Tirthankar Guha Thakurta ... Doctor Filmmaker Gay Activist

Colors of Love - 2011

2011-03-13T01:27:00.001+05:30

Dear Friends,

We are glad to invite you cordially to the second year of our annual event on celebration of equality of love and sexuality, “Colors of Love”, to be organized on the 18^th of March, 2011 in Kolkata.

This years’ event will mark the Kolkata version of our protest against the recent homophobic journalism by TV-9 channel. It will also feature a panel discussion on LGBT rights, focusing on the much awaited Supreme Court verdict on Section 377 of Indian Penal Code, on issues of coming out and on sensitive journalism. This will be followed by a film screening and/or a stage performance.

The panel will consist of noted psychiatrists, sociologists, lawyers, media persons and friends and parents of LGBT persons, who will share their views and experiences on the above aspects of LGBT rights.

The event expects to see a rush of college and university students, medical students, psychologists, teachers, parents and LGBT persons in the audience seats.

Keeping with the spirit of Holi (which is on the 19^th), the event will end with a Rakhi-Bondhon Utshab, to symbolize the unity of different colors of love and life.

The details of the event are given below:

Event: Colors of Love

Date: Friday, March 11, 2011

Time: 6 PM -8 PM

Venue: Rotary Sadan, near Rabindra Sadan Metro Station (Exide crossing)

No entry passes are needed. All of you are most cordially invited with friends and family.

Please join us and add more colors to the event!

Sincerely Yours,

Dr. Tirthankar Guha Thakurta

Email: tirthankar82@yahoo.co.in

The Telegraph reports on the screening of Tirthankar's films at Bhubaneswar

2010-09-13T02:17:00.007+05:30

Poster courtesy: Pradipto Photography: Kallol Nath

Film-makers shed light on social cause - Cinema lovers turn up in large numbers as city hosts two-day Siddhartha Gautam Film Festival

NAMITA PANDA

Exerpts from the article:

Bhubaneswar, Sept. 3: The Siddhartha Gautam Film Festival that deals with several human rights issues began on Friday at Jaydev Bhawan in Bhubaneswar. The two-day festival attracted people from different sections of society, who appreciated the films for their social outlook.

The films screened on the first day focussed on AIDS awareness and spoke about including sexual minorities into mainstream society... ...

... .... In a span of five minutes, Being Positive packs in a great message. It’s about a freelance photographer Akaash, in his 20s. The film is an absolute revelation. It shows a compilation of photographs with an undergoing narration in the background.

The central character Aakash, who keeps converting the negative films to positive for his photography, gets to know that he is HIV positive.

But one day he meets a married woman leading a happy and normal life with her family. She inspires Aakash and his family to continue living happily together ... ...

... ... The screening of films concluded with an interactive session attended by actors and film-makers.

“The response here is fantastic. The viewers were excited to see films end on a positive note. They asked how could it be possible to establish an inclusive society for HIV positive and transgenders,” said Amitabh Sarkar, an actor in film Aarambh and the director of Rupantar to be screened on Saturday.

Films Engayging Lives, The Red Umbrella and XXWHY will also be screened on the second day.

The festival is organised by Sampark, a coalition of 24 different civil society organisations working towards promoting all-round health and reducing poverty amongst sexual minorities and people living with HIV in the state.

It is an initiative of Solidarity and Action Against the HIV Infection in India (Saathii). On Saturday, Saathii will be give the Rainbow Film Awards 2010 to one of the films at the festival.

“Siddhartha Gautam, who passed away at the tender age of 28 in 1992, had fought vigorously for the rights of HIV positive people and transgenders. This annual festival began in Bengal in 2005 in his memory and was held in Bhubaneswar last year,” explained Mitali Mohanty of Saathii.

“The theme for this year is to support legal efforts to protect rights of people with HIV and decriminalise same-sex love and sexual minorities in India,” she added.

To read the original article please follow this link: http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100904/jsp/orissa/index.jsp

The Red Umbrella receives awards for Best Film and Best Actor at SRFA 2010

2010-09-03T13:37:00.003+05:30

We are glad to inform all our friends and welwishers, that our film "The Red Umbrella" has received the award for the Best feature film portraying sexual minority characters and issues in SGFF 2010. Dipmoy (Imon, the protagonist) received the award for the Best feature film actor in the role of a sexual minority character.

