'Retour à Pondichery' highlights search for identity among adopted children

CHENNAI: We have often heard stories about adopted children living in foreign countries returning to India in hopes of finding their roots. While some succeed in discovering their origins, others leave without finding any connections. A sensitive subject to tackle, director, actor, and writer Raghunath Manet addresses an adopted child's life with great sensitivity in his film 'Retour à Pondichery' (Return to Pondicherry). The story follows the inner struggles of Ruby, an adopted girl raised by her two mothers, Marianne and Karine. Recently screened in the city, the film received praise for its unique approach to this poignant theme.

“The film follows two French women who adopt a Tamil girl named Ruby from Pondicherry when she is 10. Raised in Paris, Ruby struggles to connect with her adoptive family and feels out of place in French society. Frustrated by her challenges, one of the mothers can no longer cope. To help Ruby discover her roots, they take her back to India for her 20th birthday, where she can visit the orphanage from which she was adopted. This journey becomes a transformative experience for Ruby and her mothers,” says Raghunath.

As they arrive in Puducherry and walk towards Ruby’s orphanage, they encounter Raghunath, a dance master. “The character I play teaches Ruby Bharatanatyam and shares the philosophy of Shiva. Caught between feelings of rejection and fascination, Ruby begins to reconcile with her roots through art, leading to a meaningful transformation by the end of the film,” he explains.

Raghunath notes that many Indians living in Western countries seek spirituality and a sense of identity. “Today, Indians in Canada, the US, New Zealand, Australia, Europe, and Japan often search for their roots. At the end of the day, they are looking for their origins and identity,” he tells us.

Raghunath is a recipient of France’s Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters and the Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters. He has also authored the first-ever French translation of Thiruvasagam, the collection of hymns by the 9th-century Saivite saint poet Manikkavasagar. Also a veena player, he has been teaching art and music to children in orphanages in Puducherry. “What I’ve noticed is that art helps them accept themselves and aids in their self-discovery. Many feel lost, and art can help - it's therapeutic. It can inspire them to become better individuals.”