Thiruvananthapuram > Renowned documentary filmmaker Anand Patwardhan has said that the judicial decisions are largely being influenced by the executive. He was speaking at a Press Conference organised as part of the ongoing 11th edition of the International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala (IDSFFK) at the Press Club on Saturday. “And, if things are to move as of now, truth is doubtful to be served in the cases relating to Justice Lodha, Aadhar, Babri Masjid and others,” he added.
"Every day, political propaganda is spread through all the mainstream media. You also have all these fake messages on social media platforms. Fake news factories influence the gullible minds. Films face so many issues, just because they are against the fascist ideologies. Violence is spread in the name of nationalism and religion," said Patwardhan, who has also been honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at IDSFFK.
Filmmaker Rakesh Sharma, who also participated in the press meet, said, "All online content which might be against the right wing, are being taken down. They even reportedly have a team of filmmakers on their payroll. Contemporary history is being wiped off. Myths are circulated. There’s a crackdown on artists and the ones who voice their thoughts. But there are many artists around the globe who have fought within this sphere of censorship. So be fearless and proceed. Fear is just a state of mind. You can only be intimidated if you allow yourself to be. Stand firm, and the voice carries.”
NUCLEAR THREAT
Anand Patwardhan said that a great number of people in India, thanks to their ignorance, believe that a nation possessing nuclear weapons makes them more secure, whereas the truth is just the opposite. Once the threat is not immediate, you tend to forget the threat. But now, we have all the countries have their weapons pointed at the country, as it is now a nuclear threat. "The whole idea that it makes you secure is crazy," he said.
FILMS IN CAMPUS
"Campuses are the arena of the fight (against the oppression of expression). Libraries of films and documentaries, and a projector should be popularized in schools and colleges. A screening culture should be developed, cultural weapons that uphold secularism and democracy need to be employed," Rakesh Sharma said.
