A film from 101 film project in various festivals

There’s joy in creation and more in sharing it with others. A talented group of young filmmakers, who were part of ‘ I am the change film project’ participated in various festivals with their remarkable film ‘Advitiya’. Here in their own words they share their experiences:

We (Aseem Latkar, Anish Dedhia, Ridhesh Sejpal, Astha Chopra, Neeti Govila and Priyanka Kulkarni) as a part of team ‘Advitya’ have been highly fortunate enough to showcase our talent at various venues across India. It all began with our desire and will to complete this one movie in 101 hours. We never knew these 101 hours would eventually have us globetrotting (to be precise INDIA trotting).

Team ‘Advitya’ got an excellent opportunity to display its work at the 39^th International film Festival of India (IFFI) held at Goa. Our film was short listed for the Short Film Centre section of IFFI. Short film Centre was an exhibition of short films from all over the world. Along with ‘Advitya’ there were films from various countries, on sale. Short film centre was a hot spot for buyers and distributors to buy and sell films. We were lucky enough to impress a few. There were International channels at IFFI, who had come to buy films for their channel. One of the channels THE PROPELLOR from the UK had its representatives constantly looking out for some good work for their channel.

We were their sitting with some of the big names of the industry. Directors like Mr. Sudhir Mishra, Mr. Ketan Mehta and likes were only allowed entry into the short film centre. Our film being a part of it, we got access to many facilities enjoyed by top most people from the filmdom. We had never imagined we would be showing them our film and would be sitting alongside some of the stalwarts of this profession. We also saw world class movies and also attended various Indian movie premiers. Films which we saw at the IFFI not only broadened our perspective towards world cinema but it also taught us a lot about the art of film making.

We are thankful to everyone at MAM movies for giving us this opportunity and the NGO for cooperating with us in the very time of need.

Overall the Goa experience was enriching with all the learning clubbed with a little amount of fun. How can one not have fun when in Goa!

Advitiya was also screened at First Frame International Festival , New Delhi ( Nov 5th – 6th)

Natueco Farming Science

 

From the HEART of INDIA

Just before the onset of monsoons, the peacock opens its glamorous feathers and dances in joy. The myriad of color displayed by the Indian national bird is a treat to the eye. It is like a prologue to the coming showers of blessings from the heaven, due to which the countryside springs up to life.

Click on here to read more about my experience 

Karmaveer Puraskaar

IN OUR CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY this twenty-sixth day of November, 1949, do HEREBY ADOPT, ENACT AND GIVE TO OURSELVES THIS CONSTITUTION.

26th November, remains an important day in the history of India. Most people have forgotten the significance of this day. For over 50 years, the importance of this day seemed to have diminished into history.

But over the past 3 years, the Indian Confederation of NGOs (ICONGO) has made an effort to rekindle the burning passion towards ones country, which was lit by the founding fathers of our nation. Since the year 2006-07,on this day ICONGO has been awarding citizens for active work in the social sphere. The award is called, Karmaveer Puraskaar.

This year it was the honor of the founders of Mam Movies, Meghna and Madhusudan Agrawal, to recieve the award as, Young Social Entrepreneur of the Year award. The ceremony, fittingly held at Raj Ghat, New Delhi, saw the felicitation of 45 deserving awardees who have shown a zest to bring about a change in society.

MAM would like to thank ICONGO for this prestigious honor bestowed upon us. We would also like to express our heartfelt gratitude to all our mentors, friends and volunteers who in their own special way have contributed immensely towards our cause.

However, this is just the beginning of our journey and hope to have all of you on board for the road the ahead.

Democracy Blog Contest Winner

This morning, not unlike other days, i opened my email Account. A pleasant surprise awaited for me in my Inbox. The following words commenced this mail:
Dear Akash -

Thanks so much for your submission to the ymex.org Democracy Blog Contest. Good news is that your submission has been chosen as one of the winners – congratulations! :)

You can read my blog in the following link:

http://ymex.org/writing/view.html?ID=577

Pursuit of Goodness ( Story of MAM now published in a book)

23rd September 2007 we were invited to share our adventures with IIM Ahmedabad students as part of their social entrepreneurship fair. On that day I witnessed the quote by Aristotle which said: “Where your talent and the needs of the world cross, there lies your vocation”.

