Wake Up! Wake Up!
To,
Mr. Anurag Kashyap
Mr. Sudhir Mishra
Mr. Mani Rathnam
Mr. Shyam Benegal
Mr. Govind Nihalani
Mr. Rahul Dholakia
Mr. Tigmanshu Dhulia
and
Mr. Jahnu Barua
Gentlemen,
Through this open letter I take the liberty and the audacity of addressing all of you at one go (I would consider myself immensely fortunate if this is read in context by even one of you greats). Wasting no more of your priceless time, I would attract your attention to a news item in The Hindu dated May 19, 2007:
Another blast rocks Guwahati, 13 hurt
A powerful blast near the Guwahati Central Jail at Fancy Bazaar….injured 13 persons. Fancy Bazar is the business hub of the northeast……Police had to use teargas shells and batons to disperse protesters angry at the failure of the district administration and police officials to prevent the blast. The mob pelted stones at policemen. The blast occurred around 11:30 a.m. when Fancy Bazaar was crowded.
This was the fourth blast in the city and the third in the commercial centre in the past 15 days.
Before you yawn and say “That all?” let’s check out another headline, this time The Times of India, issue of May 26, 2007, just a week later:
Powerful bomb blast rips across Guwahati
A powerful bomb blast ripped across Guwahati in Assam on Saturday afternoon.
According to Times Now, six people are feared to be killed and 30 others injured in the blast that took place in Athgaon region of the city.This is the 5th blast in the month, and the second in Athgaon area itself.
The Hindustan Times, June 25, 2007:
Blast before athletic meet kills 6
Six people, including a one-and-half-year-old baby, were killed and 20 others injured in a powerful explosion near the Machkhowa vegetable market…..in Guwahati on Saturday.
The blast occurred hours before the Asian Athletic Grand Prix meet was kicked off at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati on Saturday.
One more to go…this time a quote from The Assam Tribune, June 3:
Seven-year-old Ishani, a class two student in one of the four schools near the Athgaon bomb blast site, is shell-shocked today and afraid to go to school as she fears she may die from a bomb explosion to “never see my mummy”.
After you have gone through all this, let me tell you, the period depicted above via various newpaper articles, also saw the inception of the very first Multiplex of the Northeast, at Guwahati. Lakhs of people going about their everyday lives without a care in the world, most welcoming the news with a frown and “Again?” and a slight shake of the head. Period.
Shame on us! Shame on me!!
With all respect, Sirs, Indian Cinema has reacted with a similar, if not worse, indifference. We’ve had everything, right from the excruciating pain of Partition, the seemingly perpetual Kashmir problem, the scarred face of Punjab, the naxalite period in Bengal, militancy in Southern India, the Great Wars, everything finding a tearful mention in the annals of Indian Cinema through the years. All this while, thousands and thousands in the northeastern region of this very same country yielding either to the Bullet or the Bomb. Millions staying in constant fear of death looming large, which gradually, as more and more died, was replaced with a shrug and a sigh. Ever heared of death coming this cheap? How many more to go, till they merit mention? Till WE merit mention?
Mr. Rathnam, you had touched upon the problem once in Dil Se but I think even you would agree with me that it was hardly a study of the Assam Problem, in context and in isolation? Where’s the pain, the loss, the dread?
Black Friday was indeed pitch black, Mr. Kashyap, I am sure it was. But please throw some light on the darkness here, before it becomes too black to reflect it.
Mr. Barua, please start telling stories of your birthplace once again, please. It’s high time.
Mr. Benegal, Mr. Nihalani, Mr. Mishra, Mr. Dhulia, Mr. Dholakia, it doesn’t take a speck of dust like me to tell you that each one of you is INDIVIDUALLY capable of talking about the problem, no, SCREAM about it the tongue you know best: Cinema!
Amen.
Regards
Amborish
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amborish, it is indeed scary, but though one should do something about it, it is largely up to you and most affected by it to speak up for it.. sitting here i can not see it as clearly and objectively as you do.. a single human life lost for no reason is reason enough for someone to speak up, one doesn’t need to wait for it to become a serial tragedy.. nevertheless you standing up and reaching out with your POV will be more effective.. when your cinema has a reason to be then technique doesn’t matter, your cinematic proficiency doesn’t matter..what matter’s is an unblinking eye, your fearlessness to pick up your camera and put it across..
unfortunately everyday newspaper has similar tragedies abound in all parts of the world and is so much that it has numbed most of us including me.. only the one who suffer’s from it’s consequences will have the most potent voice.. so i would say go and do it.. reach out.. put it where it matters.. don’t wait for any one else..
