Timecode Dialogue Picture Character 00:00 Front Card. Text Reads:Many of India’s 1.2 billion population are forced to borrow from private money lenders at very high interest rates.Once they begin to borrow they rarely get free. 07:24 Front Card 02. Text Reads:One man decided to challenge this system 00:19 My Name is Parthibhan. I am a bank manager is a place called Salem, South India. Motorbike driving through misty trees Parthibhan VO 00:28 I don’t see myself as someone who sits in the office signing papers and totalling, all those things. Parthibhan in the bank, hands passing money across the counter Parthibhan VO 00:40 I used to go out in the afternoon after my lunch, just for a stroll City daytime street scenes Parthibhan VO 00:48 I saw a lot of fruit vendors, shoeshine boys, palm wallahs, Parthibhan VO 00:54 These people, they all come from the villages with one dream – that is, to make money. Cutting a coconut, weighing out fruit, counting money Parthibhan VO 01:05 But I found out, they all had problems with the private money lenders Child holding money Parthibhan VO 01:11 I used to wonder, how much they would be earning, did they ever save money? And to my surprise I found out that even a beggar earns 500 rupees a day. Child holding money, portrait of man by tea stand, beggar and cup Parthibhan VO 01:27 Most of these 500 rupees will go to the hands of the private money lenders. He will collect it on a daily basis. Money being counted and passed across Parthibhan VO 01:36 So I slowly suggested to them, why can’t they open a bank account and start saving, and with the saving they can repay the loan taken from the money lender. And take home some money as well. Many filing keys, woman threading fllowers, woman offering flowers to the camera Parthibhan VO 01:59 (dialogue in Indian) Subtitles:“We break the bags, clean them… Woman collecting sacks Parthibhan VO 02:03 “…and turn them into rope” Woman’s hands pulling threads from sacks Woman in coloured sari 02:07 “We go to the village markets three times a week and sell the ropes…” Woman speaking to camera Woman in coloured sari 02:17 “The first time we took a loan from the bank we repaid it properly” Woman threading onto spindle Woman in coloured sari 02:23 “The second time we repaid in time also” Woman speaking to camera Woman in coloured sari 02:26 “The third time we arranged a loan…” Woman speaking to camera Woman in coloured sari 02:30 “…through a self help group…” Woman weaving rope with both hands Woman in coloured sari 02:34 “…not individually” Shot through wheel of rope being made Woman in coloured sari 02:48 I made it a point, I will take my cup of tea from a particular shop only. Parthibhan on motorbike, tea being poured. Parthibhan VO 02:55 I’ll buy fruit from a particular man. That’s how I made friends with these people. Man weighing and selling fruit. Parthibhan VO 03:02 I told them about my bank branch, without telling them I was a bank manager there. Parthibhan praying Parthibhan VO 03:09 I told them why don’t you go to this bank, at least that is nearby. Parthibhan eating breakfast with wife. Parthibhan VO 03:14 But for two or three days afterwards they have not come to the bank Fingers on a calculator. Parthibhan VO 03:19 One day a group of five entered and went straight to the clerk at the counter and told them that they want to open an account” Bank clerk in booth, people in branch, woman and clerk at counter Parthibhan VO 03:29 By that time I had already briefed my staff about their plight and that we must do something about that. Shots in bank branch. Parthibhan VO 03:39 Later, when I went out for my afternoon walk most of these people that I knew said “sir, you are working in the bank? Oh I see we also want to open an account” - ok you come tomorrow. Woman with fruit, woman pouring milk into a glass Parthibhan VO 03:53 So like that we were able to open over 300 savings accounts, ordinary saving accounts. Couple placing thumb prints onto paperwork across the counter Parthibhan VO 04:01 And slowly everyone started to repay the money taken from the private money lenders, and they were able to save Bank shots Parthibhan VO 04:11 And one thing I always told them was if they save, and live within those savings, they will have self respect Woman handing a baby to her husband Parthibhan VO 04:36 Many of the villages are not covered by bus service so instead of them coming to my bank, I take the bank to the people. Parthibhan starts his bike and drives off. Driving shots Parthibhan VO 04:49 Sindran here, he has finished his school. He wants 25 thousand rupees. He’ll buy more goats with that loan amount Parthibhan rrives at Sindran’s house, inspects goats. Parthibhan VO 04:58 Subtitles: “I want to earn enough for our needs” Sindran speaks to camera Sindran speaks to camera 05:02 “We also want to save enough to give our children a good education” Sindran speaks to camera Sindran speaks to camera 05:05 “I want to make her a teacher so that she can help others” Sindran speaks to camera Sindran speaks to camera 05:11 For me as a banker it is about more than just dealing with money. It is dealing with people, with their aspirations. Sindran and chicks Parthibhan VO 05:25 See this is a special group we formed, with all the physically