Category: Uncategorized

Kabaddi, the Game of Partition is a period drama of the bloodiest time in Indian history. This play is a testament of the mass that was made to participate in one of the biggest political gambles ever. Sure; nations were divided, treaties were signed, tanks were loaded, and armies were deported. But what the people went through, is what has carried the legacy due. We have all read enough about Gandhi, Nehru, Jinnah, the commission, India and Pakistan; it is now time to relieve the madness as citizens of the country. The essence of the play thrives on just one question, did the independence really set us free?

One Mustard Seed 41 mins

Why do we have such a contentious relationship with the idea of dying? What keeps us from looking at death, or the dying, in the eye; from making peace with the process?

The film wonders if the process of dying can become meaningful; and if embracing our own mortality might be the key to a more fulfilling life.

Filmmaker Bio:

Aparna Sanyal is a National Award winning filmmaker who has worked extensively on documentaries and TV shows as director and producer for both Indian and international television since 1999. She was awarded the Rajat Kamal at the National Film Awards in 2012, the Charles Wallace India Trust grant for research in the UK in 2015 and recognised as a Young Creative Entrepreneur by the British Council in 2010. She is the co-founder of ‘The Red Door’, an initiative on Mental Health.

Her previous films include ‘Tedhi Lakeer – The Crooked Line’ (2002), ‘A Drop of Sunshine’ (2011), ‘A Land, Strangely Familiar’ (2013), ‘Shunyata – when Kathak met Cham’ (2014), Shovana (2017), and The Monks who won the Grammy (2018).

Sci-Fi Month – The City of Lost Children (1995)

A scientist in a surrealist society kidnaps children to steal their dreams, hoping that they slow his aging process. Directors: Marc Caro, Jean-Pierre Jeunet Writers: Gilles Adrien, Jean-Pierre Jeunet Stars: Ron Perlman, Daniel Emilfork, Judith Vittet

Kirikou and the Sorceress Film Screening followed by discussion. Directed and Written by Michel Ocelot 71 mins. 1998. French with English sub-titles

Synopsis A small voice can be heard in the womb of a pregnant woman: “Mother, bring me into the world!” “A child who can speak from inside of his mother can bring himself into the world”, answers the mother. This is how tiny Kirikou is born, in an African village on which Karaba the Sorceress has cast a spell. But as he comes forth from his mother’s womb, Kirikou is determined to rid the village of her curse and understand the cause of her wickedness. After fabulous adventures, Kirikou reaches the forbidden mountain…

Director Statement With the “outsider” success of “Kirikou and the Sorceress”, one of the frequent questions asked by journalists was: “This success must have come as a big surprise!”. It was not a question, but a statement. My answer was always the same: “Not at all!” Even if I was prepared for a disastrous release, I was also ready for a triumph. However, something unexpected happened: the nature, depth and permanence of the Kirikou baby. A Character was born and loved.

Dr. Neeraj Raj, Animation Expert will introduce and analyze and take questions from the audience post screening.

ALL ARE WELCOME. ENTRY IS FREE AND OPEN TO ALL!!!

A death and A birth: Gandhi and India A Lecture by Prof Apoorvanand on the occasion of 6th Hasan Memorial Lecture 2019.

आज़ाद हिंदुस्तान की पैदाइश के छह महीने भी नहीं गुज़रे कि गांधीजी का क़त्ल कर दिया गया। आख़िर जिसे राष्ट्रपिता कहा जाता था, उसे राष्ट्र के जन्म की घड़ी में ही क्यों मार डाला गया? हिंदुस्तान के जन्म और गांधीजी की मौत के बीच के इस रिश्ते को किस तरह समझें?आज़ादी के बाद से क्या हिंदुस्तान इस क़त्ल की शर्म से बरी होने की कोशिश करता रहा है? आज हम जिस लम्हे में हैं, क्या यह कहा जात सकता है कि हिंदुस्तान ने अब ख़ुद को गांधी से पूरी तरह आज़ाद कर लिया है?

Not even six months after the birth of Azad Hindustan, Gandhiji was murdered. After all, who was called the Father of the Nation, why was he killed at the time of the birth of the nation? How should we understand this relationship between the birth of India and the death of Gandhiji? Since independence, has India been trying to get rid of this murder? At the moment we are in today, can it be said that India has now freed itself completely from Gandhi? About The Hasan Memorial Lecture:

The Hasan Memorial Lecture was instituted in 2014 and is held each year at Lamakaan on August 15 with an eye to the emergent political and economic crisis in India/South Asia or the world. It is our single most important programming effort each year and draws a very significant audience. The previous editions of the lectures were delivered by Prof. Jayati Ghosh, Prof.Gail Omvedt, Bharat Patankar and Prof.Kodandaram, Siddharath Varadarajan, et al.

Mr. Moyed Hasan in whose memory the annual lecture is named, was a scientist, a photographer, an environmentalist and a person with a deep concern for the lives of ordinary people. His house, that he named Lamakaan (as in the Sufi literary tradition to mean ‘an abode for those who travel without any worldly possessions’) ” has now become an important part of Hyderabad’s cultural and political life. Mr. Hasan left behind an imaginary of what an engaged life is. From science to art, and environment to international affairs he encompassed a vision of how we must live our lives meaningfully.

