At The Edge

Cross-posted from my Kashmir Blog With expert inputs from yours truly...first part of the last concluding part of Sumit Kumar's 'Kashmir Ki Kahani' is out. Read and become an instant expert on Masala-e-Kashmir. Check it out at  newslaundry.com In this part the story gets even more intertwined with story of India. -0- Previously: Educating Indians on Kashmir through Comics

Cross-posted from my Kashmir Blog. If you know a Kashmiri who you would, just out of common courtesy, ask a question about Kashmir, a simple ' Aur Aaj Kal Waha Kay Halaat Kaisay Hai ?' but then end-up praying to your God may guy please drop dead because he wouldn't just shut up going on and on about Kashmir until you have learn't by heart all the clauses and sub-clauses in article 370 and the exact chronology of  signing of the Instrument of Accession, before you even get a chance to offer your sympathies or apologies, leave alone a solution, that there, that crazy Kashmiri guy with possible terrorist looks, would have been me. Back when I was in college, the ignorance of Indians about Kashmir infuriated me and like any other good Kashmir, I took upon the charge of educating Indians about the real Kashmir. I became the resident Kashmir expert of the college, of Chai ki Dukan , of Cinema Hall, of train, of bus.  You could ask m anything you want but the problem ...

Back in November of 2009, I heard from a young filmmaker who planned to make a short film set in Emergency era of Indira Gandhi. From what he told me, it seemed a very interesting plot. For an independent film, it was certainly brave and ambition. While researching for his film he came across my blog and wrote in to ask if I could  help out. What followed was conversations spread over next couple of months. I posted interesting snippets of these conversations here:  Indira's Emergency and India's film . As days went by I almost forgot about it, thinking maybe the film never got made, after all it's not easy to make films in India. A couple of days back I heard back from Vinay Shukla. Despite various problem, he had finally managed to finish his film. He was gracious enough to send me a DVD of his short film called Raag Sarkari/Bureaucracy Sonata. The film walks us through four days in the life of a Jailor in charge of a school-t...