The Dinner Table Conversation
It is a joy to watch Tabu and Adil Hussain (as Pi’s parents Gita and Santosh Patel) gently going back and forth about their son’s inclusive brand of religiosity. A young Pi (Ayush Tandon), who was raised a Hindu, finds himself drawn to Christianity. “Thank you, Vishnu, for introducing me to Christ,” he says in his prayer. Later, he also feels a serene sense of connection to Islam, regularly performing Salah to feel closer to God. Pi’s father, who is disillusioned by the “stories” and “pretty lights” of religion, encourages his son to pursue the path of reason and rational thinking. But despite his misgivings against the institution, he says, “I would much rather have you believe in something I don’t agree with, than to accept everything blindly.” Pi’s mother, on the other hand, affords her son the space to make his own way and understand himself and the world around him on his own terms. “Science can teach us more about what is out there, but not what is in here,” she says, placing her hand on her heart. The film’s nuanced yet wholly uncomplicated portrayal of religion and faith, shown primarily through the lens of a child is endearing, as is the unconditional support of his parents with their differing points of view. It is this freedom to be inquisitive and passionate that will eventually save Pi’s life.