Actress Parvathy Thiruvothu recently shared a heartfelt reflection on her Republic Day experiences from school days, while making a compelling case for highlighting the often-overlooked stories of women in Indian politics. In an insightful conversation, she also offered her perspective on how patriotism can be meaningfully explored through the medium of cinema.
Revisiting School Republic Day Celebrations
Parvathy fondly recalled her time at Kendriya Vidyalaya, located within a large army cantonment area in Trivandrum. "We could see parade rehearsals happening days prior to Republic Day," she remembered. "The festivities and parades had a very patriotic mood, which would set in January 19 or 20. I remember thoroughly enjoying watching the Republic Day parade on TV with my family."
Although she wasn't part of scouts and guides long enough to participate in parades, Parvathy expressed being "a big fan of watching it and cheering on." She emphasized how her school encouraged intellectual curiosity around Republic Day: "Questions about our history and how our republic was formed were also welcome at school."
Championing Women's Political Narratives
Parvathy revealed that her biggest strength in school elocutions was "talking about women who were part of forming our republic and what they brought to the table." She explained her approach: "I remember picking up topics or debate sides based on how I could read more about what their journey was."
The actress made a strong argument for bringing more women's political stories to light: "There are also women who have been the so-called better halves of male politicians whose ideas and inputs have never found a place in history. I wish somebody would deep dive and make a historical movie about them."
She stressed the importance of diverse representation: "It's important to make such projects for representation and not to have a linear approach. Things don't happen in black and white. We are here because it is a collective and not because one person decided to lead."
Reflections on Citizenship and Individuality
Parvathy shared a formative lesson from her school days that continues to resonate: "I remember asking my teacher about rights, and her asking, 'Have you thought enough about what your duties are when you speak about your rights?' That has stuck with me ever since. Even as an adult, I understand I have rights and also duties as a citizen."
She expressed concern about contemporary societal trends: "The republic is the power of the people. We tend to forget that and get into the space of being brainwashed into mob-like mentality. We need to refresh our memories that there existed individuals who knew the power of their own individuality."
Parvathy elaborated on this crucial point: "They knew, 'What I bring to the table is as important as the other person's, and we might be able to find a solution together.' We seem to be losing that massively."
Patriotism Through Cinema
The actress offered a nuanced perspective on how Republic Day should be celebrated: "Celebrating Republic Day isn't just about songs, poems, or speeches. It's a moment to reflect: 'Do I understand my power as a citizen? How am I contributing? Are we holding elected governments accountable? Are we shaping our future?'"
She expressed concern that "that reflective spirit is at risk" and suggested cinema could play a revitalizing role: "Making patriotic films can bring it back. Patriotism hasn't been fully explored on screen, and many stories are still waiting to be told."
Parvathy found particular inspiration in historical imagery: "The images from the time we gained independence, where you would see all of the people, including women, sitting on the same table, were a massive inspiration for me." She added thoughtfully: "I never thought at that point that I'd turn out to be in a space where I'd be speaking up for women to have more representation at my workplace."
