KOCHI: A 29-minute documentary released on International Women’s Day calls to attention the struggles faced by women working in the unorganised sector by tracing a day in the life of Rajamma, a fish vendor from Thiruvananthapuram
Six days a week, 55-year-old Rajamma travels at 3am from Thiruvananthapuram to Thoothukudi in Tamil Nadu on the back of a cargo-laden autorickshaw. She reaches the Thoothukudi fish market just after sunrise. There, in what is mainly a male-dominated space, she haggles with fishermen auctioning their fresh catch. Upon purchasing her stock for the day, Rajamma makes the same 200km journey back to Thiruvananthapuram to set up a makeshift shop at a junction in the city. She sells the fish from afternoon to midnight. However, her day doesn’t end yet. Rajamma reaches home late at night, cooks dinner for her and her husband and only then does she sleep but not for more than an hour because she has to repeat the cycle all over again.
Rajamma’s life hasn’t changed much since she was 16. For the last 39 years, the woman fish vendor has been toiling away to provide bare minimum necessities for her family. Her life of extreme hardship is now the subject of a recently released documentary tilted ‘21 Hours’ directed by Kochi-based journalist, programme producer, acting coach and casting director Sunitha C V. While the film traces a day in Rajamma’s life, it calls to attention the struggles faced by women like her who work in the unorganised sector. More importantly, Rajamma becomes a microcosm who helps propel the larger narrative of the fishers community in Kerala.
“The producer of the documentary, Magline Philomena Yohanan, is an organiser and leader of woman groups in the fisherfolk community. She is the one behind the idea for the project. She wanted to represent women who seldom find voice in the mainstream. We spoke to many woman fish vendors who could anchor the film but I went back to Rajamma because I had developed a familiarity with her in the few days I shadowed her. As a woman working in media and films, I have been aware of the issues faced by women in the workplace.
But Rajamma chechi’s routine, her choices and her ways of interacting with customers and going about life was a story that needed to be told,” says Sunitha about her maiden directorial project.The 29-minute documentary, which was shot over three months before the Covid-19 outbreak, was released by Manju Warrier under the banner of Collective Phase One and presented by Coastal Women’s Federation, a Delhi-based NGO. The voice over by actress Darshana Rajendran weaves seamlessly with the narrative arc, filling in about long-standing problems faced by the community and systemic complacency, in parts where Rajamma isn’t talking directly to the camera.
“When we approached Rajamma, she had many things to say. Not just about her own life but about the issues faced by women and vendors like her. We only broached a couple of topics but she gave us a wealth of insight on many subjects. For example, she told us about why procuring fish from places closer to Thiruvananthapuram is a challenge for small vendors like her because big dealers and hotels call dibs on better catch.
I approached Geetu Mohandas asking her to watch the documentary. She liked it very much and gave me advice about how to release it. The feedback so far has been overwhelmingly positive for which I am very grateful,” says Sunitha who is currently working on a reality show on women empowerment for a regional TV channel. Her next project on the cards is based on Wayanad.
Watch ‘21 Hours’ on the YouTube channel @Collective Phase One