Director Karu Palaniappan said that author Govind Bhagavan’s book Pogadhinga Sir, Please! should reach the Tamil Nadu government and be declared as must read book for teachers. The director was speaking at a book launch.
Pogadhinga Sir, Please! is a book written by author Govind Bhagavan, who is also a government school teacher. The book replicates his life and the incidents which he had witnessed. It is also said that his character is similar to the character ‘Dayalan’ played by Samuthirakani in the film Saattai (2012) directed by M Anbazhagan
Speaking in the event, Palaniappan said, “The book is focused on how students should be approached. So Manushya Puthiran should somehow make the book reach the Tamil Nadu government’s concern and also to Minister Sengotaiyan. I have a list of books which are ‘must read’ for the teachers, and this year’s Pogadhinga Sir, Please! is one such book.”
Karu Palaniappan added that the government may not approve of the book. He said, “I said the book must be made known to the government, but I’m sure that it will not reach the teachers. Because, Bhagavan in his book also said that, a teacher should take extra time in talking about politics with the students. He say that every teacher should discuss the social problems with the students. So in that case, the major problem is with the Tamil Nadu government and thus they will never want the book to reach the teachers.”
The director also requested director and actor Samuthirakani to buy this story and make a film out of it. He said, “Samuthirakani is the one who continuously tries to become a teacher in Tamil Nadu. Every single scene in the book, will be useful for him and thus I request him to buy the story and make a good film out of it.”
Talking about the author, Samuthirakani said, “It took nearly 6 hours to find Bhagavan and get his contact number. Because, when I did Saatai, my children cried during the last day of shoot even though I just acted the role. But I was shocked and surprised to see a real life character, who is still living and influencing the students with love. When I got his number, the very first thing I asked was, ‘Is there any other politics?’ Because I know that what will happen when one is trying to be clean when others are in garbage.”
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“When I got to the book, I read it in 5 hours and I was surprised that he writes about an incident which is similar to my upcoming film Adutha Saattai. He writes about a young girl going in search of her mother during the late hours. When asked why, she says that her father is a drunkard, who came home and beat her mother, due to which she had gone missing. I soon called up brother Bhagavan and told him that the same incident will be the first scene in Adutha Saattai. Because this has become a common thing.”
Govind Bhagavan, an English teacher, made headlines when students of the Government High School in Thiruvallur were so heart-broken at his transfer they hugged him and cried, asking him to stay back. He is one of a growing group of government school teachers who go the extra mile to help their students.