Movies are the best way to entertain as well as educate people. National Film Archive of India (NFAI, Pune, is conducting a two-day Aarogya Film Festival on December 4 and 5,  which will showcase some 10 short films, on issues ranging from cervical cancer and diabetes to schizophrenia and HIV/AIDS, in an attempt to educate the masses on various health related problems.  The film festival is being organized by PM Shah Foundation, and will be inaugurated by Magsaysay award winner, Padma Bhushan Rajnikant Arole, at 1pm on December 4.

Chandrakant Dalvi, Collector of Pune, will also attend the film festival. “The primary motive of this function is to spread message of positive health by showcasing films that have earned accolades at various national and international film festival. The festival will for certainty wil give first-hand knowledge of various health related problems and inspire people to lead a happy and healthy life,” said director of PM Shah Foundation, Chetan Gandhi.

Amol Bhave’s ‘Swap’ depicts the difficulties faced by a kidney donor, while Nandu Kshirsagar’s short films, ‘It’s Time for My Insulin’ and ‘Sugar Free-Katha Eka Madhumehyachi’ reflect the struggles and triumphs of diabetic patients. Vidyadhar Bapat’s ‘Majhi Goshta’ showcases the creative genius of a schizophrenic and the issue of right to pregnancy and abortion has been reflected beautifully in Rima S Amarapurkar’s film ‘Jananee’.

The list of fantastic cinema doesn’t end here. Nargis Dutt Memorial Cancer Hospital, Barshi, will present ‘Dear Lady Your Life Is Precious’, which has a plot that deals with issues related to cervical cancer. Noted filmmaker Farhan Akhtar’s ‘Positive’ is a sensitive take on a boy’s HIV+ parent. The film festival will also showcase Mithunchandra Chaudhari’s ‘Ghanadaat’,  Gaurav Raj’s ‘The Blind Spot’ and Atul Pethe’s ‘Kachra Kondi’, which deals with issues like public toilets, ill effects of smoking and the problems faced by conservancy workers like drainage cleaners, respectively.

“After this festival, we intend to plan similar programs in the future, and make an effort to tap the younger segment of the society, who with effort, hard work and proper awareness can carry forward the message on good health,” said Gandhi.

“I think the initiative is a new and a very useful one. People usually don’t listen or try to gain much information on health-related issues. But when they will see varied problems related to health on the celluloid, people will definitely relate to them and act towards leading a healthy and fit life,” opines Sanjana Shah, a resident of Aundh.

- Siddhartha Laik