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case. A week after the ban, 10,000 discs were bulk-replicated and launched in a Pirate-and-Circulate campaign (get a free copy if you promise to pirate and make at least 5 or more copies, urging those getting the āpiratedā copy to pirate it further). This campaign got a tremendous and widespread response, enabling the film to reach towns and villages no commercial DVD distributor could possibly have. Simultaneously, on the website, it was made clear that neither a formal permission nor a screening fee was necessary for any India screenings. This led to hundreds of protest screenings at cultural spaces, in college hostels, trade union halls and community auditoria etc. On Oct 2, 2004, Gandhiās birth anniversary, inspired by his Civil
Disobedience campaign, a nationwide Show@Home initiative was launched by (Late) Himmatbhai Zaveri, an old Gandhian. Free DVDs were made available for over 200 such screenings countrywide, for home screenings for neighbors, family, colleagues and friends. Further, activist groups & grassroots networks were encouraged to use the film for advocacy, urging them as well to pirate-and-circulate the film. A tie-up with smaller journals, focusing on Democracy, Fundamentalism, Communal/ sectarian violence etc., offered free DVDs to their subscribers. It ensured targeted distribution to ground-level activists already working on the very issues the film explored. Some groups were even given the master tapes to prepare dubbed versions in regional languages (Tamil, Kannada, Gujarati etc.). Finally, the film was also uploaded for free viewing, in the limited spaces available online in 2004-5, as well as on institutional intranet servers at Indian universities, technical colleges, management institutes and even BPO call centers! Thatās how the film went viral even before the ban was officially lifted.
268:, Rakesh took a sabbatical from his career to run a relief camp in Jogeshwari East (Jhoola Maidan, near Gandhi Chawl, where the Bane family had been burnt alive inside their home). As a full-time Nivara Haqq volunteer for several months, Rakesh ran the camp and worked with both the communities on relief, rehab and preliminary legal work, including filing FIRs, compensation claims, etc. Rakesh then moved to the corporate side of broadcasting for the next 7ā8 years, before returning to self-financed, independent film-making in 2001-02.
294:, a Tamil channel. The 8-month consultancy included finalizing programming strategy, channel re branding, commissioning fresh shows for the entire prime time band, recruitment and training of staff (Programming, in-house production, on-air promos etc.). Rakesh finally quit broadcasting altogether in 2000 to return to film-making. It was while working on his first screenplay that he decided to accompany a friend to Kutch for relief work following the Jan 2001 approach, triggering his accidental return to documentary film-making with
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people featured in Final
Solution, the series also examines several dimensions that could not possibly have been explored in the immediate aftermath. A notable focus of his subsequent probes is the fate of the riot foot soldiers, 5 and 10 years after the carnage. As well as over a dozen ākarasevakā families whose loved ones died inside S-6, Sabarmati Express at Godhra, most of whom were abandoned soon after the massive BJP victory in the 2002 Gujarat elections.
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Committee preview convened by
Chairman, CBFC, the film was cleared by the Censor Board without a single cut. Final Solution won the Presidentās Award (Special Jury award) in 2006, underscoring what the filmmaker called āthe schizophrenic nature of the State, (that first bans a film and then gives it an award)ā. Curiously, the two state-run film festivals of India -
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After quitting Star in 1997, Rakesh took up large production consultancy and TV channel launch/ relaunch projects. These included the mega Pollsā98 results show (72 hours live, DD1 and DD2; last of the āmanual countā elections) as the
Executive Producer in charge of the show. A joint venture between
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The battle for Final
Solution was fought in the realm of public opinion. The strategy ensured that instead of the film being buried, it went viral. It also resulted in widespread public support and civil society protests that eventually created pressure on the Censor Board (CBFC) to re-examine the
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Though largely self-financed, in 2011, Rakesh turned to his audience and supporters with an appeal for crowdfunding, to help digitize his entire archive comprising all filmed and found material since the 2002 Gujarat carnage, as the original mini DV tapes had begun to deteriorate. Thanks to their
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In 2018, Rakesh was diagnosed with an autoimmune syndrome, after years of misdiagnosis since 2002, when he first started suffering seriously from debilitating issues. Though his travel and filming have been hampered after 2006, and near-totally so since 2013, he has still managed to film over 500
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mining belt, the film probes democracy 'from below'. The film travelled to over 120 international film festivals, in addition to several universities and academic conferences. 2002-2006: After finishing and releasing Final
Solution, Rakesh worked full-time on making other versions (including the
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screening, as the filmmaker refused to reapply or approach the
Revising Committee, on the grounds that the Examining Committee preview panel was politically partisan, and did not even bother to see the film in its entirety, before effectively banning it. In October 2004, after a special Revising
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In 1992, he produced and directed "Beaches of India," a 20-minute film commissioned by HT Media for the
Ministry of Tourism. This film, featuring no spoken words or text slides, relied solely on an elaborate music and sound effects track. It was shot by Navroz Contractor in locations such as the
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In 2006-7, Rakesh decided to return for filming in
Gujarat, for a long-term follow-up to his earlier work. Tentatively titled Final Solution Revisited, it is a mini-series of 3-4 films, each a complete feature-length documentary in itself. Apart from a classic follow-up of events, incidents and
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In 1990, Kumar co-directed "Ringmasters," a special investigative documentary commissioned by DD, which examined the use of money and muscle power during Indian elections. This film was banned by DD and never shown. In 1991, he co-produced and co-directed "Democracy in Crisis," a film aired on
421:. Rakesh stated that he released those clips because Modi's early speeches had been gradually disappearing from online repositories due to a concerted whitewash campaign to improve Modi's image that could possibly be tarnished by his endorsements of the riots.
