Dearest Dictator!Fascism would not work in India!It failed in 1977.it has failed yet again!
24 artists, including filmmaker Kundan Shah, return their national awards over FTII row
But the government hit back saying it is an agenda against them
'The Great Dictator' speech by Charlie Chaplin (Subtitles - Best Version)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBpX0pkWKDY
Palash Biswas
Just before the scheduled March to the Raisina Hills to impeach the President of Democrat Secular Indian Republic for his continuous cry to sustain inherent tolerance and Diversity in this land of one of the oldest civilization always engaged in quest of knowledge where religion always meant humanity and love,the Bharat Tirth as Gurudev Tagore described it,no less than 24 artists including film makers returned the award!
This morning I had said in my daily video talk that we have to stand with Shahrukh Khan who dares to speak human and an intensive hate campaign launched against the evergreen daring artist branding him anti national!
I used the eternal musicality of Indian Cinema which has always contributed to national integrity and unity and united the humanity worldwide expressing love,fraternity,peace,equality,justice and each value of Indian civilization,its day to day life, aspirations, ambition,struggles,folk,festivals breaking the barriers of language, identity, caste,religion ans race.
Indian Cinema had been the last home of artists who launched Indian People`s Theater like Baalraj Sahani,AK Hangal,Ritwik Ghatak,Salil Chowdhari and others,thetre personalities like Amrish Puri,Shriram Lagu,Nasiruddin Shah and so many of them.
FTTI remained the grooming institute of artists and film makers and it had to be killed as other institutions of Indian democracy have been killed as Pansare ,Davolkar and Kalburgi have been killed to make this globe subordinate to Manusmrity discipline of Racist Apartheid brute for which an Arabian Spring has been imported for religious Polarization.
This Morning I used the Ae Malik Tere Bande Hain Hum,earlier I used Kadam Kadam Badhaye Jaa and then the masterpiece, the Charlie Chaplin speech in the Great Dictator explaining musicality, sound design and aesthetics of social realism frame to frame!
Thus,I am very happy after my Professor and close friend Dr,Shekhar Pathak,the historian returned Padmshree as the famous Nainilake in my home town in Nainital echoed the voice of conscience of light,progress,civilization and humanity.
I had been insisting that each and everyone from Indian intelligentsia and Indian Cinema specifically has to speak human and I am happy yet again after my teacher in GIC,Nainital, Tara Chandra Tripathi endorsed our campaign Desh Jodo Dunia Jodo only this morning.
Indian Cinema despite some voices of dissent stand rock solid to defend humanity and civilization ,the legacy of inherent diversity and pluralism.
We are not reactionaries and being democrat we respect every note of dissent as we fight for freedom of speech and right to dissent.
It is mandatory to dismiss the self destructive Mandate that we invested in an inefficient,unworthy dictator as Germany also committed the Himalayan blunder and still suffring.We would not allow to repeat the history of Nazi Regeime and fascism!
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1 Virendra Saini I am returning this award in sincere hope that the government will solve all the problems of the Film andTelevision Institute of India with an open mind. National Film Award for Best Cinematography, Salim Langde Pe Mat Ro, 1990; National Film Award for Best Children's film, Kabhi Paas Kabhi Fail, 1999 Manoj Lobo I received the National Award from Our former President Mr APJ Abdul Kalam for cinematography in2005 for my F.T.I.I diploma film Girni . It still remains a most cherished and valued experience in my life.My cinematography career subsequently was in a big way influenced by the recognition I received gettingthis awardToday , I return this award in protest of the devaluing of our academic institutions specifically F.T.I.I byappointing people without solid past commitment to cinema, culture and history of India . It is ahumiliation I cannot bear .I stand for an India that's multi culturally vibrant, secular and intellectually rich.Am awaiting my country and my award backJai Hind Director of photography of Jaane tu ya jaane na, jhootha hi Sahi, Nautanki Saala, shaadi ke side effects. Vivek Sachidanand I am an alumnus of FTII and I received a National Award in 2005 for Audiography. I have no doubt in mymind that I owe the National Award or any other award or recognition that I have received in myprofessional career, entirely to the time I spent in FTII and the education I received from my teachers andfellow students during that time. So for me its heart breaking to see that the posts of Chairman and Governing Council members of such areputed institute is being filled up with people with no qualifications whatsoever. It's indeed sad that ademocratically elected government would distribute such posts, seemingly as gifts to undeserving people,for their affiliation to a political party or its wings with no transparency. What's even more disturbing to meis that this seems to be happening with many such institutes in the country, which have built theirreputation over decades. When I hear repeated