[Assam] From Tehelka

[Chan Mahanta]

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 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 
><<mailto:cmahanta at charter.net>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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