About the Speaker: Apoorvanand is professor at the Hindi Department of University of Delhi. An avowed secularist, he is known for his frequent interventions in day-to-day politics, and for being a tireless champion of minority rights. He is one of the most vocal critics of the Sangh Parivar in the Hindi belt.

ALL ARE WELCOME!

Four friends/fledgling entrepreneurs, knowing that there’s something bigger and more innovative than the different error-checking devices they’ve built, wrestle over their new invention. Director: Shane Carruth Writer: Shane Carruth Stars: Shane Carruth, David Sullivan, Casey Gooden

In post-partition India, a Muslim businessman and his family struggle for their rights in a country which was once their own.

Samahaara Theatre Co-operative presents

An adaptation of Chalam’s “MAIDANAM” A play in Telugu

Produced by Rathna Shekar Directed by Nasreen Ishaque

Date – 10th & 11th August 2019 Time – 07.30pm Venue: Lamakaan, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad.

Maidanam, one of the most famous and most controversial of Chalam’s novels, dramatises his ideas on marriage, freedom and the moral issues involved in them. Rajeswari, is a young, frustrated housewife. It all starts with her thorough disillusionment with her tradition-bound, unfeeling, emotionally sterile lawyer-husband who is given to treating her as a piece of property, as one who fulfills his sexual and social needs.

Her deliverance comes in the form of Ameer, a client of her husband. Their very first meeting is an emotionally charged and sexually exciting experience. His looks pierce her clothes and caress her all over her body. This is a new experience for her. She has never known anything so exhilarating like that before. When finally Ameer embraces her, in the absence of her husband of course, she reacts with a cry of joy. She feels that Ameer has endowed divinity on her. This realization marks the death of her old self. She plunges headlong into a life of passion and bliss with Ameer.

Soon enough Ameer, asks her to “come away” with him. They decide to go away to “Maidanam,” a wide open plain where they will not be disturbed by society. For a while Rajeswari agonizes over whether she is driven by animalistic lust or noble love or the simple desire to free herself from the shackles of soul-killing traditions.

After living like that for months Rajeshwari gets pregnant. Ameer does not want the baby and wants Rajeshwari to get rid of her pregnancy. Maternal instincts take over her and she refuses. They have a fight and Ameer leaves her alone and vanishes. After Ameer has gone away Rajeswari turns to Meera a handsome sixteen years boy in a major way for emotional and material support.

Hoping to get back Ameer she decides to get rid of her pregnancy with the help of Meera. Things get complicated when Meera starts developing feelings for Rajeshwari. Meanwhile Ameer comes back. He does not like how close Rajeshwari and Meera have become. Now Rajeswari has to choose between Ameer who she truly loves or Meera who acted as her pillar of support in desperate times.

Curbing Democracy: UAPA / RTI / ART 370 Bills

One side Modi Government’s anti people policies are pushing majority of the masses towards unemployment and misery and on the other side the government has recently passed subsequent bills in Parliament which will curb the democracy further and establish a complete authoritative fascist state. Bill like UAPA is aimed at suppressing any dissenting voice by labelling them as terrorists. RTI bill is also amended so that the government can operate without any accountibility and at the same time propagate misinfomations among people. And the recent Bill to abrogate article 370 is an anti democratic and autocratic step towards the people of Kashmir which will fuel fire in future and adversely impact the whole country. It is the duty of everyone now to get back the lost democratic freedom through these bills by raising their voices against it. In order to understand further about these bills in details, all are invited for a discussion at Lamakaan.

Date: 9 August 2019 Time: 07:00 pm – 9:00 pm Venue: Lamakaan Open Cultural Space, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad-34 ALL ARE WELCOME! Entry Free!!

Panel discussion–“Keep the climate, change the economy: Need for a rainbow coalition” Climate change is here! We are already seeing monsoon vagaries every year and frequent extreme weather events like the very heavy rainfall in Mumbai in July 2019, and in Kerala in August 2018. The probability of remaining within 1.5-2oC temperature rise above pre-industrial times that scientists consider a do-not-cross redline now appears to be low. If greenhouse gas emissions do not come down drastically in the near future, temperature rise is likely to be 3-4oC, and the consequences of this will be catastrophic. South Asia is one of the two most vulnerable regions to climate change impacts. The 2015 inter-governmental Paris Agreement to check climate change does not seem to be succeeding. People need to step in now. What should we do to form a people’s rainbow coalition to tackle a now imminent climate crisis? What should its programme be?

Panel: K Babu Rao, Kajal Gupta, NS Prasad, Gangadhar Pandey, Arpit Sharma Chair: T Vijayendra

ALL ARE WELCOME!

This panel discussion is a curtain raiser kind of an event for the forthcoming SAPACC meeting, Hyderabad 18-21 September 2019

More details about SAPACC: https://www.ecologise.in/sapacc/