By Kajal Chatterjee
When developments from war-scarred West Asia to pre-poll West Bengal churn nothing but a suffocating saga with the whole discourse revolving around a vulgar mindset of Dominance Occupation and rampant Communalism; incomes a breeze of Easterly wind of relief from Eastern Maharashtra in the form of a short Marathi film titled ‘Khopa’!
The Niraj Deshmukh directed 2025 film, set on the backdrop of rural Vidarbha, revolves around a child who notices the nest of a Weaver Bird hanging from a tree while working on the field. The innocent boy, amazed by the beauty and craft of the nest, fetches it down and brings home only to be directed by his father to assist the mason in the construction of their own home.
When the father asks about his experience in the night, the tired little boy recounts his pain very philosophically how he had to fetch bricks and water the whole day.
The smiling father advises how sweat and toil gets required to shed to lay even a brick and thereafter coming up with a home. But after it gets built, the home ensures safety and protection to its dwellers even amidst storm and turmoil!
As the camera pans upon the child, we see how his divine dreamy eyes travel far beyond with the next shot revealing it is morning and the child reinstates the nest where it was hanging the other day on its own right! And when the child started his return home with the bicycle, he stopped on the tracks on hearing cheerful chirp of birds and as he glances back, notices the arrival of the flying creatures in their safety of “Home” which was built straw by straw at the expense of much sweat toil and perseverance! Never can the viewers forget the last shot of the film where a pure smile spreads in the face of the child for the job well done and surely by getting rid of a feeling of guilt after hearing the advice of his father!
What an excellent message imparted by the child (perceiving the sentiments of the birds around the ‘Khopa’ ie nest) to all so-called “Grown-ups” of the world and society who feel no qualms in pursuing self-interest without caring to perceive the pain, sentiment and feelings of others, especially the vulnerable! How can we afford to live or enjoy a night’s sleep without any compunction despite causing misery to others! How can we remain absolutely indifferent towards the plight of others by keeping ourselves within the safety of a lofty ivory tower as got scandalously witnessed right from the days of DEMON-ETISATION to instant Lockdown or SIR hearings!
From the innocent perspective of the child towards all forms of life, what a heart-touching film has been created by Niraj Deshmukh with the theme of the story, music song (at the end) to cinematography at the height of excellence! What a deluge of goodness embedded within such a short span!
And Raghav Ganesh Kale’s portrayal of the child character is “simply out of the world” with his twinkling eyes doing all the talking vividly reflecting his curiosity, physical pain, compassion and joy!
If all people start harboring such empathy for all living beings on the planet, I wonder what a beautiful world we could have lived, breathed and found ourselves in!
