Kamakhya Narayan Singh on winning National Film Awards for Justice Delayed but Delivered, Article 370 and 35A

Director Kamakhya Narayan Singh says that winning the national film award for ‘Justice Delayed but Delivered’ based on the abrogation of Article 370 and 35A will help the 15-minute documentary reach masses. It received the national award for best film on social issues at the 68th National Film Awards.

The film is the story of Radhika Gill and lakhs of other victims of Article 35A in the state of Jammu and Kashmir and how the sufferings of Valmiki community who are in Jammu since 1957 but were denied a 'Permanent Resident Certificate'. In an interview with Firstpost, the director talks about the emotional journey while making this documentary, how cinema and documentary can be a great medium to give voice to the voiceless, and more.

Edited excerpts from the interview:

Congratulations on Justice Delayed But Delivered. What was your first reaction when you were announced as one of the winners at the National Film Awards and how important are such acknowledgements?

I am very happy that we have received the National Award for this documentary and this will also help the film to reach the masses. Whenever we talk about Article 370 and 35A it is perceived as political issue, but for me, it was a social issue, it was about an Act that was depriving people of their basic human rights. It led to caste discrimination, gender discrimination, and many more such discriminations in the society in J&K.

The film is based on Article 370 and how it affected the women in Kashmir. When did you first think of coming up with this sensitive topic and how certain were you that this film will strike a chord with viewers?

In 2012-13 one of my friends was doing some research in Jammu Kashmir, he told me about how the Valmikis, the safai karamcharis ( sweepers) were brought to Jammu Kashmir in 1957 from Punjab because the sweepers in Jammu were on a long strike and even after seventy years their children were denied rights to take up any job apart from being sweeper in Jammu municipality, it was a case of blatant caste discrimination. Imagine in the 21st century they could not be doctors or engineers, they were forced to become sweepers.

Besides the Valmikis, the Women in J&K were not allowed to get married to a man from outside J&K, or someone who did not have the PRC- Permanent Resident Certificate of J&K. And if they married outside J&K then the women and their children would lose the right to property. The children of these women were not allowed to study in govt colleges, not allowed to vote, contest elections and even take up any state govt jobs!! I felt how this could happen in Independent India. Caste Discremination and Gender discremination!!!

Did you meet the woman in the valley to make the story factually correct and real? Would you like to talk about those on-ground experiences?

Answer: First of all Jammu Kashmir is a large state, with valleys.. hills, plains, and mountains. In the last 10 years, we have extensively traveled across the state and met people. Met Radhika Gill, Sajra Qadir, Rashmi Sharma ji, all felt they were deprived of their rights. People were scared to talk about their problems. Before 2019 they could not see any possibilities of their children living with dignity. That is why we made a documentary in 2016 and again in 2020. In 2016 my documentary we made on the victims of Article35A, it raised many pertinent questions regarding their basic human rights and their fundamental rights as citizens of India, in 2020 'Justice Delayed But Delivered' is a follow-up documentary, after the amendment of Article 370 and abolition of Article 35A.

Do you want to talk about the journey while making this film- was it more emotional compared to other projects as a filmmaker?

When we were making our documentary in 2016 on the Victims of Article 35 A, I remember Rashmi ji was weeping.. Garu Bhati had anger and everyone was living without hope. I felt when we had a constitution to safeguard our rights, how was it that here people have been suffering for 70 years? They were deprived of basic human rights. One may not believe but while shooting very often I used to hide my tears behind the camera. I felt as helpless as they were feeling. The only thing I could do was become their voice and reach out to the masses, which I was able to do in 2016.

When in Aug 2019 the amendments and abolishment of Art 370 and 35A happened respectively, I decided to follow up with them and when I started shooting in 2020, once again I had tears in my eyes, but this time there were tears of Joy!! I could see the sparkle of hope in their eyes, the happiness, the sense of liberation, and above all the Pride of living with equality and human dignity. It was like a rollercoaster ride of emotions, reaching its final destination with happiness and a sense of triumph.

Your previous films have also created an impact for strong storytelling and taking real-life references to the big screen. Can we see that as a filmmaker you believe in such stories that talk about real problems and solutions?

I have a very school book answer for it - I always feel cinema and documentary can be a great medium to give voice to the voiceless. It can be a great tool to bring social change by sensitizing the people.

Honestly, whenever I think of a story I get inspired by some other social issue. When it comes to fiction It becomes easy for me to build a story around social issues that's my strength. When it comes to documentaries, I chose to become a documentary filmmaker because I had lots of friends who were social activists and they keep inspiring me with the work they do.

As somebody who has grown up in rural areas, do you think you connect more to their problems and hence such stories?

I grew up in Guwahati, a small city then. But all our summer and winter vacations we spent in rural Bihar, my parents are from Bihar and that has impacted my thought process- The social fabric, culture, food habits, their stories. I have observed in the last decade we have forgotten to tell stories of rural India in cinema. So, somewhere I feel I am filling the void.

We often see that such serious storytelling gets an average show at the box office. Do you keep that commercial aspect in mind as a storyteller too because at the end of the day money drives all of us?

I think Cinema is evolving and the audience range has also become wider. So, there is scope for every kind of movie. The amount of money I spend on a project we try to get back so that we can make the next film. Understanding commerce is always difficult for me but I am trying my best.

What is next in the pipeline and what is the release plan for Justice Delayed But Delivered?

I am writing a script for a feature film on Jammu Kashmir, hoping to complete it soon.

Nivedita Sharma's work experience includes covering fashion weeks in Milan, Pakistan, Vancouver, Hong Kong, Dubai, and award functions like IIFA, and TOIFA. 

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