"Dharm" nominee for Gucci Awards

In what can be called an achievement for Indian cinema, "Dharm", directed by Bhavna Talwar, has been nominated for the 2nd Annual Gucci Awards in the foreign language film category. The director had registered the film in the Venice Film Festival.

The Gucci Group Award is bestowed upon an internationally-acclaimed artiste who has made remarkable contribution to cinema in any capacity within the past 18 months --- as director, actor, screenwriter, set designer or costume designer. This time, Bhavna, a journalist by profession, is one of the 2007 Gucci Group Award nominees. The others are–

1) Lee Chang-Dong, novelist, for writing and directing "Secret Sunshine". Jeon Do-Yeon won the Best Actress award at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival for her role in the film.

2) Anton Corbijn, photographer, for his directorial debut, "Control", a biopic about Joy Division front man Ian Curtis.

3) Julian Schnabel, visual artist, for directing "Le Scaphandre et le Papillion" (The Diving Bell and the Butterfly), for which he won Best Director award at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival.

4) Piotr Uklanski, visual artist, for writing and directing "Summer Love".

Starring acclaimed actor Pankaj Kapoor and wife Supriya Pathak, "Dharm" has been nominated in the Best Foreign Language film category. The film's story is set in the ancient holy city of Varanasi. It follows the life of Pandit Chaturvedi, a Hindu Brahmin priest who fastidiously follows the prayers and rituals prescribed by the ancient Hindu scriptures.

When an abandoned infant finds its way into Pandit's life, he gladly adopts it. He names the baby boy Kartikey and brings him up as a good Brahmin. Kartikey fills the Pandit's life with joy and laughter, till the day he is forced by religion to turn the boy away.

The cherished memories of the four years spent with Kartikey leave him lonely and depressed. The episode shakes Pandit's belief in the 4,000-year-old customs and traditions that he had been following all along. What is the true path to salvation? Is it meaningless rituals or is it love? The film looks for answers to these questions. -(SAMPURN)

Copyright  Sampurn

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