V.K. SANTOSH KUMAR
The media scrum over the treatment of an Indian rape victim at a Singapore hospital forms the basis of the short film Saahasi: Dateline Singapore, which is available for public viewing on YouTube.
Singaporean Gurdip Singh, 73, who in real life is a freelance journalist, is the lead character in the 27-minute venture.
Inspired by his own experience during the ordeal, the short film depicts what Gurdip witnessed and endured during the incident in December 2012.
‘The behaviour of the Indian journalists was shocking,” he told tabla!
“They were badgering everyone for news about the victim and putting pressure on officials for answers. I had never seen media persons behaving in this manner before.
“Obviously, Television Rating Points (TRP) mattered a lot to them, and they wanted to be the first to break the news. But this is not how the media operates in Singapore. We follow certain rules and ethics.”
Producer and director Zafar Anjum uses Gurdip’s observations and takes fictional licence to tell a gripping story, whose backdrop is the gang-rape and torture of Nirbhaya, a 22-year-old physiotherapy intern, by six men in a private bus in which she was travelling with her male friend in New Delhi on Dec 16, 2012.
She was flown on Dec 26 by air ambulance to Singapore as her condition deteriorated and received treatment at Mount Elizabeth Hospital. She died 48 hours later.
The film explores the clash of journalistic values between Gurdip and Garima, a journalist from India played by Singapore-based actress Veena Puthran Bangera.
Gurdip grew up in Singapore and is calm and rules-based in his approach.
Garima is a young and dynamic go-getter who works for an Indian TV news channel. She is aggressive and TRP-driven, but faces limitations in Singapore where regulations are followed when it comes to personal privacy. This is unlike in India where media in general has a freer hand in getting through barriers for insights and inside stories.
While pursuing the story, the two journalists clash a few times.
“The film is primarily about media ethics, of how two journalists form India and Singapore operate. But beyond that, it is a narrative on human behaviour, such as ruthless ambition,” said Zafar, a Singapore-based author and filmmaker.
“It also reflects on how women are treated, and the compassion and exemplary behaviour of individuals and officials.”
The short film also features Singapore-based actors Rachna Anand, Nidhi Chopra Khanna, Pankaj Kumar, Neil Daswani, Edmund Chow, Hannah Wong, Jawahar Kanjilal and Tejas Chitaliya.
“Saahasi is simple, yet complex on many levels,” said scriptwriter Sunita Lad Bhamray.
“Modern audiences are very well-informed, and I’m sure each one will be able to take home its true meaning and intent.”
