DEGLAMOUR !!!
“O God, never put me to test!” a popular adage very often haunts us all in life, being scared of facing a test because it is always arduous and toiling to pass through a test. This world and life is replete indeed with such entreaties in abundance as everyone longs for a happy, comfortable and test free life. Does the Almighty care for every such prayer or request, is indeed a million-dollar question? The answer too then evidently and naturally springs up: His state thus is kingly, He may or may not accede to everyone’s requests, hence His domain quite discretionary in nature.
Here,it is really pertinent and worthwhile to narrate the unfortunate tale and plight of those traumatic bread and butter earners on litmus test too often but at the same time these humble trauma bearers who are truly instrumental in bestowing dazzling hues, glamour and glory upon the filmdom of India but certainly at their own perilous and risk stricken lives have always been at the receiving end.
( Opender with David Dhawan)
Mr. Opender Chanana, the recipient of Dada Saheb Phalke Award instituted by Krishna Chouhan Foundation Mumbai deserves kudos for portraying on the spectrum the ordeals and grapplings of this poor strata of film industry at every step and stage.
He a proud alumnus of Dr.Satish Chander Dhawan Government College, Ludhiana which groomed up doyens like evergreen poet and lyricist Sahir Ludhianvi, Mohan Segal Hindi Film Producer-Director of Raja Jani-Sawan Bhadon fame and David Dhawan Director of Mujh Se Shaadi Karogi-Hero No.1 fame too, for the past many years together did emerge as a dauntless crusader resonating voice of these thousands of helpless victims of the polity as well as the bollywood’s too much indifference and apathy towards this aggrieved section of glamorous society called film world yearning for their due and natural justice. Neither God nor the system is at all coming to the rescue of this neglected a class but only and only none other than OPENDER CHANANA who has very consistently and relentlessly been taking cudgels against “the powers that be “for their cause, interests and welfare busy all along echoing their genuine concerns at national and international platforms.
(Precarious for workers)
At the back of his mind for pretty long a span, this uncalled for and discriminatory treatment meted out to behind the screen grapplers, Chanana could not help bringing to the fore the excesses and atrocities inflicted upon these strivers that he shot a documentary film entitled, “Living On The Edge: Deglamourizing Bollywood” beckoning towards threefold agonies always staring them in their faces on the location of the shooting and off too. These are ironically the traumatising Trio of Ss- Safety,Security and Shelter pertaining to the trinity of Craftsmen, Technicians and Artists in the backdrop-the backbone of any movie.
San an iota of doubt, through his sublime art of documentary film making and authoring books, Opender Chanana has indeed become their saviour and messiah though those at the helm of the affairs of the nation have not at all bothered and cared to ameliorate their lot,spreading his humanely message through out the world offering it universal dimensions, a stream of life which has not been explored too often and not the focus of bollywood or the society at large.
(Those who died on sets, deaths were avoidable)
Chanana’s internationally award winning documentaries and books leave no stone unturned to paint a dismal picture of these unfortunate strugglers’ plight behind the screen face to face with manifold dangers and traumas.These include fire on sets with no safety measures that too on exit points,dreadful stunts without safety umbrellas, unhygienic food,dirty toilets,no sitting arrangement and uncertain working hours subjecting them to both physical and mental problems.
Chanana’s research exposes that fifteen ill-fated craftsmen,technicians and artists fell a prey to avoidable deaths on sets but who cares for these fatalities. There is one instance of Sohil Shah to cite who accidentally drove off a bridge suffering a haemorrhage ultimately bidding adieu to this world.The film maker makes horrible revelations that such victims meet their fatal end because of no safeguards made available for them.
His another small documentary THE MEETING POINT on film festivals offers a platform for film makers, critics and audience. His popular titles are MAGIC & MYSTIQUE OF INDIAN CINEMA, TELEVISION &VIDEO, A HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE,CHALLENGE FOR CHANGE and THE MISSING 3 IN BOLLYWOOD SAFETY,SECURITY AND SHELTER.
Viewing Chanana’s documentaries and going through his eye-opening books, bollywood stars and international artistes bodies too have felt deeply moved and concerned over the unfortunate hopeless working conditions,traumas,insecurity,no safety cover with sheer neglect of these equal partners of the success of any movie after screening.The celebrated film star Shabana Azmi reacted startlingly thus,”We are too stunned to even clap after the screening.I thank you from the bottom of my heart for this momentous work. Infact,we lead an insulated life.I can only talk of myself as an actor.As somebody who is concerned about things around me.Why is that I have not paid any attention to this before.I ask anybody else that question.I would like to ask myself that question ! This is the strength of this film.” An eminent film artist Anu Kapoor too remarked,” This film has deeply penetrated the issues like sufferings,hunger, rights of workers.Believe it is not the first time that such issues have been raised but the film has brought before us the pain of the workers and craftsmen.”
International Federation of Actors(FIA) General Secretary Dominick Luquer commented in this manner,” Really exposes the dark and stinking side of Bollywood.It is frightening in a way because of the apalling conditions that many workers in the film industry have to work on daily basis.”
Opender whose monumental Living On The Edge documentary film recently adjudged the best then decorated with the Best Documentary Award at the Indian International Cinema Universe Film Festival-2025 and World Carnival Film Festival Singapore with Outstanding Achievement regrets that Indian Government and Bollywood both have very badly overlooked the miserable and pitiable lot of these dedicated and devoted contributors of any cine success story.Being a native of land of five rivers Panjab,he expressed his utmost disgust that he wrote a letter to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann himself a well known artist well aware of the nitty gritty of these behind the scene performers to do whatever he can to mitigate the trials and tribulations of this movie land big army but he did not care at all to respond.Expressing his displeasure too over so many film stars hailing from Punjab he felt that they did not do much for the promotion and popularity of Punjabi Cinema whereas they could have done a lot.
All in all,does not this very big squad of toilers behind the curtain but attracting hurrahs on the screen deserve a fair and better deal ? Certainly it does ! A renowned English poet John Milton haunts who remarked, “They also serve Him the best who stand and wait.”
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Contributed by : Prof PK Sharma Freelance Journalist Associate Professor of English(Retired),
Pom Anm Nest,BARNALA(Punjab) e-mail :[email protected]
Mobile : 94170-02504