Artist portrays demonetisation effect via cartoon

Thiruvananthapuram: Graphic artist Sharon Rani started her demonetisation series on November 9. Then the country, still reeling from the shock of the announcement, was yet to get divided into pro-demonetisation and anti-demonetisation groups.

As early as that, Sharon’s first work in the series adopts a sarcastic tone. In it, a messenger hands out a Rs 100 note to ‘Pullikkari’, the protagonist, and says, “Here is the change Modiji promised.”

For thirty days, Sharon made one illustration each, which would get published on Facebook. She took a break after, but on the 50th day, a cartoon strip was made.

The purpose of the series was not to provoke anyone, says Sharon. “These have not been made with the intent of making fun of anyone. Still, it is important to say what has to be said,” she says. She adds that humour is intrinsic to the medium of cartoon.

As part of another project, she visited markets. “Markets are dull. I visited a few just last week,” she says. To those who say that demonetisation might turn out to be good in the long run, she retorts with the Keynes quote now made famous by Manmohan Singh – “In the long run we will all be dead.”

She calls Modi funny. “He is stubborn. When something does not happen his way, he cries,” she says.

In one cartoon, Modi is seen tearing up, while ‘Pullikkari’ says, “There is a crying child in every psychopath.” There are many other instances in which this little girl talks like an adult. “She cannot be dismissed as a child. She can talk anything, be it philosophy or sex,” says Sharon.

‘Pullikkari’ was a character Sharon created a couple of years ago. Sharon identifies her as her alter-ego. “When I change my hairstyle, ‘Pullikkari’ also does the same,” says the artist. The series, after its Facebook run, is now ready for an exhibition.