Humanities and Social Sciences

Gautam Pemmaraju
Film-screening and discussion with film-maker

A Tongue Untied is a film about humour and satire in Dakhani—a vernacular form of Urdu spoken across the Deccan region. Beyond the antics of Mehmood and other popular caricatures of the quintessential ‘Hyderabadi’, there is so much more than just funny accents. Poorly regarded for centuries, Dakhani’s glorious history and rich legacy has been largely ignored. This film takes a close look at mazihiya shayri, or humour-satire performance poetry, and simultaneously uncovers the history of the language. From early mystical compositions, ornate fantasy tales, to artistic creations of the medieval era, the film traces the journey of the language over time till its precipitous fall in the early 18th century. The language is a marker of a rich mixed culture or mili-jhuli tehzeeb . This is the story of a land, a people and their beloved language. This is the story of Dakhani.

Gautam Pemmaraju is a Mumbai based writer and filmmaker working in history, literature and art. With extensive publications in these areas, he retains a special interest in the cultural history of Hyderabad and the Deccan. He has worked as an independent filmmaker with a wide variety of non-profits, broadcast networks, commercial clients and others creating advertisements, short films, music videos and documentaries over two decades. A Tongue Untied: The Story of Dakhani on the vernacular satire & humour poetry of the region is his first independent feature documentary film.