instances of people in the government saying that FTII has not produced any realtalent in years and that the students are 'naxals and anti-nationals', I feel it's necessary to make my voiceheard and return the awards that the same Indian government has given me as an 'FTII product'. It goes without saying that this award means a lot to all of us and we are not rejecting the recognition thatthe jury has bestowed upon us, nor are we belittling the honour given to us by the people of our country inthe form of the National Award. I don't have any affiliation to any political party and my raising these questions at this point of time doesn'tmean no wrong has happened before under any other governments. However, past mistakes cannot be used 2 as justification by any current government. And when artists, writers, film makers, historians, scientists andgeneral public are speaking in support of a cause, it should not be brushed aside by calling it politicallymotivated. I understand that this is a democratically elected government and has the right to make appointments togovernment funded institutions but this cannot be without due process or transparency. I urge you to find a solution to the FTII issue at the earliest and put a system in place for the selection ofsuch posts so that this, or any future government cannot make such arbitrary appointments. National Award for Best Audiography for 'Ksha Tra Gya', 2005 Sudhakar Reddy Yakkanti It is very disheartening to see so many eminent scholars who have been an inspiration for the followinggenerations had given up the honors they have received from government of India. I received a 'Special jury National award' For a Short film 'EK AAKASH' (2004) which talks about the "Communicationbetween cultures, communities and necessary for peace and dialogue". When I see there is nocommunication and dialogue happening for more than 4 months in spite of students strike at FTII and allthe communities of one country are being pitted against another, I feel that any 'opinion' or 'belief ' otherthan the 'office bearers' are not valued in this democratic country any more. Despite the High regard &respect I pay for these awards given to encourage the values imbibed in our constitution and culture, I willhave to return it back to express my effort in showing solidarity to the enraged friends who are fighting forthe 'Freedom of Expression'. 'Special Jury National Award' for EK AAKASH (2004) DOP: Deool, Highway( Marathi films) Ajay Raina I return my National Award in support of the students of my alma mater FTII and also in solidarity with allthe writers, filmmakers, artists, historians, scientists and people of eminence who have spoken up as onevoice to protest the deliberate silence of the present government at the centre on the current regime of fearand intolerance being permitted against the vulnerable minorities all over the country.Given up my National Award is not an easy decision for me. My cameraman and I shot the documentaryfilm 'WAPSI', for which I won the award in 2005, undercover, at grave risk and almost life-threateningcircumstances in Pakistan without any official permission from the host government. In this film I revisitthe events of Partition and the consequent effects of Hindu - Muslim divide upon Hindu and Sikhminorities living in Pakistan as well on the Muslim, Sikh and Kashmiri Pandit minorities in India. Myearlier film in Kashmir (Golden Conch 2002, MIFF) shot in 2000 under similar circumstances of fear isabout my journey home to Kashmir a decade after the forced exodus of my own community. Subsequently,all my work as a filmmaker and writer has been about documenting Kashmir and its devastation.I have never shied away from speaking up for any minority issue in my films and writings, so I feelconscience bound to speak up even now as the idea of a secular, tolerant and pluralist India seems to beunder threat once again. I do this with hope that many more people will speak up now so that the presentregime is compelled to rethink its agenda of 'manufacturing hate' among communities that have strived topull along each other in peace and harmony despite the tragedies of the past. 3 Irene Dhar Malik I'm giving up my National Award in protest against the unmistakable interference of the presentgovernment in appointments to institutions of academia and culture. I am also protesting the generalatmosphere in the country where the Prime Minister does not care enough to categorically andunequivocally condemn incidents of intolerance and take clear and swift action against members of hisgovernment and party who seek to belittle or justify such incidents. It's not been an easy decision. TheNational Award is very precious to me, and I have great respect and gratitude for the jury members whoconsidered me worthy of this honour. I'm giving it up to join the group of people who are trying to getheard, a group of people who are voicing their worries about what is happening in the country, and whohope that things will change for the better. A lot of citizens had great hopes from the new government. Ihope they are not let down by indifference, by attempts to justify present injustices by talk of what hashappened in the past. Any wrong that happened in the past cannot justify a wrong being done in the present.The present is the time to undo wrongs. If a Gajendra Chauhan's appointment is a mistake, as it clearly is,is it so difficult to undo this?I have thought long and hard and it has been a difficult decision to return the National Award. But as I wasdebating about this, my fourteen year-old daughter told me that she would be proud of me if I gave it upand joined the protest. And so, I made up my mind.