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Channel 4 in the UK as part of the series "South." The documentary explored the transition in Indian politics, marked by the collapse of the centrist
Congress party and the emergence of new political formulations based on caste and religion.
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as an anti-Muslim pogrom orchestrated by right-wing Hindu nationalists in Gujarat. Himself a Hindu, Sharma used primary sources ā testimony from both victims and perpetrators ā to allege that the state was complicit in the violence.
261:. Rakesh gave up documentary film making in 1992, as āprojects funded by international broadcasters and agencies always came with strings attached, however benign and I had no interest in making commissioned Sarkari filmsā.
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generous and timely support, nearly 90% of the archival footage and stock was successfully digitized. Edited sequences from this footage, along with excerpts from Final Solution, were released by the filmmaker in 2013-14.
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140:. Rakesh Sharma spent his formative years in Agra, before moving to Delhi to finish his school and college education. He started his career as television journalist in 1986. He graduated from SRCC,
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from his election speeches for the 2003 election. In these clips, Modi allegedly appeared to endorse the violence perpetrated against Muslims in the
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In 1986, Kumar established Newstel, a Delhi-based news agency supplying features and stories to the state broadcaster - Doordarshan (
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with a brief to Indianize and relaunch the channel. Initially as Commissioning Editor, and then as Head, Star Plus (India).
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215:'s "Discovery of India/Bharat Ek Khoj," a series consisting of 53 episodes shot on 35mm film, amounting to 270 reels.
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Gujarati version), DVD sales and self-distribution of the film to broadcasters, institutions and film festivals etc.
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Montgolfiere dāOr (Best Documentary) & Le Prix Fip/Pilā du Public, Festival des 3 Continents at Nantes (France)
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hours of material over the years, in Gujarat and elsewhere, probing the rise and entrenchment of Politics of Hate.
388:, a subaltern re-examination of the Narmada debate (Development at whose cost? For whose benefit?). Set in Kutch's
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1994: Head of Shows, Channel , an edgy music channel, as a part of the 3-member core team to launch the channel.
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Prasar Bharti and India Today group. Rakesh moved to Chennai in 1999 to relaunch Vijay TV now known as
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Rakesh Sharma returned to documentary film-making after a decade, with the multiple award winning film
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495:"As FTII students call off strike, Dibakar Banerjee and 11 other filmmakers will return their awards"
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The film was denied certification in July 2004. But, following widespread civil society protests,
253:, which aired under the title "Sitaron ka Karvan." The series began with a four-episode biopic on
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756:"Film-maker releases a dozen clips of controversial Modi speeches made just after Gujarat riots"
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627:"Final Solution: Rare footage in the award winning documentary on Godhra riots (Watch Video)"
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Special Jury Awards, Karafest (Karachi), Worldfest (Houston) and Film South Asia (Kathmandu)
367:(Storyville), NHK, YLE, DR2 and several smaller TV stations in Europe, West Asia and Africa.
