FIRST there was A Beautiful Mind and now there is going to be Devrai. While it may be too early to draw comparisons between the classic and one just gone on the floors, what raises hopes is that it’s a movie being directed by national award winners Sumitra Bhave and Sunil Sukhtankar with the project being initiated by the Schizophrenia Association of India (SAI).
What is schizophrenia? How does a person suffering from this illness cope with life? How does society treat this person? These and several other questions will be answered in Devrai.
Funded by the Maharashtra Seva Samiti Organisation (Canada) and the Canadian International Development Agency as part of the reach-out programme of SAA, this film will be aimed at restoring hope and self-reliance among patients with schizophrenia.
According to statistics provided by the SAA, about one per cent of the population is affected by schizophrenia out of which only 40 per cent seem to have access to medical care while the others tend to degenerate due to lack of medical facilities, ignorance, superstition and fear of stigma.
‘‘Schizophrenia is a brain disorder that affects a person’s thinking process and has nothing to do with personality. The sooner we can rid society of this wrong notion of dual personalities, the better it will be for all concerned. That is where the importance of awareness comes in,’’ says consulting psychiatrist Dr Soumitra Pathare.
With awareness being the key factor, Dr Jagannath Wani, director of SAA, approached Bhave and Sukhtankar with the project of making a film on this mental illness. Having directed films which reflect problems in society, Bhave and Sukhtankar had no hesitation in agreeing instantly. ‘‘Sumitraji did a lot of research and also attended many of our support group meetings,’’ states Anil Vartak, SAA secretary. ‘‘Films have a wider reach and we need to project this illness in the right perspective,’’ says Vartak.
The film will be made in Marathi and then dubbed in other languages. Having started the shooting schedules, both Bhave and Sukhtankar clarify the film is not a documentary on schizophrenia. To be mainly shot in Pune, the film will star Atul Kulkarni and Sonali Kulkarni in lead roles.