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Much of India’s working class is perpetually going through one or another form of suffering –– social, financial, mental, and more. No number of schemes (that rarely ever translate on the ground) really end up benefitting those that need them and the lack of attention to their everyday hard work plays a role in silencing this further.
India’s truck drivers are a large part of this group of people. Out on the road, they spend hours on end driving and are often alone while doing so. Varun Chopra’s short film Lyrically Bleating Horns explores and highlights their plight in a sensitive, yet raw manner. The truck driver’s lonely struggle takes centre stage, with his deteriorating health magnifying the gravity of the situation. Away from his home and family, the man in question is rendered helpless. Nights turn into days as he continues on the road, with only bouts of sickness to accompany him.
The weight of his job, the system that seems to be stacked against his welfare, conflicts within the family and similar obstacles seem to keep piling on in front of someone who is used to roadblocks but is unable to move these ones aside. Devoid of satisfaction in any sphere of his life, we finally see our protagonist reaching out to a helpline for his health complications. As for the rest of his hardships, we are left hoping he looked for help there too.
The film is fictional, but the context is real. Truck drivers in India receive next to no relief from a demanding life. Their long hours and loneliness are often overlooked, and the result of it is never pleasant. Lyrically Bleating Horns urges us to pay attention and recognise the tough lives these individuals live. To be that extra bit kind to them on the road or to offer a treat may be the only thing making them smile that particular day, and surely, we can do at least that much.
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