Date:12/08/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/08/12/stories/2006081211450400.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Caring for the less fortunate beings

Special Correspondent

Bangalore: For this young software professional, the shift from Madurai in Tamil Nadu to Bangalore was something of a culture shock.

"Someone earning Rs. 25,000 a month is considered well off there, but here we have many young people earning twice or thrice that much and still wanting more," says Alexis Dias.

High spending and high living apart, what affects him more is how indifferent people are to the less privileged, especially children who cannot go to school but have to make living. Hawking things at traffic signals, shining shoes on footpaths, washing plates at eateries, working with small-time mechanics and scooter repairers and generally doing an adult's work but at half the wages. "The good thing is they have not taken to begging or petty crime, but want to earn by honest labour and feed themselves... perhaps even their families," he says.

Putting his ideas into film is what Mr. Dias next did, after months of planning. His friend and cinematographer Rajkamal helped, and between them a six minute and 10 second film was created and is now posted for free viewing on a website. You can see it by visiting www.pukar-dias.com. "I have also shown the video to group of acquaintances and fellow IT professionals so that they can think of doing something to help these children. I felt moved when a friend cut down on his smoking so that he could save money and help one or two such children in need," Mr. Dias says. The title is `Do We Accept The Truth' and it is all about accepting the truth that even in a prosperous city there are those less fortunate.

Starting with a striking musical background and a montage of how different religions and their followers coexist in a city like Bangalore, the short film goes on to show the glitter and glamour of the high-tech city and its affluent young. The second half is a stark contrast: the many ways in which small children who can barely write their own name toiling long hours to earn a small sum. "There is hardly any dialogue, I wanted to convey a message in a striking way but without boring viewers," he explains with a smile.

He hopes the film will get a wider audience, and perhaps even move people to do something to help working children and send them to school, so that they need not stagnate as unskilled workers all their lives.