Ekabhuya: The Art of Digital Story Telling

Story telling as an art  has taken myriad forms over thousands of years, and a number of these coexist together in our world today. Creating a story that can keep readers and audiences engaged is a daunting task and more so  if it depicts real life situations. In the ancient times, stories were tales of bravery, of wars, of hunting experiences. With the passage of time, stories evolved into fairy tales for children, to theatre that depicted life's mundane situations with humor, experiences, to cinema halls showing movies not just restricted to war time stories or hunting tales. The toughest part of story telling is to put emotion into lifeless characters, to digitally create a story, characters and leave audiences spell bound.  These storytellers have done just that. 

Ekabhuya which means 'being one' in Sanskrit was formed when two engineers quit their stable  jobs to pursue their dreams. Shivangi Ranawat and Janmeet Singh, both classmates at animation school  slogged tirelessly for three months before their first creation 'Alchemy' was out. Shivangi who hails from a small town in Rajasthan, jokes about how she followed the norm and studied science. Animation was only a hobby she took while in college which turned into a passion. It is not easy to tread on the path that is not so sought after, but this team worked hard and their first project got rave reviews including a Dada Saheb Phalke Award. Alchemy is a musical story about India's billions, their life, experiences, the inherent connect between spirituality and the leap towards progress. This short video bagged them multiple awards and nominations both at the national and international level. 

Their expertise lies in picking folklore, tales from villages, local experiences and turning them into stunning musical stories. Funky Pawa is a beautiful rendition of a pied piper that comes to life in the desert of Kutch. Kaccho Gadulo is another of their off beaten yet mesmerizing creation. It tells you the vibrant story of the diverse culture of India through a child's imagination. This team is not just about music videos. They create finest animation films, illustrated art and online content. The core team of this firecracker of an organization is a combined strength that helped them succeed. Shivangi is an avid lover of stories and has impeccable taste in art creativity, Janmeet is a 2d artist, musician and animator. His exceptional sound and narration skills are an asset. Vishesh gets the much needed encyclopedic knowledge in technology, gaming and animation to the table.  

It was huge leap for them to leave their jobs and start a production that required a lot of funds. They were persistent and used most of their savings in the first project and it paid off. Alchemy their first project won them their first ever Dada Saheb Phalke Award for which most filmmakers wait a lifetime. A series of international awards and nominations followed. At the Indian Film Festival Los Angeles, the jury was all praises for this young team, and their film Alchemy." Culturally rooted and formally inventive, this film used mixed media to create one of a kind film going experience. " With over 30 national and international awards and nominations, they are slowly coming to the scene. 

The core belief of this organization is to work as a family of artists on technical innovation, creativity and excellence. In the words of one of the founders, Shivangi Ranawat, their aim is to create a colloborative story telling culture with a unique voice. The numerous awards, international travel has given them the opportunity to work and learn from the finest in the business and take their work to the next level. Story-telling wasn't their brain child but to craft ancient folklore into modern videos and still keep its identity is what Ekabhuya is all about. Read their story at http://www.ekabhuya.com/ and see magic come alive.  

Robin Hood Army seeks to eradicate hunger, food wastage.

                   (Originally written for India-West online edition published on October 6th, 2015.) 
 
"Please sir, I want some more." This line from Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens resonates with me, every time I see a hungry person.  The innocence, the helplessness and the bravery talk to you asking to show some kindness. Amidst all the struggles, Oliver  does find a saviour in Mr Brownlow who nurtures him. There are millions of hungry Olivers in India who wait every single day for their Mr.Brownlow to arrive. It  was not long before their prayers were answered. An organisation born out of the will to feed the have-nots  decided to bridge the huge chasm between the hungry and the well-fed. The Robin Hood Army got its name when one of the volunteers joked about them being Robin Hood, the heroic outlaw who stole from the rich and distributed the booty among the poor. What sets this organisation apart from other charitable organisations is that they not only feed the hungry but are also preventing food wastage in the process. 

During a short stint at the Re-Food programme in Portugal, one of the founders Neel Ghose thought of implementing the same  in India. The programme worked on the principle of involving unpaid volunteers in collecting surplus food from restaurants and  distributing it among the hungry. Together with his friend Anand Sinha, Neel founded the Robin Hood Army on August 6th, 2014. In its nascent stage, the army merely had six robins  in one city and has now burgeoned into 1047 robins serving more than 18 cities. the long term goal is to create self-sustainable communities where local volunteers scout for food in their vicinity, contributions pour in from restaurants and the hungry are fed. Some restaurant owners decided to go the extra mile. Instead of providing surplus food, they prepared fresh meals to be distributed. Support and encouragement has been pouring in from all quarters. The Robins have not restricted themselves to food distribution alone. Warm blankets were also part of their distribution drive during the harsh winter.

