Ankita - KAAK and Patton

8/7/2019 Ankita - KAAK and Patton

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By Ankita Shreeram

FSC 1, 631084/2/2011

OSD Assignment



Kal, Aaj aur Kal

1. Make some observations and reflections on the following:-

a. Cultural context of the three generations

Under the same roof, we have three different personalities representing three successive

generations. Apart from this macro structure, the interaction between the three characters and

the movement of power is also propelled by their individual characters. Here is a brief sketch of

the three major characters:

y Grandfather: Conservative, loyal

y Father: Loving, docile, easygoing, flexible

y Son: Headstrong, modern minded

From the above list of characters, it is obvious that clashes would occur between the

grandfather and the son. The father, being the easiest to convince finds himself sandwiched

between the demands and expectations of his grandfather and son. While one holds sway over

his heart, the other has his utmost respect. The stage is set for a drama of gigantic proportions.

Though the film was released in 1970, the cultural context is relevant even to this day because

in every day and time, there are always three generations to reckon with the past, the

3rd

Generation

2ndGeneration

1st

GenerationGrandfather

Raunak's Father &Monica's mother

Raunak & Monica



present and the future. The younger generation is in a hurry to change the present while the

older generation is unable to let go of the time when their generation was the present. The

conflict is also between Indian and western cultures, which is a battle we are fighting till date.

The younger generation is shown to endorse western ideas while the older generation sticks to

Indian culture. However, delving deeper, the reason why western ideas appeal to the youngergeneration is because of the underlying independence and fairness. If we could imbibe those

ideas in Indian culture, there is no reason why we should lose our cultural dominance. This idea

is absent in the film.

The 1st

generation represents the time when children werent asked before their marriages

were arranged, brides had to be submissive and possess certain talents, the words of the elders

were never disputed and the young were not allowed to voice their views unless asked to. The

2nd

generation represents a period of change from conservative to modern, and yet not exactly

there. This generation belongs to a period of flux and thus has to be open to new ideas. The 3rd

generation represents the new era, where lifestyle is borrowed from the west and thoughts are

slave to none. Everyone does what they believe is right and the opinions of the younger

generation have as much value as anyone else.

This is the cultural context of the movie and though decades have passed since then, even

today the thoughts of parents and their children always differ greatly. However, we see that

grandparents no longer have the sort of authority they have. And parents are becoming more

broad-minded and understanding. The change however happens more slowly in villages and

small towns.

In organizations, even if they are family owned, managers are allowed to make most decisions

independently and subordinates have considerable freedom in the way they carry it out. Of

course, in smaller companies, some problems persist.

b. Social traditions and social structure, values and concept of hierarchy, age and

experience of three generations.

Social Traditions

In minor things, the grandfather is willing to play along with his grandson such as having a fist

fight with him. However when it comes to major events like marriage, he is unwilling to

compromise even a little. Social traditions in this context are closely intertwined with religion.

Hence the granddad talks about Sita even as his grandson reads an article about a woman

asking for divorce due to her husbands snoring in the newspapers. Raunak makes quip about

Sita that his grandfather doesnt find funny at all. The father acts as usual as the mediator.



While Raunaks girlfriends mother belongs to the second generation, she is not as easygoing as

Raunaks father. She talks about respect when her car bumps into Raunaks car and Raunak

replies bitingly saying Lecture mat do (dont give me a lecture)

It isnt as though Raunak has no respect for tradition at all. We see that somewhere he still

respects traditions when he starts talking about marriage within days after meeting Monica.

Monica is as modern minded as he is but she displays more understanding when it comes to his

grandfather. Also towards the end, we see Raunak arguing with Gautam Buddha as his ideal

while Monica advocates the method of Ram.

There was great emphasis on reputation and social image in those days. Monicas mother

warns her daughter, Mera sar mat jhukao (dont make me bow my head). Typical of the

younger generation, Raunak wants to achieve the impossible. Thus he forces his father to join

his party.

Social Structure and Hierarchy

The hierarchy was based on age and sex. Elders came first, and amongst elders, men came first.

Thus we followed a patriarchal structure. However in the 1970s, the once rigid structure was

starting to become flexible which is why there was a conflict at all. This was partly because

Raunak having studied abroad, had imbibed their ideas of freedom and independence.

