“Aage to poori zindagi padi hai Dhruv, aasey bhagega to phir bhagta hi rahega, apne aap se bhi (You have your whole life ahead of you, Dhruv. If you run like this, you will keep running forever, even from yourself).”

Manoj Bajpayee’s convincing character of a father who gives up his life to fulfil his promise is heart-wrenching and inspiring. A ‘man of his words’, he manages to make a point which we all must heed to. “Rukh” is a brilliant piece of cinema made by Drishyam Films Ltd. and Indian audiences needs such cinema today more than ever. In a subtle way, this movie offers an insight into life which is missing from our conscience in the current cultural context.

The character of Dhruv, the film’s protagonist, is torn between two worlds ripping apart. Unable to cope with his father’s accidental death, he follows a quest that makes him question his beliefs. He is left to face with harsher truths of life and he must deal with them on his own. The film teaches us the importance of forgiveness, of being able to move on with life. It tells us that there is always a second chance and that the meaning of our lives is defined by what we choose to offer to the world.

There are two contrasting characters – one of a greedy businessman who makes a deal with the evil and eventually has to pay the price, the other is that of an honest, well-meaning guy who takes the most drastic step in order to save his honour and his stand on truth. The story also shows how these distinctions are often blurred in times of test. In the end, however, what matters is that we must learn to embrace reality and to proceed with life. The title song “Khidki” is poetry that touches you and leaves you with a lot to ponder upon.

“Dekho ek taraf hai subah ho chali
Par andar abhi bhi raatein na dhali
Ab dhul chatak ke bhul ja na bisri
Rukh mod de ab toh khol de zindagi

Ho Ab khul ja re, khul ja re
Khul bhi ja na khidki
O re khidki…”

The post Manoj Bajpayee’s ‘Rukh’ Is A Brilliant Piece Of Cinema We All Need To Watch appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

मुंशी प्रेमचंद की दो बैलों की कथा पर आधारित व बलराज साहनी अभिनीत फिल्म “हीरा मोती” साहित्य के नज़रिए से महत्वपूर्ण थी। बलराज साहनी हिंदी सिनेमा की एक अविस्मरणीय शख्सियत रहे हैं। अभिनय में आज भी बलराज को बड़ा आदर्श माना जाता है। बलराज साहब लीक से हटकर काम करने के लिए जाने जाते थे। वह एक जुझारू एवं समर्पित कलाकार थे।

बलराज साहनी और प्रेमचंद के सामाजिक-सांस्कृतिक संघर्ष में वैचारिक आदर्शों की एक समानता समझ आती है। उसके माध्यम से एक साझा संवेदना को स्पर्श किया जा सकता है। इन दो शख्सियतों में जो कुछ साझा था, कह सकते हैं कि उसका एक अंश इस फिल्म के माध्यम से अभिव्यक्त हुआ। प्रगतिशील आंदोलन ने संस्कृति कर्म से जुड़े लोगों को साझा मंच दिया था। इस अभियान में प्रेमचंद व बलराज साहनी की महत्त्वपूर्ण भूमिका थी।

प्रेमचंद का व्यक्तित्व इस क्रांतिकारी अभियान में प्रेरणा का स्रोत था। उधर सिनेमा के स्तर पर विचारधारा समर्थन में बलराज दलित-शोषित-वंचित किरदारों को जीवंत कर रहे थे। एक तरह से इन पात्रों को जीवंत करके इनकी तकलीफों को भी साझा कर रहे थे।

उन्होंने संस्कृतिकर्म को सहयोग का माध्यम बनाया।  ग्रामीण पात्रों को निभाना कठिन होता है, नगरीय पात्रों की परतें उसे विशेष रूप अवश्य देती हैं लेकिन, देसज पात्रों की बात जुदा है। इस मिज़ाज के पात्रों को बलराज ने अनेक बार जीवंत किया।

अपनी मिट्टी के होने की वजह से गांव के किरदारों में अपार आकर्षण है। सिनेमा ने इन्हें बड़ी पारी नहीं दी। कह सकते हैं कि पॉपुलर सिनेमा में नगरीय कहानी व पात्रों को तरजीह मिली। फिर भी कम समय में ही ग्रामीण पात्र स्मरणीय बनकर उभरे। इन किरदारों का वक्त आज भी याद किया जा सकता है।

झूरी (बलराज साहनी) और रजिया (निरूपा राय) का मेहनतकश परिवार खेती-किसानी पर गुजर बसर करता है। झूरी एक स्वालंबी किसान है, मेहनत मज़दूरी की कमाई को बहुत महत्त्व देता है। उसमें एक समर्पित किसान की बहुत सी विशेषताएं हैं। उसका निश्छल स्वभाव मुसीबत की एक बड़ी वजह हो जाती है।

झूरी के परिवार में रजिया की छोटी ननद ‘चंपा’ (शोभा खोटे) और बैलों की एक सुंदर जोड़ी भी है। दोनों मालिक के साथ मुस्तैदी से खेतों में डटे रहते हैं। झूरी और समूचा गांव इन्हें स्नेह से ‘हीरा-मोती’ संबोधित करता है। झूरी के परिवार को इस जोड़ी से बहुत लगाव है। पशुओं के प्रति झूरी का निश्छल प्रेम इन पंक्तियों में समझा जा सकता है ‘हीरा मोती के ऊपर तो खलिहान वार दूं’।

झूरी दो पसेरी अनाज के बदले उनके लिए घुंघरू के मनभावन पट्टे लाकर देता है। अनाज से साहूकार का कर्जा चुकाया जा सकता था। कर्ज बकाया रहते ‘प्यार का कर्ज’ पूरा करता है। खुशियों के पल गंगा-जमुनी भाव से सजे गीत ‘कउन रंग मूंगवा, कउन रंग मोतिया’ में महसूस किए जा सकते हैं।

ज़मींदार (कैलाश), पशुपति (असीम कुमार) को पुरखों की अच्छी सेवा का हवाला देते हुए,  अपने बैलों की देखरेख का ज़िम्मा उसे देता है। अबकी बार मेले में जोड़ी की जीत पर लगान माफ हो जाने के वायदे के साथ उसे यह काम सौंपा गया। कुछ दिनों के बाद बैलों की एक दौड़ आयोजित हुई। ज़मींदार के सेवक पशुपति की जोड़ी के मुकाबले हीरा-मोती की जोड़ी दौड में विजयी हुई। पराजय से विचलित होकर वह पशुपति से झूरी को हीरा-मोती के साथ हवेली में हाज़िर करने का संदेश देता है।

ज़मींदार के कोप से बचने के लिए झूरी ने हीरा-मोती को अपने संबंधी गया के साथ रवाना कर दिया। मालिक द्वारा झूरी के बैलों का हाल पूछने पर पशुपति सूझ-बूझ से स्वयं एवं झूरी को ज़मींदार से बचा लेता है।

‘नाच रे धरती के प्यारे, अरमानों की दुनिया सामने है तेरे
आज तेरे घर होने को है फिर खुशियों के फेरे’

‘हरगिज़ ना चलता है जोर सितम… मजबूर ना बन, सिर उठाकर चल। मज़बूत राहें बनाकर चल’ समापन संदेश आदमी को सीमाओं के परे जाने को प्रेरित करता है। ये विचार ज़िन्दगी का रुख पलटने का हौसला रखते हैं।

देश के समक्ष नवनिर्माण का लक्ष्य था। सभी क्षेत्रों की सहभागिता ज़रूरी थी। सिनेमा भी इस दिशा में काम कर रहा था। साहित्य में उपलब्ध कहानियों को अधिक लोगों तक पहुंचाने की प्रक्रिया में फिल्मों का निर्माण हुआ। हिन्दी व अन्य भाषाओं की महत्त्वपूर्ण कृतियों पर फिल्मों का निर्माण इसी का उदाहरण है। साहित्य का फिल्म की दुनिया से रिश्ता स्वतंत्र व्याख्या का विषय है।

बहरहाल कथा-सम्राट मुंशी प्रेमचंद की बात करें तो ‘मज़दूर’ से शुरू हुआ सफर कृशन चोपड़ा की ‘हीरा-मोती’ से होकर ‘गोदान’ ‘गबन’ फिर ‘शतरंज के खिलाड़ी’ एवं ‘सदगति’ तक पहुंचा। उनकी ग्रामीण परिवेश की रचनाओं पर बनी फिल्में सबसे अलग हैं। कथाकार के स्मरण में गुलज़ार साहब ने टेलीविजन पर ‘तहरीर’ चलाई।

प्रेमचंद की कहानियों को घर-घर लाने में सफलता मिली। हीरा-मोती इस सफर में एक महत्त्वपूर्ण अध्याय मानी जा सकती है। क्योंकि इसके बाद कथाकार की रचनाओं पर व्यापक रचनात्मक अभियान आरंभ हुआ। कह सकते हैं कि फिल्म प्रस्थान बिंदु थी। साहित्य में दर्ज किसान की बात को अन्य माध्यमों के साथ बताने की पहल हुई। सबसे पहले बाबूराव पेंटर ने ‘साहूकारी पाश’ के माध्यम से गांव-समाज की व्यथा को रखा। फिर सत्यजित रे ने ‘पाथेर पांचली’ बनाकर गांव-किसान की समस्या पर विश्व स्तर का विमर्श जागृत किया।

ऋत्विक घटक की फिल्मों ने भी हाशिए के हित कुछ ऐसा ही किया। इसी क्रम में बिमल राय की ओर से ‘दो बीघा ज़मीन’ का निर्माण हुआ। महबूब खान से लेकर दिलीप कुमार फिर नरगिस राजकपूर और सुनील दत्त तथा मनोज कुमार एवं अमिताभ बच्चन ने भी गांव-किसान को महत्त्व दिया। सुधेंदु राय की ‘सौदागर’ अमिताभ को एक अलग लीग में स्थापित करती है। कृष्ण चोपड़ा का संकल्प भी सराहनीय था। भारत को ‘गांवों का देश’ मानने के संदर्भ में हीरा मोती का योगदान महत्त्व रखता है।

‘हीरा मोती’ के कथानक में ज़मींदारी व्यवस्था की पृष्ठभूमि में मानव की भय सीमाओं को चुनौती देकर शोषण के विरूध लड़ने को प्रेरित किया गया। शासन तंत्र आम लोगों की सहनशीलता को भय के समकक्ष मानकर अन्याय की व्यवस्था कायम करता है। व्यवस्था के खिलाफ विद्रोह का मतलब शासक को चुनौती देना होता है। किसानों को साहूकारी पाश में जकड़ कर अपनी ही खेतों पर बंधुआ बनाकर काम करवाना ज़मींदारी की पहचान बन चुकी थी। आम जन की संपत्ति शासन की मिल्कियत मानी जाती थी, जिसपर साहूकारों एवं ज़मींदारों का एकाधिकार हुआ करता था। मालिक जनता को हमेशा शोषण का पात्र बनाए रखना चाहता है। वह कदापि नहीं बर्दाश्त करेगा कि जनता में कोई या कुछ भी उसकी बराबरी का हो।

