SAY IT LOUD

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Break the silence," say these men and women who have been fighting some critical issues of the society from child labour to child trafficking and spread of AIDS to sexual abuse for years now. "We need to break the silence on all gruesome issues in society and create a safe environment," says Timothy Gaikwad, officiating director of Inter-Mission Cares and Rehabilitation Society (IMCARES).Gaikwad has directed 51 docu-dramas and the recent one, Ashu, talks of the story of a boy who finds acceptance in the hijra (eunuch) community after being sexullay abused by a relative since childhood. Gaikwad feels such issues have become rampant."This is how most boys are initiated into the hijra community though they are not born eunuchs. The 46-minute movie highlights the plight of the community too. As per government statistics, 23 per cent of those sexully abused are boys," says Gaikwad."It's an impactful movie. We've met quite a few people who were sexually abused in their childhood," says Aparna Rangaya, a pastor associated with IMCARES. Rangaya also plays a role in the movie.Shyam Thombre, who plays the protagonist, says the most difficult part was to wax his entire body. "I got rashes and it was all red during the seven-day shoot. But we were all committed to a cause. I was so into the character and my mannerisms had become very girlie," he says.Gaikwad, who earlier made films on labourers in diamond mines, coal mines and leather industries, said after eight years of filmmaking he realised he wanted to do something more significant. That's when he and his wife Sonali decided to dedicate their time to IMCARES, an NGO his parents started 27 years ago.The organisation also attempts to bring women out of prostitution and is associated with projects including the Agape Community Care Centre at Pune and the Impact HIV & AIDS Children's home.Besides, the organisation has been screening movies in schools and colleges to sensitise people on the ills of society. The previous docu-drama produced by the organisation was Zindagi-Break the Cycle, a stirring story of a 16-year-old from rural Maharashtra sold to a Mumbai brothel. The film fared well in the documentary circuits.The organisation feels authorities have to take the film to a larger audience. "Hijras live in very dark world. It's difficult for them to come out. All they need is acceptance as they are," says Gaikwad who is now working on his 52 nd movie on HIV-AIDS.He adds, " HIV doesn't always kill."

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