Caste: Social hierarchy is also determined by caste. The Brahmins are at the top of the rung,

followed by the Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras. When an untouchable boy runs into the hall

where Brahmins are being served food, they create a commotion. Here Raunak says its a trivial

matter, angering his conservative grandfather as well as the Brahmins. The grandfather says

caste is a part of our culture. Raunak responds by calling him weak. Here his views are correct

but the way he puts them does nothing to enlighten his grandfather. We can imagine the kind

of repercussions such prejudices could have at the workplace such as subversion of merit.

Value system

The grandfather belonged to the times when men and women adhered to predetermined

prototypes. Tradition and reputation are the pillars of his value system. The father is a honest,

loving man whose life revolves around the happiness of his son and grandfather. He never

expresses his own wishes, which ultimately causes him much stress. The son is not exactly

selfish but he believes in charting his own path. He welcomes challenges such as his eloping

friends. He does not hesitate to enter into a relationship. His values are diametrically opposite

to those of his grandfather. For instance his idea Aadat accha ho ya bura, uska gulaam hona

galat hai! (Whether a habit is good or bad, what is wrong is to be enslaved by it) would be

sacrilege for his grandfather.



The father is shown to be too idealistic. He lectures his son and the other guy about friendship

after rescuing them from jail.

Conflicting values of the first and the third generation:

y Grandfather: Reputation, cultural adherencey Father: Idealistic

y Grandson: Independence, rebellion

This is why while recruiting, organizations try and gauge whether the individuals values are in

tandem with those of the organization. Too much difference in values makes it difficult for

people to se eye and eye and work together. For instance, if an individual high on risk taking

behaviour joins a conservative, cautious organization, he may be frustrated with what he

perceives as slow processes and propound radical ideas that may not go down too well with the

management. However, the learning we get from the film is that at times, it is essential to look

at new viewpoints and reconcile the benefits of another approach with your own.

Lifestyles

The contrasting values translate into extremely different lifestyles as well. While the

grandfather indulges in poojas, his grandson is shown to be enjoying pop music and raucous

parties. Everything from their clothes to the kind of language they use is different. While the

grandfather meticulously dresses in kurtas, his grandson is see donning the latest fashions in

shirts, trousers and scarves. The grandson greets his family at the breakfast table in English. But

his father continues to follow customs like touching his fathers feet.

The film contains some stereotypes about the younger generation such as violence and

immorality. We see this in the scene where a guy misbehaves with Monica in a discotheque and

a fight ensues between him and Raunak. Also, the fathers friend remarks The younger

generation doesnt understand responsibility. The younger generation is also shown to be

suffering from double standards. For instance, Raunak cannot stand his father drinking though

he may do it routinely at parties. Suddenly he begins thinking of reputation.

Open Mindedness

We see that the father, while following the existing customs, is open to new ones. Hence he

even agrees to join his sons party at his behest. However, the grandfather is outraged when he

sees his son dancing away with the youngsters. It is only in the second half that we see the

grandson sitting with his grandfather while doing pooja, and that too only to convince his

father.



One of the lessons we get from this film is that its not about what you say but how you say it.

When Raunak criticises his grandfathers poojas saying its a waste of money, thats a valid

point but he neednt have used words like foolishness.

Age and experience

The older generation believes that age and experience are synonymous to wisdom and

authority. Personal aspirations have no place in this system. The younger generation on the

other hand feels that age has nothing to do with wisdom and they know better when it comes

to their own lives. The middle generation tries as always to reach a compromise.

In the organizational setting, age is not so much a consideration as experience. Experience is

accorded great value and respect. Hence today, if one starts early, one rises early irrespective

of age. This is sometimes resented by the older generation whose reign still continues in certain

areas like politics.

In the film, the younger generation is shown to be ignorant about great Indian men like

Rabindranath Tagore. On the other hand, Raunak challenges his grandfather with western

names like Sophia Loren and Benjamin Franklin.

Raunaks father is an excellent mediator. Combined with affection, he uses favours in exchange

for other favours. For instance, when Raunak refuses to wear the white kurta which is the

requisite for poojas, his father reminds him of the time when he agreed to wear a party suit for

his sake. This gets him the desired response. Such an approach can also work at the workplace

in a slightly modified manner. If one is cooperative with another for his or her sake, one gains

the right to ask for cooperation in a different situation.

c. Family dynamics

The father decides to employ his son in the family business to inculcate a sense of responsibility

in him. While showing his son his cabin he says, My father gave me this company. Now Im

giving it to you. Thus the business is like a legacy to be passed on from one generation to

another. At the same time practicality is one of the fundamental values of their business, family

run though it may be. We see this in the way Raunak says, I know Im not a kings son. Im a

workers son.

