[Assam] From Tehelka

[Ram Sarangapani]

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 films

While 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 <cmahanta at charter.net> 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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>
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