I express my sincere thanks, unconditional debts and warm regards to all my cast, crew and friends who have been part of this project in some way or the other.

I express my sincere thanks to the organisers of the SGFF to have considered our entry eligible for this honor.

This news, although pleasantly shocking to all of us, reminds us of one big thing - that dedication pays! All our cast and crew members were so deeply involved in the project, and sacrificed so much of their time, energy and work, that the project seemed to be a child we were bringing up!

Now that the child has grown up and started getting affections from the outer world, we feel like proud parents!

Screening Schedule & Venue:

On September 3, 2010 (Friday), Jayadev Bhawan, Bhubaneswar: “Aarambha”, “Aasara Sakala” “Hari Nivas” “Being Positive” “Magic” and “Theme Song on HIV/AIDS” will be screened.

On September 4, 2010 (Saturday), Jayadev Bhawan, Bhubaneswar: “Rupantar”, “The Red Umbrella”, “XXWhy” will be screened

Mobile Film Shows (from September 6-10, 2010): Screening will be from among “Rupantar”, “Being Positive”, “Magic” and “Hari Nivas”

I once again express my thanks to all members of the "Red Umbrella Family"!!

Tirthankar

The Red Umbrella - a story based documentation of the Indian gay rights movement

2010-01-21T20:54:00.007+05:30

At the shooting: Tirthankar shooting a scene with Dipmoy, Sramana and Bina Guhathakurta

Imon and Didi: Capturing childhood frames

Imon: Unfurling the umbrella

Imon and Didi: a new biginning

50 min, Bengali (with English subtitles)
Kolkata, 2010

Screening: 25th of Jan, 2010 at Rotary sadan (Opp. Exide more Haldiram)

Entry open to all

All are cordially invited.

Synopsis:

Imon’s sister never liked her brother using a red umbrella. “Red umbrella is for girls”, she felt. The film traces Imon’s journey from a small village to the perplexing crowd of the city where many people are organizing some sort of a forbidden march to unfurl their hearts’ colors.

Through its course, the film generates questions around gender, sexuality and the history of LGBT rights movement in India. It embraces the popular debate around Indian Penal Code 377 that forbids same sex love, and the recent High Court rulings on the same.

In a span of 50 minutes the playright addresses issues like "coming out", activism, law and humanity.

Credits:

1. Story, Script & Direction: Tirthankar Guha Thakurta
2. Cinematography: Kallol Nath, Rupesh Chaudhuri
3. Music: Aneesh Basu
4. Cast: Dipmoy Nath, Sramana Mukhopadhyay, Bina Guha Thakurta, Chinmoy Guha Thakurta, Sreyoshi Guha Thakurta & Anuprabho Ghosh
5. Editing: Ayan Chakraborty

6. Make up & Styling: Manish Sharma
7. Sound recording & Dubbing: Nihar Ranjan Chakraborty
8. Studio: Post Production

About the Director:

A doctor and teacher at a Kolkata based medical college, Tirthankar took up film-making as a second year medical student. His first film Piku Bhalo Achhe (Piku Is Fine), based on the coming out of a young gay boy, won accolades at various national and international film festivals. His subsequent films Strangers in the Rain, Being Positive and Magic have all dealt with various facets of gender, sexuality and human rights. He has always been vocal about the rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons through his profession and films.

Email: tirthankar82@yahoo.co.in

SCREENING OF BEING POSITIVE AND MAGIC AT 14TH KOLKATA FILM FESTIVAL

2008-11-12T18:31:00.002+05:30

Dear friends,

we are glad to inform you that our films BEING POSITIVE and MAGIC has been selected for screening at the 14th Kolkata Film Festival this year. You are most cordially invited to be present at the screenings and encourage us,

regards,

Tirthankar

Date: 16th November 2008, Sunday
Time: 3 pm
Venue: Bangla Academy Main Auditorium (NANDAN COMPLEX)

Entry is open to all. Please come with all your friends ! :-)

MAGIC

2008-11-12T17:48:00.005+05:30

Dear friends,

We are pleased to inform you all that we are ready with our next film "Magic" that was premiered at 6th Kalpanirjhar film festival early this month. Here's a brief about the film.

Synopsis:

The film, shot with still photography, takes us through the emotional turmoils of a HIV positive lady who finds that she is pregnant.

