Every year, thousands of men from north coastal Andhra Pradesh migrate like fish, relocating from the Bay of Bengal to the Arabian Sea. These fishermen, from Srikakulam and Vizianagaram districts of AP, can be spotted at various harbours of the Gujarat coast engaged in large-scale fishing. Earning salaries ranging from Rs 20,000 to Rs 50,000 per month, the Telugu fishermen have developed a unique bond with Gujarat as the southern state lacked fishing harbours and required infrastructure for mechanised boats.
In November 2018, 22 fishermen from AP who had set out from Veraval in Gujarat were taken into custody by the Pakistan Navy on charges of trespassing into their waters. What followed was a period of ordeal, fear, and uncertainty for the Indians who were imprisoned in Karachi. Back home, as their families in rural coastal Andhra worried for their safety, the state witnessed significant political developments.
The ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) had walked out of the NDA over the issue of special category status for the state. Meanwhile, the opposition leader, YS Jagan Mohan of YSRCP, was undertaking a political walkathon (padayatra) across the state. The family members of the jailed fishermen met both sides. YS Jagan assured the families he would take up the matter once his party came to power. In 2019, YSRCP won the elections with a thumping majority. With YS Jagan as CM, the AP government took up the matter at the highest level, dispatching its MPs to engage with the central government.
In January 2020, the first batch of 20 Andhra fishermen were released from Pakistan’s captivity. By May 2023, the remaining fishermen also returned home. The fishermen community and the affected ones credited the YSRCP government for securing their freedom. This was also seen as one of the significant achievements of the government.
The incident and its aftermath form the basis of the plot of Thandel, starring Naga Chaitanya and Sai Pallavi, which was released in Telugu, Tamil and Hindi. The pre-production work of the film began almost two years ago. Naga Chaitanya and the makers had reportedly personally interacted with the fishermen who had returned from Pakistan.
The movie was released on February 7 to mixed reviews. The story revolves around a fisherman arrested by the Pakistani authorities and his love interest. The YSRCP supporters have criticised the team behind the movie for failing to acknowledge the political intervention or contribution of CM YS Jagan on this issue. A section of the fishermen community has also voiced similar concerns. Although the movie was designed to avoid political controversies, the political discourse around it has gained traction, causing the issue to trend online.
