World Around Us: Beneath Indian Skies

Sydney Morning Herald

Sunday May 31, 1992

Lynne Cairncross

NO UNCHARISMATIC presenter clogs up this screen, just an intelligent voice-over (by Pria Viswalingam) and the rich and diverse glories of the subject - India.

India was a clever choice for young Australian film-maker Bethwyn Serow. It has a unique combination of religion-dominated agriculture that has remained little changed for the last thousand years, plus a manufacturing sector that has made it the 10th largest industrial power in the world.

The first hour deals with the Hindu reverence for life in all forms, but particularly the cow. Sacred cows wander the cities in safety - they even have retirement homes. Every aspect of the cow is used. In fact, the small rural communities which rely on oxen for milk, fuel and muscle power would seem to be as environmentally sound as possible.

The second hour deals with India as a nation of small-time entrepreneurs. Take, for example, the tiffin carrier. Sounds like something out of Kipling, but the tiffin carriers are responsible for delivering daily over half a million hot meals, made by loving wives, to their husbands' workplace. The fee they charge is nominal, and they never make a mistake.

All wonderful viewing, but I feel two solid hours of colourful exotica could be a mistake. Much better to have shown it on successive weeks.

Maybe a later documentary will show the trials associated with the making of this special. Serow was only 24 when she began her trek, which took her into trouble spots and brought her into conflict in male- dominated Muslim areas. Interesting.