Hansal Mehta’s son turns director with short film on water crisis

Mumbai, April 29 (IANS) Acclaimed filmmaker Hansal Mehta's son Jai Mehta makes his directorial debut with a short fiction film "Paanipath". The film is presented by his father and talks about the disturbing reality of water crisis through the victims of a flawed and politicized water management system.

The film was released as a part of National Geographic Mission Blue Stories on Friday.

"Last year, the worst drought hit many parts of our nation. What I observed was how unaffected certain privileged parts of our society remained while people scrambled for days without water. Some protested for weeks, some walked and waited for hours in the scorching heat while some even gave up their lives.

"The class divide and the stark disparity in the availability of a fundamental resource disturbed me and I felt the need to give a voice to those that aren't represented, through my film. I feel the politicization of water and the unfair distribution is giving way to a dangerous way of living that is slowly spiralling out of control.

"The sooner we realize that water cannot be treated as a luxury but a basic fundamental right, the better we can prepare for future generations," Jai said in a statement.

The National Geographic Mission Blue initiative aims to spread awareness and inspire change for the cause of water conservation, with the specially created content by Indian film-makers such as Hansal Mehta, Imtiaz Ali, Madhur Bhandarkar and Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury.

Thrilled about his son Jai's directorial debut, Hansal said: "I'm proud to present this important film that brings forth the urgency and potential tragedy that our continued misuse and neglect of water resource can have on us. I'm glad that this important message has been conveyed effectively and engagingly in my son Jai's directorial debut."

The 18 minute-short film stars Tejaswini Kohlapure and Nagesh Bhonsle.