Amborish: Pardon me if I read it wrong. But I read it twice but could not get clear message abt the whole scenario and problem you are referring to, which you wished to convey. Problems are not single dimensional. Nowhere, be in Panjab, J and K or Asaam or anywhere in world.Once someone starts thinking its not part of one big factor then mentallity start changing and sensibility starts losing.
Every where in the world we find objectionalble human behaviour.
ok..from gandhi thru anurag..an eye for an eye makes the world blind…anurag has done enough to his part…now some lines from a punjaabi poet avatar singh pash…
police ki maar sabse khatarnaak nahi hoti..
gaddari lobh se bhari mutthi khatarnaak nahi hoti..
sabse khatarnaak hota hai apne sapno ka mar jaana
subeh kaam pe jaana aur sham ko ghar aanaa.
The Naxalite problem in South, Central and other parts of India.
Militancy in Kashmir, Assam and other parts.
LTTE influence in Tamil Nadu.
Terrorist problems all over India.
Going International, Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine, Bosnia, Chechenya, Pakistan, Ireland….
There are oppressed and oppressors everywhere. So why is the world boiling all over? Everyone seems to have a problem everywhere. Naxalites want to abolish capitalism, ULFA’s want a seperate country, LTTE want their own nation, Muslims also seem to a have a problem everywhere, USA wants complete control, Israel doesn’t want to let go off gaza, so where is the end to all this?
Coming back to our country, it is widely known that the politicians are the main cause for the chaos the country is in today. When people don’t have two square meals a day, when people see their future is bleak, then these same people get lured into different causes.
The maintenance of Rashtrapati Bhavan runs into crores. Can’t our President shift to a three bedroom flat? The same money wasted there could have fed thousands of children. Can’t they make a apartment complex just for Ministers so millions of rupees and resources are not wasted? If you actually see the plunder and wastage that goes on in the government, you will be shocked.
Movies are powerful. In fact, I had worked on a story before which I had posted here on PFC called “Raghupati Raghava Rajaram”.
Make a movie. But don’t make movies ABOUT the problem. Make a movie which talks about the solution.
For example, the movie “Nayak” talks about the solutions, even if the presentation of the movie is little unthinkable, why not broach subjects that discuss what ought to be done instead of “This is the problem, that is why he/she is affected”.
If our government and people really want development, we definitely can do it. Start village by village, put all national resources into that village, develop it and them move on to the next village! Even if we had started this 50 years back, today our country would have been in totally a different shape. As long as people think that their future is secure, peace will reign.
Dear amborish,
While I agree with Anurag that it’s only the most potent voice which can tell the story the way it deserves to be told, I would also think it is necessary for a craftsman to be involved so the story may be made as powerful within the medium in which it is being told - lest such a story be lost upon an audience that it is trying to talk to.
Amborish,
An Assamese film ‘Jaatingaa ityaadi’ directed by Sanjib Sabhapandit, was showcased at this year’s MAMI. It touched upon the things you mentioned. This should not stop other film-makers from telling the story in their own way.
WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME THE WORLD WASN’T FALLING APART?
The news you gave is disturbing, but what is more disturbing is to accept the fact that for most of India, The North East does not exist. They do not even know the names of the states, so for them to relate to a problem happening there is not likely. However, is this “your” problem and not “mine” ? No. It does not matter if there is one blast or twenty blasts- in Assam or in Gujarat- its a threat to the common person, to democracy.
Solution- Speak Up. Reach Out.
And every one has to do their part- You do yours, we will do ours: But you have more knowledge, a better perspective on the issue since you have gone through it; so what will be said by you will be more honest and convincing:
What I am about to say is probably going to flame me up. However I feel compelled to say this from what I have observed in media and what I am seeing in Bangalore.
What are the militants in north east aiming when they target multiplexes and Railway Recruitment board exams? What do these things have in common?
Why is there a violent reaction when a high profile hindi film is screened in Assam?
There is a connection to cinema with all these things.
