Kannada short film ‘Manja’ takes on kite string menace
According to director Harshith Anand, "Such incidents were reported in the news earlier, but generally didn't have an impact. We want to draw attention to the fact that they exist."
2 min read
The film seeks to raise awareness on the issue of sharp kite strings - commonly known as "Chinese manjha" - which have been the cause behind several injuries and fatalities among humans and wildlife across the nation. This Saturday, a special preview screening of the Kannada short film “Manja” was held at Chamundeshwari Studios in Bengaluru, in association with the Avian and Reptile Rehabilitation Centre (ARRC).
The film seeks to raise awareness on the issue of sharp kite strings – commonly known as “Chinese manjha” – that have been the cause of several injuries and fatalities among humans and wildlife across the nation.
The film, starring Chinmay Master as the eponymous Manja, a schoolboy with a passion for kite flying, and his widowed mother Suma played by Asha Sujay, distinguishes itself early with excellent camera work.
Chinmay effectively essays his character’s determination to become a better student to be allowed to enter into a kite-flying contest, with the film’s tragic end outlining the message of the story. According to director Harshith Anand, “Such incidents were reported in the news earlier, but generally didn’t have an impact. We want to draw attention to the fact that they exist.”
The film concludes with a montage of kite string fatalities reported in the news, as well as a video of the strings being made with ground glass.
Chinmay’s age belies his experience, as he has over 150 voiceover credits and several films already under his belt, and photojournalist K Ananthasubramaniam’s script delivers the intended message with brevity, its screen time fitting well with a simple yet effective storyline.
Manja has also done well on the film festival circuit, having won six awards at various international events so far.
Survivors of manjha accidents spoke out, sharing their near-death experiences, after the screening of the film at ARRC on Saturday. A short animation on the topic, created by a member of the centre, was also played.
According to Jayanthi Kallam of ARRC, “We had approached the team behind Manja to collaborate and spread awareness of the issue. Hundreds of birds are killed and wounded by these kite strings. This film will also be used in all our awareness programs in government schools going ahead.”
Anand’s next project will be an anthology-style film that focuses on sports betting.
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