Those born on Independence Day in 1947 were selected from different parts of India and interviewed to know their hopes and desires, ambitions, hobbies, fears and frustrations.
To mark India’s Independence Day, we take a look at a unique time capsule. It is refreshing to see how a film commissioned by the government was able to take a critical look at the country and it’s future.
Visually, the film has a constant sense of motion, possibly to evoke a feeling of progress. The voices are insightful and candid. It feels relatively inclusive considering the film tries to capture a range of languages, cultures, economic backgrounds, professions and viewpoints. The absence of subtitles seems like a small inconvenience in front of the novelty of the content.
Similar to other black-and-white films produced by the Films Division, ‘I Am 20’ carries echoes of the past that ring true in the present day. This goes to show the importance of history, of documenting and archiving. It’s only through the act of looking back that we are reminded of the fluid nature of society – how we are the same and yet so different from those who came before us; how we have more, and yet, so much has been lost.
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Surbhi Dewan, Curator at ViewFinder, Saachibaat.com |
