Conversations of change

BENGALURU: Trying to break barriers and taboos as we’ve entered a brand new year is city-based production house Exordium Films which has launched a social campaign, Tear the Shame, which is about breaking taboos in different quarters.

Not letting matters like gender inequality, discrimination among minority groups, and stigma with marital status lie low, this video campaign speaks about individual struggles people have faced in society.

The campaign also features actor Samyukta Hornad, who looks at how society has become more about people thinking of themselves rather than as a collective. “If you have a voice, it’s important to use it for a cause. For me, the lockdown was like an eye-opener, which made me realise that I wanted to be a part of this cause which I believe in. When it comes to shame, I have none at all. I am proud of the fact that I have only done what I wanted to do,” says Hornad.

Seeing the power of social media, the three-minute video was uploaded on the Instagram page of the production house recently. “Social media these days is the fastest way of sending out a message. We want our message to reach as many people as possible,” says Archisman Sarangi, who directed and conceptualised the project.

The video shows 10 individuals speaking about their day-to-day struggles and experiences. “For instance, there is a divorcee, who speaks about the stigma she faces because of her status. We have also featured a transwoman, who was not allowed to use the men’s washroom, an issue she faces even today,” says Sarangi. Apart from Hornad, others who feature in the video are Zohara Shereen, make-up artist; Pooja Sharma, ex-MTV Roadies participant and body transformation specialist; Neelesh Ravi, hospitality professional; Nirjal Basnet, aka Queen Andro, a fashion stylist, among others.

Following this video, the team is planning to release one of the individual stories on their page every Sunday. Sarangi agrees that taking up a bold topic like this sounds ambitious, but he was adamant about ringing in the new year with a stronger message. “Initially, I thought of talking about issues women face, but my team and a few friends suggested making it a broader subject which affects everyone,” explains Sarangi, adding that these kinds of conversations can be showcased at any point of the year. “But since the new year is associated with a new beginning, we thought the time was right,” he adds.