Review of the filim Phir Milenge (Let's Meet Again)

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Dear FORUM,

" Phir Milenge " ( " Let's Meet Again " ) a full-length Hindi feature film on AIDS set

for worldwide release on August 27; where Shilpa Shetty puts a brave front in

fighting her discrimination by an ad agency, will certainly push India Inc. in

to fast-track to tackle stigma and discrimination against people living with

HIV/AIDS (PLWHA), in the absence of a specific anti-discroimination law, even

two decades after entry of the epidemic in India.

After the film was completed, the PHO; was invited to preview the film and make

suggestions, albeit late!

The filim is a copycat of " Philadelphia " , in which Hollywood's Tom Hanks plays a

lawyer fighting discrimination being HIV-positive, the film does put a very

positive philosophy.

A well-known actress Shilpa Shetty falls in love with a character played by

another of super-star Salman Khan, who unwittingly infects her with HIV. Being

stigmatized as an HIV infected woman, she fights her discrimination in the court

with the help of a lawyer played by actor Abhishek Bachchan.

Though the director Revathy Menon, made excellent efforts through her film in

giving a message to letting HIV-positive people live their lives without being

stigmatized, she was at a total loss when the hero in the film dies a helpless

death; which is not necessarily so, especially in the light of widely available

anti-retroviral (ARV) drugs.

Salman was shown to be in US and comes back to India and neither provided proper

treatment in US or India; which is unlikely and unacceptable. Even Revathy's

role as a doctor in the film is lousy as she cries rather than being supportive

to the patient, without proper counselling and updated information, especially

when using a time-line of hero getting HIV before 1994 and dying in the year

2004.

ARVs have been sequentially developed since 1987 and have been widely used in

the world since 1996; while getting more affordable after 2000.

Lopsided medical treatment with unnecessary blood transfusion to a dying person,

but no treatment for breathlessness and total blank on ARVs, making him die

helplessly will surely displease PLWHA and medical circles. There are too many

English dialogues especially when important messages are delivered. But overall

a good effort!

While the HIV that leads to AIDS, mainly spread through unsafe sex, India has

already one percent of its population infected, the AIDS epidemic is yet to be

confronted on war-footing.

Traditionally even the Indian cinema kept a safe distance from this problem, for

fear of the 'stars' or 'producers' being branded. On one hand HIV-positive

population of at least 10 million (Govt. says 5.1 mill.) need care and support

without stigma and discrimination on urgency basis; while on the other hand it

is challenging to keep 99% of its uninfected population to maintain status quo.

Without support of the former the later is impossible. With a widespread lack of

awareness about the HIV/AIDS admixed with myths and misconceptions, nearly 90%

of infected people do not even know their HIV status.

The stigma is because the disease is usually related to sex outside marriage;

which is not accepted in India. PHO has been fighting discrimination since the

first cases of HIV/AIDS in India were diagnosed in 1986; while its efforts came

to lime-light with its fight for the release of Dominic D'souza who was isolated

in a make-shift jail in Goa during 1989; on being detected as HIV infected when

he went to donate blood.

Dr.I.S.Gilada, Hon. Secretary General, PHO

Peoples Health Organisation (India)

Municipal School Building, J.J. Hospital Compd, Mumbai-400008

Tel.(22)-23719020; Fax: 23864433; Web: www.aidsasia.info

E-mail: <ihoaids@...>