हीरा मोती में फिल्मकार ने सामंती शोषण के इसी चक्र के विरूध आवाज़ उठाई है। झूरी की भूमिका में  ‘बलराज साहनी’ का अभिनय ‘दो बीघा जमीन’ के शंभू का विस्तार सा है। प्रेमचंद के एक महत्त्वपूर्ण पात्र को पर्दे पर जीवंत करने का सौभाग्य बलराज साहनी को मिला। झूरी एक मेहनतकश किसान है, सच्चाई व ईमानदारी से खेतों में डटा रहता है। गरीब किसान को कभी-कभी यह मयस्सर नहीं होता। सामंती व्यवस्था ने झूरी से खेती-किसानी का हक भी छीन लिया है। बलराज इस परिस्थिति में उतने ही असहाय दिखाई दिए हैं, जितना शायद प्रेमचंद का पात्र ‘झूरी’ रहा होगा। साहित्य व समाज के प्रति अभिरूचि ने उन्हें यह मकाम दिया था। ग्रामीण परिवेश के सांचे में ढले पात्रों को पर्दे पर एक से अधिक बार जीवंत करने का सौभाग्य बलराज साहनी को मिला था। बलराज साहब की गंवई छवि ने आगामी राह में लगभग सभी समकालीन अभिनेताओं को ऐसे पात्र निभाने को प्रोत्साहित किया। बहुजन समाज की व्यथा का उन्हें आभास था।

बलराज साहब की फिल्मों  पर यथार्थवाद व नव-यथार्थवाद आंदोलन का प्रभाव रहा। सामाजिक उत्तरदायित्व से ओत-प्रोत अभिनय कई अवसरों पर जीवंत हुआ। झूरी का चरित्र तत्कालीन ग्रामीण जीवन को व्याख्यायित करता है।

झूरी के किरदार में बलराज खेतों में झूमकर मेहनत का उत्सव मनाते हैं, तो कभी ‘ओ ललनवा रे ललवना’ को ठेठ गंवई अंदाज़ में गुनगुनाते देखें जा सकते हैं। वहीं असहाय विवशता में मायूसी का समंदर भी आंखों में तारी हुआ। बलराज ने बनावट के उसूलों को तिलांजलि देकर सहजता के नए स्तर भी स्थापित किए।

किसान की भूमिका में पात्र व अभिनेता में विभेद नहीं किया जा सकता। वह ग्रामीण परिवेश के स्वाभाविक हिस्सा प्रतीत हुए हैं। उस समय के अभिनेता धोती पहन कांधे पर हल व फावड़ा को उठाकर गौरांवित महसूस करते थे।

बलराज साहनी इस परंपरा के अग्रणी वाहकों में से एक थे। वो इससे पूर्व वक्त की धारा मोड़ देने वाली फिल्म ‘धरती के लाल’ एवं ‘दो बीघा ज़मीन’ में ग्रामीण की भूमिका में नज़र आए थे। राहत के पलों में चौपाल पर हुक्के का कश लेने की उम्मीद बलराज के झूरी से ही की जा सकती थी। फिर पशुधन के प्रति आदमी की संवेदना को अभिव्यक्त करने में भी सफल रहे थे। निरंजन (धरती के लाल) एवं शंभू (दो बीघा ज़मीन) के पात्रों के अनुभव की झलक ‘झूरी’ में मिली। हीरा-मोती के झूरी की परिस्थितियां उस स्तर की चुनौतीपूर्ण ना हो लेकिन शोषित-दलित वर्ग की पीड़ा वही थी।

हाशिए के लोगों  की फिक्र में ‘सामानांतर सिनेमा’ ने भी एक आंदोलन चलाया। सिनेमा को ‘एक्टिव चेंज’ की मुहिम बनाकर बड़े परिवर्तन का लक्ष्य रखा गया। जीवन के यथार्थ को सामने रखने की पहल हुई। नवनिर्माण लक्ष्य को नज़र में रखते हुए ग्रामीण परिवेश को प्राथमिकता दी गई। मृणाल सेन से लेकर श्याम बेनेगल एवं गौतम घोष तथा प्रकाश झा तक ने गांव की व्यथा को फिल्म का विषय बनाया।

प्रेमचंद व सामानांतर सिनेमा ने जिन पात्रों के उत्थान के लिए संघर्ष किया वे आज भी हाशिए पर हैं। शोषण, गरीबी, भूखमरी की विक्राल समस्याओं से उभर नहीं सके हैं। मनरेगा जैसी महत्त्वकांक्षी योजना भी इनका भला नहीं कर सकी। समकालीन व्यवस्था सामंतवादी सत्ता के मौन समर्थन की दिशा में है। झूरी-जोखू-होरी जैसे लोगों के साथ आज भी अन्याय हो रहा है। जिन पात्रों की कहानी आदमी में संवेदना का सृजन करती है, उनकी स्थिति में बदलाव के लिए इस ओर से सार्थक प्रयास आवश्यक है। सजग सहयोग से प्रेमचंद के चिंतन को दिशा देनी होगा।

हिंदी सिनेमा की आमजन धारा में ‘हीरा-मोती’ का योगदान महत्त्वपूर्व है। सर्वहारा वर्ग संदर्भ में फिल्म तात्कालीन हालात को सक्षम रूप में व्यक्त करती है। शोषण का स्वरूप अब बदल गया है लेकिन, उसका दमनकारी चक्र तीव्र है।

उदारवादी-नव उदारवादी नीतियों की एक बड़ी कीमत झूरी, रजिया जैसे लोगों को चुकानी पड़ी है। जबकि लाभ दूसरों को मिला। किसान की मेहनत पूरे देश का पेट भरने की कुव्वत रखती है। सिनेमा में भी इस किस्म के किरदारों को अपेक्षित महत्त्व नहीं मिल रहा है। माध्यम में इस चीज़ का ना होना खटकता है।

‘हीरा मोती’ ने सिनेमा में जनसेवा की भावना को ग्रामीण संदर्भ से रखा था। इस परिवेश की कहानियां अब हिंदी सिनेमा में नहीं हैं। आज की अधिकांश फिल्में नगर-महानगर की कहानियों को बढ़ा रही हैं। आधुनिकता के आवरण में लिपटी यह नगरीय कहानियां हिंदी सिनेमा को वैचारिक बारंबारता की ओर ले जा रही हैं।

व्यावसायिक आकर्षण के मद्देनजर परिवर्तन सीमित है। लोकप्रिय सिनेमा, वर्त्तमान ग्रामीण परिवेश से कटा है। जड़ों से विमुख नगरीय आबादी को गांवों (जड़ों) की झांकी के लिए अतीत की ओर देखना है। आज का सिनेमा अतीत से मिले वैचारिक तत्त्वों को लागू नहीं कर सका है। बहुत समय हुआ किसी फिल्मकार ने ग्रामीण परिवेश की दमदार फिल्म नहीं बनाई। अधिकांश फिल्मकारों पर नगरीय ‘हैंगओवर’ है। नगरों की तुलना में गांव की संख्या बहुत अधिक है। फिर भी ‘ग्रामीण परिवेश सिनेमा’ जैसी विचारधारा का समर्थन नहीं। आज हीरा मोती और ग्रामीण परिवेश से सजी सभी फिल्मों की याद आती है। लेकिन हिंदी सिनेमा इस ओर से कटा हुआ मालूम पड़ता है।

The post आज बॉलीवुड को फिर से प्रेमचंद के हीरा-मोती की ज़रूरत है appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

अगर दिलीप कुमार भारतीय सिनेमा के “ट्रैजडी बादशाह” हैं, तो मीना कुमारी “ट्रैजेडी क्वीव” हैं। अगर आज मीना कुमारी ज़िंदा होतीं तो अपना 85वां जन्मदिवस मना रहीं होती। कल यानी 1 अगस्त को मीना कुमारी का जन्मदिन था। आइये इस मौके पर जानते हैं मीना कुमारी से जुड़ी कुछ दिलचस्प बातें-

मीना कुमारी का जन्म 1 अगस्त 1933 को, मुम्बई में हुआ था। मीना कुमारी का असली नाम ‘महजबीं बानो’ था।
महजबीं से मीना कुमारी बनने का सफर भी काफी दिलचस्प रहा। फिल्मी दुनिया में कदम रखने के लगभग 8 साल बाद उन्हें मीना कुमारी के नाम से जाना जाने लगा। उनका ये नाम उनकी फिल्म के निर्देशक विजय भट्ट ने दिया था।  विजय भट्ट ने मीना कुमारी को तीन नाम दिए थे, प्रभा, कमला, मीना। अंत में मीना कुमारी ने अपने लिए ‘मीना’ नाम चुना। तब से वो मीना कुमारी के नाम से जानी जाने लगीं।

मीना कुमारी का उपनाम ‘मंजू’ था। मीना कुमारी को, 1952 में रिलीज़ हुई फिल्म ‘बैजू बावरा’ से असली पहचान मिली। इस फिल्म ने उन्हें रातों-रात स्टार बना दिया। इस फिल्म के लिए उन्हें बेहतरीन अदाकारा का अवॉर्ड भी मिला। बैजू बावरा के अलावा परिणीता, दीदार, श्रद्धा, दिल अपना और प्रीत पराई, पाकीज़ा और साहब बीबी और गुलाम, मीना कुमारी की अन्य मशहूर फिल्में रहीं।

1962 में आई फिल्म ‘साहब बीवी और गुलाम’ ने मीना कुमारी को बुलंदियों के आसमान पर पहुंचा दिया। इस फिल्म को समाज के सभी वर्गों ने खूब सराहा।

‘पाकीज़ा’ मीना कुमारी की एक बेहतरीन फिल्म रही, जिसको आज भी लोग बहुत पसंद करते हैं। इस फिल्म को बनने में 14 साल लगे थे। इस फिल्म के डायरेक्टर उनके पति कमाल अमरोही थे।

1964 में मीना कुमारी का उनके पति से तलाक हो गया। कहते हैं कि मीना कुमारी अपने तलाक को बर्दाश्त नहीं कर पाईं, उन्हें शराब पीने की बुरी लत लग गयी जिसने बाद में उनकी जान भी ले ली।

मीना कुमारी एक ‘शायरा’ भी थीं। मीना कुमारी हमसे दूर जा चुकी हैं, लेकिन अपने यादगार किरदारों की वजह से और बेहतरीन गीतों की वजह से वो आज भी हम सब के बीच हैं।

The post ‘महजबीं बानो’ से ‘मीना कुमारी’ और फिर ‘ट्रैजेडी क्वीन’ बनने का सफर appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

The youth of our country are still stuck behind social barriers restricting them to live a life of their dreams. This crisis has often served as the plot for many Indian movies.