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549:"'Final Solution', documenting events in Gujarat in '02-'03, is free to view once more"
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In 2014, Rakesh released a number of video clips of Indian Prime Ministerial candidate
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in 1984 with a BA Honors (Economics) degree. He studied MA in Mass Communication from
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577:"How Rakesh Sharma ensured his documentary on Gujarat riots reached Indian audiences"
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Humanitarian Award for Outstanding Documentary, Hong Kong International film festival
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Wolfgang Staudte award (now rechristened the Golden Bear for Best Debut), Berlinale
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Special Award by NRIs for a Secular and Harmonious India (NRI-SAHI), NY-NJ, USA
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883:"Final Solution won two more international awards at 3 Continents at Nantes"
781:"Filmmakers Return Their National Awards To Protest Against Rising Violence"
730:"Following NYCLU Lawsuit, New York City Agrees To Reform Film Permit Scheme"
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never āselectedā or screened Final Solution. Nor did the state broadcaster,
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Special Jury Mentions, Munich Dokfest and Bangkok International film fest
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From 1993 to 1994, Kumar produced and directed the series "Legends" for
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Special Jury Award, Mar Del Plata Independent film festival (Argentina)
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257:, Bollywood's first major star, followed by a three-episode biopic on
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652:"Watch Final Solution: Rakesh Sharma's Documentary on Gujarat Riots"
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Best Film, Freedom of Expression awards by Index on Censorship (UK)
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filmmaker. His most notable work is the feature-length documentary
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Special Jury Award (Netpac), Berlin International film festival
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211:). Between 1987 and 1989, he served as an Assistant Director on
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NYCLU case of Sharma's arrest, and consequent case against NYPD
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In 1992-93, following the Bombay riots in the aftermath of the
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806:"The Bond between Modi and some filmmakers is not accidental"
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Best Documentary, Apsara Awards (Indian Film industry awards)
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National Film Award ā Special Jury Award (non-feature film)
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1996: Moved into Network Planning (India and Middle East),
858:"Indian entry 'Final Solutions' bags two awards at Berlin"
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in Feb 2002, where it won the Best Documentary award.
602:"'Final Solution' rejected Censor Board certificate"
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831:"Film on Gujarat riots wins two awards in Berlin"
454:Silver Dhow, Zanzibar International film festival
469:Nominee, Best Foreign Film, Grierson Awards (UK)
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944:, Berlinale Catalogue (English and German)
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457:Human Rights Award, Docupolis (Barcelona)
386:Aftershocks: The Rough Guide to Democracy
62:Learn how and when to remove this message
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520:"I was assaulted, says Rakesh Sharma"
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353:International Film Festival of India
304:Fribourg International Film Festival
704:"Never forget the Gujarat genocide"
344:Central Board of Film Certification
380:Filmography and related activities
357:Mumbai International Film Festival
326:, a documentary that presents the
34:tone or style may not reflect the
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678:"Chronicling the cost of carnage"
475:Special Award by AFMI, USA-Canada
547:Griffin, Peter (11 April 2019).
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44:guide to writing better articles
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16:Indian film director (born 1964)
734:American Civil Liberties Union
266:Demolition of the Babri Masjid
175:format but may read better as
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999:Indian civil rights activists
994:Indian documentary filmmakers
371:Unusual distribution strategy
942:Interview with Rakesh Sharma
111:maker, Television Journalist
936:Shooting Genocide interview
346:(CBFC) convened an unusual
284:Star TV (Asian TV networks)
93:1964 (age 59–60)
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989:Film directors from Mumbai
318:Final Solution (2004 film)
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128:(born 1964) is an Indian
425:Award for Final Solution
409:2014 Modi video releases
322:Sharma made waves with
184:converting this section
38:used on Knowledge (XXG)
42:See Knowledge (XXG)'s
302:was premiered at the
146:Jamia Millia Islamia
708:Times of India Blog
142:University of Delhi
938:, on Future Movies
836:The Times of India
810:Telegraphindia.com
419:2002 Gujarat riots
328:2002 Gujarat riots
186:, if appropriate.
138:2002 Gujarat riots
887:Filmfestivals.com
862:Outlookindia.com/
754:Ramanan, Sumana.
606:Outlookindia.com/
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979:1964 births
361:Doordarshan
300:Aftershocks
296:Aftershocks
255:Ashok Kumar
229:Lakshadweep
130:documentary
973:Categories
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480:References
292:Star Vijay
760:Scroll.in
631:India.com
499:Scroll.in
912:IMDb.com
785:The Wire
348:suo moto
277:StarPlus
225:Andamans
433:in 2005
390:lignite
335:Ban on
136:on the
99:, India
251:Zee TV
237:Konark
171:is in
177:prose
964:IMDb
919:2021
894:2021
869:2021
844:2021
817:2021
792:2021
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716:2021
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638:2021
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588:2021
560:2021
534:2021
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365:BBC
355:and
245:Goa.
243:and
233:Puri
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