CHENNAI: When the Portuguese first came to India over 500 years ago, followed by the Dutch, French and the British, little did they know that a new community was going to thrive as a result of intermarriage between European men and Indian women — the Anglo-Indians. After people from the community began settling down in different pockets of the city — predominantly in Perambur, Madhavaram, St Thomas Mount, Pallavaram, Tambaram, Royapuram and George Town, these areas became hubs of Anglo-Indian tradition and culture. Sunday jamming sessions, impromptu dancing, games of ‘housie’ and ‘bingo’, food, wine and the ‘what child’ phrases became trademarks of the Anglo-Indian folks in erstwhile Madras. However, at the turn of the decade, the number of Anglo-Indian families living in the city dwindled because of migration and job hunts beyond the railways. In a one-of-a-kind attempt to portray the triumphs and trials of the 500-year-old community, Harry MacLure, editor, Anglos In The Wind (AITW), and Anglo-Indian researcher Richard O’Connor, produced a documentary — The Anglo Indians of Madras.
Their journey in capturing the vibrant community began because of the ‘city chronicler’ S Muthiah. “He pitched the idea to us before last year’s Madras Week celebrations. It was while brainstorming on how to capture the essence of the community, that we decided to go digital,” recalls Harry.The documentary shot in 30 days focuses on how the community has managed to delve into the mainstream society without losing its identity. “For us, this was a very humble project. We travelled from one locality to another…meeting people and sometimes even bumping into old friends in the process... It was serendipitous!”
With a Canon 5D on their shoulders, Harry and Richard navigated the city by scooters and taxis. “I remember taking a cab when we went to shoot the veteran lines in Pallavaram. It felt like a picnic for us,” he says, as he talks about the locality which housed over 60 Anglo-Indian families. “Now there are very few and the existing resident Anglos took us around the quaint locality,” he recalls.
Richard recalls how once an interview turned into a ‘free pass’ for a yacht ride. “We interviewed a person who owned a yacht and he generously offered to take us for a ride. I will cherish these moments forever!”
While the younger generation has migrated to other parts of the world for easy access to their IT jobs, the old-timers seem to stick to their roots. “The senior residents of the community from different localities have shared some memories for the film. This could be an avenue for people who have left…to understand the place they were once a part of,” says Harry.
What was his most memorable account during the process? “We not only spoke to people from the community but also non Anglo-Indians who have been associated with our community,” he smiles. In one such interview with a milkman from St Thomas Mount and a cobbler from George Town, Harry says he was ‘touched by their words’. “The milk man had been supplying to people from the community for years and had very nice things to say about them. I even remember the exact words of the cobbler — ‘The Anglo-Indians made me a responsible man’,” he shares.
The uncut version of the documentary spans two hours and will be released on YouTube in AITW’s channel ‘Pepper Watch’. “What people will see in the screening on August 3 will be 45-50 minutes. But, we have footage from different parts of the city that are memoirs of the Anglo Indian culture and tradition. These videos will be released as different parts, free of cost for viewers,” says Richard.
With known faces like dancer-choreographer Jeffery Vardon making an appearance in the documentary, Harry says that actor Andrea Jeremiah and film editor Anthony have also been approached to share anecdotes from their childhoods and the community. “They have busy schedules and if and when they are free, we will try and add their portions to the documentary before its release on YouTube,” he adds.
In connection with the World Anglo-Indian Day celebrations, The Anglo Indians of Madras will be screened on August 3 at IIT Madras from 4pm onwards. For details, call: 42080058
All India Anglo Indian Associations
There are about six branches of All Indian Anglo Indian Associations in the city. “It is important to keep the community active and the associations have to step forward in conducting tournaments and events that will bring people together. This will have a larger impact.” — Richard O’Connor.