Cinema has a wide reach. Many times, Indian cinema has made an attempt, mostly successful, in speaking up against the odds. These odds can be summarized as an Indian citizen’s uncanny obsession with other people’s judgement, in simple words – “Log Kya Kahenge (what will people say)”. For years, “Log Kya Kahenge” has been shoved down every young Indian’s throat. Dress, education, gender or even sexuality, when a choice regarding these is to be made the patients of LKK syndrome (Log Kya Kahenge syndrome) place the opinions of others over their own personal interest.

Let’s have a look at some selected films that spoke against India’s obsession with LKK syndrome, and inspired young minds.

1.  3 Idiots (2009, Hindi)

The first film that pops up while thinking of LKK syndrome is “3 Idiots”. Even though the movie deals with various educational dilemma in our country, the part where Farhan Qureshi (played by R.Madhavan) confronts his parents to choose a profession he likes, fits right into our discussion on the LKK Syndrome. A truly inspiring and touching scene, it persuades us to do what we love rather than love what we do no matter what others say.

The first  Indian film ever to cross 300 crores, “3 Idiots” received a deserved victory and is still cited as a movie that every Indian should watch.

2. Godha (2017 Malayalam)

The knot of log kya kahenge is tied even more tightly around the necks of Indian girls when compared to boys. Hence, they are victimized and subjected more to other people’s judgement. “Godha” is one such Malayalam movie that explores the life and struggle of a Punjabi wrestler (played by Wamiqa Gabbi) who elopes to Kerala to pursue her dream of making a mark in the male dominant sports industry.

In India, harassing sportswomen based on the outfit they wear is something really to be ashamed of. “Godha” explores that horizon of the LKK syndrome too. A funny, romantic, sports drama, this film is worth a watch and inspires every young girl to follow her dreams.

3. Dear Zindagi (2017, Hindi)

Millions of people don’t open up about depression in a country like India because if they do, they’ll be declared ‘mad’. The same LKK Syndrome forces young Indians to live silently with their worries, anxieties and depression leading to a more stressful life.

Beautifully directed by director Gauri Shinde, this film opens up about mental health taboos prevailing in our country and convinces us that it is no sin to speak up about your worries. Above all, it’s a film that encourages us to love our life. Alia Bhatt was successful in representing a perplexed young woman dealing with anxiety issues. The one thing we all want after watching this movie is a Dr. Jag!

4. Aligarh (2015, Hindi)

Based on the life of Professor Ramachandra Siras (played by Manoj Bajpayee) who was expelled from his workplace for being homosexual, “Aligarh” throws light on how society sees and treats a person who identifies with a non-heterosexual, non-binary identity. There are still many in our country who do not disclose their sexuality fearing what others may say or think. They are often exploited in many ways and there have been incidents when they’ve been thrown out of their homes.

“Aligarh” is a man’s struggle to earn back both his lost job and respect in the society and Manoj Bajpayee was the perfect choice as Professor Ramachandra Siras.

5. Arekti Premer Golpo (2010, Bengali)

The LGBT community is one of the most vulnerable in our country. How the LKK syndrome has exploited the lives of every transgender person needs no explanation. This Bengali movie is one of a kind starring late Rituparno Ghosh that shows how trans people in India are exploited by men. The plight, the suffering – everything is just so heart touching.

The best part is, in spite of all the struggle faced by transgender people in India,  they are emerging successfully into professions they were once prohibited to pursue. In your face LKK!

The post 5 Indian Movies That Have Boldly Fought India’s ‘Log Kya Kahenge’ Syndrome appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

In 1975, Emergency was imposed in India by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. All media houses had to work under the fear and vigilance of the government. We are witnessing a similar situation today. The only difference is that in 1975, the President signed the paper to impose section 352, now it is happening without it.

In 2016, the Indian government had ordered a 24-hour blackout television network NDTV for allegedly revealing “strategically sensitive information” during its coverage of the Pathankot anti-terror military operations. Now, ABP news anchor Punya Prasun Bajpai is said to have resigned from the channel. Bajpai hosted “Masterstroke” and was often critical of the BJP-led government, which is the job of a journalist.

In recent times, both Punya Prasun Bajpai and Ravish Kumar gheraoed the government on several prime issues like employment, hatred and false propaganda of the government.

Bajpai, who formerly worked with Aaj Tak was allegedly fired because of his interview with Baba Ramdev. After this, he started working with ABP. There is news that ABP’s managing editor has also quit the channel.

The print media is also facing extreme pressure. Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, who was the Editor-in-Chief of Economic and Political Weekly was also forced to resign after receiving a legal notice from the Adani group for a story by the magazine. Niranjan Takle, the journalist who did the investigative story on Judge Loya is finding it hard to get work.

If this is not the unofficial emergency then we have to wipe our lenses or forget that right to dissent and freedom of speech is also in our Constitution.

The post We Should Forget That Freedom Of Expression Is A Fundamental Right appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

खबर मिली कि ABP न्यूज़ के दो एंकर पुण्य प्रसून वाजपेयी और अभिसार शर्मा को ऑफ एयर कर दिया गया है। इस बात का कोई ठोस कारण नहीं प्राप्त हुआ लेकिन जानकारी हासिल हुई है कि यह सरकारी असहमतियों का नतीजा है।

अगर यह सरकार की आलोचना का नतीजा है तो यह आप जान लीजिए कि किसी भी लोकतांत्रिक देश में डरा हुआ पत्रकार एक मरा हुआ नागरिक पैदा करता है और मरा हुआ नागरिक मुल्क और लोकतंत्र दोनों के लिए खतरनाक है।

सवाल एजेंडा पत्रकारिता अथवा सरकारी असहमतियों का नहीं है बल्कि सवाल उससे इतर लोकतंत्र के नाम पर बनी धारणाओं के ठीक उलट गतिविधियों का है। लोकतंत्र में आप असहमत होइए, आपकी असहमतियों को सम्मान के साथ स्वीकार्यता मिलनी चाहिए। एक लोकतांत्रिक देश को मज़बूती केवल सहमति से ही नहीं बल्कि आलोचना, विवेचना और असहमति से मिलती है।

इतिहास की कारगुज़ारियों से गुज़रते इस नौनिहाल मुल्क को देखना केवल मनोरंजक ही नहीं विचलित कर देनी वाली स्थितियां भी लग रही हैं। वैचारिक टकराहट नागरिकों के बीच केवल कड़वाहट ही घोलने का काम करती है। वैचारिक असहमति मानवीय विध्वंस का पर्याय बन जाए तब मुल्क की बर्बादी को बचाना असंभव ही है।

नेहरू और जयप्रकाश नारायण के बीच असीमित असहमतियां थीं। दोनों के रिश्ते बेहद ही कटुता से भरे थे। लेकिन उस दौर में लोकतांत्रिक मर्यादाएं कितनी ऊंची थीं, उस पहलू को जानिये।

भारत की स्वाधीनता के बाद तत्कालीन गवर्नर-जनरल माउंटबेटन ने जवाहरलाल नेहरू को पत्र लिखा कि उन्हें अपने मंत्रिमंडल में कुछ युवाओं को शामिल करना चाहिए और उन्होंने विशेष रूप से जेपी के नाम का उल्लेख किया। 1953 ई. में पंडित नेहरू ने जयप्रकाश नारायण और उनके समाजवादी साथियों को केंद्रीय मंत्रिमंडल में शामिल होने का आमंत्रण दिया था। जेपी ने भी तमाम असहमतियों के बावजूद सरकार में शामिल होने के लिए 14 शर्तें रखीं। हालांकि सहमति बन नहीं पाई और जेपी सरकार में शामिल नहीं हो पाए।

लेकिन जब अमेरिकी लेखक जॉन गुंटर भारत आएं तो उन्होंने नेहरू से साक्षात्कार के दौरान पूछा कि उन्हें भारत में और किनसे मिलना चाहिए। गुंटर ने लिखा कि नेहरू ने उन्हें जेपी से मिलने की सलाह दी और आगे कहा कि जेपी भारत के भावी प्रधानमंत्री हैं।

यह उस दौर के लोकतंत्र की खूबसूरती थी जहां राजनीतिक असहमतियां कभी भी नैतिक भावनाओं पर हावी नहीं हुई। 1962 के चीन युद्ध में नेहरू के सामने राज्यसभा के मनोनीत सदस्य और हिंदी कविता कुल के परम श्रद्धेय रामधारी सिंह दिनकर ने नेहरू सरकार की नीतियों की जमकर आलोचना की थी। नेहरू ने शांत भाव से दिनकर की आलोचनाओं को स्वीकार किया। जबकि नेहरू ने ही दिनकर को राज्यसभा सदस्य के लिए मनोनीत किया था। तो यह थी उस दौर की लोकतांत्रिक पवित्रता की कहानियां जो मौजूदा दौर में प्रासंगिक तो है लेकिन आज के दौर में अनोखी लगती है।

The post “क्या आलोचना करने वाले पत्रकारों को ऑफ एयर करना सरकार की नई नीति है?” appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

Recently, I had the utmost pleasure of attending the screening of “Hyderabad Blues” at Lamakaan, an open cultural centre based in Hyderabad, to celebrate this landmark film’s 20^th anniversary. To add to the glitz, the main cast and crew was also present during the screening, which included Nagesh Kukunoor, Rajshri Nair, Elahe Hiptoola and Vikram Inamdar.

At a time, when terms like “independent filmmaker”, “off-beat” or “meaty” were hardly present in the popular lingo, this little indie film came as a refreshing getaway from those out-and-out commercial films that Bollywood was obsessed with. Directed by Kukunoor himself (this was his first film), it stood out as an accurate cinematic portrayal of the socio-economic and cultural changes India underwent in the 90’s (this is definitely the TISS student in me talking :P).

A precursor to films like “Swades”, “Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani” etc, it is the story of an NRI who experiences cultural shock and still manages to find love amidst hilarious situations. With a simple tale to tell, the film touched many hearts with its simplistic portrayal, natural acting, and more importantly, honesty, which makes it highly relatable.

The screening was then followed by an interesting Q & A session. On much prodding, Mr Kukunoor shared many of his experiences, about his struggles, and tales about what happened behind-the-scenes. He also discussed about the various styles of filmmaking and stressed on the fact that filmmaking is a tough job. Ms Rajshri, who played the lead, talked about the famous kissing scene and the funny story behind it, leaving us in fits of laughter. However, on a serious note, she added, “Had it not been passed, it could have brought things to a grinding halt. The film wouldn’t have been the same.”

