School teachers turn filmmakers, make a movie on female foeticide

Mumbai, Mar 28 (UNI) What happens when school teachers decide to become film-makers? Obviously, silver screen would turn into a black board and it would result in a hard-hitting movie based on a burning issue.

Kalpak Creations, a film company formed by school teachers from different schools here, has made a film titled ''Savitrichya Leke (Daughters of Savitri)'' on the issue of female foeticide.

Arjun Jagdhane, executive producer of the film, told UNI that a speech by Communist Party of India leader A B Bardhan at a function here last year inspired him to make a movie on this issue.

Mr Jagdhane said in spite of law forbidding the act, the practice of pre-natal sex determination followed by abortion, in case of a girl foetus, is prevalent not only in Maharashtra but across the country.

Moreover, various studies have shown that well-educated and the elite group were more into this, Mr Jagdhane said, adding that Maharashtra, which was the first state to declare pre-natal test as illegal, was also facing a grave situation.

Mr Jagdhane informed that the situation was worse in districts like Pune, Ahmednagar, Nashik, Sangli, Satara, Kolhapur, Solapur, which are considered to be the richer areas of the state.

The movie, made on a shoe-string budget of Rs 40 lakh, stars Neelam Shirke, Nivedita Saraf and Ashok Shinde among others.

''Savitrichya Leke'', set to release by April end, is directed by Jalindhar Kumbhar. Music has been composed by Vishwajeet-Avinash and screenplay/dialogues have been penned by Sanjay Pawar.

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