FLAME ALERT******
Though we are all indians, the feeling is only confined to text books supplied by NCERT and DD channels. The regions have always espoused a feeling of being alienated and dominated by Hindi and Hindi speaking populace of this country. There is a dominant presence of a “feeling of acceptance” only if someone knows “The so called national language - Hindi”. The central government also doesn’t care much about militancy when it happens in hindi heartland (it is there in the guise of naxalism - which is tolerated). However when it happes in regions, Army(which is predominantly north indian) is swiftly moved in to control. So there is a problem of “feeling of being oppressed by North Indians or hindi speaking people” in the first place and the remedy the central government prescribes is to rush in army comprising more north indians - like pouring oil into a fire. The political movement in north east is also hijacked by Congress which is simply a “Yes man” to the central leadership in Delhi. This leaves no regional choice for people of North East, unlike the more populous south which had regional parties representing their hopes and aspirations, protecting from the “feeling of being oppressed by Hindi or hindi speaking”. The hindi speaking people also have to understand that when they are travelling to a different part of India, they need to be sensitive to the regional sentiments. They cannot just barge into a different state and assume that it is all “Hindia”. Army in North East is total failure as people don’t support it. In fact the high handedness of Indian army has never been highlighted in our cinemas or manstream media. Even if Anurag makes a movie on this, I doubt if CBFC will pass it. For people who are wondering why IPKF met with the fate it did in Srilanka, the answer is simply the atrocities it did. However mainstream media still presents a picture as if all our Jawans are Gandhis carrying gun with a great deal of reluctance.
According to me these are the factors contributing to violence and gun culture in north east. There was one movie Tango and Charlie about this issue. However it was more of an action adn buddy movie than a “issue highlighting” movie.
“Dil Se” was a naive attempt to tell a love story with a militant backdrop. Since Mani had already exhausted Kashmir and Gulzar had beaten him to Punjab, he had to take up Assam. However didn’t stick to it to analyse the issue. He had to “entertain” audience with Chayya Chayya. So issue bedamned.
In total, this issue is a very sensitive and uncomfortable one for “Hindi” directors to handle. I doubt if anyone has that “unforgiving” self scrutiny to make such a movie. Even if that movie gets made, I doubt if it would be passed by the censors. Even if it gets passed, I doubt if it would be screened in hindi heartland. Even if gets screened, I doubt if it would be allowed to run. Even if it is allowed to run, I doubt there would be sufficient coverage for the movie - net effect , the movie also would be forgottenm very much like North East. Centre would increase 10 crore in their funding and strengthen armed forces deployment - puring more oil into fire.
**FLAME END
dear dear bleeding heart Amborish, it saddens all of us filmmakers and creative people that humanity is breaking down at such an accelerated rate…however while we are supposedly in the ‘entertainment’ ‘business’ there are times when issues move us to make films about them,some of which have been mentioned by the passionates above. but most of the time goes in having to make films that cater to the masses, because one has to keep mr moneybags ‘interest’ in sight or else geurilla filmmakers like us will not know where our next film is coming from…Anurag made a Black Friday, thanks to the consciousness of his producers who so wanted to tell the world the story…so mr amborish like mr Kashyap has rightly said, pick up that camera and start rolling (the film!the film!) and maybe your voice will be heard once america pulls out of Iraq, the ISI pulls out of Kashmir, and the politicians pull out of India
This is always very easy to put blame on others, on central govt. on people speaking different language etc etc. These false things dont help in improving the situation.
if central govts have been insensitive towards some parts then this is a tendancy which has been employing all over the country. and north east or J&K are not exception.
Central govt.’s politicians dont run the polcies alone. these are run by the IASs.
Britishers opened three post graduate colleges in the decade of 1850s (in Culcutta, Madras and Bombay) graduates of these colleges started joining Civil services then called Indian Civil Services(ICS). please read history of 1857’s struggle and will get to know who has been sacrificing their wealth, time and youth to bring freedom for whole of nation called India.
Those who are interested can search list of administrative officers of last 100 years and especially last 60 years and will get to know who have been running this nation and which states they have been belonging.
This is very easy to feel like a minority or neglected class as it leaves us away from any kind of guilt. we are then away from any kind of responsibility as we are now neglected class, central govt did not do aynthing for us. people belonging to this particular langauge did not allow us to grow.
someone raised question of hindi belt.Just watch the history of railway that will be enough to open your eyes. why South and western Zone of railway is so rich in development? why every advance sceme is implemented there?