Robin Hood Army  is not a first in its category catering to help hungry people. There are food banks, local charities, temples etc that serve people on an occasional basis. Their model and the passion to drive is why they are making waves. It is an all volunteer organisation with no employees and all they ask for is your time. No monetary donations are asked for to run their campaigns and sometimes volunteers pay for by themselves to make sure that their weekly goal of distribution isn't hampered. They have found tremendous support in the cities that they currently operate and are growing fast. It isn't just restaurants but caterers from weddings and some generous brides and grooms who have given away surplus food to the organisation. The magnitude of food wastage at weddings is exceptionally large, and one of first few drives in Hyderabad; they could feed 970 people with surplus food from one wedding. The problem is not lack of food but excessive wastage which the army wants to resolve.

Good vibes often travel fast and the ripples created here in India were felt in Pakistan. Sarah Afridi, who has known Neel since their days at the London School Of Economics decided to start a chapter in Pakistan. In Pakistan, there are  six core team members currently serving two cities. Teams from both countries regularly help each other with operational and other issues. Experiences at  this army camp are full of stories of happiness, hope, courage and valuing life. During their distribution drives at a hospital, they learnt that a patient of leukemia needed blood urgently. Within minutes, they were able to line up people willing to donate. Many such stories form an integral part of who the Robins are, and how they function.

How do they spread the word? Social media like Facebook and Twitter are their virtual town criers. These mediums have been used to share experiences, inform about an upcoming drive, and encourage people to volunteer. During Diwali, they ran an interesting campaign, " Be a Robin this Diwali" inspiring people to come forward and join the cause. Another of their famous campaigns called Mission 100K was launched simultaneously in both countries rallying the student community to support so that they could feed so many people. The word is spreading fast and they hope to achieve their goal of no food wastage and hungry soul. In the words of Aarushi Batra, media head for RHA, they have only accomplished 0.1%. Their vision is simple, to eliminate food wastage and hunger globally through self-sustained chapters who will look after their local community and inspire others to give back. It is a very decentralised organisation and does not accept monetary contributions. your time is all they need.

Fairy tales of The News World- The Better India

The child in me never grew tired of the hundreds of stories of princesses and princes, of dwarfs and red riding hood, of rapunzel and the fairy godmother. Each story was a war of good versus evil, and every time good triumphed.  The transition from reading fairy tales to newspapers was marred with conflicting emotions and disappointment. Life had a different meaning in every headline; rather it was reduced to being a headline only. Stories of murders, rapes, cheating, begging as a business, trafficking, and many other crimes was the core content of any newspaper out there. Newspapers are not story books and they print the news as it happens, but the lack of positive news or total absence of it bewildered many. As the negative stories unfolded every morning page after page; it made me wonder: Was our society devoid of any Good Samaritan or the newspapers weren't interested?  

While the world was complaining, finding ways to criticize, a couple was brewing a revolution in their minds. A revolution like no other that involved getting positive stories from around the country into one place so that people could read and benefit from it. Seven years ago, Dhimant Parekh and his wife, Anuradha Kedia  tired by negativity and sensationalism decided to start an alternative news medium. There was one thing that both founders had decided early on. Their website wouldn't be another moral science lesson or an op-ed in the newspaper. The website slowly grew into a medium for stories of unsung heroes, innovators, educators, success of organizations trying to bring about a change, forgotten art forms, and tales that would not only impact the reader but channelize a reaction so as to bring about a change. 

The journey wasn't smooth and not as easy as it looked. The couple started with collecting positive news from other mediums and sharing it on their own, but soon they ran out of stories. Content published in other publications did not  qualify as positive stories.  It is then that they decided to don the hat of  ournalists themselves and scout for positive stories in their city. They spoke to individuals working to improve the society, organizations helping the needy,  took pictures and put it up on their blog. Sharing it was very crucial to gaining readership and they took help of social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. Family, friends, colleagues, friends of colleagues played an important role in giving visibility to this alternative news website. 