Credits:

Story, script & direction: Tirthankar Guha Thakurta
Photography: Kallol Nath
Music: Aneesh Basu
Cast: Sramana Mukhopadhyay, Bikiran Bhattacharya, Sumana Chatterjee, Anuprabho Ghosh
Editing: Ayan Chakraborty

Screening

The premier is planned to be at the 14th Kolkata Film festival on 16th November 2008, at Nandan.

blogging after a long gap...

2008-07-21T11:26:00.005+05:30

Hi friends,

How are you all?

It has been a long time that I had posted a message in this column... which however never implies that life was un-eventful. Here's posting a few snippets from the Kolkata Rainbow Pride Walk (LGBT pride walk) to start our conversation....

Best regards.

Tirthankar

Me with Papu at the walk

Clad in Rainbow

Why follow, when you can lead?

YELL: one-two-three-four; 377 no more!

Encouraging response at 4th International Short Film Festival , Kolkata

2007-12-17T22:27:00.000+05:30

The team from "Being Positive"

Tirthankar's movies "Being Positive" and "Strangers in the rain" were screened at the 4th Kolkata International Short Film Festival at Nandan on 3rd and 4th December. Both of the movies were very popular with the audience as was evinced in the huge rounds of applause. After the show , Tirthankar was flanked by friends and movie enthusiasts. A memorable day indeed , for the LGBT community of Kolkata.

BEING POSITIVE and STRANGERS IN THE RAIN to be screened at 4th Kolkata International Short Film Festival

2007-12-02T21:07:00.000+05:30

Dear Friends,

Two of our movies, "BEING POSITIVE" and "STRANGERS IN THE RAIN" have been selected for screening at the 4th Kolkata International Short Film Festival at Nandan.Below is the schedule for the movies . All of you are most cordially invited to the shows. Please come with all your friends and family to support our efforts.

Screening schedules:

BEING POSITIVE - 3rd Dec 07, 3:45pm
STRANGERS IN THE RAIN - 4th Dec 07, 5:45pm
Venue : NANDAN.

Passes will be availabe at NANDAN two hours before show.
Seats are limited, so please come early to reserve your seats (entry free). Kindly convey the invitation to all your friends and join us to inspire our efforts!

Regards,

Tirthankar

Channel V reports on Tirthankar's works

2007-10-30T19:00:00.000+05:30

An extract from [V] My India Report [http://www.myindiareport.in/]
October 9th, 2007

A Salute to Dr. Guha Thakurta
General Sex Social Issues

Baseless opinions are worth the fight. Challenging social prejudices is the first and most ambitious step to drive a change. This post is put up to bring to light the story of one such person who leads the movement.
Reading the comments for the post ‘Is homosexuality a crime?’, I found this interesting story of a doctor who gives an account of his personal journey of coming to terms with his sexuality in an intolerant society. Dr. Guha Thakurta has set an excellent example by telling his story. He speaks out as he believes in fighting the social injustice through increasing awareness by providing insightful information. I think the story and his work need acknowledgment, so here it is.

In Dr. Guha Thakurta’s words:

I would like to share a few social and medical developments that have taken place on the issue of homosexuality over the past few years. The interactive blogs tempt me to share an incident that took place recently in South India, where a group of Mass Communication students were expelled from the college for choosing their topic of Diploma film as ‘Homosexuality’.It is indeed a matter of great shame and injustice that some students have been expelled from a college for their effort to make a film on an issue of their choice (which is a reality).

I take particular interest to write on this issue, in support of the victimized students’ rights, and the innumerable “out” of “closeted” gay and lesbian friends, as I had made a similar effort to make a film on Homosexuality when I was in the second year of my medical education, and I am gay (and a student of Psychiatry at a State Medical College, too).

In 2003, when I was a second year medical student at Calcutta National Medical College, we (me and my other class mates) made an effort to make a docu-feature titled, “Piku Bhalo Achhey” (Piku Is Fine) on the “coming out” of a gay boy and his journey towards self-acceptance.
It was a “coming out film” in the true sense of the term, as it was not only based on my own experiences as a child, but also, that I came out to the media with my sexual orientation soon after the release of the film. This holds a special significance, as, I was also afraid of being expelled of my college, should the authorities react irresponsibly! Although there were many moral eyes wondering at what was happening, there was no official interference with me or the film. Instead, when I was in the final year of my studies (during my internship), the Psychiatry department of our college arranged for a screening of the film which was attended by psychiatrists from different medical colleges, and psychologists from the Calcutta University.