The whole cast seemed to be nostalgic at the event. Each of their words emanated a sense of going down the memory lane. In their words, “the screening served as the first reunion for us in 20 years.”

Those who haven’t watched it, don’t worry. Efforts are being taken to bring it on a digital platform very soon so that you guys can just Netflix and Chill. *wink* *wink*

The post ‘Hyderabad Blues’: An Ode To The City Of Pearls And Its Young Blood appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

The beginning of 2018, brought me towards the end of my one-year sabbatical period in which I was to solo-travel, get fit, try consulting and writing as a career, and do stand-up comedy. I was approaching the end, and I had eluded myself from every other open-mic invite on Facebook. Unlike what a lot of seasoned comics say, I always knew I wanted to do it; not because I am an extrovert who loves attention and thinks highly of her sense of humour. I am in fact, an introvert who would never go up a stage for anything unless necessary. But I always had things to say.

After day-dreaming for two years and binge-watching every stand-up that surfaced online, I finally saw hope to perform stand-up in the name of Mahila Manch, a brand new group in my city, Ahmedabad. Mahila Manch came about like a haven for upcoming female stand-up comics led by Preeti Das, who until then, was a friendly acquaintance and an older-sister-figure I looked up to, and co-founder Shefali Pandey, a technology entrepreneur. Another highlight, the series was quirkily called ‘The Period Show’ because it was to happen once a month. Yet, I thought, “Oh, these people will be too elite. I don’t want to go there.” This is how I skipped the first show.

For the second show, I somehow gathered the courage to write to one of the members. They welcomed me with warm hugs, without a single question on my content, no restrictions on what to say and what not to, just plain trust. The show had a theme, but I was not coerced to follow it. It was my first time, and it was literally at a generous friend’s drawing room with 65 visibly-squeezed people. The anxiety of stand-up can be crazy.

“I have hosted an event with 20,000 people with Shankar Ehsaan Loy and did not feel a thing while doing stand-up comedy in front of 150 people for eight minutes, and my mic was visibly shaking,” says Aarti Boriya, one of the core performers and a radio jockey. Today, we are a group of five women from Ahmedabad, all from different professions and background. Apart from Preeti, Shefali, Aarti and I, there is Vidya who is a researcher. Apart from Preeti Das, none of us are professional comedians, so for us, ‘regular people’, getting such a mouthpiece in itself is an exhilarating experience.

In the past six months, we have covered a range of topics from LGBTQ, Rape, Alcohol, to Female Sexuality, Orgasm, and Body Shaming, catering to over 1,200 people in Ahmedabad with about 15 new performers, mostly females.

In our attempts to do comedy, we even make sure we don’t indulge in overt male bashing or make sexist jokes against men. This is unlike what we see a lot of popular male comedians doing out there. Also, in the Youtube-age, while every comedian around wants to put out their YouTube videos and somehow go viral, we practice restraint. Some of our own content makes us vulnerable. For example, in our shows, Vidya shares her excruciating and awkward experiences about being queer in this country. Laced with dark humour, her show provides a completely different take on womanhood. Vidya is, in fact, her stage name. For her safety and comfort, we can’t allow photography or videography during her performance. She can’t be tagged on FB either.

We don’t charge for tickets yet because we never saw the idea as one for profit making. But somewhere, this decision also comes from the inherent doubt of whether people will pay to watch us perform, and what if it reduces the number of the audience? That’s not something we want. At the end of each performance, little kids of the team members go around with a hat and seek money from the happy audiences. No compulsion. Besides that, I have been an entrepreneur myself, and I know how it feels to be the only woman in a room full of men. And I notice the same thing in comedy. Out of 11 performers, at times, I am the only woman. It doesn’t deter my confidence but it does make the process slightly intimidating. Although, thankfully, I have never had a bad, heckling or angry audience experience.

Location is another challenge. It changes every month because not every venue owner is comfortable with our topics- sometimes the name, sometimes the context. Not everyone may want to offer their space for free. One week before the June show, our co-founder Shefali Pandey got a call from the venue owner saying they didn’t want us to perform anymore because we had named our open-mic as ‘Achhe Din. Achhe Jokes.’

The whole weekend went in running around, hunting for places, frantically calling contacts but almost everything was booked. The content was hardly political or even aimed at a particular political party. It was an open-mic, an open event without any topic. But the hysteria around it surprised us. We did not change the title. Finally, a generous dance studio embraced us with open arms.

As far as the Period Show for July is concerned, we know that most people have appreciated the title ‘The Maa-Bahin Show’ which attempts to reclaim Maa-Bahen, it is not a swear word. It has been long used as one. Some people think we shouldn’t have used it.

On the July 29, we did our first auditorium show, graciously supported and funded by Univation, Ahmedabad. The show went well, 300 people showed up, and people thought it was a one-of-a-kind event. We invited comedian Pooja Vijay from Bangalore, who thought it was great because not only there was such a big crowd for such taboo topics but also the warmth and camaraderie that we had for each other. She wishes more women doing stand-up comedy support for each other. Although, Mahila Manch still gets questions and comments like, “Are you all lesbians?”

“You feminists are too damaged, hence the rant.”

“Obviously you get so many people, only because you are women.”

“Is this activism or standup, first decide then let us know.”

Newspapers don’t want to write about us, and media houses don’t want to cover us. Nevertheless, we know that it will be wrong to say that we are just five women at odds with the world. Challenges are many, but we have constantly got support, and love from the most unexpected people in gracious ways.

This article was first published on Women’s Web.

The post Yes, Women Can Do Stand-Up Too. You Gotta Problem With That? appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

I remember watching the film ‘Lootera’ starring actors Ranveer Singh and Sonakshi Sinha. The fact that the film was inspired by a short story was a good enough reason for me to go and watch the film on the big screen. The film was an Indianised adaptation of a short story written by O Henry. It also had a host of heart-warming moments. By the time the movie ended, I was in tears, with a feeling of melancholy holding me tightly in its grip. I must confess I was deeply moved by Sonakshi Sinha’s character, Pakhi, a young Bengali girl suffering from Tuberculosis. The experience had triggered my emotions to quite an extent.

This is exactly what prompted me to have a closer look at the story written by O Henry. The story was titled ‘The Last Leaf’ (I didn’t know the name of the story back then). I found a PDF copy of the story online. As I began reading it, memories of the good old short stories driven by emotions began flashing before my eyes. For those of you who haven’t had a chance to read this short story, let me give you an overview of the story along with a comprehensive review.

An Overview

‘The Last Leaf’ by O Henry tells the story of Johnsy, a young girl suffering from pneumonia. She witnesses leaves falling from the vine just outside her apartment’s window. Looking at the falling leaves, she asserts that she’d die the day the last leaf falls to the ground. Rubbishing her claims, her friend Sue tells her that she is being silly.

Sue goes to visit Behrman, an old and unsuccessful artist who lives downstairs. Behrman had tried to paint a masterpiece all his life but ended up failing miserably. Sue and Behrman discuss Johnsy’s condition. Behrman calls Johnsy’s claims ‘foolish’ and agrees to pose as a model for Sue’s illustration.

There’s a violent storm at night. Johnsy believes that the last leaf must have fallen, but when Sue pulls up the curtains covering the window, the last leaf is still there. Days roll by but the last leaf does not fall. Johnsy’s doctor comes to examine her and tells her that she’d recover soon. At this point, Johnsy realises how silly she had been to think that she’d die.

Just before leaving, the doctor tells both the women that he needs to examine another patient named Behrman. The old man had developed pneumonia. The next day, Sue tells Johnsy that Behrman has died. The janitor had found him sick in his room, dressed in cold and wet clothes.

The Analysis

‘The Last Leaf’ by O Henry brings to light the importance of hope and optimism in order to tackle the adversities we come across in life. Johnsy develops a pessimistic attitude towards life after developing pneumonia. She believes she’d die, but her friend and flatmate Sue tells her that she’s stupid to think she’d die. Behrman, the old and unsuccessful artist who is protective of both the women, also rebukes Johnsy’s claims. Behrman has tried all his life to paint a masterpiece but has failed.

The story’s setting, with the leaves falling and the winter approaching, also sheds light on the gloom that seems to have engulfed Johnsy. The story further tells us about Behrman and his heroic act. He paints a leaf with all his passion to save a life. All credit to O Henry for bringing a sharp twist towards the end. No one, absolutely no one, would have thought that Behrman would sacrifice his life in order to save Johnsy’s life. The thing that stands out here is: He did not paint ‘The Last Leaf’ to prove his worth, but to save somebody else’s life. In this way, he succeeds in nurturing a sense of hope within Johnsy’s heart. She realises that life is a precious gift worth fighting for. The leaf, on the other hand, symbolises life, growth, nutrition, and health.

Also, ornamenting the story is a multitude of emotions. Right through the course of the story, we witness countless emotions, right from pessimism and the fear of death to optimism and selfless sacrifice.

With its heart in the right place, ‘The Last Leaf’ by O Henry is an absolute masterpiece telling us that hope and optimism are the most formidable weapons possessed by human beings.

The post ‘The Last Leaf’ By O Henry Is An Epitome Of Hope And Optimism appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

वो- क्यों, तुमने “साहेब बीवी और गैंगस्टर 3” देख ली?
मैं- हां।
वो- कहां देखी, हॉल में?
मैं- नहीं, मोबाइल में।
वो- तुम पाइरेसी कर रहे हो बेटा।
मैं- और क्या करूं? 200 रुपए का टिकट लेकर फिल्में देखने जाऊं?
वो- हां।
मैं- नहीं।
वो- क्यों?
मैं- इतने पैसे नहीं हैं मेरे पास।
वो- तो पाइरेसी करोगे।
मैं- और क्या करूं।
वो- ये गलत बात है।
मैं- तो क्या फिल्मों का करोड़ों कमाना सही है?
वो- अबे, इसमें क्या गलत है?
मैं- है।
वो- क्या?
मैं- भाई, हमारे देश में 200 रुपए का टिकट लेना सबके बस की बात नहीं है।
वो- अच्छा।
मैं- तुम एक बात बताओ। ये फिल्मों के टिकट का दाम 50 या 100 रुपए नहीं हो सकता है?
वो- अच्छा जी।
मैं- हम्म, ये फिल्मों का 100 करोड़ कमाना ज़रूरी है क्या?

जी हां, हम सब तकरीबन हर हफ्ते ही अखबारों या टीवी चैनल्स पर यह खबर देखते हैं कि फलां फिल्म ने 100 करोड़ तो फलां फिल्म ने इतने करोड़ की कमाई कर ली है। ये चीज़ सुनने या पढ़ने में भले ही अच्छी लगती हो लेकिन एक बात है जिस पर हम सबको गहराई से सोचना चाहिए।

इसे मुन्ना भाई के अंदाज में कहें तो ये बॉलीवुड फिल्मों का 100 करोड़ कमाना ज़रूरी है क्या? इस सवाल को सुनते ही ज़ुबान पर आता है, नहीं। यदि नहीं, तो ऐसा क्यों हो रहा है? कोई इस पर बात क्यों नहीं करता है? और कोई सवाल क्यों नहीं उठाता है?

