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Little Literary Nuggets

Rajinikanth’s Petta | Gleanings

This February 2020, some of us teachers, we had asked all our final year students, who are graduating this semester, to be present in classes, for the last few weeks of this, their last semester with us in particular!

“These are classes when we usually give y’all some good tips and suggestions on facing your future, career guidance etc”, we had then told them!

But as things have turned out, with the corona virus forcing us all indoors, and the shipload of ‘end semester classes’ having sailed past us, it’s only meet that we continue the momentum full throttle on our e-platforms!

In this regard, this little series hopes to give you all, our dear students, some high-octane motivation [with some literary allusions as well], to face up to your futures with the brightest hope and the fullest confidence possible!

So here we go in right earnest into the first part of our Little Literary Nuggets for Life!

Well, last year I had the blessed opportunity of watching actor Rajinikanth’s movie titled, ‘Petta’.

And yes! Nobody who has spent the best part of their lives in South India, would ever want to give you a reason for watching a Rajinikanth movie!

A ‘Rajinikanth movie’ is reason enough, you see! ;-)

But for once, I had an added reason too, for relishing a Rajinikanth movie!

One of my wards back then, was doing a paper presentation on the movie!

‘Added reason’ to watch ‘Petta’ right away, ain’t it?

Now let us move on to Rajinikanth’s ‘Petta’ -

Rajini is, as usual, the titular hero in the movie.

As the movie opens, Kaali or Petta Velan (Rajini) is shown arriving at a college (that’s ensconced in a beautiful hill station) to take up duties as Warden of the boy’s hostel of the college [the fictional St. Woods College!]

The boys who reside in the hostel are quite unruly, most of them having teamed up with a local gangster who also doubles up as the contractor of the college canteen!

Adding to the woes of the hostellers, the food quality in the hostel mess is alarmingly pathetic!

When the Warden Kaali (Rajini) questions the mess people on the pathetic quality of the food served, the mess warden expresses his inability and helplessness to set things right, blaming the corruption rampant in the contract allocation for the sordid state of affairs and for the awful, woeful food!

Hence, one fine day, Kaali takes upon himself the responsibility of preparing lunch for all the inmates of the hostel.

Giving y’all some snippets from the film, right away!

Here goes –

Kaali (Rajinikanth) is seen listening to his favourite Ilayaraja number, ‘Yen Iniya Pon Nilave’, on his good ol’ transistor radio, even as the boys in the hostel mess are having their breakfast.

He is seated quite casually at the dining table, twirling a tumbler and watching the entire scenario at the breakfast tables with sharp, probing eyes!

Chittu, the cook now arrives on the scene, and promptly starts serving them all, their share of idlis for breakfast.

This is when some of the boys muster some little courage on them and ask him,

“Chittu sir, why are the idlis so awfully bad?”

“The grinder did not work properly. Better eat up whatever you are served and leave the dining hall!” says Chittu.

[Now, Kaali is also served his quota of idlis, which, when dropped on his plate, give out one helluva booming sound that’s similar to a paper-weight landing with a thud onto his plate, to his utmost disbelief, shock and consternation!]

[Kaali then tries to use both his hands and summons all his might to help crush the idlis to size, in order to down them without much ‘suffering’!] ;-)

When Chittu remarks,

“Guys, make sure you have as much idlis as you need, without wasting anything. Because the idlis you eat after your stomach is full, belongs to someone else. This is your thought for the day!”

[Now Kaali quietly takes one such power-idli in his hand, aims it at Chittu the cook, swaing-o-swaing knocking him down in the process. The impact is so powerful that, Chittu, swoons and falls down under the sudden onslaught of the unexpected ‘idli’ attack!] ;-)

The boys are quick to express their glee and elation at this, his discomfiture!

Chittu, (regaining his composure in a few minutes) exclaims,

“Oh my! Oh my!! Looks like this unexpected idli attack has resulted in a brain injury for me! God! Save me!!!”