Presently, I am posted as the house physician of Psychiatry at our institution, and my second effort at making a film on LGBT issues (”Strangers In The Rain”) was also encouraged by arranging for a screening of the same.

In the light of modern knowledge of Psychiatric Medicine, Homosexuality is neither a disorder, nor a crime. The ICD-10 ( International Classification of Diseases, 10th Edition) published by WHO clearly states that homosexuality itself cannot be regarded as a disorder. DSM IV-TR ( Diagnostic & Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition, Text Revision) published by the American Psychiatric Association also strongly holds this view.Just to add a note to what some of the guests have commented; in the light of modern psychiatry,

(1)Homosexuality is not a disorder
(2)Homosexuality is just not a matter of choice, there is more to it. We cannot CHOOSE our sexual orientation. It only reflects the diversity of nature’s creation(please refer ICD 10, DSM IV TR, works of Alfred Kinsey and Evelyn Hooker, amongst others)
(3)Crime is a legal term. Whatever the law declares wrong is a crime (even if the Law itself is unscientific); so what? Science progresses at its own pace. Failure to catch up with the ongoing scientific changes is a disorder on part of the society.

In a country where we are gifted with the constitutional rights of freedom of expression, we have every right to raise voice for any cause including homosexuality and the society or any educational institution does not have the right to penalize an individual for the same. It is the need of the time to be united against such fascist powers and stand in support of the victims of moral policing.

With warm regards and spirits,

Dr Tirthankar Guha Thakurta,
Department of Psychiatry,
Calcutta National Medical College,
Kolkata - 700 014
West Bengal

****************************************************************************************************************
To read more on this article, please visit: http://www.myindiareport.in/2007/10/09/a-salute-to-drthakruta/#more-170

"Being Positive" to be aired on Doordarshan

2007-08-26T12:21:00.000+05:30

"Being positive" , my film about a young man's coming to terms with his HIV + status, has been selected for screening at a short film contest to be aired through Doordarshan Bangla (The State TV Channel of West Bengal).

Being Positive

2007-08-06T14:28:00.000+05:30

Being Positive was my third film, that I shot using still-photography.

Film Genre:

Short film, communication material, based on serial still photography

Duration:

5 minute

Language:

Bengali & English - as two different audio versions of the same story.

Theme:

The film traces the journey of a boy towards the acceptance of his HIV positive status.

Story and Screenplay:

Tirthankar Guha Thakurta

Photography:

Kallol Nath

Music:

VOIX

Mike Nemo

Klaus Neumaier

Silvia O
Avijit Gupta
Ratul Mukherjee

Synopsis:

Akash is a 24 year old man, a still photographer by profession. He spends his days snapping photographs, and the nights by developing the negatives into prints.

To his utter surprise, he was diagnosed to be HIV positive when a doctor advised him to test for HIV, for some health problems. It shattered his dreams and aspirations painting his world blue.

However, he met a lady, who was diagnosed to be HIV positive years back, and has been living a perfectly harmonious life since then. From her, Akash gets the inspiration to live; his negative shades turn positive once again; and he realizes that, what might have seemed to be a dead end, might actually be a new turn for a brighter beginning.

Screening:

The film has been submitted at a 5 minute short film competition and awaiting a formal premiere.

Contact Info:

For any details about the film, please contact the director at: tirthankar82@yahoo.co.in

Strangers in the Rain

2007-08-05T20:13:00.000+05:30

Strangers in the Rain was my second attempt to make a film with a handycam and a group of enthusiastic friends!
Synopis :

Three friends with varying sexual orientations decide to live together. The story unfolds as they pass through the adversities of living through unconventional relationships, in a society too closeted with its straight-jacketed perception of morality.

Story, Script and Direction: Tirthankar Guha Thakurta
Director of Cinematography: Richa Mohan
Assistant Directors: Rupesh Chaudhuri, Richa Mohan, Anupam HazraMusic: Jack Rabbit

About The film

The Film is an experimental effort by a group of amateur filmmakers. Shot on a handycam, on a shoestring budget, it was a pleasant exercise of story telling. Three friends with varying sexual orientations decide to live together. The story unfolds as they pass through the adversities of living through unconventional relationships in a society too closeted with its straight-jacketed perception of morality. They have a child who grows up in their loving care, until a weird sequence of events forces one of them to leave home. The story is narrated as the child, now grown-up, speaks to a journalist friend about the lives of his three parents.
About the filmmakers :

This is the second directorial venture of Tirthankar Guha Thakurta, based on a story, and script written by him. His debut film ‘Piku Bhalo Achhey’ (Piku is fine) which he made with his friends as a second year medical student, received critical acclaim in various film festival around the world (2nd ICMSC, Bangalore; 10th Kolkata International Film Festival [Short Film section]; Alliance Françoise, Chennai; SGFF 2005, Kolkata; etc) and at various workshops and conferences (Bangkok, Brighton, Bombay, etc).