देखिए, ये तो बड़ी सिंपल सी सच्चाई है। भारत में बहुत कम लोगों के पास इतने पैसे होते हैं कि वे हर हफ्ते 200 रुपए (एक मोटा-मोटा आंकड़ा) का टिकट लेकर फिल्में देखने सिनेमा हॉल जाएं। ऐसे में फिल्मों के शौकीनों को पाइरेसी का सहारा लेना ही पड़ता है।

पाइरेसी करना गलत है। इसमें कोई दोराय नहीं है। लेकिन कोई रास्ता भी तो नहीं बचता। फिल्मों की चर्चा उनकी रिलीज़ होने के पहले से लेकर उनके सिनेमा हॉल में आने के कुछ दिनों बाद तक चलती है। ऐसे में उस फिल्म के टीवी पर आने तक का इंतज़ार करना कोई व्यवहारिक बात तो नहीं है।

दरअसल, बात ये है कि 50 करोड़, 100 करोड़ या 200-300 करोड़ रुपए की कमाई बहुत होती है। बहुत नहीं, गैर-ज़रूरी होती है। जी हां, आप ही ज़रा सोचकर देखिए। हमारी आपकी तनख्वाह क्या होगी? हम सब कितना कमा लेते होंगे? (औसत रूप में) शायद, एक करोड़ रुपए की कमाई तो पूरे जीवन में ना कर पाते हों। तो फिर, ये फिल्म मेकर्स का करोड़ों कमाना कहां तक जायज है?

बात निकलेगी तो दूर तलक जाएगी। अगर फिल्मों में इतनी बेतहासा कमाई ना होती तो इसमें काला धन लगने की खबरें भी नहीं आती। खबरें तो ऐसी भी आई हैं कि फिल्मों में गैर-कानूनी कामों में लिप्त कुछ लोगों का लंबे समय से पैसा लगता रहा है। कहने का तात्पर्य यह है कि फिल्मों की टिकटों के दाम 200 रुपए नहीं होने चाहिए। यदि इनका दाम 50 से 100 रूपए के बीच हो तब भी इनके मेकर्स पर्याप्त कमाई कर सकते हैं। और हां, फिलहाल के लिए जो कुछ चुनिंदा फिल्में घाटे में जाती हैं, उनका ज़िक्र अभी छोड़ देते हैं।

The post ये बॉलीवुड फिल्मों का 100 करोड़ कमाना ज़रूरी है क्या? appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

Like most puzzles, the clues to cracking Facebook’s EdgeRank algorithm lie in the algorithm itself. Once you understand how it works, cracking it is a piece of cake. Here’s what the algorithm looks like when it’s translated from mathematical symbols to simple words.

EdgeRank = Popularity x Relevance x Recency

Here’s how to do it…

1. Change Your Newsfeed Settings

Shockingly, when you tell Facebook what you want, it gives it to you. The problem is most people don’t know how to talk to Facebook. But we have your back. Open up your Facebook Homepage and find the word ‘Newsfeed’ in the top left corner. See those precious 3 dots ‘…’ next to ‘Newsfeed’? Click on those and select ‘Edit Preferences’.

Now you can choose who you want to see first. Pick your favourite news, sports and entertainment pages (don’t forget to pick WTD News #ShamelessPlug), pick your best friends, closet family or even that random acquaintance who knows just how to tickle your funny bone. You can also choose who to see less, which might be the best way to avoid that cousin who posts daily updates saying “Awww, look how quickly my little bacha is growing!”

After making these changes you might notice that you see way more from the news, sports and entertainment pages. This is because according to this report, person-to-person sharing has fallen by 5.5%, which means that Facebook has now become less about sharing personal messages and more about consuming content from digital publishers. Even though the algorithm was recently changed to show posts by friends and family before brands and news outlets, the sheer volumes and frequency of posts by organizations make it less effective when you select those you want to ‘see first’.

2. Send Facebook Subliminal Messages

Not only does Facebook listen to your direct instructions, it’s especially good at understanding subliminal messages. This means you need to engage with the content you want to see more of. Translation: NO MORE PASSIVE SCROLLING. You’ve got to start liking everything that even mildly interests you, react to things on Facebook that cause a reaction IRL. If you really want to see something show up on your newsfeed more often, throw cause to the wind and comment or share it.

Mark Zuckerberg started 2018 by saying that the only way to really use Facebook is to actively participate on the platform. Of course, that sound like something the Founder of Facebook would want you to do, but considering how EdgeRank works, it’s actually not such a bad idea.

3. Filter Your ‘Friends’

Way back in 2011, Facebook launched something they like to call the ‘Special Friends List’. And when it comes to taking back control of your newsfeed and showing EdgeRank the finger, the Special Friends feature is godsent.

You know how sometimes you see a post by someone on your newsfeed and you find that you don’t even recognize them. Unfriend all these people. If you’re worried about their feeling or your friend count, at least unfollow them. These are the people that truly clutter your newsfeed and keep you from seeing updates posted by people you actually care about.

You know how sometimes you realized your friends with someone but you find that the word ‘friend’ is actually quite a stretch as a term to define your relationship. Guess what? Facebook allows you to downgrade someone from a ‘friend’ to an ‘acquaintance’. You can do this by going to their profile, finding the button that says ‘Friends’ on the top right corner and changing it to ‘Acquaintance’. Now you’ll see fewer posts from these people. You can also upgrade people to being ‘Close Friends’ so you can see more posts from them.

4. Ditch The Newsfeed

If you’ve done all of the above, but you’re still unsatisfied with how your newsfeed looks, we have one more ultimate solution for you – ditch the newsfeed completely and discover all the other cool things you can do on Facebook.

First, you’ll need a replacement for all your news consumption. Download a couple of reliable news apps, one for domestic, one for international news and turn on notifications for these apps.

Now that that’s over, explore other parts of Facebook, like groups. Join groups that are associated with your hobbies, interests and profession. They’re great places to meet new people, make plans, and even find jobs or clients. Facebook is also great for finding interesting events (concerts, markets and festivals) around you or organise events yourself.

Biggest takeaway? Everything around your newsfeed on your homepage can be wayyyy more helpful than the newsfeed is.

The post Facebook’s Algorithm Is Limiting What You See Online appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

In one of the reviews of “Karwaan” posted on YouTube, an elderly person has stated that the movie reminded him of Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s movies. I don’t think anyone can give a better feedback or compliment to the movie than that. Simply put, as its trailer says, the movie is about three lost souls, two dead bodies and one life-changing trip. But the complexities of each character are so deep that it is impossible to draw out each character and show them separately in two hours which could be why the characters seem to be loosely connected in the movie. Only as the movie progresses do we realize that there is a common thread that binds them together. Their fathers. For me, this movie is about how our characters and personalities get affected and evolve based on our experiences.

Shaukat, portrayed delightfully by Irrfan Khan, grows up with an abusive father and a suffering mother and gets stuck in the confused state of why a man has to be abusive towards his wife and why a wife has to suffer silently. His character evolves and becomes sarcastic about life and this is the basis of all the comments he makes in the first half of the movie.

Avinash is a character unlike any of the ones Dulquer Salman (DQ) has portrayed in his films before. He has never portrayed a restrained and confused character. The closest he came was as a confused character in “Ustad Hotel” and a restrained character in “Kammatipadam”. For me, Charlie (a character from a 2015 Malayalam film by the same name) and Avinash have been the most complicated characters he has portrayed till now. To slip into a new character in a new language is as challenging as it can get, but DQ has brought out all the versatility from his underbelly and transformed into Avinash to the T. I was an IT professional and I can empathise with Avinash for the nerdy and lonely life he lives. A father who stifles his artistic ambitions and the arduous IT job is what made him a confused and restrained soul.

I guess the character of Tanya, portrayed by Mithila Palkar hasn’t been given the space to grow enough in the movie. How she loses her father at a young age and how her personality evolves has been shown only through her brief conversation with Avinash. Every woman dotes on her father while growing up and tries to idolise him to the extent that most of the qualities she is looking for in a man would be the ones her father has. Tanya, who has been raised up by her mother and grandmother is obviously craving for the care and attention of a man. This is what has made her a boisterous and confused soul.

The best part of the movie for me was the brief appearance of Kriti Kharbanda. It is during this passage of the movie that we get to see Avinash’s character unravel.

DQ has smartly swum into unchartered waters with an inconspicuous yet challenging role while leaving the spotlight to the vastly experienced and effervescent Irrfan Khan whose every film is eagerly waited for in Bollywood. Mithila probably couldn’t have got a better opening shot with a content-driven role in Bollywood than Tanya.

I have only a simple message for the audience. I grew up during the time of glitz and glamour of Bollywood in the 1980s and I have seen how content-driven and light-hearted movies used to stand out and be raved about. “Karwaan” is one of those movies which is not heavy on our eyes and ears but will leave enough impact on our mind to start introspecting on our lives.

The post ‘Karwaan’: A Light-Hearted Satire With A Dash Of Mindfulness appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

पश्चिमी देश काफी लंबे समय से शोबिज़ के ज़रिये मानवाधिकार के मुद्दों को बढ़ावा देते आ रहे हैं। दारफुर में जॉर्ज क्लूनी और अफ्रीका में एंजेलिना जोली की कुपोषण के खिलाफ लड़ाई याद है?

यह वह समय है जब बॉलीवुड अपनी सांस्कृतिक ताकत का उपयोग खुले में शौच, बाल शोषण, ऋण बंधन जैसी चीज़ों के खिलाफ लड़ाई में कर सकता है। यह तब काम भी किया, जब अमिताभ बच्चन ने पल्स पोलियो वैक्सीन का समर्थन किया और अक्षय कुमार की फिल्म ‘टॉयलेट एक प्रेम कथा’ ब्लॉकबस्टर बन गई। तो आखिर बॉलीवुड समाज में अपने प्रभाव का प्रयोग ज़्यादा-से-ज़्यादा क्यों नहीं कर रहा है?

