SHUBHANGI SHIFA
Ranchi, Nov 14: Eminent filmmaker and producer Ashok Sharan is set to receive an award for his film Ulgulan – Ek Kranti’ featuring Raza Murad, Nitish Bharadwaj among others on November 15. He will be awarded by the Chota Nagpur tribals (Ranchi Community) in Port Blair of Andaman and Nicobar Islands to commemorate the birth anniversary of Bhagwan Birsa Munda.
While talking to the lagatar24.com correspondent, Sharan said that he would be awarded by the Ranchi Community, an organization working in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands for the Chota Nagpur tribals based there.
Furthermore, while talking of the plight of the tribals, he said that they have been suffering for the past several years, wherein, they are not accepted as citizens and tribals there, as locals state that they are from Jharkhand, hence should expect benefits from the state.
Meanwhile, the state claims that they are citizens of the Union Territory as they have been based there for several generations. As a result, they cannot claim the benefits provided to the Jharkhand tribals based in the state. As a result, the tribals from Chotanagpur in Andaman and Nicobar Islands are facing a kind of identity crisis.
Regarding the event, he said, “Several tribes including those from Chotanagpur, Chhatisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Bengal reside here, hence they celebrate the Tribal Gaurav Diwas and the birth anniversary of Bisra Munda, which is where the film Ulgulan will be screened as well.”
“As far as I know, they are now reviving their culture there for some time now, as a part of which, the birth anniversary is celebrated there,” he added.
Moreover, regarding the Tribal Gaurav Diwas and his experience in making the film, the director said, “I have worked on around 250 documentaries, and I had plans to make my first feature film on Birsa Munda. It feels like an achievement as tribes and their culture are now being celebrated all over India and even Tribal Gaurav Diwas has also been initiated in an attempt to spread awareness.”
Talking about the film, Sharan said, “I am the producer/director while the film has been written by Kadia Munda. The film has actors including Raza Murad, Tom Alter, Deepraj Rana and Veerendra Saxena among others. The film is an award-winning film and has received a great response.”