Richa Mohan, who is the Director of Cinematography of this film has graduated from St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata, in Mass Communication & Videography and has actively been a part of various short films and ad film projects. Her Degree Film, “Hey Dev!” was selected and screened at various film festivals including the Kolkata Short Film Festival. Being a part of a leading advertising agency ad films conceptualized by her for various brands were aired nationally. She has also been a part of TV shows like Amazing Race, AXN.

The music has been composed by ‘Jack Rabbit’. The music group is lead by Utsav Guha Thakurta and Aritra Dutta Gupta. The title track has been sung by Debajib Das. The lyrics have been composed by Tirthankar Guha Thakurta.

Screenings:

The film was screened at a conference on homosexuality at the Birla Planeteriun Auditorium, Kolkata in 2007, and as the inaugural film at the Siddhatha Gautam Film Fesatival '07, as part of the Rainbow Pride Week in Kolkata. It has also been screened at a conference at the department of Psychiatry, Calcutta National Medical College.

Media Reviews:

http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=238543

http://www.indianexpress.com/sunday/story/12299.html

For any enquiry about the film "Strangers in the Rain" kindly contact the director at: tirthankar82@yahoo.co.in

Film review by Rahul Deb:

The film is based upon a relationship that the society is yet to accept. The plot revolves around three characters, whose interwoven relationships challenge the conservative straight-jacketed concept of the traditional relations. The director and scriptwriter Tirthankar Guha Thakurta had a brilliant take on the changing social scenario and the tagged concepts of sexual orientations. This is perhaps one of the first films in India, which bases itself on bisexual relationships, and it is rendered a different dimension. One of the characters, Rahul justifies himself by questioning if a straight man can love two women at the same time, why can't a bisexual man love a man and a woman at the same time! I suppose that is true since relations can not be restricted into concepts or genres or any such qualified boundaries, primarily because they are unpredictable - and which perhaps makes them even more beautiful!

The story outlines like so: Rahul and Jojo are together for quite a long time. Rahul is bisexual and Jojo finds himself upset at Rahul liking Piu, a friend of his. Jojo had always assumed Rahul was gay. Here the story challenges the boundaries of relationships when the quite unconventional identity of a bisexual is revealed. It also accuses general social assumptions and shows Jojo’s mistake in assuming his friend Rahul’s orientation, even when he is a homosexual himself! However later he accepts Rahul and the most important part of the film starts. Rahul reveals the peculiar situation in which he is in at that time. He feels warm for both, Jojo and Piu. There exists no conditions and no limits. This is where Piu finally decides, that if Rahul has feelings for both of them, they both have same rights over Rahul, and if society does not accept Jojo and Rahul’s marriage, then she and Rahul would not marry either, and would stay together along with Jojo at his place. It seems too overwhelming and diametrically opposing the traditional cycles but the film hands it down in a fine form.

Their fight against the society and its conservations start here. The multifaceted nature of a relationship is shown here which includes love, care, acceptance and obviously a tinge of jealousy and possessiveness. The character of Piu at first shows a huge level of acceptance and sacrifice, as she leaves her family and against their disapproval, continues her live in relationship with Rahul and Jojo.the society takes its full course on them as they struggle for a better living place. at last how ever finding it, they settle down together. The story takes another interesting turn as Piu becomes pregnant with Rahul’s child .At this issue she faces a wall of resistance at her work place and she isforced to quit! She finally gives birth to Rahul’child Bittu. Though she misunderstood Jojo, at once but being a doctor Jojo always assisted them.The whole story comes out in the words of Bittu, the child of Piu. He has grown up and settled in life. Bittu discloses this whole story to one of his lady journalist friend, in a rainy evening. He speaks of how he was brought up by his three parents Rahul, Piu and Jojo. The words really touch us when he says that he wonders how a person like Jojo who has just got only hatred from the society, can be such an endless source of love and care.

