We have a controversial opinion. 'Maruthi Nagar Subramanyam' is an Indian mindset movie that shouldn't be taken seriously. Yes, it is a time-pass watch. Yes, it has some fun moments. But the messaging is totally nonsensical.
Subramanyam, played by Rao Ramesh, applied for multiple government exams as a youngster in the 1990s. Cut to the present, he is almost 50 and is still jobless. His wait for a government job turned out to be unending. Back in 1998, he cleared a DSC exam but the same got stuck in litigation. Hence, the government withheld his appointment, waiting for a court order. Since Indian courts are shamelessly sluggish, a 25-year wait for justice ensues.
The way the film ends, it is as if director Lakshman Kaarya wants the audience to sympathize with a man who foolishly waited for an uncertain court order for 25 years, subjecting his wife to trauma by being jobless and leeching on her hard-earned money. Subramanyam failed to provide his son with a proper childhood because of his sickening obsession to land a government job.
Commentators often say that certain Indian States like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh have remained backward because millions of youngsters waste 5-10 years of their productive life in search of an elusive government job. Their obsession with government jobs is driven by obvious motives: lazing around and indulging in corruption. Imagine millions preparing for an exam when the job notification clearly says the number of jobs is just a couple of thousands. In 'Maruthi Nagar Subramanyam', the protagonist lucks out eventually but this is an extreme exception.
There is another element that makes the film appear problematic. Subramanyam, by a fortuitous turn of events, receives Rs 10 lakh in his bank account. He and his son spend it recklessly to acquire creature comforts. 'Maruthi Nagar Subramanyam' is all about luck, luck, and more luck. It not only sentimentalizes the misguided aspiration for government jobs but also glamourizes the element of luck in our lives.
