The movement for social inclusiveness and accessibility via films got a major boost on Sunday following an endorsement by renowned filmmaker Ramesh Sippy for making audio description and same language sub-titling of films a part of movie production process.
Two films, Sholay and Hitchki , both carrying audio description, were screened at the ongoing IFFI 2018 under a special section, in collaboration of Saksham, a Delhi-based NGO working for social inclusiveness and accessibility for Persons with Disability (PwD), last week.
The special initiative was aimed at persons with visual and hearing disability.
Participating in an interactive session, Mr. Sippy, in response to question from Dipendra Manocha and Rummi K. Seth, co-founders and trustees of Saksham, said he appreciated the initiative and assured to take it up with the Producers Guild of India.
Mr. Manocha, who himself is visually impaired, brought to the notice of Mr. Sippy that having audio-description and subtitles in films would not only benefit the visually impaired, but also the elderly people. Lending his support, Mr. Sippy agreed that the “senior citizens are indeed a big segment of film and television audience and that it is our duty to make things accessible to them.”
Mr. Manocha went on to explain that including audio-description in films would not entail additional cost and should go simultaneously as part of the film production.
With his wide experience, Mr. Sippy was quick to offer some tips on technical aspects, saying that with the state-of-the-art technology and latest sound-track systems, not only it would be possible to do it simultaneously, but in cases where filmmakers face deadline pressures, these can also be done after a film is released.
He asserted that no filmmaker would say no to it and that it would only help expand viewership.
Mr. Sippy later told press persons that this initiative was a big stride by Saksham and he himself was very supportive of it.
“It is an important step that a person like Mr. Ramesh Sippy has agreed to be part of the initiative. We have lot of hopes that we will be now able to take forward this movement like never before,” said Mr. Minocha.