Many of you might not have travelled in the outskirts of India’s capital Delhi. There is no electric line between Delhi and Dehradun or Saharanpur and no double track, trains are still running on diseal. Tracks are old so speed cant be given. and this area has given one PM to India.
Hindi belt’s PM’s number may be big but they felt shy to concentrate on the development of their own constituencies and areas. They felt that it would be a wrong step to first devote money and scehmes to their areas first. Result, these areas have been in almost same conditions as they were in 1950s. But there is no separative movement in UP, MP, Rajsthan, Bihar, Haryana. People of these states dont beat unemployed people of other states when they come to appear in some examss of recruitment.
Sorry to say but if Unity in diversity is still existing in india then its mainly because of Hindi and Hindi belt because anyone no matter which state they belong what language you speak may come and live and do job in these areas. This may be because of the fact that people dont fear here that they may lose majority which is a false fear in non hindi belt.
Rumour believing is a disease in india with which we suffer deeply. we are a true rumour believer nation. Its a fake and false impression that rest of india does not know that north east exists. Same is true with north eastern regions also they might not be knowing much about rest of the india. In modern times Travelling has been restricted to those only who can afford.
Jews get a bad deal in Germany but even they dont do different in Israel with people belonging to a particular different religion.
Students of Bihar and Asaam get beating as soon as they get down at railway station in Bombay because some local political party, spread rumours that these are outsiders and they will ruin our progress etc etc.
But then perhaps Asaam and J&K also suffer from this “outsiders” syndrome. Whom to blame?
do we learn from history and past?
It is not that time did not give chance people to do something. Rajiv Gandhi did try some bold steps as soon as he became PM after winning election in 1985, he tried to make peace at Asaam. invited Praful Mahanto, who was young rebel leader then. Power of state was given to Praful Mahanto. He was local, had been involved with the liberation movement, he was knowing inside outside of the movement and the problem but even after 20 years, we are at same platform again where dissatisfaction is spread all over in the state.
Waking has to happen for local people involved.
People have lost energy and courage to stand against evil at right time and hence political powers are at helm of running the lives of people.
Violence has never resolved any issue.
We are foolish people. when we are people of J&K, then we dont realise that tourism is our major source of income and once its lost we are in danger of seiged by poverty and unemployment but no we are surrounded by wrong notion that central govt. did not do anything for us. Shekh Abdullah was not central govt. he was J&K’s own person and mostly he and his family members remain CM of J&K.
Message is always clear, be sensible and stop living in paranoid. World is changing fast. You cant blame others for your wrong doings. If you have social and political complaints then you have forums to raise these issues.
There may always be some swayed away emotional people who cant understand things as they are and they will always take resort of wrong violent means but rest of the people and mainly educated ones have to see things in broad and right perspectives.
Assam has many things and it will be as rich or poor in culture, art, minerals, scientific development etc as other states of India are.
****
Amborish please remove line from your profile that you belong to a state neglected by central govt.
a rich man of your city may not be bothering who you are, will you write outside of your house that here lives Amborish, who is neglected by this rich man?
This feeling does not reach to self respect.
with this feeling only those kind of thingscan happen which happened when there was a ridiculous conflict in Zee TVs Indian Idol.
@RK
You said-
We are foolish people. when we are people of J&K, then we dont realise that tourism is our major source of income and once its lost we are in danger of seiged by poverty and unemployment but no we are surrounded by wrong notion that central govt. did not do anything for us. Shekh Abdullah was not central govt. he was J&K
Vinayak: very nice piece having depth.
its usually said that dont judge a person when its passing through bad phase as behaviour can be abnormal during that phase.
I wish to add one more word in previously written line.
“we are emotionally foolish people”. we dont apply objectivity and settle issues with nonsense kinda understanding.
People change their ideas, attachment with time. we may find many in J&K who were full of venom against India betwen 1990-2000 because they were made to believe in a false mission.
Kashmir is part of India since ancient time. Some Inhabitants might have been changing their religious faith or social behaviour but Kashmir is part of India.
Freedom from whom?
People still living in Kashmir dont realise that without a important part of their society, the kashmiri pandits they have lost something for ever. With any such extreme change you lose something.
art, literature, cinema etc may capture only few angles only but still they are on the path of search. Through these fixed pieces we start a dialogue. we try to have deeper understanding.
