Chilkuri Sushil Rao awarded a ‘Certificate of excellence’ at the 11th Mumbai Shorts International Film Festival

 

Chilkuri Sushil Rao awarded a ‘Certificate of excellence’ at the 11^th Mumbai Shorts International Film Festival.

The recognition was for the entry of a short documentary titled “The Great Indian Tamarind Tree”.  “El peso de la quietud’ made by Manuel Ojeda of Cuba was adjudged best documentary film. ‘Kara – Star of the world’ directed by Daniel Mark Bendell of the US was given the Best documentary (Jury) award.

The film festival was held in Mumbai on December 11, 2022. I would not attend the festival in person. All the entries in various categories were screened at the film festival.

It was a small recognition as my entry was accepted to be screened at the festival for which I was given a ‘Certificate of excellence’. I dedicate this first small recognition to noted filmmaker B Narsing Rao. I went to his house in Hyderabad and expressed my thanks and gratitude.

My thanks and gratitude to B Narsing Rao because the very first film that I watched in my life was ‘Maa Bhoomi’ that was produced by him and released in the year 1979. What is significant is that it was the only movie that my father took me to watch. My mother, father and I watched it at Rahat Mahal theatre (later renamed as Raja deluxe) at Musheerabad, Hyderabad. The film was directed by Goutam Ghose. I had the privilege of watching the film with the director in Hyderabad during the inauguration of an international film festival at the Lalitha Kala Thoranam.

In addition to ‘Maa Bhoomi’, Narsing Rao’s films ‘Daasi’, ‘Maa Ooru’, ‘Rangula Kala’ and documentaries 'The Carnival’, ‘The City’ and ‘Akruti – Rock formations’ have received international recognition.

“Dedicating the ‘Certificate of excellence’ to B Narsing Rao was something satisfying. He stands as a tall figure as a filmmaker on the global circuit. Every work of his shows his artistic calibre. Meeting him and dedicating the award to him has only given me more inspiration to approach a subject in a way that it is presented as conceived,” Chilkuri Sushil Rao said.

B Narsing Rao wished Chilkuri Sushil Rao many more accolades.

Synopsis of the documentary: It was the year 1908. A cloud burst caused a deluge in Hyderabad. The Musi river overflowed. The tragedy was that on September 28 as many as 15,000 people lost their lives. In the midst of this, 150 were able to save their lives climbing a tree and clinging on to its branches. The  tree stands tall and strong at Afzalgunj in the old city in Hyderabad. Local groups and tree lovers visit the place and commemorate the event. The tree is said to be 200 years ago and is part of the history of the city which was founded in 1591 by Mohd Quli Qutb Shah.