Anand Patwardhan on Religious Violence and Filmmaking
ANAND PATWARDHAN
Central European University
August 4, 2015
An Interview with Anand Patwardhan about religious violence and filmmaking.
ANAND PATWARDHAN
Central European University
August 4, 2015
An Interview with Anand Patwardhan about religious violence and filmmaking.
Lawrence Rinaldi
I arrived in India in January 1966 and was soon made aware of communal violence against Muslims. I left at the end of 1967 having seen the rise of Hindu nationalism in political parties. Living in a rural area in Rajasthan. It was terrifying. Christians and Muslims were seen as former Dalits and not worthy of respect or protection from the society. I lived in a rural area, made Indian friends and learned a working knowledge of Hindi. Most of my friends were Hindus but I spoke often to Muslims. The corruption of the police and seeing the workings of the socialistic government of Indira Gandhi was all new to me. I have followed events in India for over fifty years, made four trips back for weddings and visits. I speak to Indian students, often in Hindi, most of whom are urban and advantaged in Indian society. The rural India I knew is foreign to them although we understand the cultural fundamentals. This fundamental religious movement has been weaponized worldwide and exploited by politicians for their own benefit.