For the first time I saw extremely talented students of one of the premiere institutes of India being so impassioned about bringing the change in the world. The fair which was inspired by Prof Anil Gupta (Our all time mentor) and led by Vijayendra Haryal, bought some unique individuals from all over India who in their own small way contributed to the society.
The gathering was so inspiring that it made few students restless to do more than what they have been doing and helped them to take the plunge they have been waiting for. One such story is of Vijayendra, who immediately started working on a website to bring together volunteers, non-profits and corporate. Check out and please participate in www.volstreet.com He even resolved to write a book on several young social entrepreneurs and share it with the world. He called it ‘Pursuit of Goodness”. So honest and pure was his own effort that he decided to open source the book with the spirit of gift economy. We are delighted as well humbled to know that story of MAM is included in it. Delighted because now we can infect more people to be little crazy and convince them to take the road less traveled and humbled because knowing there are so many more invisible heroes before us who have dedicated their lives for service.

Hope to continue our pursuit of happiness through service.

Madhusudan : )

p.s you can buy a hard copy of the book from pothi.com. A soft copy can be dowloaded from her. Thanks to Vijayendra for  open sourcing: pursuit_of_goodness_book_rev3

The camera saved their lives (Article featured in DNA)

For these young women, a life behind a camera changed their view on the world in front of it

There was a life before they went behind the camera. And now there’s quite a life after it. Neha, Jyotsna, Sree, Trisha, Nita, Rima, Ayesha and Shabnam, have felt that change.
Some of these girls are helping people like Raziya, 33, and Atmadevi, 27, from Dharavi understand the power of the camera and the strength of collective action.

Recently, when people of Muslimnagar in Dharavi took out a demonstration against an official in the civil supplies department, who wouldn’t issue them ration cards without a bribe, the camera became their weapon. The official had been brushing them off for months, but when he saw Ayesha, Shabnam, Raziya, and Atmadevi filming the demonstration on a handycam, he blinked. Within three months, every one of the protestors got their ration card. Click here to read the complete article.

Chain Reaction Effect

One of our mentors, Dr. Nachiket Mor sends us an email one day with a short note “ you should participate in this”, I glanced through and saw it was a young screen entrepreneur competition held by British council. They were inviting youth participants, who were making significant impact in the Indian film industry and could work together with the UK film industry. I didn’t feel too keen at first. Knowing that I had left the path of fiction films for quite some time. And through our group we were making efforts to create social films that were miles away from what traditional bollywood did. I knew it was not the right fit, however somehow we filled the form and submitted. Now when I look back I feel I am glad we submitted it because after some rigorous presentation among candidates from all over India I came runner-up. And thus didn’t get selected for the finals being held in the British Film Festival, London. My interviewee said I just had one suggestion for you, I didn’t quite understand if what you are doing is a profit making business, to which I replied yes we are a social business. It’s different :)
Well being a runner up had it’s own advantage. I got to make a trip to London with all costs covered, thanks to the very kind British Council team. I was all ready to take the trip as a complete tourist. Just then, a few days before leaving we heard about the Chain Reaction Conference in London, and it so happened that it was going to be during my visit time. There were over 1000 participants from 16 countries which included social leaders, community activists, business leaders and policy makers (Including British Prime Minister Mr. Gordan Brown) .  Everyone with just one objective, how can we collectively make a positive difference in the world? Now this was a perfect fit, a perfect social business conference. And to top it all we got the gift economy passes for this very expensive get together. Looking back we can’t thank enough to the people for their kindness and the universe for all these odd combinations.
It was indeed a chain reaction effect, one strand connecting to another.

colours

RangDe.Org Film from rahulchittella on Vimeo.
So they say that you can help the poor by giving charity! And some replied back to them by asking a simple question – “Really?”

We got an invitation from Smita to make a film for RangDe.Org earlier last month. When Madhu forwarded me the email, which he is perfect at, I went through their website and was completely left awestruck!
I vaguely knew about Dr. Mohd. Yunus’s works but seeing the virus spread across the country surely gets a smile on your face! What followed next were a few chain of regular emails to know more on what kind of a film they were looking at and then finally on the 3rd of September, I reached Chennai, to shoot the fim for them myself!

