The Hindu : Front Page : Film highlights farmers’ plight

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Tuesday, Nov 25, 2008
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Film highlights farmers’ plight

Ziya Us Salam

PANAJI: The in-depth coverage of the farmer suicide incidents by The Hindu has resulted in a rare Hindi film highlighting the problems of the Vidarbha farmers.

The film Summer 2007 was screened at the ongoing International Film Festival of India on Monday.

Rural tragedy

Directed by first-timer Sohail Tatari and produced by Atul Pandey, the makers gave credit to The Hindu for giving maximum coverage to the rural tragedy which was otherwise ignored by the press that prefers “happy stories.”

“P. Sainath has done a lot of work on the subject. We were definitely inspired by that at the scripting stage. Then the work on micro credit by Nobel laureate Mohammed Yunus helped us in firming up the story,” Mr. Pandey said.

“The youth is concerned about the meltdown and its effects on the fortunes of a billionaire but not even aware of the grim tragedy in rural India. That does not exist,” Mr. Tatari added.

Summer 2007 was released earlier this year but did not do very well at the box office, suffering because ofamateurish marketing.

It has, however, been appreciated for its theme since it got selected to Indian Panorama.

“This is a film that has been inspired by the writings in The Hindu and the work of Mohammad Yunus of Bangladesh. It touches on farmers’ suicide in Maharashtra that has not been tackled by any Hindi film so far,” Mr. Pandey said.

He revealed at a screening in Allahabad earlier this year, “some 500 farmers cried at the plight of the farmers. We all ultimately have the same problems and issues.”

Biggest problem

Mr. Tatari rued that the film circuit did not back the film. “Our biggest problem was getting the shows in the theatres,” said Mr. Tatari. “The corporate houses have stepped in with their suit and tie executives. They are interested only in commercial films, and not in socially-relevant subjects,” said Mr. Pandey.

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