Pain of Separation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMkXdF-uVvI&t=11s
Recently I was watching a web series “Modern Love Chennai” on Amazon Prime. There were six different episodes. Since I am from Generation X , I am used to ancient love not real “Modern Love”. Since my kid is from Generation Z (or 2k kid) , I was curious to see how modern love plays out.
Each episode is an individual story based on New York Times article customized for Tamil culture. However each one is unique is on its own way. Especially I was amazed by the story and direction of episode 5 “Paravai kootil vaazhum maangal” (Translated as deers living in Birds nest)
I was able to relate to the story since I went through a high conflict divorce myself. The main character in the story Ravi who is married to Revathi and he has 2 young children. He falls in love with a divorcee /single woman Rohini. Story revolves around how he is able to navigate the situation. He arranges meeting of his wife Revathi and his girlfriend Rohini. Most of the episode is about the meeting and the conversation between these two women
Revathi handles the situation very adeptly and she invites Rohini for having dinner. She sends the children out to play with her father-in-law so that she can have private conversation with her husband’s girlfriend. The main concern she has is on how to convey the situation to the children in a way which doesn’t hurt anyone’s feelings. There is no accusation or mud slinging of stealing her husband. There is no unnecessary drama. She takes it on her own stride. She even offers Rohini to stay for the night and spend the night in her own home. Earlier she was shown as one who is not willing to share her kitchen space with anyone else (implying she doesn’t want to share her things with others).
Especially I was amazed by the climax where Revathi moves to different city where she takes job there. The children are staying with Ravi and Rohini (who is their new mom). Revathi visits them on alternate weekends and it is all a happy family. We can’t compare movie with real life. Especially Indian movies are mostly fantasies where hero sings duet every few minutes in Alps when he lives in a slum. But the way they portrayed the situation is very mature.
When you have lived a happy life for more than 10 years , why to leave the relationship in negative note. In the last scene, Revathi is thinking about the first time she met Ravi in a bus. Life is to cherish the past moments where we had happy life in stead of carrying the baggage from the past. But most Indian divorces end in high conflict battles where both side sling mud on each other and pull down each other
In this episode, Kids are having a happy life with 2 moms instead of one living the best of both worlds. Where as in my case, biological mother turned her face away when she ran into the child after divorce (like a stranger). How immature this situation is?
If difficult situations can be handled in more mature way similar to what is portrayed in this episode, It can have long lasting impact on family and children. Broken homes can be mended even if a deer enters birds nest!
