Point Blank with Anand Patwardhan
Anand Patwardhan has spent three decades making documentaries on important political and social issues. 'Raam Ke Naam', made a year before the Mumbai riots informed the people of the brewing animosity prior to the riots and motivations of political parties that ultimately led to the drastic actions of the Hindu militants. His documentary 'Father, Son and the Holy War' explores in two parts the possibility that the psychology of violence against "the other" may lie in male insecurity, itself an inevitable product of the very construction of "manhood."
In spite of winning National and International awards for his documentaries, Anand has battled severe censorship for virtually all of his films through decade long battles with the government to ensure his documentaries be aired on National Television. From patriotism to matriarchy to Gandhi, his activism through his chosen medium of documentaries, Anand speaks about this and a lot more.
To know more about Anand Patwardhan and his documentaries and other interviews, please visit http://www.patwardhan.com
Listen Online (64 kbps): 42:09 mins
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Comments
I was not aware of Anand Patwardhan and its documentaries....but after hearing this podcast, i'll definitely watch it.
One more thing...I think you guys should refrain from taking sides on sensitive issues like that of Raj Thackeray....I completely agree with the views expressed by Anand on this issue.
its otherwise a nice podcast..
Best Wishes,
Sandip Patel
Thank you for listening. About Anand's documentaries, I will be more than happy to give you details of how you can see them. You can mail me on jamunashukla@gm ail.com
It is good to know that you agree with Anand's views on the "migrants" issue. Because those are the "helpful" views. While I agree too, I felt it was necessary for me to honestly give voice to how I do find myself affected by and intimidated by this "demonization" tactics used by politicians and how I fight to not fall prey to it too. It is this process that maybe hundreds of denizens experience. My remark was more to highlight the cheap tactic of demonization used by politicians than highlight support towards a particular ideology. Maybe I could have brought that out better.
Another good find by Indicast (or Jamuna) . It is this ability of finding Interesting people and highlighting their work that I like Indicast. Jamyna is a good addition to the Indicast team. Hope to hear more from her. She needs to relax a bit.. I felt very tensed while listening to the podcast unlike the other indicast point blanks but it being jamuna's first podcast, I'll let it slide..
About Patwardhan, hadnt heard about him but was happy to know about him now. Requires a lot to do these documentaries that not a lot of people want to watch. He is write to say thy documentaries I done well will have an audience in India. Look what Michael Moore disingenuous the US.. We have our Patwardhan.
Indicast should get his docua and stream them like thy dis for gul panag episodes.. Jamuna get on it :-)
"Anything that creates a thought process is not something they want public to indulge in."
Alas! Most of us are in a situation where we create dumb products for the user and some other person is actually using the same medium creates a difference.
Jamuna
Great to hear you. You make a superbly eloquent interviewer.
Akhilesh Mattoo
I beg to disagree on the fact that Gita was added in Brahminical period to justify Kshatriya's Dharma. I may not disagree over whether the Bhagvad Gita is a later interpolation to Mahabharata . Many people believe that Gita is an interpolation to the text. But if we read the Gita closely it teaches everything which is not there in Mahabharata :- 1)It teaches steadfastness in love 1) It teaches Metaphysics 3) It teaches Dharma as your purpose in life as yours is to make documentaries . Please do not misinterpret the word Dharma. Dharma has infinite meanings.It is a text which something beyond comprehension of an ordinary mind like me. So its interpolation according to me suggests a contrast of what Mahabharata. And the reason to append may be to teach actually the real meaning of the Mahabharata.
So far as Mahabharata is concerned , In its entirety it is full of rigid caste System. A few examples to quote :-
1) Karna brought up by a charioteer ( called Sutputra throughout the text).
2) Draupadi refusing to marry karna because he is not a kshatriya Even though he performed the same feat as Arjuna did.
3) Guru Drona refusing to take Eklavya as his pupil and asking for his thumb even if he would have been agreat archer.
Can give many more.. Caste system in the Mahabharata text seems to be much more ramapant.
On the Contrary Ramayana may have ideal characters but we never know the caste of hanuman , Sugreeva , Baali , jatayu . Most of them are in Monkey or bird forms. We only kow that ravana was Brahmin and Rama was a Kshatriya. More so in Ramayana ; Rama accepts Ber ( a fruit) from Shabari who was a supposedly low caste women.
So would disagee to that part.
Thanks and Regards
Akhilesh Mattoo
Dear Akhilesh, those are some observations that honestly have not circulated much in my radar! I do intend to do my bit of reading and validating on what you have written. Thank you tres!
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