If you have been active on social media, you would have seen a viral video of a wise old man offering some interesting distinction of various forms of governance to a keen listener. The clip is in Malayalam and the talker explains socialism, capitalism, communism, imperialism, fascism and democracy through a simple analogy. Remember the famous two-cow analogy that was viral on social media a couple of years back? Well, the legendary NN Pillai, the man in the video, did that with goats years ago. Raghuram Rajan Says Capitalism Under 'Serious Threat' Failing to Address Economic Challenges.

The late NN Pillai is familiar with Malayalam movie fans for his memorable portrayal of Anjuran in the 1991 Siddique-Lal blockbuster, Godfather. Godfather was later remade in Hindi by Priyadarshan as Hulchul, where the late Amrish Puri stepped into Pillai's shoes. Pillai's portrayal of Anjuran became so iconic that mimicry artistes continue to use his impression wherever they can.

Although he has only done just about six films, also including Mohanlal's 1992 film Naadody, NN Pillai was a well-respected figure in the field of theatre. He was a well-known actor in the field, as well as an accomplished playwright who had scripted more than fifty dramas and one-act plays. Before he entered the field of theatre, Pillai had also been part of the late Subhash Chandra Bose's INA campaign.

It was in 1952 where Pillai formed his own drama troupe, Viswa Kerala Kala Samithi. Even though he passed away in 1995, his kin carried the flag of his troupe high till 2005. In fact, the viral video is part of his 1982 drama, NOC. Socialism Better Than Capitalism, Except in China: Dalai Lama.

In the video, the character of Pillai (who is a known atheist in real life) talks to a guest about what the 57 years of his experience in politics taught him about governance. Using the analogy of goats, he gives the following descriptions:

Socialism: 'I have two goats. If I give one to you, that's socialism.'

Communism: 'The government takes away both my goats and give me two cups of milk every day, that's communism.'

Capitalism: 'If I give you my she-goat, and take a he-goat from you, that's capitalism.'

Imperialism: 'If I steal your he-goat secretly, that's imperialism.'

Fascism: 'If you kill me with one stroke and take away my goats, that's fascism.'

Democracy: 'If the cost of feeding the goats is double than that of the milk produced from them, then those starving goats are sold for their skin and flesh. The restaurant-owner will sell the mutton, mixed with 80 % (cheap) beef, as chicken chops earning a profit for himself. That's democracy.'

Watch the viral video below:

There is an extended clip of the above video on YouTube, where NN Pillai's character explains another aspect of politics.

Non-Alignment: 'You tied your she-goat on your side of the fence, and I tied my he-goat at my side of the fence. Both will face each other and scream to be together, that's non-alignment.'

The video ends with Pillai's character saying that politics is just trickery to fool people, and then leave the scene with a derisive laugh.

Watch the video below:

Of course, the forms of governance mentioned above are more complicated than the given goat analogies. But if you are a novice, then the above video can help you in creating basic defining lines. Now it is upto you to determine which politics is happening in your country.

NN Pillai has been a recipient of several awards, including the Kerala Sahithya Academy Award and the Sangeet Natak Akademi award. His son, Vijayaraghavan is a popular Malayalam actor, who has also acted in his father's dramas. In fact, Vijayaraghavan had made his film debut in the 1973 Malayalam film Kaapalika, that also starred his father.

It feels great to see this great artiste making waves on social media, even after his demise, that too with a message that feels so contemporary. Even though the video is taken 38 years ago!

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 07, 2020 12:14 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).