It’s an issue that has rocked the State and our consciences very often; and now a film maker from Jharkhand has decided to shift the limelight on the issue of human trafficking, especially of young girls from the State’s rural areas. Vishwa Mohan Virag, the maker of numerous documentaries on the state’s tribes, is working on a film titled ‘Sendra’ that delves into the dynamics of this issue and how it affects the victims’ families.
Shot mainly in the scenic Damin-i-Koh hills of Sahebganj district, and in Hazaribagh’s Charhi area, under the banner of Viewfinder Films, ‘the film tells the story of a young Saura Pahariya tribal – named Jabra Pahariya after the legendary invincible warrior of the same name—whose sister is sold in Delhi by traffickers who posed as job agency owners and lured the family with promises of good money. The film traces the events in his journey to rescue his sister,’ said Virag, who has also written the screenplay and lyrics for the film. The film is 85 per cent complete, and only some patchwork and shoots in Mumbai are remaining.
Steeped totally in the tribal milieu of Jharkhand, the film has many distinctive features, besides the subject. One unique aspect of the film is its language. ‘The film is mostly in Hindi, but we have also used a lot of Malto, the local dialect spoken by the Saura Pahariya tribe, for an authentic feel. This is the first time any movie is using this language,’ revealed Virag. Also, to keep the local feel intact, the actual locations in the tough terrains of Damin-i-koh were complemented by a cast of largely local actors including Prem Bharti, Anil, Romi, Sabina, etc. Some artistes from Odisha have also been roped in to get the tribal look and feel spot on. Also, the title song in Malto is set to the notes of the traditional tribal musical instruments.
Another significant trait is the many big names of Indian filmdom associated with it. While master auteurs Shyam Benegal and Gautam Ghose (think Moner Manush, Kaalbela and Shunyo Awnko) have consulted on the script.
A pantheon of bollywood biggies such as Mithun Chakravarty, Jackie Shroff Anupam Kher, Ashish Vidhyarthi and director Sudhir Mishra (of Hazaaron Khwahishen Aisi and Inkaar fame) will be seen in guest appearances. Veteran thespian and Dada Saheb Phalke Award winner Soumitra Chatterjee is also essaying the role of a Judge in the film. The music director is Ravindra Jain, known for such melodious hits as Chitchor, Akhiyon Ke Jharokhon Se, Henna, and Vivah to name a few.
As for working with such heavyweights, given that the film industry in Jharkhand is still a fledgling, Virag terms the experience invaluable. ‘All of them appreciated this film as an honest attempt to highlight a crucial social issue and readily agreed without any major demands. They were also happy to be involved in a venture to encourage a nascent regional film industry,’ said Virag.
The pioneering director is upbeat about his latest offering and is planning to travel to a number of International film festivals with it. English subtitles have also been added for this. Closer home, Virag is eyeing a September-October release and is already in talks for it.
‘I am hoping for a multiplex release as well, and negotiations are underway with distributors. Their response to the rushes of my film has been quite positive,’ he said.