When Sameer Bharde’s father brought a rooster home to their cramped Mumbai apartment, the Ivey MBA ’18 graduate couldn’t have imagined what would happen next.
A local filmmaker heard about Bharde’s family, and knew the story – how a pet chick turned into a hell–raising rooster – needed to be shared. The short documentary, Tungrus, was recently selected for the Hot Docs Film Festival in Toronto, with screenings on April 27 and 29, 2018.
Bharde’s father first brought the chick home as a friend for their two cats, Garlic and Ginger. It was not long before the full-grown rooster took over the household.
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“At that point, my family just didn’t know what to do. If we gave him to anybody else, we knew that he would become a meal,” said Bharde.
The family felt responsible for the animal they brought into their home, but wavered on how long they could care for a farm animal in the urban setting.
“Although the documentary shows my family and our embarrassing decisions on a global stage, it was something I wanted the world to know, because as a society we don’t really think about the food on our plates,” said Bharde. “The documentary also compels you to think – is your way of thinking superior to someone else’s? When do you take the backseat and let other forces come into play?”
Bharde said this experience, although comical and sometimes frustrating, has come with many unexpected and important lessons.
“I didn't agree with my dad at all when he brought home the chick,” he said. “But does that mean he was wrong? I don't think so. I learned that sometimes, you have to take the backseat and let a story unfold, because if you don’t you could miss out on a beautiful story being stitched right in front of you.”