Persistence is what kept them going, and it paid off six months later. A journalist offered to write for them: being from a different city they could cover more and the background gave them a new perspective in their writing. The movement kept growing  and they have grown from a team of two people to seven and more than five hundred freelance writers who work tirelessly to bring the positive stories. These stories are not only a delight to read but have had a huge impact on the readers. A story about a genius mind who created 33 forests in India reached as far as the BBC World and a special project request from Germany. Another  inspiring story  about a school for the hearing-impaired children in Chennai moved a reader so much that he visited the school and contributed INR 3.5 lakhs (Approximately, 6000 USD) towards its repairs. These are just some of the many positive changes that have come about just by sharing positive news.

Determination, passion,  and the zeal for positivity is working its magic and impacting the life of millions. They do not have any supernatural powers of superman or the gizmos of batman; storytelling is their cape and their magic wand. The numbers are proof of the impact these stories have had. 1.5 million readers, 300,000+ social media followers and 500+ writers is a gigantic feat that positive storytelling has achieved and it continues to grow.  You don't have to be a magician to change the world. Join the cause, share a positive story and help them change the lives of millions. The fairy tales you missed, happy endings that were lost, fight for justice and hundreds of other stories can be found here: The better India

Originally written for India West: September 17th,2015:

http://www.indiawest.com/eedition/page-a/page_7522ff02-7207-538d-9895-7e17a8fac008.html#page_a08

http://www.indiawest.com/eedition/page-a/page_179fe07a-7278-58e1-bb3a-541a264ec138.html#page_a16

Manjhi- When Love Broke a Mountain!

The road I tread today bleeds courage, drips with passion, and speaks volumes about a man's resolve to change the lives of his people single handedly. This sentiment must have been echoed by every person who travelled this path cut across a mountain in Gehlour, Bihar.  Two things in life make you want to move mountains to achieve what you want to: love for someone and passion for something, and when the two combine it becomes a story extraordinaire!! Dashrath Manjhi's story was born, when his soul mate lost life's battle owing to inaccessible roads leading to the nearest hospital. Fired with grit and determination, one man took it upon himself to break down a mountain and carve a road. Devoid of any machinery, he took on the herculean task of cutting through the mountain with just a hammer, a chisel, and a crowbar.   

In his quest for providing the villagers with easy access to hospitals, schools and jobs, the mountain man started a mission to carve a road across a mountain with tools like hammer, chisel, and a crowbar. The community called him a madman, doubting his success, but he continued with this extremely difficult construction project ever undertaken. He needed money to fulfill his dream; therefore he sold his goats, ploughed fields during the day and cut through the mountain in the evening and night. A treacherous mountain that deprived the villagers of the most basic facilities was converted into a road by a man who worked tirelessly for 22 years. The film making team worked equally hard to do justice to this story. The diction teacher was so strict that sometimes he had to be reminded that people outside Gehlour are also going to watch the film.

This legend will soon come to life on a 70mm screen through Ketan Mehta's film,' Manjhi - The Mountain Man.' The movie travels through Dashrath Manjhi's life from the time he was just a laborer to when he achieved the miraculous feat and until his death. The film is not another love story or just a documentary drama. It is a beautiful depiction of the various colors of life, of a man's love for his wife, his courage to follow his dream and the love-hate relationship he develops with the mountain he set out to break. Two different scenes in the movie capture this brilliantly. While in one he is heard talking to the mountain and saying." Bahut bada hai tu, bahut akkad hai tujh mein. dekh kaise Ukhadte hai Akkad teri." In another scene, under the influence of alcohol at his son's wedding, in blissful happiness, Manjhi talks to the mountain and says ' I won't break you today." Ridiculed for his actions when he began the daunting task, Dashrath Manjhi is now a local hero and worshiped by the villagers. His name was even recommended for the Padma Shree in 2006 in the social service sector by the then Bihar Government.  

Hidden in a remote village of Bihar, how did the story break? 'Parvat Purush' or The Mountain Man was the name given to Manjhi by a curious journalist who gave this story to the world and is an interesting character himself. In the movie, the role is essayed by Gaurav Dwivedi of the Rang Rasiya and Bombay Summer fame. Gaurav is an engineer by qualification but found his calling in the movies. He was first chosen by Ketan Mehta for the role of the lead's younger brother in Rang Rasiya while he was performing in a play as part of his curriculum at the Film and Television Institute of India.  Four years later, he bagged this role of a journalist without having to give any auditions.  