But its not easy to deal with few religious faiths as then you are in danger of hurting their feeble religious feelings and your life could be in danger. On an average some religions dont beleive in reforms. No modern outlook, no dialogue is possible there. everything is permanently captured in books and now whatever new is said which goes against these books are wrong. Life is running fast.
Thats why film makers opt easy path. Be it Gulzar saab or Rahul Dholakia they selected bit easy path while making film on controversial subjects.
Whats that factor which motivates us to make film on period after Blue star but nobody dares to make a film on period between 1980-1984? why?things are always part of a long chain.
as you said we can capture few pieces only. its good that they atleast captured some part of the big events. But not touching different aspects of same history also says something that we are afraid of some powerful things.
We can shout against prime minister of India but we cant do same against CM of our state, Mayer of our city, ward member of our municipal corporation and inspector of Thana of our locality.
and this belong to bigots also. For example:
MF Hussain brought down his film Meenakshi within 2 days after some unknown religious sect objected on a song. Because he was not sure how many will support him against this fight but he had got support when he was charged for making nude paintings of few godesses.
he even does not wish to answer this question and always say no comments.
Bigotry of some sects is harming otherwise liberal atmosphere of India and have started generating reaction in major religion of the country.
when someone gets support then he should also give back support when others are needed.
this whole scenario that so and so have been depressed because of so and so does not bring any fruit. It makes mind sick and sick minds dont think healthy things.
India’s development is done with slow speed because a mjaor portion of money is wasted in fighting with terrorisms spread in J&K, North East etc.
India’s tradition has been of dialogue and not of violence.
People adored Sheikh Abdullah, then they hated him and they again start adoring him. Thats not important. Important is understanding of presently alive people. Do they wish to live like anybody or they wish to be engaged in a false mission.
Nobody is completely right or wrong. and in states like J&K, this understanding was lost.History and mythology both tells that people can be misled. Kaikayee was misled by Manthara and people of J&K could be misled by Pakistan sponsored mission. as you said past is good in reading but those who suffer live a difficult life.
Countries are uniting to get more peace, more economic progress and few foolish think they can create a small heaven once they establish separate state from India.
If that was true why Pakistan is standing at such stage where he is termed as world’s most dangerous country?
@Anurag, all the pain and the anguish would not give me a real perspective to the problem. People won’t ‘talk about’ a film by a certain everyman. Totally beats my purpose behind writing the post. I want more and more people waking up to the fact that there is a part of their country called northeast where ‘a blast a week’is the annual average. Where all 6 states barring Arunachal Pradesh, has at least one insurgent group. List?
Assam:
ULFA
NDFB
Manipur:
PLA
UNLF
Nagaland:
NSCN-IM
NSCN-K
Tripura:
NLFT
ATTF
Meghalaya:
ANVC
HNLC
Mizoram:
HPC (D)
BNLF
Like Kartick very rightly said: it is absolutely ‘necessary for a craftsman to be involved so the story may be made as powerful within the medium in which it is being told - lest such a story be lost upon an audience that it is trying to talk to’. If it’s got to be a film shot by an ‘amateur’ doomed to be restricted to the charmed circles of the intelligentsia in a national/international film festival (that too if it at all makes there), the story BETTER NEVER BE TOLD….let it be.
@Rahul, not a question of me/you, sir. Just that on the night of one of the blasts I mentioned, a certain reputed news channel labelled ‘Breaking News’ to some lady committing suicide in suburban Delhi. Innocent people dying in any part of the country (or the world for that matter) is cetainly immensely painful for any sensible soul. But when tragedies happening at such alarming frequency at a place, which, as you put it, “for most of India….does not exist”, is played down by the national media to the extent that you are almost forced to beleive it’s intentional, that, you know, kinda hurts.
Vinayak: By the way, BSF does not have bunkers inside Srinagar. You only find CRPF bunkers there.
I was in Kashmir last year and almost got blasted by a bomb. I guess my stars saved me hehe.
@RK, I respect your wisdom, man. God knows I do. But please talk about ‘objectionable behaviour in very part of the world’ and ‘part of one big factor’ when next time you see people carrying a year old dead kid. But then, he’s just a casualty in a blast. God help us all.
amborish: If it does not bother you much , may I ask you whats your exact botheration. you wish to say tales against insurgance means against terroristic outfits or you have problem that rest of India did not care about North East. I am unable to understand from which side you wish to portray the problem.
