Asmita Ghosh, Krupa Varghese and Anukripa Carolina Elango put together a concept and got it video-ready to enter the Saahitya, IIT Madras' Parody ContestClad in a Chettinad saree, fitting a nerdy pair of glasses, Krupa Varghese starts to lip-sync what became in a few days, a much-talked about video parody song. The Malayali girl in the now-viral 'Be Our Pondatti' video that raises a few patriarchal eyebrows is a sassy take on Indian matrimonial ads. Onmanorama caught up with this IIT Madras student to hear what she has to say about the experience.
Since the video has been doing rounds for a few days now, we're well-versed with the backstory; three girls from IIT Madras, Asmita Ghosh, Anukripa Carolina Elango and Krupa Varghese put together a concept and got it video-ready to enter the Saahitya, IIT Madras' Parody Contest. So, the Carly Rae Jepsen number 'call me later' shifted from being a mawkish teenage crush to a dig at the prevailing social drama of 'bride searching' in India.
Krupa is doing her Integrated Masters in IIT Madras. Brought up in Bengaluru, her father, Regi K. Varghese is a Physiotherapist hailing from Koonanthanam in Kottayam and her mother, Rosy Varghese from Edathua, Alappuzha, works with Jet Airways. Being the coordinator of the Thespian Club, where she has been an actor for the past three years, Krupa effortlessly transformed herself into the Tamil 'mami', vivid and expressive.
“My seniors, Asmita and Anukripa, came up with the concept, lyrics and vocals for the video, and I was zeroed in as the face”, she says.
Krupa VargheseThe 'mami' in the video deftly plays up the concept, elevating it from a serious subject to one one a lighter vein, where she winks through her glasses to say, “Shoe size 10, it matters baby”, and promptly gestures a classical talam when the song takes a pause in between. Not to miss the stark intent in calling the bride, "our" pondatti.
Why a Tamil voice to a supposedly 'Indian' expression? “Since the other two girls were brought up in Chennai, it became more of an easier choice”.
Although they put up the video on Youtube, none of them thought that it would have such rave reception from the denizens of online world. “Choosing a partner is commodified in these matrimonial ads; it's disturbing to see some of them that allude to selecting a partner to say, buying a kurta online”.
While Krupa acknowledges the fact that the video will probably reach a sect of the audience, of a post-feminist, liberal outlook, more than the cliques where it matters most, she is quick to state that, “the obligation to be a certain way, succumb to some pressure or the other, exist across classes. We hope to break through classes, and get the idea across. There is a pseudo-liberal attitude about dowry. You must have heard the 'We don't need dowry, just make sure the wedding is grand' that can be rephrased as 'Spend all the money you've saved for years on the 800 odd guests from our side.”
And while the reactions from women have been 'overwhelming', men have been blowing hot and cold. Any reactions of redemption? Nothing transformational, just this man who commented that he used to be on the other side of fence until he became a father to two daughters”, laughed Krupa.
Being a Malayali, and Kerala being historically known for constituting one of the only two matriarchal societies in the country, does she think weddings are different here?
It used to be. I remember the cost of my parents wedding was equally split by both the families. But not anymore. I see how brides are sought for my cousins and the disparity between Kerala and other states is thinning considerably.
