Commentary

M

Mooshak ki kahaani

early 20th century. Gold grows starting from the rootends of the moustaches of a mouse licking liquid wax in a darkroom. When the door opens, (Kamala running from mice) flooding the room with light, the developing foto of the Pandit alchemist becoming a lion with a photogun, disappears. The gold spreads onto the statue of Ganpati, casting it in gold. It is Godhra, there are mice everywhere and a young couple is making their life. They have a little daughter. (my laptop is like a harmonium , I might look like a rapt musician as I shake my head from side to side while tapping the keys) Dhundhi takes the gold to the pawn shop to check.. When he returns, Kamala is lighting golden torches to burn out the rats. Dhundhi has out a wash of gold on photographs. He shows them in the market to the approval of the jewellers. Nearby a tribal couple is getting photographed before a backdrop with gold ornamentation over it. At home, the child is frothing at the mouth. Govind/Dhundiraj speaks in irony to the jeweller- you are praising me, the town is ready to chase me out(for being a photographer, doing some hocus pocus, pulling out people's souls). The jeweller, his eyes still on the gold tint of the photograph is however, convinced. The craftsman ship of a man shows, he says.. what does worth have to do with what people say? If god wills it, young Govind will one day earn a very good name.