As the grandfather is too old to be a part of the business any more, we dont see any major

conflicts in that scenario. However, if the film had elaborated on Raunaks experience at the

workplace, we can safely say that it wouldnt have been smooth sailing. We dont see any



extended family in the movie. But if they were present in the office, it would have given us an

opportunity to study the play of family dynamics at the workplace.

Family bonds help the grandfather and his grandson to see each others viewpoints in the end.

Raunak admits that the new still has its foundation in the old and the grandfather learns that

one has to adapt to the circumstances. Under family dynamics, people do a lot for each other

but they do expect something in return, which is similar to the organizational scenario. In those

times, despite everything, the young were expected to bow to the wishes of their elders.

Hence, it was only after Raunak capitulated that the grandfather was shown to have a change

of heart.

d. Roles& responsibilities

Grandfather: Guardian

The grandfather is the self appointed protector and propagator of Indian traditions and culture.

Sadly, he fails to understand the difference between the two as is often the case with the older

generation in those times. Culture is dynamic, constantly evolving. It reflects the lifestyles and

habits of the living populace. Traditions on the other hand are rooted in the past. They remain

true to history. It is up to reconcile traditions with new cultures. The grandfather is determined

to have an arranged marriage for his grandson with a cultured girl. He insults his girlfriend by

saying, If shes in your bedroom before marriage itself, shell be in the courtroom after

marriage.

Father: Mediator

The father is always the person caught in between. He usually handles conflicts with aplomb

thanks to his flexible and understanding nature. For instance, when Raunak brings his eloping

friends home to stay, his grandfather is obviously outraged. The father sets everything right by

speaking to the parents of both the to be bride and groom and convincing them to agree to the

marriage. The father goes out of his way to keep the peace. But he faces a seemingly unsolvable

challenge at the conflict of Raunaks marriage.

Son: Advancer

The son is the harbinger of change but the older generation is typically very resistant to the

merest suggestion of doing things differently, regardless of whether the new method is more

efficient or not. For instance, Raunak recommends the faster machines of London and is

fathers colleague warns him, The bells of danger toll.



e. Continuitiesand discontinuities

What continues throughout is the fathers respect for his father and love for his son. Till the

end, these feelings guide his actions. Indians are an emotional people and the grandfather and

his grandson can never be at loggerheads for a very long time because in the end, they love

each other. We see in the reminiscences of Raunak, as he remembers his grandfather taking

care of him as a baby and granting his every little wish.

The discontinuity in the relationship between the three central characters is the death of

mutual respect and tolerance for each others views and desires. Raunak blames his

grandfather completely for all the problems.

2. Relate the movie Kal, Aaj Aur Kal to your own family dynamics and your role

in the Family dynamics.

I stay in a nuclear family. We are a family of four and Im the younger sibling. I have an elder

sister. My parents had an arranged marriage. We are estranged from all our relatives. The

process of estrangement involved a lot of family dynamics. As we saw in the movie, the older

generation doesnt like to be thwarted and everyone else is supposed to bow to them, even if

they are wrong. It is next to impossible to get them to admit they are wrong. It was the same in

my family. My mothers parents pledged the little money they had to their only son and when

he refused to entertain them, they demanded to be fed and housed by their so far neglected

daughter. There had never been any love lost between them. My mother put her foot downand in the end, her brother was forced to keep his parents.

In my family we have only two generations, my parents and me and my sister. There is only a

gap of five years between me and my sister so our thoughts are more or less the same. In my

family, my mother plays the mediator. My father is sometimes the guardian as he is the only

religious man in the family. My mother understands everyones viewpoints. However, when she

has a problem with something, we have a difficult time resolving it and sometimes me or my

father become the mediator.

My parents are very broad minded and have laid minimum restrictions on me and my sister.

They have never tried to dictate terms or control our choices. So they are pretty much like

Raunaks father. The only time we ever had a conflict was with regards to my sisters once

boyfriend whom they did not like. The cause was completely valid. They saw certain flaws in his

character and ability to support my sister. She agreed to leave him after much tussles and cold

wars. It was persistence that won in the end.



3. How do you see Kal, Aaj aur Kal operationalized in FLAME?

In FLAME, the first generation is represented by some of the board members and the faculty.

The second generation is represented my some members of the faculty and the absent parents,

whose role is still seen. We students are the third generation. This is a formal set up where

everyones roles are clearly defined. However in certain classroom debates, we see a clash of

ideas between students and faculty and among students themselves. Surprisingly, sometimes

the faculty is more modern and open minded than some of the students. This goes to show that

age has nothing to do with broad mindedness or the lack thereof.

