Beyond reservation

TNN / Oct 20, 2008, 02:51 IST

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Filmmaker Shekhar Sartandel's Marathi film, ‘Joshi Ki Kamble,’ deals with the sensitive issue of reservation.

PUNE: If one��s name determines one��s right to higher education, then, Sanjay Kamble is perhaps a typical case of identity crisis arising from such a pre-condition. Filmmaker Shekhar Sartandel brings this dilemma to the fore in his recently-released Marathi film, ��Joshi Ki Kamble,�� where the protagonist, Sanjay, goes to great lengths to save himself from being a victim of caste discrimination.
Dealing with the sensitive issue of reservation, Sartandel��s film is a slice of reality in Indian education.The film was screened at the ongoing 6th Asian Film Festival and tells the story of Sanjay, who goes by the surname Kamble until it is revealed that he was born a Joshi.
"He is a sincere and ambitious student, who aspires to become a doctor. But, once his true identity is revealed to him, he faces a crisis very typical to anyone looking for a sense of belonging," says Sartandel, who worked on the film��s storyline for six years.
During the film��s pre-production stage, Sartandel sought inputs from Dalit scholars on the issue of reservation. The reactions of people from Maharashtrian families and reserved categories alike, were also sought while the film was being ideated.

Amey Wagh, who plays the role of Sanjay Kamble, knew he had to showcase the young boy��s ideology. "And this ideology isn��t based on whether Sanjay is a Kamble or a Joshi. It��s purely based on what his conscience tells him.
He finally decides to carry on with his medical profession for the sake of society he is indebted to," says 20-year-old Amey, who is pursuing mass communication at the University of Pune.
To sensitise himself to the issue of caste-based reservation, Amey even asked his friends what they thought about the issue. "Quite a few of them said it didn��t affect them. But, I realised that this issue affects people from both the open as well as the reserved category. This film made me aware of this fact," says Amey.

Sartandel says, ��Joshi Ki Kamble�� was made from a moralistic point of view. In India, we have people either from the open or the reserved categories. Not just the students, but even their parents don��t know the history and significance of reservation. In my film, there��s a strong reference to the history of reservation and why it still prevails till date," says Sartandel.
Hence the need to widen one��s horizons and look beyond the obvious. he says, "We have to learn to look beyond class prejudices and community-related biases. And, in India there are several students who are facing an educational dilemma as a result of their caste or religion."
Amey sums up the story: "One��s caste or religion doesn��t define one��s identity," he asserts.

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