The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Will <I>Thudippu</I> serve its purpose?

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Mar 11, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Will Thudippu serve its purpose?

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI: A short film was made five years ago to create an awareness of responsibility among the public. The filmmaker hopes that the film would serve its purpose now.

Thudippu was made in February 2001 by S. Shivpprasadh as a dramatised recreation of an incident in which an eleven year old rescued a man from under the wheels of a bus. P. Thirumalai, hero of the short film, re-enacted his original act of rescue in front of the camera. Mr. Shivpprasadh says the film was much appreciated by those who watched it, including Union and Central Ministers, the St. John's Ambulance Association and the Indian Red Cross Society.

About one year later, the then Transport Commissioner appreciated the project, Mr. Shivpprasadh said. He claimed that he was assured that the film would be taken up by the State to spread messages on road safety. He was asked to take up the idea with the Joint Transport Commissioner. Despite his efforts he said nothing came of it ultimately, and expressed the hope that the Government would reconsider his film in the light of the announcement that the State had increased the allotment for road safety programmes to Rs.6 crore.

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