Re: HIV/AIDS within the film industry

[Guest guest]

Dear Shyamala,

I fully agree your opinion regarding NACO and other funders.

Here in K'taka, we are also trying to network with film industry

people and a leading producer and distributor KCN Chandru, leading Kannada

artists like Sudeep, this year's National Award winner Tara, K'taka Junior

artists Association President and leading artist Ashok and most important

Dr.Sudarshan , Chairperson for K'taka State Health Task Force and other

producers, directors, artists are supporting to our initiative to take up a

project for Kannada Film Industry.

But we are also finding it very difficult to discuss with KSAPS and

other funders based in Bangalore.

We,Saarathi- A Resource Center for Communications, have also

produced a 30 mts film " Darkness Under the Light " on this particular issue. Our

film discusses about over all health, social security and focuses more on HIV /

AIDS. Though this vulnerable group tries to educate the community, there is no

support to understand their miseries, insecurity, poverty, illiteracy etc.

It needs more debate and funders also need some sensitization.

Regards

Shamantha

Bangalore

www.saarathi.org

E-mail: shamantha@...

[Guest guest]

Dear Shamantha

It is wondeful to know some one is also of the sameidea. I am also

informed that many of the film industry technicians arehelping out

with the kannada and telgu film industry from Tamilnadu andthat is

why they are known as film employees federation of south india

(FEFSI). we need to really push hard on this issue with the

respectivestate AIDS Control offices at our respective states as

well as NACO.

I am also informed and i am aware that there are too

many suicides ofwomen within the industry which again is an

indication of the kind ofviolence and exploitation that they are

undergoing. There have been private means of helping them out where

in a few organisations aretrying to work with them, through the

forum for reducing the means of suicides and if that can happen why

not our effrots.

For all you know,women who have suicided within the

industry could have attempted if they had known that they were

infected with HIV or thier partners or whatever. How ever this is

not only a wide thinking but also for the proof that we had

identified 14 new HIV infections among 1000 population amongthe film

industry within a period of 2 years.

If you have furtherdocuments we would love to share as well.

regards

Shyamala Ashok

E-mail: aabinand@...