Perhaps love is not a habit to learn but an inherent human behavior which comes as spontaneously as the rain on the ground below, without any distinction or discrimination! However at the end Bittu speaks of the fateful day when Piu’s parents come to their place and in the absence of Piu and Rahul threatens Jojo. Now the realization dawns on Jojo that if he stays with them any more, the curse of the social discrimination would fall on little Bittu and ruin his tender heart! So for the sake of Bittu, Jojo leaves the family for good.Bittu is deserted of one of his three parents, and perhaps the most special one! But now Bittu is an adult and now he feels he would find his Jojo again. Some relations cannot be defined, like that between the earth and the sky, the flower and the dewdrops and perhaps that between Jojo and Bittu. Perhaps the dictionary of social knowledge does not recognize them or perhaps words fall short to describe their relationship and in both the conditions their relation remain undefined and they stay as just strangers, the strangers in the rain…

The film remains as an unputdownable venture from director Tirthankar .The acting skills of the actors can definitely be developed, but looking at the shoestring budget of the film and the technicalities we can definitely rank the performances as above expectations! The film‘s length is about 30 minutes and hence is quite precise. The editing of the film is brilliant and this is where it captivates! The sets used look natural (as according to the budget). But the best part of the film is the only song that it has. The song’s lyrics is composed by the director himself and the music is composed by ‘Jack Rabbit’. The song is simple but somewhere it touches our heart with its soft, deep-seated melody! The film proves that effort and sincerity can really make a difference! Thumbs up to the doctor and director Tirthankar!

Contact Info:

Email: tirthankar82@yahoo.co.in

Piku Bhalo Achhey (Piku Is Fine)

2007-08-05T20:00:00.000+05:30

Piku Bhalo Achhey (Piku Is Fine) was my first experimental venture to make a film, as a medical student with no experience in film making ever! All that I had as resources were a bunch of lovely college buddies, and a handycam!

Synopsis:

The film deals with the journey of a young gay boy towards self acceptance.

Story, Script & Direction: Tirthankar Guha Thakurta

Cinematography: Sayak Ghatak

Asst. Director: Sayantan Dasgupta

Playback: Arunima kisku, Gargi Ganguli

Film review by The Telegraph: (Nisha Lahiri)

It was a moment's decision, but based on a lifetime of experiences. For Tirthankar Guha Thakurta, making the film Piku Bhalo Aachhey (Piku Is Fine) was meant to pass the time between the end of exams and the start of classes. But the theme of homosexuality turned the film into a vehicle of change.
In 2004, the student of Calcutta National Medical College got together some friends who decided making a film would be a useful way to fill the time gap. What began with about five expanded to a group of 22 friends and family members. After a shooting schedule of about four-and-a-half days spread over a month, Piku Bhalo Aachhey was born.
"I chose the theme from my own experience, because I thought the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) issue was important, to highlight the problems faced by these people and to dispel misconceptions in society", says the final-year medical student.
The film making was the result of a concerted effort (story, script and direction, as well as playing the lead role of Piku, was Tirthankar). Cinematographer Sayak Ghosh used his handycam to shoot the film, one of the lead actors, Anirban Ghosh, offered his home as the set while assistant director Sayantan Das Gupta, like everyone else, did a bit of everything.

A still from Piku Bhalo achhey

with Piku( Tirthankar) and Neel (Sayantan)

"It was a group effort. Only the editing was done in a studio. We couldn't find someone willing to play Piku?s mother, so my mother did it," Tirthankar smiles. The hardest part, he confesses, was writing the script.
The story is about a student who is ridiculed and harassed by his college mates because of his homosexuality, while his family can't fathom the concept when he comes out. It debuted in June last year at the 2nd International Conference on Masculinity, Sexuality and Culture in South Asia in Bangalore. Since, it has been screened at the Siddhartha Gautam Film Festival organised by SAATHII in Calcutta for the past two years as well as numerous events on LGBT and HIV/AIDS in Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai.
"At first, I was apprehensive about the reception the film would receive. The true test was at the 10th Kolkata Film Festival at Nandan in December, because this was open to the public, where people already sensitised and aware of the issue weren't the only ones watching. There were even children at the screening. Initially, the audience laughed at Piku and understood the sentiments of those who harassed him. Towards the end, several sympathised with Piku. Many of them spoke to me afterwards, saying they were touched. That, for me, was the best experience", says the 22-year-old.
Although Tirthankar is reluctant to speak about his forthcoming project, which he has already started on, there are several issues he wants to address, like friendships between homosexual and heterosexual men, bisexuality and child rights. "I have received great support from Calcutta audiences and the media", he signs off.