handicapped, challenged people, and people affected with leprosy. Walking with girl to goat hut. Girl feeding goats Parthibhan VO 05:36 If they can come to the bank as one group, and apply, we can definitely consider some financial help Girl feeding goats Parthibhan VO 05:46 Subtitles: “I call them ‘Pearl’, ‘Diamond’, ‘Ramu’, ‘Somu’, and ‘Queen’. Girl speaking off camera Girl 05:57 Now she would like to get a buffalo Girl looking to camera Parthibhan VO 05:59 Subtitles: “How much will a buffalo cost you?” Parthibhan and girl two shot Parthibhan 06:02 “If I buy it with a calf it will cost 3000 rupees” Parthibhan and girl two shot Girl 06:09 “We can arrange a buffalo for you” Parthibhan and girl two shot Parthibhan 06:11 “How will you repay it?” Parthibhan and girl two shot Parthibhan 06:15 “Every month I will make a payment” Parthibhan and girl two shot Girl 06:20 “After finishing my school finals I went to the town to look for a job” Parthibhan and girl two shot Girl 06:26 “But when they saw my hands nobody would employ me” Parthibhan and girl two shot Girl 06:53 “Don’t cry, because…” Parthibhan and girl two shot Parthibhan 06:58 “You are looking at your fingers” Parthibhan and girl two shot Parthibhan 07:00 “Some people don’t have legs” Parthibhan and girl two shot Parthibhan 07:04 “Some people are roaming on the streets deranged” Parthibhan and girl two shot Parthibhan 07:09 “God has given you good eyesight and a good brain” Parthibhan and girl two shot Parthibhan 07:17 “What else do we need?” Parthibhan and girl two shot Parthibhan 07:22 ‘Pearl’, ‘Diamond’, ‘Ramu’, ‘Somu’, and ‘Queen’… Parthibhan and girl two shot Parthibhan 07:26 “are all your children” Parthibhan and girl two shot Parthibhan 07:31 “Have courage – God keeps you with great affection” Parthibhan and girl two shot Parthibhan 07:39 “You don’t need to cry” Parthibhan and girl two shot Parthibhan 07:44 All of us want a bright future. It is everyone’s dream to have our house, clothes to wear, good food, but these people’s needs are so simple and necessary. Driving shots as the sun goes down Parthibhan VO 08:08 Subtitles: “This is a good loan application!” Villagers and Parthibhan. Parthibhan 08:11 For starting a brick kiln. Close-up of loan application Parthibhan 08:14 “We must encourage such entrepreneurship” Close-up of loan application Parthibhan 08:17 “If you have too many people applying to do the same thing in the the village…” Villagers gathered around as Parthibhan talks Parthibhan 08:22 “…it is not a sign of improvement” Villagers watch Parthibhan 08:25 “This is really a good one. Do you have any other kiln in the area?” Villagers watch Parthibhan 08:30 “No, we bring bricks from the plains (62km away)” Parthibhan listens Villager (off screen) 08:34 “Oh, you can do really well” Parthibhan reviews the application as he speaks Parthibhan 08:36 “Do you have a bank account?” Mid shot of villagers Parthibhan 08:41 “You must understand one thing…” Parthibhan speaking to the villagers. Parthibhan 08:44 “When you begin a new venture don’t think only of yourself and your family…” Parthibhan speaking to the villagers. Parthibhan 08:48 “…it should benefit the community, the village, and the entire surroundings” Parthibhan speaking to the villagers. Parthibhan 08:54 “I am happy about such ventures. It is for these ventures that the bank extends its help” Villagers watching Parthibhan 09:03 “We’ll definitely sanction the loan for you” Woman smiles. Parthibhan 09:10 I encourage more group lending. It binds them together and they take pride when the project is successful. The whole village celebrates. Children smile. Parthibhan VO 09:22 I feel an individual growth is important but more than that the growth of the entire village, the entire area, is more important. I suppose both go hand in hand. Discussion with villagers Parthibhan VO 09:37 Some of them have managed to bring in primary health centres, a small library also in certain areas. Daytime, Parthibhan checks the books and talks to villagers Parthibhan VO 09:45 There has been an increasing number of oneness of mind, oneness of spirit. Parthibhan chatting and laughing with villagers Parthibhan VO 09:51 If I were a doctor I would care for the people coming to me the same way as I do now. Parthibhan speaking to a group of villagers Parthibhan VO 09:56 If I were a teacher I would be teaching my students with the same sincerity. Parthibhan speaking to a group of villagers Parthibhan VO 10:02 I feel it doesn’t matter what you are or what your work is. It is your approach. It is the conviction behind the approach. Parthibhan visiting villagers Parthibhan VO 10:12 You can talk about global economic or financial crisis. Or the need to bring about drastic change in the system. But the importance is cultivating people. Parthibhan checking coffee with two women Parthibhan VO 10:24 If you do that, everything falls in to the right place. Villager portraits begin Parthibhan VO 10:31 If you help them change their attitude towards life. What they are doing, why they are doing, how they can be Villager portraits Parthibhan VO 10:41 If you can help them to find an answer to all these things, I think we have found an answer to all the big headlines in the newspapers Villager portraits Parthibhan VO 10:51 END CREDITS