Women & Media Event sings 'Mann Ke Manjeere'

This is about the Film Screening and Discussion organised at the Nirmala College in Ranchi, organised by Open Space with the support from Centre for Communication and Development Studies (CCDS) Pune and National Service Scheme (NSS) wing of the college, on 16th March. The half day event was attended by 150 girl students and resource inputs were given in the form of facilitation of response from the students by Sister Sushma, Elina Horo and Dr Sunita Kumari.
Two video productions were utilised. First, 'Strength in Action' training package prepared by Breakthrough on domestic violence. And second, Shabnam Virmani's 'Tu Zinda Hai' based on the grassroot women activists engaged in land rights struggle in Madhya Pradesh.

Response 1 - We liked the song 'Mann Ke Manjeere' (मन के मंजीरे) based on the true life story of Shameem Pathan of Gujarat. In the video she is depicted as truck driver, who fights life pains and earns independently for her daughter. Especially the words like 'Sathi hoon apni mai' (साथी हूँ अपनी मै). These words were very inspiring for us.
More is said at http://www.womensenews.org/article.cfm?aid=991.

The video found its inspiration in the true story of Shameem Pathan, a single woman from Ahmedabad, India, who escaped from domestic abuse, braved discrimination and embarked on a career driving a mini-van taxi to support herself and her child. In the video, a woman steers down a dusty road in a heavy-duty truck, stopping to pick up women passengers on the way to a roadside celebration.

Response 2 - In the film clipping of 'Bend it like Beckham', the sikh girl is very good in football, but her parents discourage her because of her other boy mates. Such thing happens in our daily lives, we are always warned to keep off from certain areas of work because of more men involvement over there.

About this film - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0286499/plotsummary

The daughter of orthodox Sikh rebels against her parents' traditionalism by running off to Germany with a football team. Who wants to cook Aloo Gobi when you can bend a ball like Beckham?

Response 3 - "The program needs to be done for boys too, so that they get sensitised. Now even boys are changing and they are accepting girls who are working. Such a change process will come through rigorous sensitisation on gender issues."

The response from the media was appreciable. When the television channels like Sahara, Focus and Etv came, this opportunity was also utilised for on-camera responses. The speaking of responses by a few girls motivated others to speak too. And this whole act was in front of the participants to make the processes of media expression transparent and creation of a learning atmosphere.

The understanding of gender and discrimination was constantly facilitated. It was expressed that in the film 'Chak De India' (चक दे इंडिया) the Jharkhandi adivasi girl's story pointed out as to how they face discimination (beyond gender to racial). But it is the fight and courage of the girls of this area that many of them are finding place in the Indian Hockey team. More at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chak_De!_India

Many expressed their opinion that films sell more because of the kind of 'exposure' done by heroines in it, this should be stopped. Others expressed that it is the public demand. In the film 'Mai Madhuri Dikshit Ban Na Chahti Hoon' (मै माधुरी दीक्षित बनना चाहती हूँ) such a portrayal has been done. Such a change has also come up in real life where girls who are more 'outwardly' and confident (in their body language) get more opportunities to grow in jobs
Film scenes from 'Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge' (दिलवाले दुल्हनिया ले जायेंगे), mainstream cinema caught the spirits and emotions of young girls. They smiled and hushed the story analysis to their fellowmate sitting besides.

The spots of Jagori - one on perfection of body and the other on physical abuse 'provoked' the right responses. "Yes, women are socialised from there childhood to curb there desires, and develop strength within, to face all forms of subjugation, not to respond to it. Young girls should be trained to respond to such situations - both mentally and physically".

The participants filled up an evaluation form regarding what they saw, their opinion about the importance of the issue and how such an educational activity can be further taken up.

At the end, a 'Strength in Action' training kit was presented to the NSS Nirmala college for taking ahead the cause to stop domestic violence and all forms of violence against women (VAW), through such sensitisation amongst the young girls.

To understand more about Strength in Action toolkit comprising of 'Mann Ke Manjeere', please look into http://www.breakthrough.tv/hrough.tv/ or www.bellbajao.org

See videos on YouTube by searching for videos titled Young women's response to "Mann Ke Manjeere". Also see link on this blog www.openspace-ranchi.blogspot.com

Screening of Adivasi focused Films

On 20th February, two documentaries were shown amongst the students of Class IX, in Sarna Adivasi Madhya Vidyalaya in Pisca, a suburb area of Ranchi. It was a tribal area, with almost ninety percent Oraon students.

When they saw 'Kora Rajee' (The Land of the Diggers) on the adivasi brothers / sisters of their's who have migrated to Assam and North Bengal, they were very much touched. The story narration by Kurdula Kujur travelling with her son, tracing the same paths which was taken was interesting. From the labour depot of Dipugarh (Hazaribagh) to crossing the Ganges towards Siliguri and further very near to Bhutan, the scenes of the tea garden filled the young students with enthusiasm.

The second movie 'Loha Garam Hai' (Iron is Hot) was about the sponge iron plant in Orissa, its pollution and the people's resistance building up. This was an edited version meant especially for school children (abusive language censored).

The film screening was followed by a response session. What was shown in the film? Was it something near to heart or to reality situations? This on-camera responses made the students 'enthu'. First they were afraid of coming in front of the camera and later when encouraged 3-4 friends came together, to respond collectively. This exercise was carried in front of the 150 odd students. It was explained that this fear towards camera needs to break, with new technology coming so close to everybody, and the use of digital camera, mobile etc increasing.
In their responses Sushil Tirkey and Amita Kachchap said that there is regular migration from the area, though not as in the British times, when the labourers were booked from a depot. The government schemes like NREGA (National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) do not in any considerable manner reduce the out migration. Students said that men and women are constantly going to Delhi, UP and Gujarat. Many of them are outside Jharkhand for many years. Young boys and girls said that they have heard that some even do not come back. Concern for tribal unity on the basis of language was felt (though question was raised that many adivasis of the urban areas are forgetting their language and culture).

Opinions were expressed that such reality documentation (away from the Shahrukh Khan - Aishwarya Rai Cinema) about life of the Adivasis and its screening is an extremely good educational tool and such initiatives should be included in school curriculum.

Kora Rajee (The land of the diggers )

This film in tribal language 'Kurukh' (language of Oraon tribe) has some mix of Hindi. It is on the issue of adivasi labourers in the tea gardens of Assam and North Bengal. These adivasis, originally belonging to Chotanagpur (Jharkhand and nearby), are mostly Santhal and Oraon tribe. They do not have rights as a scheduled tribe, and have little ownership to land. As labourers they enjoy a second category status, and are struggling to make their life better in as residents of the area.

An interesting dimension of migration has been explored and with it the whole ranges of issues like culture. This film is very powerful in making the adivasi viewers emotionally attached and searching for ‘something similar’ of what they see in their own daily lives. The tea industry and its processes are also covered well.
While the film tries to explore their linkages to their parental land and culture in an interesting story telling narration and interviews, the struggle for rights and better lives continues .. The film received a Silver Conch in MIFF 2006. It has been produced by Akhra, a Ranchi based media group. Quite, a green movie !!