The simplicity of the character and the various shades is what interested him in the role. There is no doubt that Manjhi is the hero of this film, but the narrator brings the legend into the spotlight. It is through his vision; Dashrath Manjhi was introduced to the world and is now a legend. When I spoke to Gaurav and asked him how he prepared himself for the role, having no prior experience as a journalist? He said, “From what I understand, a journalist is a hunter for stories, a khoji and it is this instinct that helps them. This attitude is what I tried to bring into my character."  It is no coincidence that the decision to quit his engineering studies and pursue a career in acting was purely on impulse and instinct while he was on a train in Australia. I see a resemblance in these stories, of the mountain man and of the narrator.  

Gaurav did not have to break a mountain, but it takes determination to leave behind the safety net an engineering degree can offer and fly across a continent to follow your dream. The courage, conviction and passion to follow his dream is what got him here. His talent extends beyond acting: he is quite a story teller and anecdotes from his experiences make any conversation with him exciting. He strongly believes that the few films he has done and the time it has taken him to reach where he is, has helped him hone his talent. If success had come to him early on, minus the struggles, he wouldn't have respected his craft as much he does today.  Watch the film for the legend, Dashrath Manjhi, for the brilliance a Ketan Mehta film offers, for the powerhouse of talent, Nawazzudin Siddiqui, and for the freshness that Gaurav brings to you in the role of a narrator.  

Image Courtesy: https://www.facebook.com/ManjhiTheFilm 

Originally written  for India West - August17th, 2015. -

http://www.indiawest.com/blogs/manjhi-a-beautiful-depiction-of-the-various-colors-of-life/article_bf96d382-4504-11e5-abf6-9be703b6ee08.html

Nagesh Kukunoor's Dhanak - A Fable of Dreams

As he walked through the sands, feeling the hot wind against his face, the vast expanse instilling fear, his feet sinking deep into the sand with each step he took, in the distant horizon there appeared a bright figure extending his hand with a magic wand. Colors from the wand streamed through the sunlight, urging him to make one wish. The picture in his mind could be real, he would see instead of envisioning, know the color black from darkness and dreams would be his aspirations of a future. Just when he tried to reach for the hand, the alarm went off. Many such dreams have been part of his nights; every morning bringing the hope that there will be a day when he will be able to see. This not just a film, but also a beautiful fable, symbolizing a miracle waiting to happen for the millions who are visually challenged.

Indian celluloid has penned many stories, that have helped us re-live a brother-sister bond, but this one will strike a chord like never before. Dhanak, also meaning rainbow, is an exceptional portrayal of courage, exemplary determination, and an adventurous journey two siblings undertake so that the little boy can see again. This magical fable set in rural Rajasthan takes us on a journey with its young protagonists, Pari and her vision impaired younger brother Chotu. In her childhood innocence and unaware of the consequences, Pari promises to get back Chotu’s vision before his ninth birthday. Little does she know of the mammoth task that lay ahead of her. On one of their weekly trips to see a movie, she sees a poster of a film star asking people to donate their eyes. To succeed in her quest, she writes several letters to the film star hoping to get her brother’s eyesight back through his intervention.  Her faith isn’t deterred when she doesn't hear from the film star.  

Fate intervenes and news spreads that the film star is shooting in a distant village. Confident that she will be able to fulfill this wish, if allowed to meet the film star in person, they embark on their amazing adventure. Nagesh Kukunoor’s film, Dhanak is about their journey, their struggles during it, and the essence of the strong relationship between Pari and Chotu. Will Chotu be able to see again? Will they succeed in this beautiful journey? Travel with Pari and Chotu and see them light up the screen.  Nagesh Kukunoor, the maker of this film is known to bring rainbows to the screen, and his latest creation is no exception. His stories are enchanting by themselves. He has given us exceptional films in the past, and Dhanak has already won two awards at the Berlin Film Festival, 2015.

The 13^th Annual Indian Film Festival, Los Angeles (IFFLA) will be screening the film on April 12^th, their closing night at the Arclight Cinemas, Hollywood. IFFLA showcases a combination of features, short films, and documentaries, created by both emerging filmmakers and seasoned auteurs. At this festival, you will also learn about an organization that has played the role of “Pari” to millions of visually challenged people.  Sankara Eye Foundation, a presenting organization at IFFLA’s closing night, is headquartered in the Silicon Valley, USA. It is the charitable wing of Sankara Eye Foundation, India and has been instrumental in helping them succeed in their mission to eradicate curable blindness. With more than a million free eye surgeries to their credit, their goal of Vision 20/20 by 2020 is proof of what desire, determination, and courage can achieve. It is a rare chance for the audience to witness an unusual engagement of the finest in cinema and the charitable world. All the information you need about the festival and the organization is available here:

http://www.indianfilmfestival.org/ 

http://www.giftofvision.org/

Originally written for India Post - April 7th,2015. - http://www.indiapost.com/nagesh-kukunoors-dhanak-a-fable-of-dreams/

           

       

The Politics of Documentaries.

