Much has been said and written about NEET, its statutory history and the need for it. It would be a waste of time and space to discuss something that is already available and it is best left to one’s own free will to Google the information. But it is important to bring to attention the mockery done in the name of activism against NEET that is inflicting severe damage on children and their future.

Activism is defined as policy or an action of using vigorous campaigning to bring a political or a social change. Historically, most activism has focused on creating substantive changes in the policy or practice of government or industry. Some activists try to persuade people to change their behaviour directly, rather than persuade government to change laws.

There is also another term which is connected to activism – Direct Action.

‘Direct Action’ orginated as a political activist term for economic and political acts in which ‘activists’ use their power/popularity to directly reach certain goals of interest in contrast to those actions that appeal to others. The aim of direct action is to obstruct another political agent or political organisation in performing some practice to which the activist object.

Examples of Direct action organizations are ANTIFA, PETA, Green Peace.

Earlier activism had some real purpose that kept in mind the welfare of all beings. Historic changes have happened due to activism. India wouldn’t have attained freedom without social and political activism and the activists who brought about meaningful rose from the grassroots who had had a first-hand experience of the problem. Today, activism has become a way for useless people to feel important, while the consequences of their activism turn out to be counterproductive for those whom they claim to be helping.

This is a key fit for the letter written by actor Surya. Being the cinema actor that he is, he has written a letter that has all the ingredients of a good script.

The letter opens with the classic ‘porali’ Tamil cinema template. In the opening there is death, suicide, and the horror that NEET is given a good build up. The atmosphere of the letter is set eerie to give the chills. There is the dark forest of COVID, strong winds of motivation and raining sympathy. The important thing was to make sure that the weather remains constant in the letter.

The letter cannot be dismissed as cacophony of words but rather a well-defined plot and structure starting with classic elements of anti-Hindu character by quoting “Manu Needhi” claiming that there exists a villain (read Central government) who has turned off the intellectual pursuits of Tamil Nadu students, immediately cueing the reader that the protagonist (Surya) is your messiah giving the voice to the voiceless.

The protagonist ensures that the content of the letter drives home the point that NEET is a horror story with gothic elements, and that from this point on things are only going to get worse. He wisely peddles it in such a way that the the reader is made to think that he/she is pushed into the unknown.

The script is also garnished with verses from communist and periyarist versions of Ekalaivan episode of Mahabharata and tries to convey that the modern day Ekalaivans will be rescued by ‘Dravidam’.

Actor Surya then tries to strike a chord with the parents by asking why do we have to decide our children’s future with one exam.

But the truth is, parents are aspirational and wish the best for their kids. They are your average people who put themselves in extraordinary circumstances in raising their child trying to provide them with a bright future. Yes, there are parents who exert pressure. Even if they don’t, children are constantly made to feel the pressure to perform in some way or the other and this is not because of one exam. It is a complicated psychological, familial, societal problem and to pin it down to just one exam is outright mischievous. Surya must feel shameful for capitalizing on the issue to build his image.

Having said all this, sometimes subtle words and phrases can be just as effective as conveying fear, horror and anger the letter Surya has written does verbally by shouting and talking to himself which gives nothing but a cartoony effect.