Problems can be solved with democratic ways.
biggest proof is winner of Zee TV’s Indian Idol. Once people of Asaam decided that he should not lose, they gave him great numbers of vote via sms. Vote is there, people should change the system as they like. But there were talks of sending threats to other candidates and if that hapened then that was wrong.
I dont wish to mention but as you have mentioned so for that sake.
Life and death are in other places also. Have seen few riots my own. have witnessed many brutal deaths of many, out of which some were known people and all this has happened within 600 Km radius of New Delhi. This is certainly not as far as North east is.
Due to these terroristic activities, army has to be deployed there and many of us have family members in army. Many times they have narrow escape. we also have sleepless nights when think about them. when you are disturbed, some way or other we are also not spared.
Nobody wants to oppress anyone or to neglect anyone.
With Petroleum, countries earn gold and we see petroleum going waste because terroristic activies.
we have to think what kind of lives we want to lead
@RK
I don
Vinayak: As you belong to Kashmir, did you get satisfaction with films like Roja or Yahan?
You write so well. Have you not written anything based on your exp. or what you have seen yourself?
I have to back RK on this one amborish. I understand your anguish totally. But RK is right.
Trust me I’m not from the hindi belt. Infact 2 of my childhood friends were lost to ULFA. One was picked up my his house & one joined them few years later. We used to play soccer every day after school in Bongaigaon. I have grown up under the shadow of CRPF jawans guns. I used to love them. They would let me play with their rifles. Infact my family was uprooted from their village by assamesse people who were throwing out bengalis & marwaris out of assam. We lost our land, house & jewellery. Basically everything. We moved to a 1 bedroom appt in Gauhati. 15 people. When in Gauhati a year later there was another riot against bengalis. I remember my Dad & Uncle standing near the door of the building with dandas & knives to defend our family. We were given shelter in our neighbors upstairs who were Bodo.
Everybody we knew who was doing well financially was threatened by ULFA to pay them. Most of them paid once & then when was asked again they fled. Now you would expect me to hate assamese people, right? On the contrary, my heart goes out to them. All the business was controlled by marwaris & all the govt jobs were with bengalis. They were minorities in their own fuckin state. They acted out of despair. But they acted out wrong. Violence is not the answer. And they fucked up. Infact I have always argued that Northeast should have been a different country altogether. Many people get shocked to hear that from me. It is one of the most beautiful places in the world. Have you taken the train Journey from Gauhati to Dharmanagar in Tripura?
I have also noticed another thing. When Nature blesses people with fertile land & great recources people tend to become lazy & fuck up. Look at Bihar. It went from one of the richest states after independence to an embarrasment. See Assam. It has fertile land, lots of rain, and OIL to top it all. ONGC makes half its money there. See kashmir. Its so bautiful. They don’t even need to work. They just need to stop the killing & tourists will make them rich again.
One of my close friends is a Marwari from Jorat.
I would bore the shit out of him by my
why north east has no depiction?
Simply put the faces of north east people do not attract majority audiences!! Hard to digest! !thats the truth. It is not an “Hindian” face. Roja succeeded as the faces were “acceptable” to “Hindian” audiences. Simple man. the problem comes to North east from outside, how can the solution come from inside? Only reaction can be shown. Offcourse violence is a vicious circle. it is a whirlpool. when one steps into it, he/she takes everything they are holding into it, including their future generations. It is the duty of the elected governments to make sure that the affected/wronged populace don’t take violence as an option. No fucking guy wants to simply wake up and make a bomb to kill. I see it as a voice of a neglected child. Even Gandhi would have heard it as that. However Indian government hears it as “External voice” or a “secessionist war cry”. Authority fears anarchy and anarchy fears and resists order brought by oppression. When Gujjars can block roads, kill policemen and still get heard from Media to PMs and super PMs why people of assam and the six sisters are not treated with equal care? why are they branded as voice of china and rebuked with military? Is Rajasthan not a border state? are Gujjars not tribes like Bodos? Why is this immediate attention to Gujjars cry and stoid silence guided by security advisors when it comes to North East? Simple to understand. Speak Hindi and get heard is the message given by Indian government!! RK might disagree, but that is the truth. As far as South getting lion’s share of development, blame it on british and acceptance of Education reforms by the british by the south, who thought knowledge was power and their geographical and political condition. In a family always the stronger siblings find a way to grow faster even without parental care. It(parental care) is required for children who are born weak. North East required care and not army repression. That is why the weak child cries out with bomb blasts which is nauseating and irritating to all of us.
