Being unequal is part of our daily existence: Filmmaker Onir
Filmmaker Onir believes inequality will continue to haunt society unless and until various sections, including the LGBTQ community and women, get the same rights. The filmmaker, known for critically acclaimed movies, I Am and My Brother... Nikhil, will be serving in the jury of a short film competition at the 2021 Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM), along with actor Richa Chadha.
Imperative that people raise their voices against discrimination: Onir
The theme of this year's competition is modern slavery and equality. The National Award-Winning director believes it is imperative that people raise their voices against discrimination. "I feel it is more important that we all start speaking about the worst forms of humanity, where one human being is powerful enough to humiliate, oppress and exploit another human," Onir said.
Things remain the same for the LGBTQ community: Onir
The filmmaker, who has been a vocal member of the LGBTQ community, said the fraternity is often not treated at par with others. "Even after the Supreme Court ruling, which struck down the draconian Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) that criminalized gay sex, things remain the same for the people from the community," Onir said.
All this is a horrific form of humanity: Onir
"Being a part of LGBTQ community even before it was decriminalized, you were treated as an unequal citizen. Similarly, we are decriminalized by law but we still don't have equal rights even though we live in a democratic country," he said. "Being unequal is part of our daily existence. All this is a horrific form of humanity, we need to address it," he added.
Cinema often caters to a certain class: Onir
The filmmaker believes that Indian cinema has often avoided showcasing these issues as it only caters to a "certain class" of society. "I don't think we have done enough representation talking about these issues because cinema caters very often to a certain class, which is oppressive," Onir said. As for IFFM, the filmmaker hailed the festival for celebrating cinema despite the coronavirus pandemic.
