londonmapper

This documentary places the 1991 liberalization of India, Monsanto and BT cotton issues, the growing of sugarcane, the hype about wines from Nashik, the growing costs of food in India, the increasing numbers of farmer suicides 9numbering 250, 000 in 2009 and around 350,000 in 2018), the role of the Indian media in keeping this hidden and the growing angst among Indian people in perspective. I highly recommend this touching yet hard hitting film to anyone connected with India, to understand what is truly happening in the country in its people's most basic necessity.

Note: The name "Nero's guests" refers to Tacitus's accounts of Nero's inept administration skills and his setting fire to poor and marginalized people (they would often be labeled "Christians' at that time) in order to provide lighting to his guests in his garden parties, as well as making them feud with dogs for the entertainment of these 'guests'. It asks we the people whether we want to choose to be silent "Nero's guests" apathetic and thus supportive in our silence to what is being done (by multi national corporations, national and state level governments and local money lenders) to the farmers of India.

Despite having been a youth during the Ayodhya riots, my knowledge of the topic was as incomplete as most people of India. I had seen riots in the city I lived in, had seen the timber shops that I passed for years while walking to school burnt. 5 years later, I walked the same roads and found that the timber shops had risen again, only the ownership had changed, as had the governments. This movie - with interviews with the actual people who 40 years later had placed the idols in the mosque, the mahants who have been conducting pujas for the last 40 years, and imams of the mosque, as well as residents of Ayodhya - makes the truth amazingly clear. That the VHP and BJP together created an issue in 1985 of a non issue, mainly to come to power. That the Congress and all other parties either colluded with them or sat silent. And that the issue was started in 1949 by the DM ordering placement of the idols, then sealing the premises, and then joining politics and becoming an MP! That things were no better in 1949 than they are in 2019! Highly recommended viewing for every Indian. A big thanks to well wishers for uploading this documentary on you tube. Now that I have downloaded it, it wont matter if they remove it!

This series from TVF is extremely cute. Tracign the lives of students in Kota, a town in India which is popular for its coaching classes that prepare aspirants for the IIT JEE entrance exam. IIT tends to be viewed by Indians as a sure fire passport to the best universities in USA and the highest paying jobs in the world, hence there remain tremendous pressures of youngsters in India who try to pass their entrance exams. Kota factory showcases this beautifully.

Every actor has performed truly well, even though for some, it was their first visit to Kota or for that matter, to any coaching class.

The series has been shot mostly in black and white, and gives an amazingly poignant feel to it. If you are more than 30 or 40 years old, it is even more interesting as it is an older person's first glimpse into what happens in Kota.

The series has English subtitiles, thus can also be watched by people who don't know Hindi. The series is interspersed with poignant scenes, wisdom, innocence, jokes and puns. An excellent viewing experience :)