Hats off to Jaiganesh!
Jaiganesh ki jai ho!
I could not have put it more bluntly.
Those words are truth.
Vinayak your marwari friend was from Jorhat not Jorat.
************
Music - PORTISHEAD
BOOK - IMPERIAL LIFE IN EMARALD CITY
Vinayak: and then Mujaffar Ali could not complete his “Junie”. I am not sure about his “Anjuman” if it was based on Kashmir or not.
There was TV serial Gul Gulshan Gulfam, it was based on Kashmir. Long ago when DD used to telecast regional films then along with other languages we used to see Kashmiri films also.
Once Kashmir was reputed as educational centres as Universities were doing good.
Blame it on anyone, but peaceful atmosphere is the necessary ground to flourish any good thing be it economy, or art or a prosperous and healthy life. Panjab did not get anything by going on separative movement but it got maximum when sang in same sur as rest of the country sang.
Separation of a region or state is not equivalent to separation between two brothers in a family. Millions of people get affected and their psyche is affected forever. Pakistan’s birth has not left any good impression on humanity. after division of India in 1947 problems have increased in thsi part of world.
Jaiganesh. I have very average mind so I understand direct things only and mostly what I see myself. I cited a very simple example of Zee TV’s Indian Idol. Nobody who is in power, anywhere in the world wish to listen the voice of people who take resort of violence. Say it Gandhi effect or whatever. When Assamese got power of vote they made candidate belonging to Asaam as a winner as that was in their hand. They voted and rest of India not only listened the voice but saw the charishma of vote.
Centre has a budget system. send maximum number of MPs from the state who understands your problem and compel Central govt to put focus on you. Chandra Babu Naidu did this during NDA regime and many small states have been doing this since regional parties have got focus.
This can be very individualistic opinion that rest dont pay attention to some particular section of people/place etc. say You might be having 100 employess in your concern, are you concerned whats happening with 99th or 100th person? Even on PFC, where people dont know each other personally , do you care who is passing through which phase, though its a single place where variety of people are gathered but everybody has own life. Some meet, talk and can have concern but on an average one has to take care of own progress independently. there is a format that write, and publish an article. now one cant complaint that my article is not getting proper attention. If I am weak, then I will have to work hard to be in the race.
Coming back to state’s problem, no state comes under that category where we can say weak child of family. Weak in what? Asaam does not have natural resources? people dont have intellect? they dont have proficiency in art and culture. They are not less than anyone in India. and whoever has emerged as a performer, rest of the India has accepted and respected him/her in same way as they accept and respect people of other parts of India. People get same enjoyment from Bhupendra Hazarika’s Dil Hum Hum kare as they get from RD Burman’s Dum Maro Dum. When oil comes from BRPL, Bongoigaon then its not difgferentiated because its coming from Asaam. Author writing in Asamese get same Jnanapeeth award as Shivaji Savant or Dr Anantmurty or Nirmal Verma get.
When Ratan Thiyam does play then people enjoy in same way as they enjoy plays of Habib Tanveer or Ibrahim Elkaji or BV Karanth etc.
Its not true that chances were not given to drop arms. Ladenga or Subhash Ghishing or Praful Mahanto everybody got chance to join main stream. But if there are multiple voices within rebels also then its clear that matters are also not singular.
Nobody likes violence. everybody likes peaceful life.
I am not sure how deeply you have observed. Hindi may be political language in Delhi but only on TV.
Administrative and legal language is English. Just try to send anything in Hindi to a cabinet secy.
Hindi is langauge of hindi films but as film stars speaks it only on screen not in real life same way hindi has no place in power galleries also. Who knows Hindi there? PM, President, Loksabha president, VC of planning commision? Chief secy? PMO spokesperson?