The next three days were undoubtedly the hours that changed me, slightly! Meeting these 2 people who are so passionate about trying and changing the face of our country was something I will always treasure. I’ve heard of people talking about development, I’ve seen films being made on people who work towards development…and then, there I was making a film ON the people who are developing the country! Normally, as filmmakers for organizations, it is very simple to shoot in a regular format of interviews, inter-cuts, and then finally edit it out. But, I know in this case, its something more. When you have a connection made, its hard to let go of the fact that you want to make the cord stronger! That’s it – I knew I was here to be a part of RangDe’s lives for 3 days…and in the process, I knew for myself that I had to showcase this and get it out to the world in the best way that I could.

So there was Ram, (the Madhu of RangDe), Smita, (the Meghna of RangDe), and Nikhil (the soft-spoken moneybag), and Gnan (the ever-excited full of energy member). We went completely out of the schedule that was earlier decided over the emails and if you ask me – that was THE best part! I keep telling everybody that there are NO rules to anything in this universe…in creativity, for sure! Ram decided to go to Vandavasi the next day and I thank God for giving him the idea for the same! Vandavasi was a recreation of “Swades” to me. Meeting Bhoopalan, I felt a sense of an unexplainable emotion. Here is a guy who works hard, creates beautiful artifacts, and yet lives simply. And, here we are in the cities, who feel we know it all and are the best, but from within are yet to complete the circle. That changed me, I’d say.

I keep saying that we’re all beautiful from within. We’re all seeking to reach the completion and it takes time to do that. But, a few are really lucky to have realized that are are truly “living”. That is what people like Bhoopalan, Lakshmi, Usha, Pushpa and a whole lot of others are doing. And, what’s better and more inspiring is that RangDe is helping them “live” that life.

I believe in following with your intuitions. I’m glad that its helping me today. When I asked Smita, how Mumbai could help out in the entire process, she simply smiled and said ask them to log on to www.rangde.org and they’re meant to be a part of it, they will.

As, I need to rush to the edits of the film, I just remember what Bhoopalan said in the film, “Loans, money and support is one factor but the only thing that’ll make one happy and content is hard-work”…I guess, RangDe.Org knows that way too well as they share the colors of joy…:)

Btw, you can check out the film on http://www.vimeo.com/1860316

A Fag End by Fag Friend

The word that’s on everyone’s lips is “fag”. The word on the lips is fine, but fag on the lips is unkind, says our beloved minister. It takes a man with real guts and gumption to stand against the puff lobby and fight for the rights of non smokers. In all organizations, I should admit that there has been a huge clout of smokers smoking off with zilch regard for the nonsmokers. I have resisted the temptation to scream my lungs off at smokers and dopers, many of them my very close associates, and being close I understood they would never understand. “How does it matter to you”, they’d ask. Well, it does, if you drink, you die. If you smoke I die with you… and I want to live. Smokers don’t care about the ones who inhale the smoke irrespective of whether they like it or not, and then when they get diseases like cancer and chronic bronchitis, smokers hush it and come-what-may would not believe that this is because of their vice. Some feel it’s’ wise to vice. Rebels without thought are worse than rebels without cause.

Of the many debating points, to justify directly or indirectly, one of my nonsmoking pals said, “But, they should ban the production of cigarettes instead”. Well said. But why can’t we welcome change and then push for more change. Let’s speculate…What would have been the case if they stopped the sale of cigarettes? Then, we would complain, “We should’ve not stopped the sale as there is still a huge demand, rather we should intensify awareness drives.” So, Ramadoss took a middle ground, he didn’t ban either, but made the smokers to walk an extra mile, to a zone “where one could decipher” that smoking was “possibly” permitted. Inconvenience, yes, it is for them. But then if not, its inconvenience to me who has no vice. Anyways, Lanka was not destroyed in a day. And when laws are flaunted, we would have to have alert citizens, who need to call the cop. I for once, have a reputation of putting up with the worst of circumstances, and when the pressure reaches the optimal level, I’d not think twice before calling the police, or for that matter taking the police to task if I see them break the rules, like I did once when I had spotted a constable chew gutka when gutka was banned. I don’t reason with it. And if I need to pay up for being vigilant, in terms of trauma, and joblessness… id face that as long as my heart is in the right place.

