Review of Peepli Live (2010) by Ana B — 14 Mar 2012

An interesting insight into Indiaâ(TM)s rural life with a high dose of reality but also with touch of humour. Natha, a poor farmer that cannot repay the bank instalments, is about to see his land taken away for auctioning. In a desperate attempt to save his family from starving he considers the possibility to commit suicide because the government compensate the family for it. By chance, a local journalist hears his story and reports it to a news channel. Media frenzy ensues when the whole country gets hooked up in the event and starts to follow it closely, a small crowd of journalists and politicians invade the little village of Peepli and the privacy of Nathaâ(TM)s home.

This is a portrait of the India that lives under the poverty line, the India of the uneducated villagers and the opportunists. This is anything but glossy Bollywood. The characters are well defined and the situations are realistic, so it feels believable enough. The director and the script writer had a sharp eye in portraying the complex family and power relationships between characters, the caste issue, the politiciansâ(TM) corruption, the nagging women, it all mixes up really well and they donâ(TM)t even need to add jokes, it seems the situations in themselves are funny enough.