Moving Images and International Centre Goa, in collaboration with Sangath, are pleased to announce a special screening of the film
"Majhi Goshta" (My Story) (Marathi with English subtitles, 120 minutes) on Friday 20th February 2009 at 6:30 pm. at International Centre Goa, Dona Paula The screening is open to public and free, seating will be strictly on a first come first served basis. Dr. Mohan Agashe, a well known actor and psychiatrist will attend the screening and lead the post screening discussion. 'Majhi Goshta' (My Story), written and directed by Vidyadhar Bapat is a dramatized story of a schizophrenic patient who has been bestowed with a sense of creation/composition in music and who, on the way to returning to the mainstream, accepts the challenge of a public performance and fulfils it along with other sufferers. It addresses the distress he goes through and how he is able to deal with the disorder with the help of his family, doctors, a self- help group and his creativity in music. The film covers almost all stages of the painful journey of the patient and his family and emphasizes on an entirely new perspective to look at the disorder and its cure. It also focuses on the stigma in society associated with the subject, which has to be diluted for the benefit of society. Vidyadhar Bapat's 'Majhi Goshta' is based on his real-life interaction with schizophrenics. A friend, psychotherapist and a counselor to many people with mental disorders, he runs a self-help group and art group for patients in Pune. Cinematic portrayals of mental illness typically straddle interests of presenting painful emotional experience and engaging an audience. Although early efforts to present schizophrenia in Indian films sacrificed authenticity by pandering to popular notions of entertainment, several recent productions attempt to portray the character with concern and more authenticity to promote awareness and suggest the value of treatment and support. Four recent Indian feature films in which the lead character is a person living with schizophrenia -'15 Park Avenue'; 'Wo Lamhe'; 'Devrai (Sacred Grove)'; and 'Majhi Goshta (My Story)'-each examine the impact of the disorder on the affected person, his or her family, and ways in which psychiatry aims to help. Each film prioritizes, somewhat differently, values of entertainment and aims to provoke serious thinking in their audience about schizophrenia, the importance of early recognition, and the value of treatment. They also indicate different approaches to negotiating the tensions between entertainment, dramatic license, and authenticity. To a different extent, each accepts responsibility for their cinematic portrayal of a serious problem affecting many people, which both art and cinema may too often distort or ignore. 'Majhi Goshta' is about life and relationships. It has all the ingredients of a good film .It is educative as well as entertaining - Dr. Mohan Agashe SOURCE: Arjun Halarnkar Programme Manager The International Centre, Goa