I hope you know difference between Madras and Hyderabad since the time of britishers till now
@RK, I agree. Incidentally, my point (which I now realise was totally erroneous) was That NE problems, or losses of lives there, never EVER get due attention by the mainstream media in general, or, for that matter by Indian Cinema. But I was wrong. Maybe that’s what the NE people deserve, for not ‘taking care of their own progress independently’. Maybe these killings do NOT deserve to be depicted in mainstream Indian Cinema, or to be as widely discussed. And I love it when you say “whoever has emerged as a performer, rest of the India has accepted and respected him/her in same way as they accept and respect people of other parts of India”. Right. And ‘Bhupendra’ Hazarika composed Dil Hum Hum Kare, and it’s as enjoyed by people as RD Burman
amborish: curse my stupid understanding or whatever. I had asked you simple questions. with whom you have problems= Is your problem this only that media does not give coverage to killing happening in Assam? Or as you have written in your profile that you belong to a state which is neglected by central govt.?
You have any problem with those killings also? or do you have any problem with those also who are killing innocents? Or you are happy with idea that somebody shd make a film on these killings?
With your latest thoughts I regeret I wrote comments on your article. This is a forum to discuss cinema and we already have covered so much space here where cinema has gone in background and rest all other has come on forefront. I am not media, I am not politician.
You put up a problem or question wahtever and I paid enough attention, my views can be different from you but I did not neglect or ignore you and your views. and it has been happeing since childhood. I can say abt me and I know millions are there like me who pay attention to whats happening. I tried to connect a dialogue with you. If that goes in wrong direction. I retreat my steps.
Nobody is stopping you to bring everything on forefront where media behaves as you like them to do. Nobody is pouring water on your dreams.
what you say if I cant understand and what I say if you cant understand then we are just speaking from different reference level and becasue its hurting you emotionally so there is no meaning in continuing such dialogue.May you get what you desire through your views included in your article.
@Mainak, I don’t even remember the last time I went to Dharmanagar in a Train. Regular train services to Dharmanagar (as to many other places) are no longer there. Buses are the usual way to travel to Dharmanagar or Agartala or Silchar or Karimganj. Even buses to Shillong have been discontinued. TATA Sumos do the honors. Shillong by the way, is still so damn beautiful! There are night curfews and bandhs almost every other day, but man, those pines and orchids and springs are still as fesh as ever…..
But as far NE being a different country is concerned: ’should have been’? I don’t know…’should be’? NOOOOO! NO!!! People belonging to this region have shed their blood FOR the entity we call our country. They’re as much Indian as anyone else. Proof? Show of (massive) utter diregard for calls of liberation by the insurgent groups.
I am sorry. It’s not possible to prove one’s belongingness to one’s country. Violence is bad. Awfully bad. Notwithstanding the past, maybe that’s what people here are realising every passing day. But did it have to be this hard and painful way?
If you think this is duly reflected in cinema or media or literature or theatre the way every human tragedy should be,please let me know. I would change my opinion.
Well said RK.
RK
“Centre has a budget system. send maximum number of MPs from the state who understands your problem and compel Central govt to put focus on you. Chandra Babu Naidu did this during NDA regime and many small states have been doing this since regional parties have got focus.”
RK come on. I expect more from you. You realise how many MPS can a state the size of Tripura of Nagaland send to Parliament? Wil they have any power?
Naidu comes from a very big & powerful state.
Assam is the only state which has a decent size. Prafullo Mohanto had a chance to change everything. But he got married instead. Lol.
He is such a crooked moron.
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We should not forget Kalpana Lajmi. She has repeatedly made movies about Assam.
Remember LOHIT KINARE?
Mainak: in this coalition era less is not less and it can be more. I meant to say, wahtever number of MPs you have, give these MPships to those who belongs to group who claims to understand local problem. These days even 2 MPs make difference. see Shibu Soren and Ajit Singh, they could become central minister inspite of having 1-3 MPs, or Ram Vilas Paswan.
There at centre you are not alone, you have this front, that front, even back front who always play at backfoot.
I recall Lohit Kinare . She started with Rudali and ended up (atleast temporarily)with Chingari. It was said she is relative of Guru Datt.
People from North East are not like Shibu Sorens & Ram Vilas Paswans. They are very simple people. They cannot become cunning bastards like the examples you have given here. The most famous person from that part was P.A Sangma. And the whole country loved him for his honesty & sense of humour.
Rk I understand what you are saying. But sometimes reality is not what it should be or what it seems.
there are problems everywhere…big or small or whatever. whether that tragedy shakes u up or not,depends entirely on u. nobody can force someone to feel this n that. its all very personal. unless n until it comes to u or ur near n dear ones,its just a piece of news or number of deaths for most of us!!!