इस वीडियो में देखें कि कैसे बॉलीवुड सामाजिक जागरूकता में महत्वपूर्ण भूमिका अदा कर सकता है-

The post ब्लॉकबस्टर के चक्कर में क्या बॉलीवुड सोशल अवेयरनेस को भूल रहा है appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

So, here’s an anecdote – let’s call it an inside story –  to start this article. A few years ago, a website posted a photo of Miss Suhana Khan wearing a bikini. The internet, as they say, ‘broke’. Within a few hours, the story took a life of its own. The photo itself was regular, but it was Shahrukh Khan’s daughter. A few days later, Mr Khan met the website’s owner at one of those exotic airports of the world and stopped him. I do not know whether his Delhi-boy tipped up or the Superstar in him did, but Mr. Khan told the website owner in no uncertain terms, “Write what you want about me. My daughter is a kid. She’s off limits.” That was the edict, the mandate or whatever the yuppie kids call it.

This was the anecdote, there is also a rumour. The rumour is that the timing of the posting of the bikini picture was such that SRK was safely in-flight as the photo made it way through the collective bandwidth of India. I have no reason to not believe this, but I cannot vouch for this being anything other than a rumour.

What happened later will give you an idea of why SRK is called the King Khan of Bollywood. The editor of the website, a veteran of several years, had to ask the owner of the website before any photo of any starlet was to be put up on the website. People who were around him could see it – here was a guy who had grizzled himself writing hard news. It was difficult enough to work on a masala Bollywood website, but to be kept on a short leash because of a damn photo that was just taken off a social network (believe me, I would have named the image sharing website if I remembered it, but all I know is that the photo was taken from a locked account) – was maybe the 900th paper cut – of the death by a 1000 paper cuts.

But what followed later was even more surprising. Not a single website ever put up anything about Suhana. The King had spoken, so what if he had done so in the middle of a queue to board or check-in? A year later, I was working with another website that was quite associated with Shah Rukh Khan. In my months of working with them and later, I never saw a Suhana photo or story there, at least not a controversial one.

So, that’s the inside story of how Shah Rukh Khan essentially stopped the media of an entire city from covering his daughter. There is a reason I am sharing this inside story because HuffPost has revealed an ‘inside story’ of how Vogue and the Suhana photoshoot happened. I have read the article so you don’t have to, but it essentially says this:

“We were as happy as Shah Rukh Khan to get Suhana on the cover.”

The article is full of insiders, sources who wish to remain unknown, but, yes it has a quote about someone not putting a gun to their head and all that. But what the article fails to tell is:

Why has Vogue got that girl on the cover? And the answer is plain in sight – there’s no reason that won’t infuriate an entire audience.

The problem is not that Shah Rukh Khan can outright pay to tell the world that his daughter likes a particular web series. The problem is that Shah Rukh Khan won’t need to. It’s angering. It gets to you after a while. As you spend months sending official, then courteous and finally e-mails that reek of desperation to actors, actresses other celebs to write a post about the work – the good work that they are doing – and this woman walks into the Vogue office for a cover shoot, it hurts you. To be fair, I have experienced the aforementioned editor brush off a good story about a smaller star to write a story that measures the temperature at the place where a bigger name is staying, so it’s not like he’s a safed-posh. The HuffPost article is an offshoot of this concept.

There’s blatant fluff about August being an age issue, marketing terms like organically, there’s also proof that the article has been multi-edited, who in the blazes uses a hyphen between good and enough? The article adds nothing to the story and instead acts as a platform for the unknown person at Vogue who’s proud of having the Vogue cover. More often than not, people are proud of what they do, when they aren’t, it makes news. It isn’t newsworthy to get an unnamed source from Vogue to say that they are proud of the Suhana cover – so what’s the point of the article? The article is so ambiguous that you cannot even hate-read it. So, I ask again, what’s the point of the article? Here, read for yourself:

Unless, of course, there’s someone dominating top down over at HuffPost who’s saying, “Write a 1,000-word article with Suhana as the keyword.” Is there?

The post Dear HuffPost, Where’s The Actual Inside Story On The Suhana Vogue Cover? appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

No, it’s not obvious that since it’s Friday we’ll probably have to watch a movie because, for a lot of us, a lot of things restrain us. For instance, a not so well-endorsed movie which should’ve walked a little further to be known to people. One such movie according to me is “Mulk”. The brilliance of Anubhav Sinha, collaborated with this mind-blowing movie, is exquisite.

With a message loud an clear, this movie revolves around one major topic and the repercussions it holds with it, the brewing ideology of Islamophobia not only in India but around the world. It talks about how stereotypes will always continue to build a wall of ‘us vs. them’. No, it’s not something which brews inside the society, but it’s something which surely brews in our head even if we aren’t cognizant about it.

In “Mulk”, the youngest son of a Muslim family settled in Benaras gets involved in terrorist activities, leading to a bomb blast. His actions have an adverse effect on the family who are left to defend themselves as people who are innocent and not anti-nationals.

But, no, it doesn’t stop there. This movie brings up questions which haven’t been asked on a public forum ever. It put forwards how a country can only belong to a certain section of citizens while the rest continue to feel like outsiders in their own homeland. It talks about how in the times of grief and communalism, people fail to recognise the difference between the long beard of Osama Bin Laden and any other Muslim man who has lived, loved and always believed in the nation they live in. It talks about how this country has always and will always belong to the diverse sections who live here and nobody can invite “them” in their own homeland. It brings out a question as to why a Muslim has always been asked to showcase his patriotism at every step of the way, which hasn’t been the case with any other religion. Most importantly, this fictional piece of art reinforces the fact that terrorism is not Islam, in fact, terrorism has no religion and not all terrorists are Muslims. It brings in the definition of all sorts of terrorism which usually go unnoticed because by the dictionary terrorism is the unlawful use of violence and intimidation, especially against civilians, in pursuit of political or social aims. This definition has no mention of religion or the fact that it holds one religion responsible for terrorism. The acts of communal or political violence are also terrorism, but I wonder if that has ever been questioned as an act of terrorism.

The movie brings together the diversity we live in, and how the country belongs to every man and woman who holds a citizenship of it, nobody should have the right to question anyone’s patriotism on the grounds of their religion. Hence, I believe, every person who still suffers from Islamophobia should definitely watch “Mulk”.

For starters, here’s the trailer:

The post If You Suffer From Islamophobia, Watch ‘Mulk’ appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

पुण्य प्रसून बाजपेई ने द वायर हिंदी पर लिखे अपने लेख में इस बात की पुष्टि कर दी है कि एबीपी के मालिक ने उन्हें साफ तौर पर कहा कि वो अपने कार्यक्रम में देश के प्रधानमंत्री नरेन्द्र मोदी का नाम नहीं ले सकते। क्या दुनिया के सबसे बड़े लोकतांत्रिक देश के प्रधानमंत्री को सवालों से खतरा है? और वो भी इतना कि एक पत्रकार की नौकरी ले लें?

मानो एक अवतार हुआ है जिस पर आप सवाल नहीं उठा सकते। सवाल करेंगे तो नौकरी से निकाल दिए जाएंगे। बाजपेई ने आगे लिखा कि मोदी जी की 200 लोगों की टीम है जो यह तय करती है कि हर चैनल पर सिर्फ मोदी जी के पक्ष में खबरें चलाई जाएंगी।

टीवी देखने के पैसे आप देते हैं लेकिन, आप क्या देखेंगे ये मोदी जी तय कर रहे हैं। अब ये तय आपको करना है कि आप कब तक अपने पैसे लगाकर सत्ता द्वारा चलाया जा रहा प्रोपेगैंडा देखना चाहते हैं।

पुण्य प्रसून बाजपेई द्वारा इस देश के प्रधानमंत्री नरेन्द्र मोदी का सभी पत्रकारों को सीधा संदेश है कि पेट की चिंता करो, देश की नहीं। देश की चिंता करोगे तो नौकरी से निकाल दिए जाओगे।

बाजपेई का लिखा ये लेख पढ़कर अगर आपका खून नहीं खौलता है तो शायद गोदी मीडिया पर चल रहे प्रोपेगैंडा ने आपके खून को पानी बना दिया है। एक सिस्टेमैटिक तरीके से आपको बुनियादी सवालों से दूर रखा जा रहा है। चैनलों पर दिन भर चल रही हिन्दू-मुस्लिम की डिबेट ने आपकी लोकतांत्रिक सोच को मार दिया है।

आज रात सभी चैनलों पर चल रही डिबेट देखिएगा। बताइएगा कि कितने पत्रकारों में इतनी हिम्मत है कि सीधा नाम लेकर देश के प्रधानमंत्री नरेन्द्र मोदी से सवाल करे। देखिएगा कि क्या किसी चैनल पर लोकतंत्र की मौत का मातम मनाया जा रहा है? क्या किसी चैनल पर सीधा नाम लेकर लोकतंत्र के हत्यारे से सवाल किया जा रहा है? अगर नहीं, तो न्यूज़ चैनलों को देखना बंद कर दीजिए।

अगर आपको इस देश की और लोकतंत्र की थोड़ी सी भी चिंता है तो आवाज़ उठाइए। सत्ता के गलियारों तक ये संदेश पहुंचना चाहिए कि लोकतंत्र के बहे खून के हर एक कतरे का हिसाब लिया जाएगा।

जो सरकार के समर्थक हैं मेरा उनसे भी कहना है कि खामोश मत रहिए। कल को आपके बच्चे सड़कों पर नौकरी के लिए धक्के खाएंगे तो चैनलों पर चल रही मोदी चालीसा और हिन्दू-मुस्लिम डिबेट आपके बच्चों को नौकरी नहीं देगी। अगर आज आप दूसरों के सवाल दबाए जाने पर खामोश रहेंगे तो कल आपके सवाल भी कोई नहीं उठाएगा।

हर रात आपके टेलीविजन से निकलने वाली रोशनी आपको झूठ के उजाले सौंप कर सच के अंधेरे से आपको दूर रखना चाहती है। खैर ये स्वाभाविक भी है। जब दवात सत्ता की, कलम सत्ता की, तो स्याही सच उगलेगी ऐसी उम्मीद बेवकूफी ही है।

खैर, 15 अगस्त आने वाला है। तैयार हो जाइए “फ्री प्रेस और फ्री स्पीच” के हत्यारे का लाल किले की प्राचीर से आज़ादी पर भाषण सुनने के लिए। तैयार हो जाइए तिरंगे में अपनी डीपी बदलने के लिए। तैयार हो जाइए सड़कों पर निकल कर भारत माता की जय के नारे लगाने के लिए। अघोषित आपातकाल मुबारक हो आपको।

The post “मानो नरेंद्र मोदी कोई अवतार हों जिसपर आप सवाल नहीं उठा सकते” appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

Bangalore: The city witnessed unmatched passion for football on August 4 as the beautiful game became a platform to champion for child rights. Football is known to have broken boundaries, but the game became even more beautiful as it championed a social cause, this time to ensure a happy, healthy and creative childhood. CRY – Child Rights and You, one of India’s leading NGOs working for child rights, organised a tournament called Aon-CRY Soccer for Child Rights, where teams from 23 corporate bigwigs locked horns in a day-long tournament to grab the champion’s trophy and champion for child rights.

