Girls became Award-Winning Filmmakers - Fusion - WeRIndia

A camera has helped many girls from low income households in Lucknow change their lives for the better. It has bought a new vision and purpose to several girls living in lower income neighborhoods of Lucknow. Lucknow is the capital of India’s most populous state, Uttar Pradesh.

A 37 year old woman, Kehkashan Beg, 37 found new hope and vision in life. She was just another woman who never stepped out of her neighborhood populated with mostly lower middle class Muslim families. During her twenties, she didn’t even imagine that she could have a life different from other women.

Her life changed with a chance encounter with Sanatkada, a local non-government organization focused on empowering Dalit and Muslim women with education and vocational training. The organization is funded from the proceeds of the handicraft and handloom store it runs in the city.

Sanatkada was set up in 2006 by Madhavi Kuckreja. She wanted there to be strong female role models in the city.

Beg got her training from the organization. It was a four-month videography training. She found her passion and vision by exploring the world of filmmaking. She now says that it is what she wants to do till the day she dies.

She learned lighting, sound and editing on Windows Movie Maker. She wanted to cover stories related to women and communities living at the margins of society. She made her first subjects different women who animatedly talk about their life on camera.

Now, she along with Saira Khan and Aisha Khatoon who does videography at weddings and other social and cultural events run the film unit of Sanatkada.

They get help from volunteers in filming, editing and sound recording. So far, the trio made 45 shorts on many social issues. Three of their films won awards at the Nashik Film Festival in 2014.

Image Reference: TheBetterIndia