C'da,
>The report was written by an Indian :-). I think.
Of course it was, and that should make all the difference:)
BTW: The Madhya Pradesh CM, in 1999 (during the filming of "Fire") in fact invite Mehta to film there (he wanted to get back at the BJP) - but she chose Sri Lanka. A number of other states also made that offer - but she chose Varanasi (the lion's den of the BJP) initially.
Fire, of course did not go down very well with the Indians. The storyline was touching upon sensitivities that only few Indians are willing to discuss in public. Come to think of it - these are not comfy topics in the US either.
--Ram
On 10/3/06, Chan Mahanta <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Ram:
What would I know?
The report was written by an Indian :-). I think.
c-da
At 2:11 PM -0500 10/3/06, Ram Sarangapani wrote:Well! C'da it can be true in any number of such situations. Countries (and even states within them) are filled with 'pride' when one of their sons or daughters get world recognition.>In 2000, Hindu fundamentalists stormed the sets of Water in >Varanasi, threatening to beat Mehta "black and blue". She >postponed production, and two filmsWhile this is true, what is NOT true is that she was hounded out of India. I have seen a number of interviews of her on desi TV, read columns on her in newspapers. So, when convenient to make it look like 'Hindu fundas' make up some Indian attitude is a bit much.>India supported Mehta with death threats, warnings of arrest, and >mutilated freedom of _expression_.What! Is Sonia telling us the GOI and its goons threatened Mehta all the way to Sri Lanka?>Water had neither a distributor nor a confirmed release date here.Wouldn't that be a business decision? Or should the GOI force some distributor to distribute?>Let's hope that any euphoria over Mehta's "Indian" achievement is >matched with equal support of her work being peacefully seen, >and that she understands and forgives our schizophrenic >reactions.Right! And lets hope Mehta doesn't make a beeline to Bollywood to collect some filmy award. She should really tell those pesky Indians off.
--Ram
On 10/3/06, Chan Mahanta <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
How true!
cm
REFLECTED GLORY
After chasing Deepa Mehta out, India smells an opportunity to take credit.
Sonia Faleiro
India is never shy of claiming successful Indians - even those who
hold citizenship elsewhere - as entirely her own. It's not surprising
then that filmmaker Deepa Mehta's Water is seen by some as our best
hope at the Oscars. Never mind that Mehta is Canadian, and that Water
was literally chased out of, and blacklisted, in the nation that is
now intent on bathing in its accolades. In 2000, Hindu
fundamentalists stormed the sets of Water in Varanasi, threatening to
beat Mehta "black and blue". She postponed production, and two films
later, completed the final episode of her trilogy in Sri Lanka. India
supported Mehta with death threats, warnings of arrest, and mutilated
freedom of _expression_.
However, now that it's time to revel in reflected glory, India seems
to have forgotten that it failed Mehta when she needed it most.
Should she win, as Canada's entry to the Oscars, there will be, no
doubt, boasts of how Bollywood is conquering the world. Contrast that
with the fact that until recently Water had neither a distributor nor
a confirmed release date here. Let's hope that any euphoria over
Mehta's "Indian" achievement is matched with equal support of her
work being peacefully seen, and that she understands and forgives our
schizophrenic reactions.
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