Turkish, Iranian or Korean films and dramas showcase a specific culture i.e., their customs, rites, traditions - in mostly a positive note. However, we in India do not do that anymore. We in fact end up making fun of our high culture, being woke, and trying to break free from the past. Why is this so? And what can we do to ensure that we speak of societal realities and yet not end up deriding our civilizational roots?

Does a filmmaker have societal responsibility? Of entertainment or of educating or both? What type of entertainment and education if so? When does art become propaganda and when does it remain pure art? Is social engineering the work of an artiste? What is the responsibility of a filmmaker towards the art of filmmaking? Towards society at large? And towards the culture that nourished them? What does culture mean to us? What is the place of the arts in our culture? How do we perceive it?

Do we even know that we are capable of the highest bliss via the arts, that it is a sādhanā when pursued sincerely will end up bestowing the ultimate freedom on us! At Bṛhat, we believe that stories are redemptive, and hence storytelling as an art and craft ought to be encouraged as much as possible.

Indica Pictures, a worthy visual arts based vertical of IndicA (Indic Academy), is a platform for filmmakers and photographers to help produce visual content that celebrates Indic and Indigenous civilizational thought. The vision is to Transform Seekers of Indic Wisdom by Providing Authentic & Immersive Learning Experiences & Enabling Them Fulfil Their Potential & Passion.

Chief Curator, Indica Pictures, Sri. Danji Thotapalli announced the K. Viswanath Memorial Short Film Contest in April 2023, and received an overwhelming response with entries from emerging filmmakers across the globe. From 1169 initial registrations spanning 11 countries, 177 films made it past the initial rounds. A meticulous selection process narrowed this to 20 outstanding films. With guidance from an expert panel, including Sri. K. Nagendra, the son of the late maestro, Sri. Bharath Kamma (Dear Comrade), Singer Parthu Nemani (anchor for the TV Series Viswanadhamrutham) and Sri. Vivek Athreya (Ante Sundaraniki), Indica Pictures announced eight short films that made it to the final shortlist.

The Grand Finale of the K. Viswanath Memorial Short Film Contest was held on November 8th, 2023 at the Prasad Preview Theater in Hyderabad, India. Commemorating the cinematic journey of the legendary K. Viswanath Garu, The K. Viswanath Memorial Short Film Contest, is a tribute to a director who beautifully showcased Indian culture and traditions in his films. You may read about his contribution to Telugu cinema here. Viswanath garu was adept at merging the parallel and the mainstream sides of cinema managing to produce box office hits one after another. His scripts and screenplays ought to be studied not only in film schools but also in regular academics to appreciate art and aesthetics.

Seven Telugu-language films made it into the list besides one Hindi-language short film. Snippets from these films were screened at the Finale Screening of the K. Viswanath Memorial Short Film Contest, to pay homage to the great auteur and thespian. Film aficionados and K. Vishwanath Garu fans were also able to access them online for free from Nov 9th through Nov 12th 2023 at https://Indica.pictures as part of the 4th Indic Film Utsav, a global online film event, brought to us by Indica Pictures.

The top three winners of the contest were to be awarded cash prizes of Rs. 5,00,000 each, along with the opportunity to showcase their films at various film festivals and events around the world. Besides cash prizes, three additional films were chosen by the audience for Audience Choice Recognition Awards. Sri. Allu Aravind Garu, Sri. K. L. Narayana Garu, and Sri. Naveen Yereneni Garu have generously sponsored these awards. Interestingly there was a tie for the third prize and three winners had to share the spotlight for the same.

Founder INDICA & NICE, Sri. Hari Kiran Vadlamani announced that an esteemed Grand Jury, comprising of industry luminaries such as Sri. Allu Aravind, Sri. Shobu Yarlagadda, Smt. Manju Bhargavi, and Smt. Radhika Sarathkumar, would unveil the Top 3 Winning Films. In his opening remarks Hari garu said that he hoped to encourage the legacy of Viswanath garu in the manner of guru-śiṣya paramparā, that this school of filmmaking ought to find more and more takers, and that INDICA would be delighted to support this via grants and scholarships:

Viswanath garu’s films epitomize our mission: preserving tradition while fostering a progressive outlook. Naturally, we are committed to honouring his legacy in diverse ways. Following this successful contest, we plan to award grants for script development and a pilot for a four-part documentary series aimed at various OTT platforms. Additionally, we’ll create a coffee table book and offer Research Fellowship Grants to scholars and students of cinema. These grants will support scholars in studying Viswanath garu’s films, with the goal of integrating their research into academic curricula worldwide. His works, representing a unique Cultural/Civilizational Genre, deserve study alongside the cinema greats of the 20th century. One of the West’s strengths lies in its documentation and research, an area where India has been very weak. Scholars are the fountainhead for any cultural movement. By promoting the study of Viswanatha garu’s work, we aim to inspire filmmakers globally to explore our civilization and heritage, making films that entertain, educate, and empower.

K. Viswanath garu’s son and daughter along with other family members, in whose presence the eight finalists received their precious shawls (which once adorned the master himself), made the evening very special. Adding to the gravitas and glamour of the evening was Smt. Amala Akkineni, Director Annapurna College of Film & Media, who was also one of the VIPs at Prasad’s.

The previous day an Online Round Table | K Viswanath Memorial Short Film Contest was facilitated by Bṛhat to understand the motivations of the up and coming filmmakers better. Each of them spoke about their journey towards filmmaking, what attracted them to this art/ craft form and what types of films inspired them to the role of Viswanath garu in their filmmaking. They also spoke of how they put their team together, what were the hurdles they faced, and how they managed to overcome them. Many of them said they followed the typical three act structure of storytelling but also tried to bend it a bit or break this rule where they could. Being first time movie makers, they found it difficult to get hold of equipment and permissions, post production too posed a problem. Seven of them being Telugu acknowledged the role of pravacanakartās of Telugu states in their storytelling, helping them keep their story authentic and true to our customs and culture. On the question of why we have so few filmmakers of the stature of Viswanath garu, most of them said that it was because no producer wanted to fund something on ‘culture’ alone unless it was showcased as part of an interesting story. And everyone spoke of the influence of Rāmāyaṇa and Mahābhārata on their lives in general and their filmmaking in particular.

A short note about the shortlisted films from the K. Viswanath Memorial Short Film Contest:

• Naveen Gandhi’s ‘Sangamam’is a Telugu-language short film about a seasoned Carnatic musician and a fiercely independent woman. Is a platonic connection possible?
• In Shanmukha Karthik’s Telugu short ‘Sivaagna’, a shattered photo frame destroys Malavika’s world. As she tries to untangle it, she realizes the truth is always predestined.
• ‘Navarasa Madhanam’ by Prudhvi Raj Thumula. In this Telugu film Kaveri thinks she is a great dancer, but Raghuveer is not satisfied. Good or Bad, Right or Wrong, Chaos or Order. Everything happens for a reason.
• Sivudu, in Sistla VMK’s ‘Sivaagnya’, lives an ordinary life surrounded by characters of all shades. But there are powers at play beyond his comprehension. (Winner of the K. Viswanath Memorial Short Film Contest)
• In ‘Sreekaram’, a Telugu short from US-based Srini Prabhala & Ram Komanduri, Harini’s passion to learn classical music rapidly spirals downward when she meets her new guru.
• Six-year-old Saher wants to become the Imam of the local masjid in Saba Mumtaz’s Hindi-language short ’The Imam’.
• A young woman’s world comes crumbling down as a startling truth confronts her. ‘Ananya’, a Telugu language short film, is directed by Aishwarya Perambai.
• In Nikhil Kumar Reddy’s Telugu short film ‘Kittu Katha’, 8-year-old Kittu has to deal with an impervious father and a bad haircut. But isn’t Bhola Shankar a boon-giver too? (My personal favourite with excellent storytelling and superb acting by the child actor)

Despite the pitfalls, making films has never been so easy or as democratic - finding the right team and having a good network is useful of course - but otherwise one can sit at home write, film and edit without having to step into a studio or pay big sums of money for post production. And in India we are blessed that it is still fairly simple to go anywhere and shoot, unlike some western countries where the whole process of creativity is hampered and dampened under paperwork and permits. We need more and more stories to be told, for more and more youngsters to tell their kathās in their own voice, with their original aesthetic. Contests like this will not only help newcomers get a platform but will also boost the very process of kathākālakṣepam and soundaryabodha.