The third edition of the tournament, held in Bangalore, saw 28 teams participate, which included four women’s teams. Out of the 28 participating teams, three teams were from the intervention areas of Vyasarpadi Children Empowerment Project, a CRY-supported project working for children in Chennai.

“CRY has always believed in working in the best interest of the child. It is our earnest effort to ensure that every child enjoys their right to childhood and games and sports are integral parts of it. Over the last two years, the stature of the tournament has only grown to encourage us in making this a better and bigger platform that connects two very different sides of the society,” said Suma Ravi, Regional Director (South), CRY, while inaugurating the tournament.

Tarandeep Singh, Partner and Asia Pacific Middle East Leader, Aon Assessments, said, “Aon and its subsidiary, CoCubes, are proud to be associated as the Title Sponsors for Aon-CRY Soccer for Child Rights – a unique initiative from CRY to provide equal opportunity for education to children.”

“At Aon CoCubes, our goal is to provide equal opportunity for every deserving candidate for a fulfilling career. Our goals are aligned and complement the life-cycle of the young – Education and Employment. We have come together to meet this goal with a goal of another kind – Soccer,” he added.

As revealed by CRY, the proceeds of the tournament will support projects such as the Vyasarpadi Children Empowerment Project which has around 1,500-2,000 children within its intervention areas. The project aims at providing children from the marginalized sector of the society with the right exposure to life through the medium of sports. Going forward, CRY envisages replicating this model in its other project areas as well where children have excelled in alternate forms of sports such as karate, kabaddi and judo, to name a few. Projects like Salem People’s Trust (SPT) and People’s Organisation for Rural Development (PORD) in Andhra Pradesh also work with many children with high potential to perform well in Karate and Kabaddi respectively.

The men’s team from Infosys and the women’s team from SC STEDS won the tournament and TCS women’s team and SC STEDS men’s team procured runners-up position.

The post Scoring For A Cause: A Football Tournament For Child Rights appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

फणीश्वरनाथ रेणु जी की इस तस्वीर को देखते ही मुझे पटना पीएमसीएच हॉस्पीटल का एक रोमांचक या कहिए ऐतिहासिक दृश्य आंखों के सामने कौंध गया। इस तस्वीर में रेणु जी पीएमसीएच में भर्ती दिखते हैं, बेड नम्बर 21 पर।

मैं घटनाओं की तिथि और साल को याद करने के मामले में बड़ा फिसड्डी हूं, इसलिए जिस रोमांचक दृश्य का ज़िक्र मैं करने जा रहा हूं, उसके साल या तिथि का मुझे तनिक इलहाम नहीं है, यह मैं पहले ही बता दूं।

पूर्णिया और उससे सटे पूरे सीमांचल के अपने समय के और अपने जीवन काल में ही किंवदती बन चुके नक्षत्र मालाकार और फणीश्वरनाथ रेणु के आपसी संबंध कैसे थे, इसे यहां बहुत बताने की ज़रूरत नहीं है। जो लोग रेणु जी के साहित्य से भलीभांति परिचित हैं, उन्हें उनके संबंधों के बारे में अच्छी जानकारी है। उनके मैला आंचल उपन्यास के चलित्तर कर्मकार को कोई भला कैसे भूल सकता है?

मालाकार जी प्रायः सीपीआई पार्टी के हर बड़े कार्यक्रम में पटना आया करते थे। पटना में उनका निवास पार्टी मुख्यालय अजय भवन हुआ करता था। संयोगवश, उसी लंगरटोली गली में 20-25 कदम आगे हम भी किराया के मकान में रहा करते थे। मालाकार जी और मेरे पिता कविवर कन्हैया के बीच बड़ा गहरा लगाव था। इस नाते अजय भवन में रहते हुए मालाकार जी गये शाम हमारे घर पर आ जाते थे और पिता से जाने क्या-क्या बतियाते हुए घंटों गुज़ार देते थे। मुझे याद है, मालाकार जी पर मेरे पिता की एक लंबी कविता जनशक्ति में छपकर खूब चर्चित हो चुकी थी।

मालाकार जी में एक ज़बरदस्त विचित्रता थी। उनमें कवियों और साहित्यकारों के प्रति अगाध श्रद्धा थी, लगभग ईश्वर समान! अपने जीवन का अधिकांश समय मारधाड़ और मरने-मारने के चक्रव्यूह में फंसे रहने, जेलों की अंधेरी दुनिया में खपाने वाला कोई शख्स साहित्य एवं साहित्यकारों के आकर्षण से इस कदर आबद्ध हो, मालाकार जी के व्यक्तित्व की इस विचित्रता की गुत्थी मैं आज तक नहीं सुलझा पाया हूं।

फणीश्वरनाथ रेणु अपनी लंबी बीमारी के चलते उन दिनों साहित्य की दुनिया में काफी चर्चा में थे। वे पीएमसीएच के प्राइवेट केबिन जिसका पिछला दरवाज़ा संभवतः गंगा किनारे की ओर खुलता था, में भर्ती थे। मालाकार जी किसी पार्टी कार्यक्रम के सिलसिले में पटना आये हुए थे। पटना आने पर मैं उनके साथ चिपक जाता था। उन्हें भी सहूलियत होती थी मुझे साथ लेकर पार्टी काम से फुर्सत पाकर पटना में कहीं और आने-जाने में। उन्हें मालूम था कि मैं साहित्य की दुनिया में टटका-टटका पांव धर चुका हूं और ऊपर से नीम चढ़े करैला समान नक्सल-असर में भी मज़े-मज़े मुब्तिला हो चुका हूं। वे बतियाते खूब थे। मैं उनके साथ जब होता तो साहित्य और नक्सल दोनों ही दुनिया के बारे में वे खोद-खोद कर ढेरों सवाल मुझसे पूछते। मुझे भी उनकी जिज्ञासा को शांत करने के चक्कर में वीरगाथा समान अपने अनुभवों को रखने में कम रोमांच का अनुभव नहीं होता।

मालाकार जी ने जब जाना कि रेणु जी इन दिनों अस्पताल में भर्ती हैं तो मुझसे उन्होंने उन्हें देखने ले चलने को कहा। मुझे भारी विस्मय हुआ। कहीं किसी रिपोतार्ज में रेणु जी का लिखा हुआ पढ़ चुका था कि मालाकार जी के बारे में उन्होंने संभवतः भ्रमवश यह बात लिख डाली थी कि नछत्तर ने डकैती डालने के सिलसिले में औरतों की इज्ज़त पर भी हाथ डाला था। कहते हैं कि यह बात मालूम होने पर मालाकार जी अपने सर्वज्ञात ‘उचित’ दंड से नवाज़ने की खातिर तभी से रेणु जी की तलाश में रहने लगे थे। वे औरतों की इज्ज़त पर हाथ डालने की कल्पना से ही सिहर उठते थे, मालाकार जी के चरित्र का यह पक्ष सर्वविदित है।

इस नाते अपने ऊपर इतनी घिनौनी तोहमत पर उनका तिलमिला उठना लाज़िमी था। उनके ‘उचित’ दंड का भेद भी सबको मालूम है। अपने शुरुआती दिनों में नक्षत्र मालाकार अपराधियों/कुकर्मियों के नाक/कान काटकर उन्हें दंडित किया करते थे।

रेणु जी उन्हीं दिनों पटना से गांव के अपने घर रहने आये हुए थे। इस बात की जानकारी गिने-चुने लोगों को ही थी। मगर, एक रात किसी ने उन्हें गहरी नींद से झकझोरते हुए जगाया, “भागो, जल्दी भागो, मालाकार आ रहा है!” रेणु जी मालाकार के आने का मतलब अच्छी तरह जानते थे। माने अपने नाक/कान से महरूम हो जाना। वे उसी रात जान लेकर गांव से भागे।

अब इस पूरे वर्णन से वाकिफ होने के कारण जब मैंने रेणु जी से मिलने जाने की मालाकार जी की गुहार सुनी तो मेरा विस्मित होना स्वाभाविक ही था। मगर, मालाकार जी का पक्का इरादा और चेहरे पर भारी निश्च्छलता देखकर मुझे उनसे इस प्रसंग की याद दिलाने की ज़रूरत महसूस ना हुई। मालूम करके कि रेणु जी किस वार्ड में भर्ती हैं, दोपहर का खाना खिलाकर रिक्शा करके मैं मालाकार जी को ले पीएमसीएच पहुंचा।

विश्वासपूर्वक कह नहीं सकता कि उस ऊंघती दोपहरी में रेणु जी के केबिन में और कौन था, यदि गुस्ताखी ना मानी जाये तो संभवतः वह गीतकार सत्यनाराण या आलोचक रामवचन राय हो सकते हैं। रेणु जी अपने बेड पर लेटे हुए थे। मालाकार जी को आगे कर हमने केबिन में प्रवेश किया। आगे क्या हुआ, मैं आज भी उस गहन कल्पनातीत दृश्य को याद कर रोमांचित हो उठता हूं।

मालाकार जी ठिठक कर दरवाज़ा के पास ही ठहर गये थे। रेणु जी ने खटका पाकर दरवाज़े की ओर नज़र डाली। कुछ क्षण तक दोनों एक-दूसरे को निस्तब्ध निहारते रहें। तत्पश्चात रेणु जी बेड से उतरे और मालाकार जी भी आगे बढ़े। फिर तो दोनों एक-दूसरे की बाहों में ऐसे कस कर गुंधे गोया दो बिछुड़े हुए गहरे यार ज़माने बाद मिल रहे हों। हमने देखा, दोनों की आंखें भी खूब गीली हो चली थीं।

शाम ढलने पर हम वापस अजय भवन पहुंचे। मगर, मेरे मन में लगातार यह बात कौंध रही थी कि विगत दिनों के दो शत्रु (जिसका वर्णन एक ने खुद ही कलमबद्ध कर रखा हो) क्या कभी इस कदर भी टूट कर गले मिल सकते हैं? आखिरकार, मैंने मालाकार जी को याद कराकर उनसे पूछा, “कॉमरेड, यह क्या माज़रा है? रेणु जी के लिखे उस वर्णन और आज के इस मिलन-दृश्य में किसे हकीकत मानी जाये और किसे झूठ!”

पता है, गहरा सांवलापन लिए नाटा मगर गठीली कदकाठी और निहायत खुरदुरा सा दिखने वाले उस शख्स ने जो आज पूरे सीमांचल के जन-मानस में महानायक का दर्जा दर्ज कर चुका है, क्या जवाब दिया? जैसे कोई अपने खून-पसीने सनी विरासत को संभालने वाले वारिस को नसीहत दे, नक्षत्र मालाकार ने मेरे कांधे को सहलाते हुए जवाब दिया, “बेटे, झूठ और हकीकत वाली कोई बात नहीं है। असल बात है, हमारे समय के इतने बड़े साहित्यकार का मान जिसने अपने साहित्य में हमें जगह दी।”

शायद, महामानव ऐसे ही होते हैं!