Kaali then takes the ‘power-idli’ ;-) in his hand, and showing it to Chittu asks him,

“Chittu sir, what’s this?”

Chittu replies in a nonchalant tone, 

“Idli! nope something like idli!”

“Do you guys eat this everyday?” 

asks Kaali to the dejected boys, who are already reeling under the devastating disaster of downing the ‘idlis’ served to them!

“Yes sir, yes sir”, 

they all chorus back in such bonds of togetherness in this, their disaster, and add up to their woes, saying,

“Thanks much to your presence here with us today sir, the food is somewhat okay! Else, it’s quite horrible to say the least!”

“Guys listen! only if your stomach is filled up, you will be able to study well”, 

Kaali reasons out, and turning to Chittu remarks,

“Chittu, you guys are getting such a huge amount from each hosteller. Why can’t you give them good food?”

“If they want good food, then they should go back to their homes, and have it there! But here, this is a contract-based cooking. So you can’t expect much! Things can’t change. Easier said! Try cooking for 200 people and you’ll know for yourself”, 

he reasons out to Kaali!

“Sure. Let’s see! Let’s see!” 

remarks Kaali, and then, turning to the boys he says –

“Children, you now go to your classes. Come back for lunch. A delicious lunch is awaiting you all this afternoon!”

[So saying, Kaali now goes along with Chittu the cook to the mess kitchen to prepare lunch for all the inmates!]

[Now, even as Chittu is seen helping Kaali prepare lunch, he expresses his deep sense of irritation with the preparing of vegetables,] -

“My eyes! My eyes!”, 

he cries!

Kaali now turns towards Chittu the cook and remarks in his own inimitable, characteristic style,

“Chittu, when you cook, remember to do it with great love and cheerfulness brimming on you. Therein lies half the taste of your food! Even when you chop onions, do it with cheerfulness and love overflowing in you”, 

he opines.

[And in a short while from then, after the cooking is done, Chittu the cook gets to taste the food and finding it so tasty-o-tasty, is very elated and overjoyed! Kaali promptly gives all credit for the cooking to Chittu the cook, and says,

“Chittu brother, whatever work you do, you should do it from your heart, with love and joy welling up from deep within you! All of the time!”

“I now understand! How about a hug for this, brother”, 

asks a now-cheerful Chittu!

[Kaali here happily agrees for a hug].

After this incident, Chittu’s attitude to his work undergoes such a dramatic transformation, for the better!

Indeed, Chittu the cook from then on exudes an air of positivity on him!

To such an extent that, even when he serves food to all the 200 plus residents of the hostel, he does it with such joy and happiness writ large on his face!

This little scene in this Rajinikanth starrer, although a passing one, and a scene which by no means has any great significance whatsoever to the advancement of the story line in the movie, in fact conveys such valuable life lessons for us all, ain’t it? :-)

The message as such, is so cute and simple –

Whatever you do, do it with all your heart, with all your might, with cheerfulness, enthusiasm and love!

Therein lies the secret of all your happiness!

Therein lies the secret of all your success!

And what’s more!?

The enthusiasm and the cheerfulness of Kaali was so contagious that it promptly rubbed off on Chittu, and on all the other mess workers, and subsequently on all the boys in the hostel as well!

From then on, Chittu started serving folks at the dining hall with such cheerfulness and positivity on him!

Yes! Enthusiasm is contagious!

Cheerfulness is doubly contagious!!

How beautifully has it impacted and influenced Chittu the cook way beyond measure, with just a little nudging from Kaali!

In fact, therein lies your joy!

Therein lies your peace!!

And that’s hence eminent critic Scupin Richard says,

“When you do what you do with joy, cheerfulness, enthusiasm and involvement, you pave your path with peace, prosperity and positivity”.

How trueee!

And that’s exactly the path to a really meaningful and a fully rewarding life, ain’t it?

To be continued…