FLAME is owned by one man Parag Shah and his daughter works for the institution. But being

an unbiased educational institution, it is unlikely that FLAMEs family ownership will hamper

the recruitment of other staff. If Pooja Shah had some radical ideas not too favoured by Parag

Shah, we might see a Kal, Aaj aur Kal kind of situation. However, the foundation of FLAME itself

is new liberal education. There is little possibility for the Kal, Aaj aur Kal kind of conflict here.Different generations working together need not always be a problem. People of varying ages

and experience can bring a wealth of different ideas and perception to an institution.

However, the younger generation has a dislike for rules of any kind, even if somewhat

necessary. We see that people fail to dress in formals and behave appropriately when we have

guests of high esteem in our campus. At such times, the faculty is perceived as being

conservative. Hence, faculty tries to talk to us in our own language. Good communication can

solve nearly any problem.



PATTON

1. What are the key learnings from the film Patton? What are the

leadership qualities required in a war situation?

General Patton epitomises the uncompromising yet affable military leader. His qualities are

specially suited to commanding an army where the leader is not someone dressed in a business

suit, seated 24 hours on a swivelling chair.

From this film, we learn that talent and authority are not enough to make a good leader. A

leader has to be astute, understand his men and respond to circumstances correctly. Patton istalented no doubt but he could use a bit of subtlety.

Its good that he doesnt tolerate a man crying simply for lack of nerves, but he could have

taken him outside before losing his cool before the patients. He could have encouraged the

man into bravery and inspired him rather than hurting his confidence further with his contempt

and ordering him to be mercilessly sent to the frontline.

He may not have survived in todays world where everyone is required to be a diplomat and

administrator as well, apart from genuine talent. But to George, mass appreciation never didmatter.

Leadership qualities required in a war situation:

y To think on ones feet and respond to sudden challenges quickly

y To handle politicians well as war has implications for a country as a whole

y To exert the right amount of control on soldiers and yet not be a tyrant

y To take calculated risks where required

y To be humane to those injured but not tolerate cowardice

y To place the countrys welfare before personal ambitions

y To strategise keeping everything in mind

y To predict the moves of the enemy and respond accordingly

y To understand the mindset of the enemy



2. Identify the strengths and limit ations of any individual specifically in

Patton and his leadership role.

Strengths

Patton adopts an uncompromising attitude. For instance, he forces the doctor to wear a helmet

and rips off the womans poster off the wall of a soldier. He will never compromise on his

ideals.

He has a passion for his work and the battleground that makes him an excellent soldier as well

as leader.

His reputation as one of the best task masters around precedes him. He uses humour and

affable nature when he wants to get his way.

Patton displays no fear at all. He takes on anyone anytime. He shoots at German planes in the

open, which could be perceived as rash bravado.

His motto always take the offensive works for him.

He has utmost faith in himself. We see this in the way he says, Im going to do it. He can

literally feel the pulse of a battle.

Patton spots talent quickly for instance he instantly likes his new aide, when he suggests

destroying Ramons plan to defeat him.

He is highly adaptable. He easily slips into French when he meets a French man. He is good at

striking up rapports doesnt hesitate to mix work with pleasure where it suits him (invites the

new aide for a drink).

Patton is not racist. People like him, they respond to him. He has a leaders charm. As a leader,

he inspires interest in his men with histories of battles. His men are loyal, want to stay with him

no matter what duty he is assigned to.

He does admit his faults finally. But he is never ungrateful. He can connect well with his

soldiers. He is convinced of his great destiny.

With all his faults, Pattons spirit is just irresistible.



Limitations

Patton disciplines people with fear and threats. For instance he declares, Anyone without a

clean uniform will be skinned.

He doesnt have too much respect for authority or procedure. He makes his own rules. For

instance, he doesnt wait for approval from senate.

Hes a good man but his pride and desire for speedy success result in wrong decisions at times.

Hes a prima donna who has to be in the limelight and enjoys attention.

He has an inflated ego. For instance, he gets very angry over a newspaper cartoon which hardly

mattered.

Patton doesnt like sitting around though that is inevitable at times.

Sometimes he is so full of his ideas that he doesnt listen to other people.

Patton hates the idea of modern weapons. He is stuck to the past.



3. What are the functionalities and dysfunctionality contributed by

Patton to the overall t ask on hand?

Functionalities

Patton is the perfect man for an army where people have grown slipshod and no longer behave

like soldiers. But he would have to change his high handed manner later when the army was

back on track.

