Adivasi jhi, andhare rahba sikh – the line extracted from first Odia biopic Tulasi Apa, a film based on true life story of Padma Shri Tulasi Munda— reveals the way women were considered in rural tribal society during ancient years.
Perhaps this was the cause that encouraged Mini, name given by Tulsi Munda’s parents, to fight against all odds in society and later become the most adorable woman, ‘Tulasi Apa.’
Mini was a born social activist and reformer. The instinct was seen in her childhood days when she pelted stone at her neighbour, who was beating his daughter under influence of alcohol.
Born to a patriot on July 15, 1947 at Seranda in Keonjhar district, Mini alias Tulasi was brought up under poverty. She chose to work at mines to earn for her widow mother after she lost her father at an early age. She was a rebel to defend her dignity and to live for a cause.
She had passion for studies. The woman, who had never attended any school or university to get education, proved that a woman can be literate through her strong will power. She paid values to education.
Although her mother did not allow her for education in school, she was learning Odia alphabets from her village postman and the forest hills were her blackboard.
Mini at her teen fell in love with a man, who was teaching her Odia Panikia (table). But, her desire to get her beau as her life partner ended up in heartbreak. She decided to move on and live for others in search of peace. Utkal Naba Jeevan Mandal gave her hope to live on her way. She served children staying at Ahsram run by Nabakrushna
Choudhury at Angul. Being impressed by her duty and dedication, Choudhury wanted to send her to another branch as the manager. She chose her native place Seranda to begin a new journey with a mission.
She was known as Tulasi for her contribution and devotion for service. She had realised education is the only weapon to develop the tribals who can fight for their right against the corrupt practices. In 1980, she began her mission from her native land Seranda in the year 1980. The malicious people at the village started conspiring to eliminate Tulasi and as a result, she lost receiving support from Naba Jeevan Mandal. However, she never lost hope. Her associate Janha encouraged her not to quit their mission.
Ultimately, she managed to set up her own organisation titled as Adivasi Bikash Samiti where she was teaching the deprived tribal children and nourishing them to have a better future. Even her efforts to bring back the hardcore Maoists to the mainstream were commended.
She was nominated for the prestigious Padma Shri award for her contribution to spread literacy among tribals, work against exploitation and antiliquor protests.
All the stages of life that the veteran passed through have been presented finely in the film Tulasi Apa under banner of Amiya Patnaik
Productions. Barsha Nayak in the lead role as Tulasi Apa touches the vein of the audience in many scenes. The film reveals the true picture of tribals who are deprived of education and victims of exploitation.
The audience would love the rural tribal background, the rustic language, beauty of nature and on screen chemistry in the first half.
The cinematography by Arjun Jena, screenplay and dialogue by Chinmay Daspatnaik were awesome. Even though, there are some technical flaws, audience would ignore those because of powerful script and dominating character.