Screenings:

The film ‘Piku Bhalo Achhey’ (Piku is fine) which was made with my friends as a second year medical student, received critical acclaim in various film festival around the world (2nd ICMSC, Bangalore; 10th Kolkata International Film Festival [Short Film section]; Alliance Françoise, Chennai; SGFF 2005 and 2007, Kolkata; etc) and at various workshops and conferences (Bangkok, Brighton, Bombay, Kolkata, etc).

Tirthankar Guha Thakurta (right) and Anupam Hazra from SAATHII Calcutta prior to the screening of "Piku Bhalo Aachhey" (Piku Is Fine) at the 2nd International Conference on Masculinities, Sexualities and Culture in South Asia,

held from June 9 to 13, 2004, at Bangalore.

Picture: Pawan Dhall

Media reviews:

Reviews on the film can be read by kindly visiting the following media links:

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1040706/asp/atleisure/story_3456555.asp

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1050705/asp/calcutta/story_4948687.asp

http://www.mail-archive.com/gay_bombay@yahoogroups.com/msg02288.html

http://gaybombay.org/event/film_fest_may_05.html

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1114727.cms

Contact info:

For any details about the film, kindly contact the director at: tirthankar82@yahoo.co.in

Being Piku and Being Fine

2007-08-05T19:03:00.000+05:30

Being a doctor was never a choice I preferred. It was sheer (mis)fortune that landed me up there. However, at the end of my six years that I spent at the Calcutta National Medical College, I feel it was not that bad either. After all it was my college that had instilled in me the courage to be the content gay man out of the morose depressed boy that I was, at the end of my terrifying school years, where a series of ostracism followed when I came out to my classmates in class seven.

I never chose to be gay just as my parents never chose to be straight. But I definitely chose to remain gay (literally so!), as a straight jacket (which was definitely never mine) would have suffocated me to death much before I would have breathed my last. I came out in my college to one of my friends when I was in the second year, and subsequently to others. The grown up kids in the college never reacted like my pals at my school. They were receptive, supportive and at least unbothered by the fact that one of their batchmate is gay!

Many popular misconceptions that only girls can be best friends, or that only a person from the sexual minorities can feel the agony of another, and the like, broke and molded as I passed through this wonderful journey in my college.

We had a short vacation following our second year board finals. We planned to make a film in the spare time with the minimum resources we managed to bring together ( which included a handycam for shooting and a friend’s house as venue). We got the necessary financial support and networking from SAATHII, an NGO that works on HIV/AIDS issues. The film called Piku Bhalo Achhey (Piku Is Fine) was an autobiographical sketch of a gay boy’s journey into self acceptance. This was the time I felt I needed to come out to my mother. I decided to play honest.

A lady in her mid-forties from a conservative Bengali family took her time to accept that her son is gay. But when she agreed to play the role of Piku’s mother in my film (where I played the role of Piku) I knew she was acting out her acceptance.

Thereafter there was no looking back. My mother and other friends feared persecution in the hands of my college authorities when my personal interviews started coming out in the press. Many of my good friends who took active part in the making of the film, refused to be seen in the same frame with me in the news articles. When however the press reacted with applause, much of their apprehension was gone.

A second round of bigger fight began when I was studying the clinical subjects. The sheer lack of information and concern about the LGBT issues among the faculty had often led to long drawn arguments between me and my teachers. I remember teasing the nerve out of a senior professor of psychiatry department for making a homophobic comment at a seminar on adolescent health issues. In the end she had to admit that she was wrong.

A bigger ride of success came when I managed to secure the single seat that was reserved for house-staffship at the psychiatry department. Now I feel so content when a patient comes to me with the complaint of being homosexual, and after a few rounds of counseling gets back confidently to search for his heartthrob. Not all staffs of our department are sensitive to sexuality issues, and I enjoy the little verbal fights that I often have, to put across my views.

However a bigger realization that has surfaced through these experiences is that, support in any form can come mixed with unwanted sympathy or pretensions. The best support is the one, I feel, that comes from your own heart – when Piku stands in front of his mirror, faces himself, and says “ Piku is fine”.