“We've begun to raise our daughters more like sons, but few will have the courage to raise our sons more like our daughters,” – Gloria Steinem

These words echo the same sentiment as millions in India today.  At a time, when gender equality and women safety issues were gaining momentum the release of the documentary on the Delhi gang rape case has caused it to hit a road block.  The maker is  accused of  defaming  Indian men on the international stage by portraying their misogynistic attitudes.  A worthy cause is lost in an attempt to gain commercial mileage. Though a staunch supporter of freedom of speech and expression, this film confirms my fears of having reverse effects across sections. 

A documentary is a nonfiction film, a window into the soul of the society made primarily for the purposes of research or to shake  the collective conscience of the audience. It is an open-ended drama that leaves it to the viewers to come to a decision and does not reflect the opinion of the filmmaker. This  film, on the other hand, is a biased account of a gut-wrenching incident  and not a comparative study of various criminal minds accused of such heinous acts.  There is little or no evidence of research in the film, it is based on sensationalism of one case, that created ripples across the country and resulted in widespread protests demanding safety of women. Supporters of the film have argued that it brings out the truth about the dismal situation of women safety in the country and it is  time we embrace the truth, rather than shy away.  The question here is, did the documentary enlighten us with any truth that we didn't already know? Is the film a study on many similar cases?  No, the film centers around one  case with major flaws in storytelling. The truth must be told but in a non-commercial and unbiased manner. The barbaric act of the accused was enough to bring to light his views on women and we did not have to provide him a platform to voice his opinion.  He doesn't flinch when he holds the victim responsible for her condition. As a matter of fact, he proudly claims, “Earlier rapists would leave victims asking them not to tell anyone but now they are going to kill them.”  The film also interviews the defense lawyer who has no qualms in talking about setting his daughter or sister on fire if they were to indulge in pre-marital activities.

It is unfathomable to me how watching a remorseless rapist gloat over  his vile and violent act and a lawyer define boundaries for women helps the cause of women equality and safety. If the intended purpose of the documentary was research,   shouldn't they have handed it over to the government or specialists who study criminal minds to understand what led them to commit the crime than selling it for commercial release ? The commercial aspect of the documentary cannot be denied; the makers released the film despite the ban, cried foul on media channels and called it an international suicide for India. This research would have been better published in a book than released commercially.

The documentary does not reveal anything that’s hasn't been seen or heard before.  Mindless statements of the lawyers, a rape accused detailing how women should behave was all over the papers ever since the ghastly incident.  A death-row convict, convicted of one of the most gruesome crimes against women, instructing women on social behaviour is grossly unjust to the movement.  Under the garb of justice for women, a profitable venture has been released that is feeding on the sentiments of someone’s misery. The documentary also has certain factual lapses. A friend of the victim, who was there with her on that fateful night, has complained that there are various misrepresentations in the film. He says he has never heard of the tutor in the film who claims both wanted to watch different films and how did he know which film they wanted to watch. Details like these and many other factual instances  were unwarranted in the film. 

Advocates of free speech would argue that banning of the film was restriction of free speech. I am not against freedom of speech and the government should have  exercised caution in imposing the ban but a film that  provides a platform to a convict on a death-row to lecture women on their safety  is best banned. As a nation, we are struggling with issues relating to women safety and equality, and are trying to find ways to combat the problem.  A diktat  from someone who commits such crimes isn't helping the cause.

The ban may not have been the most potent move, and it hasn't helped in tackling the problem. Belittling hard work of the unit is not  the purpose here. It is a constructive criticism of a story that lost its plot. Equating the views of the accused and the lawyers with the broader mindset in India is misleading and  wrong in so many ways, the repercussions of which are already being felt.   A student from India was denied admission to a university in Germany owing to this broadcast, and this is only the beginning of  irreversible consequences such films could have. The only good thing that has come out of it is that an international campaign has been launched by the same name that will tackle violence against women. 

If we need to change the mindset, a film will not help. We need  change in our lives,  awareness about women safety, sensitizing children at a younger age, raise a voice at the smallest incident and launch campaigns that penetrate into those areas of society where such incidents are rampant. The crux of the problem lies in patriarchy and until that sees the end of life, we will continue to have many more Mukesh Singh's who will violate women and find a platform to narrate the horror.