Film Division production centre in NE

Major Events Vol. 3 Issue No. 33

August 16-31, 2007

Film Division production centre in NE

Government-owned Film Division has chalked out a strategy to stay afloat, proposing to set up film production centres in North-East and Jammu and Kashmir. Addressing a press conference to announce a film festival, Swatantra Filmotsav from August 11-14, organised to mark the 60th year of Independence, chief producer of Films Division, Kuldeep Sinha strongly defended the relevance of his organisation, listing out several new projects.

The proposal to set up the film production centres in the North-East and Jammu and Kashmir follows renewed interest of the Film Division in these two trouble-torn regions. The Film Division, which has over 8100 titles in its archive, some dating back to pre-independence era has been regularly showing documentaries in the militancy-hit North-East.

“We have organised film festivals in Nagaland, Tripura and Mizoram,” said Sinha.

Interestingly, though the North-East is a focus area for the Film Division, the ensuing film festival does not have a single documentary or feature film from the region. Over 50 feature films and documentaries showcasing the independence struggle are scheduled to be shown during the three-day festival at Siri Fort Auditorium. The list includes all-time classics like Richard Attenborough’s Gandhi to black and white documentaries such as Frontier Gandhi, Bagha Jatin, Jhansi Ki Rani directed by Dr Sohrab Modi, among others.

Meanwhile, Sinha said their future plans include producing video text books, and setting up institute of film studies. These proposals are in the process since last one year.

Conceding that the Film Division has fallen into bad times, he said reluctance of theatre owners to show Film Division documentaries, coupled with declining number of single screen theatres have taken a toll. “Off-late our films are not reaching the masses due to the slackness of the theatre owners,” the Chief Producer said.

Referring to the measures taken to preserve the documentaries, he said so far 6000 of the 8000-odd documentaries have been digitalised. The next step is restoration of the celluloid materials followed by re-doing of the sound tracks. Some of the old sound tracks like speeches dating back to the freedom struggle era have been damaged

Rajat Kamal to Kadamtole Krishna Nache
Kadamtole Krishna Nache, produced by Ranajit Chakravorty and directed by Suman Haripriya recieved the Rajat Kamal award for best feature film in Assamese in the 53rd National Film Awards-2005. Marred by several controversies and finally banned from declaration by the Delhi High Court, the awards were declared after a two-year-long hiatus.

The award is given to the film for its attempt at preserving the dying Satriya culture and tradtions of the state of Assam. Sonam, a film made in Monpa dialect of Arunachal Pradesh and directed by Ahsan Muzid, was also adjudged for the Rajat Kamal being the best feature film in that language for the picturesque and effective portrayal of the contemporary tribal life in that State. The Prerana Barboruah Sarma-directed English film Spirit of the Graceful Lineage was also awarded under the antropological film category while, a Special Mention was made for director Bidyut Kotoky for his film Asomiya Bhraimoman Theatre for its fascinating picture of a cultural sub-world of Assam’s mobile theatre movement, capturing true moments of emotion and joy.

Eminent filmmaker Jahnu Baruah also was mentioned in the awards as Anupam Kher got the Special Jury Award and the Rajat Kamal in Jahnu’s Hindi film Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara for an outstanding performance in the film that brings alive the plight of an Alzheimer’s patient who is alienated from the real world.

The Swarna Kamal for the best feature film in the National Awards 2005 went to Bengali film Kaalpurush, directed by Budhadeb Dasgupta. The Indira Gandhi Award for the best first film of a director went to Pradeep Sarkar for Parineeta. Rang De Basanti, directed by Rakesh Omprakash Mehra, got the best film award as the film providing wholesome entertainment. The Nargis Dutt award for best feature film on national integration went to Daivanamathil (Malayalam), directed by Jayaraj.

Iqbal, featuring Nasiruddin Shah recieved the best film award for film on social issues like welfare of the handicapped. Blue Umbrella (Hindi) was adjudged the best children’s film. Rahul Dholakia got the Swarna Kamal as the best director in Parzania (English).

Amitabh Bachchan bagged the best actor award for the second time for his role in Black, for his dramatic rendition of a reformed alcholic who struggles to give a physically handicapped child a new life, while, the best actress award went to Sarika in Parzania. Naseeruddin Shah was the best supporting actor for his potrayal in Iqbal, while the best supporting actress award went to Urvashi in the Malayalam film Achhuvinte Amma.

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