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[नोट- अंग्रेज़ों और देशी राज की फाइलों में ‘ए नोटोरियस कम्युनिस्ट’ ‘डकैत’ तथा ‘रॉबिनहुड’ के नाम से विख्यात नक्षत्र मालाकार पूर्णिया-कटिहार क्षेत्र के एक दुर्दांत किसान नेता थे। आज़ादी के पहले उनका अधिकांश जीवन अंग्रेज़ों तथा क्षेत्र के आततायी सामंतों से खूनी भिडंत में बिता, तो आज़ाद भारत में भी 18 साल तक उन्होंने जेल की सज़ा काटी। उनके जीवन से प्रेरित होकर फणीश्वरनाथ रेणु ने अपने उपन्यास ‘मैला आंचल’ तथा अनूपलाल मंडल ने ‘तूफान और तिनके’ उपन्यास में उन्हें यादगार पात्र बनाया है।]

The post “जब फणीश्वरनाथ रेणु का नाक-कान काटने के बजाय नक्षत्र मालाकार ने उन्हें गले लगा लिया” appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

The term Mass Media can be defined as technology that is intended to reach a mass audience. The most common platforms of mass media include newspapers, magazines, radio, television and the internet. The general public characteristically depends on mass media to access news, ranging from political issues, social issues, entertainment and business news amongst others.

In India, citizens get access to news and information mainly from different media outlets, the most dominant ones being Indian newspapers and news channels. The media further plays an important role in informing citizens about the daily political updates, and therefore achieves an even more central role during the electoral process and campaigns run by different political parties. Hence, mass media is of utmost importance in the political realm, as it influences public opinion and helps to define and take up crucial issues. The advent of mass media has almost transformed the idea of a ‘public sphere’ which was much emphasized by the renowned sociologist Jurgen Habermas.

Today, mass media has become an important tool to keep the powerful in check by seeking transparency for their actions or to address any grievances faced by the general public; which is why the media is known as the watchdog of democracy. The Indian society, as we know, has been witness to a massive growth of social media, and various social media platforms have not only made it easier to connect with people but have also provided a network which has become dominant in discussing the political narrative of our country. Mass media has also acted as a catalyst for political parties during election campaigns.

A India has become a digital society where social media has embedded itself in the lives of people (India ranks on the top of the list in the countries with the highest number of Facebook users at 270 million) Inevitable, election campaigning has been slowly shifting towards the digital arena in the past few years. The use of social media for political outreach has exploded in recent years, and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been the pioneer of using social media as well as mass media to its advantage in the 2014 election. The party employed social media as a key campaign tool in the 2014 election. In sheer numbers, the BJP dominated social media during the election. It is considered that the 2014 Lok Sabha elections was India’s first real media election and that it was ‘media logic’, not ‘political logic’ that determined the outcome of the elections, and the BJP’s victory was largely due to its high voltage media campaign. Some have blamed the media for letting the public relations agencies of Narendra Modi’s campaign influence their election coverage while others have argued that TV’s obsession with Modi was a result of a convergence between corporate ownership of the electronic media and Modi’s corporate bank-rollers.

Even though social media is a great tool for campaigning, the present state of online advertising and marketing faces a huge threat due to fake news and tailored content to sway voters. The parent company of the controversial data mining operation Cambridge Analytica may have worked on Indian political campaigns for years. According to documents released by a whistle-blower, this raises major concerns regarding the data about voters that may have been misused. It was claimed by Christopher Wylie, a whistle-blower who exposed Cambridge Analytica, that the firm’s parent company, Strategic Communications Limited, piloted behavioral research and polling for at least six state elections in India between 2003 and 2012, comprising the 2009 national election. It is not clear whether the company misused the private data, but social media has become a popular arena for campaigning and it requires strict regulations.

Herein, one can say that politics and media share a complex synergistic relationship and must be looked at in juxtaposition to one another. Media, politics and elections are intertwined together and social media platforms have become the essential ground for the discussion of political narratives and discourse, but one must also exercise caution while engaging in a political dialogue on social media.

With the general elections next year, one will have to keep an eye out for the various kinds of campaigning that will be done on social media by different political parties.

The post Will Social Media Be The Game Changer In 2019? appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

Upon asking Laxminarayana, an artisan from Nirmal’s Nakkash community, if he has a holiday on May 1, he said, in a rather exasperated tone, “If we take a holiday, who will work? The work will get delayed by a day, which means our payment gets delayed by another day. We don’t have the luxury of taking a holiday.” Even on International Labour Day, the artisans of Nakkash community of Nirmal work to make their ends meet. Not working on a particular day meant an empty stomach for the whole family for that day.

The land of art and crafts, Nirmal produces various toys and paintings that serve as iconic symbols for the state of Telangana. Nirmal toys and paintings are the only ancient handmade art which has survived in the state. The origin of this art can be traced back to the 14th century.

Carved out from the erstwhile district of Adilabad, Nirmal is now a separate district, located in the north of Telangana, sharing its border with Maharashtra.  The Adilabad district, before the reassigning of new districts, had a densely forested area with large parts of it inhabited by tribal population. The forest area is also home to the Kawal Wildlife Sanctuary. Today, a part of this forest area falls under the newly formed Nirmal district.

Historically, the Nirmal arts and crafts draw their inspiration from various schools of art such as Ajanta, Kangra, and Mughal miniature arts.  The artisans of the ‘Nakkash,’ community belong to a backward caste. The people of the Nakkash community have not only been surviving on the art as a major source of livelihood but have ensured that this art survives the test of time.

The community and its work got its first recognition when the Nawab of Hyderabad visited this town in the 17^th century.  The then local authorities decorated his seat with various fruits, vegetables and showered him with flowers cascaded with the golden colour to welcome the Nawab.

These Nakkash artisans are skilled enough to make toys in any possible shape and paint any given design – from miniature insects and animals to large mandapas.

The three main ingredients that go into the making of these toys are wood, coluor, and lye. The toys are made from the wood of the ponika trees (Govotia rottleriformis), which are vastly found in this region. Ponika wood is more pliable and flexible compared to the wood from other conventional trees, giving the artisans an advantage of making a range of toys from this lightweight wood. The colours are naturally drawn from herbs, vegetables and minerals. The lye is made of tamarind seeds (chintha ginjallu), which are soaked in water until they become soft. These are then ground to turn into a paste – the lye.

For the paintings, the artisans use teak wood instead of Ponika wood. The teak undergoes a process which involves lacquering the wood surface to get a clear black background, which is then sprayed with colors to get the desired background colour. The artist then paints the designs which are already determined, on the wood. The painters work all around the year except during summers when the paint gets solidified quickly due to the heat.

Apart from these, there are many invisible human labour hours the Nakkash artisans put in to bring these toys and paintings to life.

Rajashekar Nampalli, a renowned artisan and recipient of numerous awards from the then Andhra Pradesh government says, “Though I have been working in this field for more than two decades, I hardly earn about ₹6,000-7,000 in a month,” To earn this meager income, Rajashekar works relentlessly for almost 12 hours every day from eight in the morning to late in the night, taking occasional breaks.

These Nakkash artisans only make toys in bulk.  Depending on the size of the toys, the quantity is decided. The process begins with the raw wood cut into desired blocks in the sawmill, which is then prepared for applying lye and colours. The artist, with extreme care, then cuts the wood in required dimensions and adds colors to bring it to life.

Laxminarayana says with pride, “This process requires the greatest level of imagination by an artisan. Since a single artisan is responsible for creating a toy from the beginning to the end.” The Nakkash workers organized themselves into a cooperative society in 1955, which has been patronizing the Nirmal art ever since.

Though the government has constructed a workshop building for the use of the artists, they don’t receive any other support from the government. The artisans get paid only for their work done. The artisans who make toys get around 60% of the sale price, whereas the artisans who paint pictures get just 15-20%. In many cases, they get paid only after the prepared toys are sold.

Rajashekar’s father, who was also an artisan who made the Nirmal toys, and his forefathers were also traditional Nakkash artisans.

But unlike Rajashekar, the next generation is taking up more lucrative careers and showing an interest in getting educated in the cities or overseas. Mohan, who is also practising this art as part of family tradition, says “I practise this art with an intention to save this art and tradition. Today, not only my children but even those artisans who were once proficient in the art have abandoned the practise.”

Ramesh, who has been practising this art for more than three decades, says “I haven’t seen a single new person who has joined us to practise this art. The last person who joined this profession was two decades ago.” He also says, “I can see the death of this art in the next two decades, we are the last generation who are practising this art”.

The art which once flourished in the name of these artisans is on its deathbed with just 45 Nakkash artisans still practising the art. In recent years, with the help of state and central governments, the cooperative society has conducted a workshop. In an attempt to revive the art, the workshop’s main objective was to train interested people outside the Nakkash community to master the art form.  But only three workshops have been conducted in the last decade and the artisans who train complain that they don’t see any commitment in the people who attend the workshops.

The government support to either the artisans or the society in terms of promoting the arts or monetary support has been close to negligible. “In spite of a few political promises by the ruling party, there is not much support we get from the state,” says Purshotham, the head of the cooperative society.

The cooperative society buys Ponika wood from the forest departments once a year. The wood is bought mostly from Echampadu and Kanapur forest range depot. But the availability of Ponika wood has been drastically reduced. The primary reason is that the forest department is uninterested in providing the wood to the artisans as the revenue generated from the sale isn’t viable, as there are no other buyers of the wood but the artisans.

The other reason, however, is the natural depletion of the forest due to huge deforestation and urbanisation. Rajashekar says, “Though the state government and forest department encourage afforestation under Telangana Haritha Haram (literally translated-green garland of Telangana) programme, it doesn’t encourage or plant any Ponika plants”.

The art still has relevance among art connoisseurs and patrons. The Nakkashi community won the prestigious Kalamani Award during 30th Surajkund International Craft Mela, 2016 held in Haryana. Even individual artisans and the cooperative society have won several awards, brought laurels to the community and have been appreciated at numerous events. Yet, none of this has caught the attention of the government and hasn’t brought any change in the lives of the artisans. They are merely left with the appreciations and poverty, as empty words don’t fill stomachs.

Initially, the Nakkash artisans would prepare toys of vegetables, fruits and other small things which were largely a part of the daily life – even the painters would paint images of gods and goddesses. But with globalisation and liberalisation, the artisans are forced to create newer kind of toys and paintings to compete with the market outside that is already dominated by plastic toys. The artisans are also forced to use chemical oil colors to get a glossy finish to the toys.

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