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Truth be told
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Film maker Shriprakash Prakash says as a film activist, one has to maintain a distance from the subjects one is working with
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Reality bites Shriprakash Prakash: ‘The day you find that nobody is truly innocent, you’ll be disillusioned for a second’
Shriprakash Prakash, is a film-activist and independent documentary filmmaker. Shriprakash has directed and produced many documentary films during the last 15 years, the most powerful ones being ‘Kiski raksha’, ‘The Fire Within’ and ‘Buddha weeps in Jadugoda’. He is also the chief co-ordinator of Kritika, a group working in the Jharkhand region since 1990 in the areas of culture and communication. His maiden feature, “Baaha” is about an Adivasi boy, who aspires to be a singer. Shriprakash shared his thoughts on filmmaking and activism. Excerpts.
Tell us something about the beginning.
I haven’t studied in any film school. I started off with a VHS camera, bought on a loan. My friends and I used to shoot marriage videos to make some money which we then thought was enough capital to make documentaries.It didn’t work out for long though.
How challenging is it to convince the opinion makers of the ground realities of your subjects?
Every society has its sensibilities. You can create awareness in a society which is unaware, but you can’t do anything when the society chooses to ignore an issue. Our sensibilities today are a little too accustomed to consumerism. People have to realise that they enjoy development at the cost of displacement of millions of people. And yet, I have a medium in hand, a technology which is pro-people. I can afford it and create my own space. The technology isn’t just for the ruling class anymore. So yes, even the challenges of convincing are a bit less complicated given the reach of the medium that I have adopted.
Your documentary ‘Buddha weeps in Jadugoda’ on uranium mining is considered one of the most powerful in it’s genre. How is Jadugoda today?
One of my Australian friends, who was doing a project in Jadugoda complains on how nothing has changed, since I made the documentary eight years ago. I keep denying that. Things have changed. Even though nothing on the grass-root level, at least people have been educated. People’s concern and opposition to uranium mining has increased. There’s a foundation even in Japan against uranium mining called ‘Buddha weeps foundation’.
How has the transition from documentary to feature been?
Both documentary and feature film making are different mediums. The grammars are miles apart. Feature film-making has proved to be immensely challenging. It may be because I’m new to the grammar. While I was shooting documentaries I never had to direct my subjects.
Directing my actors is entirely new and communication becomes a little challenging. Many times I feel I didn’t get financial support and that I couldn’t quite enjoy the economic independence that is crucial sometimes. But yes, I wanted to reach out to the masses. Plus, I didn’t quite have the required equipment.
I shot the film entirely with a PD-170 camera, which is not of expected standards. The cassette industry is a major sector which shapes dreams of the youth.
And in this world ruled by the market, the market fundamentals have even ventured into a town like Ranchi. Since I’ve always been experimental, thought I’d try this out.
How have you been dealt with the death threats and opposition? What keeps you going?
I grew up in Jharkhand. I don’t have to go anybody else’s neighbourhood to tell the truth. I talk about my people. I have always felt the need to tell the truth and pursue justice. Yes, middle-class people do have choices — to take the path which brings us more comfort. I can’t help but go with my convictions. It is not for anybody else we are fighting. We are fighting for ourselves, our own community. And as for hurdles, they are always there.
As a film-activist you have to maintain a distance from the subjects you are working with. You cannot afford to get too close. You will be victim of a lot of things and there will be incomprehensible culture shocks awaiting you. All your constructs will be tattered and delusions will dwindle by the day. You’ll realise that there are innumerable number of realities and perspectives on various levels.
The day you find that nobody is truly innocent, you’ll be disillusioned for a second, just to realise that it’s just a tip of an iceberg.
Cynicism does settle in at times. But yes, after working so much with these people, especially for three years in Jadugoda, I’ve seen unimaginable miseries and have been shocked enough that all my middle-class aspirations and needs seem meaningless. People keep me going. One understands humanity a bit more.
G. VISHNU
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