‘Paralympics should be promoted in a bigger way’
SPince the onset of the Paralympics, filmmaker Nila Madhab Panda has voiced his support for specially-abled players from economically less developed states of India, on social media. Ruing that the event isn’t a part of the mainstream discussion, he says, “We are a country dominated by Bollywood and cricket. We’ve lured people towards glamour and money, and so, we tend to overlook human interest stories.”
The filmmaker lauds the Paralympics champions who have turned into national heroes today. He tells us, “We never look at the specially abled as normal. So it’s great to see them become heroes. Overcoming all odds, Avani Lekhara, for instance, has won the gold for 10-metre shooting. Her win, along with others’, has created a spirit of fair play. friendship, solidarity and indiscrimination.”
Though happy that these players have cast a spotlight on the smaller Indian states, he wishes “they be promoted in a bigger way”. He explains, “We have sportspersons from Meghalaya, Chhattisgarh and Manipur, who eventually play for the nation. Their stories and spirit... should be talked about so that our perceptions on disability change.”
Asserting that their journeys should be celebrated, the Kadvi Hawa (2017) director plans on making a film on the specially abled next year and will soon announce a film on visually impaired people. He adds, “We started talking a lot about Olympics this year, and even about sports like hockey and javelin. Playing sports is a human right. Paralympics should be promoted as much.”
NILA MADHAB PANDA,