When a minister urges to kick-the-butt for the larger good of the society, we should get up and support. Anyways, we were the same people who say that the government does nothing. Aren’t we. And when it does, we turn myopic, and see it as an infringement on personal life. “People all over the world smoke.” Yes, they do. Butt, there is a big but. Is that the example that you need to follow? Is it wise to have a vice?

Now, let’s come to the next fag issue that interests Ramadoss and of course, me. Fags… I mean homosexuals. (I have not used the word Fag in the offensive sense here, but just as a colloquial lingo) There exists a draconian law “section 377″.

Here’s the description of this Section: (acknowledgments: Wikipedia)

Whoever voluntarily has ‘carnal intercourse’
‘against the order of nature’ with any man, woman or animal, shall be punished with ‘imprisonment for life’, or with imprisonment of either description for term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine.

Explanation: Penetration is sufficient to constitute the carnal intercourse necessary to the offense described in this section.

It’s interesting to note here that there is no mention of the words “Homosexual” or “Gay” or “Lesbian” or “Bisexual”. And as far as my knowledge goes, I don’t feel that there is any mention of the same anywhere in our law. What are funny, are the ‘clearly visible’ ambiguities.

‘Carnal intercourse’: Irrespective of whether it’s a man-man or man-woman could be imprisoned for life. So ’straight’ers! love your husband, love your wife, but remember Law says, “Rear Idea is a bad idea”.

‘against the order of nature’: what’s against the order of nature? And how does law define ‘natural’ity of sex? For me ‘doing’ your pet Labrador is against the order of nature, but loving or making love with someone of your own gender isn’t. Not merely because I’m gay, but because, homosexuality is traced in other mammals too.

Minister Ramadoss doesn’t gain anything by speaking for gays, leave alone supporting them. But he spoke, and spoke without any pause for applause. He avowed and brought forth the clinical fact that homosexuals are more susceptible to HIV and HBV as anal-penal sex could leave tears in the anus or penis. And HIV spreads more due to blood-blood contact. He further added that giving the LGBT their due rights through a legitimate route, would facilitate a wider reach of HIV outreach programs to the needy homosexuals.

Let me speak in first person to not justify, but elucidate this. If I have a tear or a cut in my anus due to a sexual act with a person of my own gender where do I go? The medico, the friend, the acquaintance, anybody could betray inform the police that I have had a homosexual encounter. So, Id fret and neglect the issue as society and law would look down upon me if I told them of my fear and pain. So I dont get myself tested, let the virus breed in me as I help it breed to the others in sheer ignorance.

As Ramadoss touched upon this touchy issue, the age-old clichéd refuge to defend ones stance is deployed… “Indian Ethos and Culture”. These torch bearers should visit Khajuraho. And secondly, culturally if we have wronged should we continue to be so? I’d say child marriage, Sati, Widow Confinement, Gambling on Women could be interpreted as “culture” at one point of time. But didn’t we do away with these when times changed. Wouldn’t an antediluvian law of this nature help the growth of homophobia… do we have less evils in the society today, that we are staying mum over this. Or should we wait for the lava to develop and a volcano to erupt with many deaths and fear psychosis to finally take action against homophobia. Isn’t preemptive action in the form of a legal stance a better solution. Response to the stimuli doesn’t work always, does it?

It also should be noted that what 2 “consenting” adults do in the confines of their bedroom is their business and one shouldn’t monkey around with that.

It’s funny but true, as a survivor of child sex abuse, I had no apposite law that protected me. Convicts are tried under the rape law which speaks about “outraging the modesty of a woman” (huh! So, men have no modesty).

So we need to amend old laws and pave way for newer laws to make our society truly beautiful.

Would be wonderful to know your thoughts on the same. Do respond.

Jai Ramadoss! ∞ (especially for this initiative)

Aham

Urban Ashram of Pune Reaches MTV!

Our dearest friend, Sheetal Sanghvi, turned his home in Pune (India) into an Urban Ashram.

And now, MTV has nominated him among 30 “youth icons” who are travelling a path less travelled.

Sheetal is among the thirty candidates, of which top-8 will be featured as the “face of Young India”. At the moment, he’s number 5 but as more people vote, he could walk into some new territory of making it hip to look within. :)

Of being on MTV, Sheetal says, “I can’t think of a better way to share the vision of The Urban Ashram with the youth.”

( Content from Charityfocus blog)