Slap on society's face

A film that pleads for a humane look at HIV+ people


One of the viewers who saw the film 68 Pages recently said, "This film is a slap on the society's face". The film's director Sridhar Rangayan is happy his film is eliciting such a string response, but he adds, "The film is just a reminder to the society to look around and see the realities and treat people with a bit of humanity"

According to the 2005 sentinel surveillance studies the HIV prevalence in India is 8.44% among female commercial sex workers, 10.16% among ID users, 8.74% among MSM (men who have sex with men) and an astounding 43.9% among transgenders.

While most of the people in India have not completely woken up to the immensity of the HIV epidemic, men and women who are diagnosed HIV positive face a tough ordeal ahead. Stigmatized and discriminated at work place, social circles and even by the family, HIV positive persons live in fear and seclusion. Many of them are themselves in denial, not willing to accept their HIV+ status because of fear of rejection.

A new film '68 Pages' produced by The Humsafar Trust and directed by Sridhar Rangayan peeps into the lives of some of these marginalized people to discover their fear and trauma, hopes and anguish. It rips open the underbelly of our society to reveal how it shuns them and ill treats them.

Especially the story of Paayal (Jayati Bhatia), a prostitute from Kamathipura who is not even given a bed in the municipal hospital or the ID user Nishit (Zafar Karachiwala) who is threatened to quit from his job. These are some of the ugly facets of the society.

The issue becomes even more thick and murky when it comes to HIV+ people from the sexual minorities - like transsexuals. Umesh (played by debutante Uday Sonawane) is a young man who believes he is a woman trapped in a male body. He supports his family by dancing as 'Umrao' at a dance bar. The ban on dance bars brings his life crumbling down and he is forced into prostitution at truck terminals in Mumbai.

Or the heartrending story of Kiran (Joy Sengupta) - a gay man who works in an NGO. He is confident, cheerful and full of life; shares a wonderfully cozy relationship with Mohit, his lover of four years. They have promised to be faithful and loyal to each other. But when his world comes crumbling down one day, who can he turn for support?

One person who sees all this, tries to raise her voice, lend some support is Mansi (Moulli Ganguly), a counselor who works with marginalized communities. She believes in keeping her personal and professional lives apart, but some of her counselees, she cannot leave behind in the counseling room. Their experiences follow her home and become part of her diary. Through 68 Pages of Mansi's diary, we see the stories of Paayal, Nishit, Kiran, and Umrao. Mansi herself is put at crossroads when her ex-lover, now married, comes back into her life to torment her. Will she have the courage to move away from her past?



Director Sridhar Rangayan who has not only raised controversies but also pertinent social issues with his earlier films 'Gulabi Aaina' and 'Yours Emotionally!' returns with a film that is poignant and heartwarming. "Though it deals with issues like stigma and discrimination, the film tells the stories in an entertaining way. It is a film with a heart", Rangayan says of the film which he hopes he will be able to get a theatrical release. Rangayan says with determination, "By December 1, the World AIDS day, I want it in the theaters".

Vivek Anand, CEO of The Humsafar Trust and Executive Producer of the film says - "It is important for everyone to understand that HIV is an epidemic that needs to be dealt with on priority, especially in case of the sexual communities like gays and transgender people."

The film which will have its first public screening at the British Council, Mumbai on Oct 3, co-hosted by Association of British Scholars (ABS), is already receiving some amazing response at the previews. 'Sensitive', 'Moving portrayals', 'Excellent performances' and '"Your film is a slap on the face of society.". The projectionist at one of the preview theaters said, "I screen hundreds of films in this here but hardly watch them. Today, I just started watching and saw the entire film and had tears in my eyes."

Rangayan rounds off, "This film is certainly made with a purpose – of bringing some of the stories that we have not cared to stop by and look, into focus. It is not a bugle call for action, but just a soft reminder to pause and reflect and make an effort to understand. Maybe we can all wipe a tear, hold a hand… or maybe write the next 68 Pages."

68 Pages

92 mins, Hindi with English subtitles

Screenplay & Direction: Sridhar Rangayan

Script & Executive Producer : Vivek Anand

Produced by : The Humsafar Trust

Cast: Moulli Ganguly, Joy Sengupta, Jayati Bhatia, Zafar Karachiwala, Sherrin Varghese, Abhay Kulkarni, Bakul Thacker, Ikhlaq Khan, Ajay Rohilla, Mangal Kenkre, Roopal Patel, Pratik Gandhi and introducing Uday Sonawane as Umrao .

Film screens at the British Council auditorium, Mumbai on October 3, at 6pm. Cast and Crew in attendance.