position replacing his father and shortly into the movie he is elected as the new controversial Chief Minister. Arjun announces his new agenda of eliminating corruption within the government and needless to say is not very popular with his highly corrupt cabinet. The movie is refreshingly unpredictable as there are surprises before intermission and a twist at the end.

I’m not a professional movie critic but as a human being I think this film has to be one of the most important movies ever made in Andhra Pradesh. When I go to a movie I want to be either entertained or changed as a person after watching. This is one of those movies that should change the way you think, especially if you are an Indian citizen. We all know that corruption occurs in every country but it seems to be especially ingrained in Indian politics and culture. This film shows how one man’s unselfish agenda and a desire to do the right thing can pave the way for national change. The process is obviously not smooth or easy as the lead character has to make tough decisions that are not always right but the key is that Arjun maintains an attitude of service to the people. At one point when he is the Chief Minister standing before a man of much lower caste, Arjun bends down to the ground sitting cross-legged apologizing to the man for making a wrong decision. Of course the other high and mighty cabinet members looked shocked at this gesture. The central theme of the movie is “Be a leader not a politician”.

Corruption is like a dam blocking the natural flow of a river. Maybe a movie like Leader can punch a small hole in the dam to weaken it and others will follow to continue to apply pressure. It’s an important movie and at least should sow the seeds of change in a few minds of the new generation. Sekhar Kammula took a risk creating this movie and I would dare other directors throughout India to address the same topic. In my short visit with Sekhar just a few days ago I got the impression that he put a great deal of his own heart and soul into this movie. Leader is an extension of his values. I have been cruising around the towns and villages of India over the past two weeks and it amazes me that on the one hand you have this futuristic high tech growth occurring, but on the other hand the country is still stuck in ancient corrupt business practices. One of the things that Americans are good at is coming together as a nation when it involves a righteous cause. As history teaches us, change does not occur overnight. Often individuals risk losing their jobs, their families, even their lives, but nothing will make you feel more alive than being involved in a righteous cause. It’s time to grow up India. Let the debates begin, turn the lights on, maybe even the shadows will speak. Every coffee shop, barber shop, restaurant and pub should be talking about the political issues that this movie raises. If you are cynical or apathetic about being able to combat corruption then you are already lost. If you are tired of living in a world where the rule of law is merely a suggestion or your ability to deal with the government and other businesses relies more on your pocketbook rather than a rulebook then this movie will give you hope.

About Martin Schmidt: Martin Schmidt lives in Dallas, Texas. Martin loves India, Indian food and Culture. He got introduced to Indian films back in 2005 and since then watched all of Sekhar Kammula's films including Anand, Godavari and Happy Days. He loves the emotions, music and the positivity in Indian films. After dreaming about visiting India for a long time, he finally could make it in April 1st week. He had a chance to meet director Sekhar Kammula and watched Leader. Martin is a senior IT consultant by profession and a passionate writer. He plans to write a book about his trip to India.