Tiladaanam

这是第一部获得国际奖项的Telugu语种的电影。 Tiladaanam’ is the first Telugu film to get an International award and the first Indian film at Pusan to get the award. Story : Subbaiah Sastry, a highly respected scholar in his prime endures his neighbors’ contempt due to his acceptance of Tiladanam, a lowly rite involving acceptance of the sins of the dead in exchange for money. At odds with his son, Raghuram, a terrorist hunted by the police, Subbaiah has to perform an arcane, yet expensive, ritual to save his son and grandson from an evil influence. Portraying a father’s belief in his religion and traditions versus his son’s revolutionary ideology, the film focuses on the changing economic position of the Brahmins in today’s changing times. The Director: K N T Sastry is a renowned Indian film critic turned filmmaker. He strayed into documentary filmmaking and has made seven documentaries. His documentary “Surabhi” received the National Award for the Best Anthropological documentary. “Tiladanam” is his first feature film. He has served as a FIPRESCI jury member in the International Film Festivals of Sochi (Russia), and Pusan (South Korea) and Vladivostock Film Festival, Russia. He has served as jury member for the Indian Panorama and National Awards He was the Chairman of the Jury on Best Writing on Cinema (National Award) in 2004. Note on the Film: Tiladaanam is a one of the rituals in Hindu tradition, where a brahmin can accept the evil astrological effects of Shani (Saturn) by accepting a daanam (donation) from the affected party. The person who gives daanam supposedly gives away his shani effect to the acceptor. The release of the film portraying the plight of a poor Brahmin was delayed with the Censor Board differing with the views of the filmmaker. The film features the changing economic position and attitudes of the Brahmins in society today and is a subtle interface of two different ideologies, of tradition and terrorism – both with the singular passion to serve the humanity. “There are three types of Brahmins - poor, middle class, and the rich. The film aims at focusing the real position of the community in the changing times. However, there are people who refuse to accept the reality, and think that the film only aims at damaging the community,” said the director in an interview. Though there were some problems initially, the film has been receiving wide acceptance.