Film screening at SU’s Newhouse School to benefit Bihar, India, flood relief mission

Film screening at SU’s Newhouse School to benefit Bihar, India, flood relief missionNovember 10, 2008Wendy S. Loughlinwsloughl@syr.edu

Tula Goenka, associate professor in Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, will host a screening of the Bollywood film “Apaharan: The Story Today” on Friday, Nov. 14, at 7 p.m. in the Halmi Screening Room, Room 141 of Newhouse 3. Proceeds will go to benefit Punarwaas, a flood relief mission for Bihar, India.

Bihar was flooded in August when the Kosi River broke its embankment in neighboring Nepal, inundating more than eight districts in Bihar, killing hundreds and displacing more than 2.5 million people.

Punarwaas (Rehabilitation) was established by “Apaharan” filmmaker Prakash Jha, a native of Bihar, to establish a refugee camp for as many as 5,000 displaced people. The camp has been running for nearly three months, with a main focus on survival and eventual rehabilitation once flood survivors begin to return to their villages in three to four months.

“Apaharan” (173 minutes, 2005, Hindi with English subtitles), starring Bollywood actors Ajay Devgan, Bipasha Basu, Nana Patekar and Mohan Agashe, tells the story of a tumultuous father-son relationship set against the backdrop of a thriving kidnapping industry in Bihar. The film has won several awards, including Best Villain (Patekar) and Best Dialogue at the 2006 Filmfare Awards in India.

A 15-minute informational video on Punarwaas will be shown before the feature film.

The suggested donation for the screening is $10, or $5 with a student I.D.

For more information, contact Goenka at (315) 443-3376 or tgoenka@syr.edu.