- National Film Award for Best editing, Celluloid Man, 2013 Satya Rai Nagpaul I forfeit my National Award, given to me for the cinematography of Anhe Ghode Da Daan, in protestagainst the systematic dismantling of Indian public institutions, including the Film & Television Institute ofIndia [FTII]. The value of this award is not only for me but for all cinematographers, who as artists,struggle daily with the ugly & inhumane levels of commercialization that has taken over our practice, withthe government continuing to recede from its responsibility to promote & produce public spirited culturalworks.It is not easy to give up a recognition, that means a validation from the most esteemed in the practice of ourcinema. I do this in gratitude of the recognition and faith they have bestowed to such cinema, that continuesto struggle and somehow sustain. I do it in solidarity with the writers, artists, fellow filmmakers, historians& scientists, who have registered their vigilance, by forfeiting to the current government, the recognitionsbestowed on them.I call upon the current government to state in no uncertain terms, that the highest standards of publicwelfare, institutional autonomy of public bodies, freedom of expression, freedom of dissent, due process inlaw, right to privacy and constitutional values will be upheld.I dedicate my award money to the emerging concerns of the trans-masculine, intersex & intergendercommunities, who barely survive at the cross-roads of discriminations of gender identity & expression, sex,class and caste. National Award for Director of Photography: Anhe Ghoda Da Daan A GRAFTII member, Satya is the Director of Photography for the following films - Gattu, Zinda Bhaag,Chauthi Koot, Aligarh |
Indian express reports:
24 artists, including filmmaker Kundan Shah, return their national awards over FTII row
But the government hit back saying it is an agenda against them
Students at the institution over the last four months have been agitating against the appointment of Gajendra Chauhan as the chairman of the esteemed body.Another 24 filmmakers including Kundan Shah of "Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro" fame and Saeed Mirza and Booker winning writer Arundhati Roy on Thursday returned their National Awards in an escalation of protests by intellectuals against "growing intolerance" in the country.
With this, at least 75 members of the intelligentsia have either returned national or literary awards even as writer Nayantara Sahgal reiterated that "secularism was under threat" like never before. Sahgal, niece of Jawaharlal Nehru, was among the first to return the honours when she gave back the Sahitya Akademi award.
FTII row: artists return their national awards
The filmakers also strongly rallied behind students of the prestigious Film and Television Institute of India(FTII) who recently called of their 136-day strike, saying their battle went beyond the manipulation of education to include "intolerance, divisiveness and hate".
As they added to the voice against the "growing disregard" for freedom of speech and the murder of three intellectuals, Roy was quoted as having said that she was returning the honour in protest against "ideological viciousness".
She had received the 1989 National Film Award for Best Screenplay for the documentary "In which Annie Gives it to those Ones".
Other prominent names in the list of those who have returned the awards today included documentary filmmaker Anwar Jamal, director Virendra Saini, Pradip Krishnen, Manoj Lobo, sound designers Vivek Sachidanand, P M Satheesh, Ajay Raina, director Sudhakar Reddy Yakkanti, editor Irene Dhar Malik, cinematographer Satya Rai Nagpaul, director Amitabh Chakraborty, filmmaker Tapan Bose and Madhusree Dutta.
Shah, an FTII alumnus, said to give up his only National Award which he received for cult film "Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro" was very sad but was a necessary decision to protest against the appointment of Gajendra Chauhan as the chairman of FTII.
"This is the only National Award I have for 'Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro' am I feel very sad to part with it. I owe this award to my alma mater FTII- there would've been no JBDY if I had not studied at FTII," Shah said. Mirza, a former chairman of FTII and known for his films like "Albert Pinto Ko Gussa Kyoon Aata Hai" and TV show "Nukkad", said the protest started by the students has become bigger to turn into movement against "intolerance, divisiveness and hate".
Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu hit back at those who had returned their awards at a "Know the Truth" briefing in Delhi stating that " efforts are being made to derail the Modi government's development agenda."
The "award wapasi" campaign has faced criticism from some quarters, who call it selective protest but Shah countered the argument saying his films were against the then ruling government, Congress too.
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