He is not exactly cruel but possesses very no nonsense attitude. For instance, he tells the doctor

there would be no battle fatigue and anyone with self inflicted wounds was not to be kept in

the same place as those with battle wounds

He remains unperturbed in real war. He directs his men and smiles when they do well. He can

be humane he mourns the loss of his man and speaks good words at his funeral.

He has a show must go on spirit as we can see when he proclaims there are so many battles

yet to fight. He is someone who values his men.

He takes time out to speak to the injured soldiers. He does feel for his men.

His conviction despite things going wrong is admirable. He is careful to show no outward

hostility to Montgomery.

He has faith in God. But he is a hard, unyielding man to be sure. He gives clarification to the

army as a whole that he only wanted the scared man to be responsible and regain his self

respect. This shows that he respects his army and it is also smart for him not to risk alienating

them. He even admits his method was wrong.

It is commendable that he is able to work under a man who was once his junior, thanks to their

friendship and mutual gratitude. Sometimes when people are being over cautious, his ability for

risk taking comes in useful, as in the end.

He is able to spur his men to action and inspire as in the end. His statement If were not

victorious, let no man come back alive, has great impact on his soldiers.

Dysfunctionalities

Patton is a military historian who retains his old values and ideas. Sometimes he is too stuck in

the past. For instance, the Germans are able to predict his attack on Sicily because thats what

Athenians did)



He presents a meticulous plan but no one raises any questions. The plan is accepted blindly. A

good leader should make everyone think and voice their opinions.

A commander does see the flaw in his plan that the troops would be divided. But when

conveyed to Patton, he thinks Montgomery is just trying to steal his glory. He is unable to see

the big picture and think of the overall good. He loses his temper and doesnt like his ideas

thwarted. He gets the plans changed and then Montgomery thinks hes getting all the glory.

Patton thinks win-lose rather than win-win, and that too when they are on the same side.

He likes speed too much and wants to achieve the impossible at times. He doesnt listen to his

deputy when he says they shouldnt rush in and seems not to care for the unnecessary loss of

men.

He likes to take risks. And when he is hell bent on one, he wont listen to reason. He acts

stubborn and bull headed, even when advice comes from well meaning people like Bradley.

Patton is unkind and cruel at times. He shoots and kills two asses because they were blocking

the way, despite the pleas of their poor owner.

He always thinks its someones fault even when theres a genuine problem. Its good that he

can take a hard hand but its not always prudent. He starts acting furious when things begin to

go wrong, when thats when he should keep his cool.

He has no control over his tongue. He gets into trouble for unsavoury statements about the

Russians at a public speech. The statement reaches the media. He is unable to defend himself.

Makes enemies and so has trouble enlisting their help later to get back into the war. He doesnt

understand political issues.

Weather is not something we can control yet Patton risks his army on it. He prays. Faith has

great power. So he triumphs.

But would he broken in the absence of war, no stimulus to motivate or challenge him, nothing

to achieve? Unable to let his hair down and enjoy the celebration, probably in anticipation of

the boredom ahead. Even in victory, he refuses to be politically correct and calls the Russian

general a son of a bitch.



4. Describe the functional and dysfunctional qualities of a leader by

choosing one Indian Leader.

Mahatma Gandhi

He was the greatest leader India has ever seen. He was responsible for the most momentous

event in Indian history our Independence in 1947. However, he is also partly responsible for

the partition, which may be due to the dysfunctional qualities in his otherwise impeccable

leadership.

Functional Qualities

y He had a leaders charm and people listened to him unquestioningly. He had their

loyalty.

y He was a great negotiator. He always used a win-win approach.

y He was unbiased. He thought of the Indians as one people with no distinctions.

y He was not concerned about personal glory or riches.

y His methods were unconventional.

y He was a great orator.

y He had the benefit of a foreign education and he had dealt with a similar challenge in

South Africa, where Indians were being discriminated against.

Dysfunctional Qualities

y He dealt with everyone in the same way. Sometimes you have to give it back.

y He used the same methods satyagraha, non violence and a placid approach

everywhere. It did not work with aggressive and cunning men like Jinnah.

y He was at times impractical in his views.

y He made no attempt to force people to be with him. He let them go. Thus the Congress

got subdivided several times.

y He did not speak when asked whether he agreed with Lord Mountbattens plan or not.

He allowed history to take its course.

y He did not attempt an organized protest against the partition.

Documents

Ankita - KAAK and Patton