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Films for Change
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Distant Thunder
Films for change aims to bring together people who are committed to development and who have faith in the medium of films as a vehicle of social change. It would provide them with a platform to come together in solidarity and work towards better awareness , better health and in all a better world for all.
Films for change , a joint initiative of Project Smita (in memory of Smita Patil), Mumbai and the Voluntary Health Association of India (VHAI), develops films that present social issues and concerns in a popular format .Its objective is to use mass media for reaching out to people with information on issues that effect them, in their language and in a mode which catches their attention. We consciously decided to rise above the cliché of serious alternate cinema and instead communicate in a manner, which is entertaining and interesting. We believe that this convergence of 'entertainment' and 'development issues' would make the films more meaningful to people as individuals and a society. And thus catch their attention and retain it too.

The Objective

Films for change plans to produce relevant films every year on contemporary and burning issues with the two-fold objective:
  • to be telecast on the television channels
  • and copies to be made available to NGO's and other organization for use in their work as a tool for training , sensitization and information dissemination.
We are also planning to gradually broaden the scope of Films for Change be developing music albums and videos, social advertising and feature film. But of course with a social message as the core focus of each.

'Aparajita' explores the issue of gender discrimination through the life of an adolescent girl for her trials and tribulations in the quest for education and self reliance. Scripted by Mr. Alok Mukhopadhyay and Directed by Mr. Raman Kumar, the film's cast includes Kanwaljeet Singh, Avtar Gill, Renuka Shahne, Seema Biswas and Divya Dutta.
  
'Anant' revolves around the life of four HIV+ patients. The music is by Jagjit Singh and the star cast includes Deepti Naval, Kanwaljeet & Seema Biswas. Scripted by Mr. Alok Mukhopadhyay, 'Anant' was premiered by Star TV on the World AIDS Day for the South East Asian region. It had a viewership of 170 million people and recieved rave reviews.

                 


'Sheila' is a story of a woman's struggle in a male dominated society. A 26 episode tele-serial, 'Sheila' is a professional production with popular artists providing the right mix of entertainment, information and content. It received a high TRP rating during its telecast on Doordarshan and then its return on primetime Sunday afternoons. Gauging its popularity , Doordarshan subsequently dubbed it in various regional languages for telecast at the local stations.


'Kasba' is a series of 21 films that depicts the everyday trials and triumphs of a community. Presented through the eyes of the five musketeers of the kasba , each episode deals independently with issues like population control, girl child, women's economic empowerment, superstition and blind belief, adolescence, gender equality, child care and adoption, quacks and traditional practitioners.

Governing Body for Films for change

Recently , Films for Change after extensive consultations has formed a governing body of individuals who would guide us in our work. These include Shri Alok Mukhopadhya, Chief Executive, VHAI, Shri Mahesh Bhatt (note film director), Ms Seema Biswas (actress), Shri Ram Maheshwary,(Branch Head ,Mumbai, Bennett Coleman and Co. Ltd.), Smt. Bakul Patel (Board member of Rajni Patel Trust and social activist), Ms. Vinta Nanda (Ideation Director, Zee TV), Shri Raman Kumar (noted film and TV soap director) and Shri Ashok Pandit (noted TV soap director).

Films for change has also benefited by the interest and commitment of well known artists and film industry professionals like Dipti Naval, Kanwaljit, Renuka Sahane and Jagjit Singh. The list of our friends is very long and growing.

Building partnerships with Television Channels and support Organisations

Films for Change believes in involving the channels in conceptualizing innovative and specialized programs that are relevant to the channel, by being in tandem with its thrust area and of the desired quality. The support of television channels is integral to the success of the effort. Films for Change is trying to build a partnership with the channels to : Telecast on regional or multilingual channels.
Programs from Films for Change

Films for change has developed films in the following format:

1) Short films produced in popular format (tele-films). Some of the films in this format are:
  • 'Aparajita' - explore the issue of gender discrimination through the life of an adolescent girl - her trials and tribulations in the quest for education and self-reliance. Directed by Mr. Raman Kumar and story by Shri Alok Mukhopadhyay, the film cast includes Kanwaljit Singh, Avtar Gill, Renuka Sahane , Seema Biswas and Divya Dutta.
  • 'Anant' revolves around the life of four HIV + patients. The music is by Jagjit Singh and the story by Shri Alok Mukhopadhhyay. Star cast includes Deepti Naval, Kanwaljit Singh & Seema Biswas. 'Anant ' was premiered by Star TV on the World AIDS Day for the South East Asian region . It had a viewership of 170 million people and received rare reviews.

2) Teleserials in popular format

  • 'Sheila' is a story of a woman's struggle in a male dominated society. A 26 episode tele-serial, 'Sheila' provides the right mix of entertainment , information and content. It received a high TRP rating during its telecast on Doordarshan and a rerun on primetime. Doordarshan , subsequently dubbed it in various regional languages for telecast at the local stations.
  • 'Kasba' is a series of 21 films that depicts the everyday trials and triumphs of a community. Presented through the eyes of the five musketeers of the kasba , each episode deals independently with issues like population control, girl child, women's economic empowerment, superstition and blind belief, adolescence, gender equality, child care and adoption, quacks and traditional practitioners.

3) Documentaries

  • 'Paths are Made by Walking' the production and direction of the film 'Paths are Made by Walking' was done by Alok Mukhopadhyay, who has produced about 50 films, directing many of them, for India's largest TV Channel - Doordarshan.
    The film captures the past, present and future of Health Promotion and the global challenges and responses of Health Promotion and inspires people to be more motivated to the cause of Health Promotion. World Health Organisation (WHO) used VHAI produced short film entitled 'Paths are Made by Walking', as the curtain raiser for the Inaugural Session of WHO's 6th Global Conference on Health Promotion, held at Bangkok from 7-11 August 2005.
  • 'Distant Thunder' is a bold exploration into the genesis of terrorism in Assam and the plight of its people. Shri .I.K.Gujral , the former Prime Minister , had inaugurated the documentary's premiere in 1998.
  • 'Yeh Sdak Ke Bacche' is a true-to life presentation on the burgeoning street children issue.

4) Issue (advocacy) oriented videos

  • 'Herbal Medicine' - Film documents the work of traditional healers in tribal areas and the scientific analysis being done about these treatments.
  • 'Milk or Murder' promote breast feeding by highlighting the effects of tinned milk powder on the infant.
  • 'Pills, Policies & Profits' deals with key issues related to medicines in India including National drug policy , irrational use of drugs, banning of drugs, production or non-availability of essential drugs, pricing patterns etc.