Panaji, Nov 24 (UNI) Tamil film Baaram (The Burden) is one of the two Indian films selected out of 12 movies nominated in the ICFT UNESCO GANDHI Medal competition at the ongoing 49th edition of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI).
Baaram, which means ‘burden’, is a 92-minute Tamil film directed and produced by Priya Krishnaswamy. The film revolves around a widowed night-watchman, Karuppaswamy and his sons during his last days, when he is subjected to the practice of Thalaikoothal. A veteran film-editor, Priya Krishnaswamy made her directorial debut with Gangoobai produced by NFDC in 2013.
Addressing a press conference at media centre here on Friday, she said, “When I read news about elderly infirm parents being dispatched with a cold head-bath (‘Thalaikoothal’) and getting killed, and heard this had social sanction, I could not believe it; until I saw Satyameva Jayate by Aamir Khan who foregrounded the issue.” Priya further decided to make a documentary on it.