THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: “The non-violent ways of Tibetans are winning hearts around the world but has struck fear in China,” said Tenzin Tsundue, renowned Tibetan activist and poet. He said that the Chinese repression continues to take new forms, making it worse for the Tibetans. “The Chinese fear that they too would break down like the Soviet Union. If the Chinese fear anything, it is freedom,” said Mr Tsundue.
Precisely why the short documentary that features this Tibetan activist has been titled ‘Rangzen’, Tibetan for freedom. Speaking to DC on the sidelines of IDSFFK on Saturday, Tsundue described the Dalai Lama as a person who is equally loved and respected by everyone of the Tibetan community irrespective of age. “His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama maintains truthfulness and compassion even in dirty political scenarios which represents how our community behaves. He is as human as anyone can be,” he said.
Rangzen, which deals with the Tibetan life in India post the Chinese invasion of Tibet, is one among the nineteen competing at the festival under the short documentary category. The film portrays the life of the people living in Bylakuppe, Karnataka, one of the largest Tibetan settlements in India.
Speaking about the team behind the documentary Rangzen, Tenzin Tsundue said he was moved by the enthusiasm of an Indian trio trying to unfold Tibetan stories. The filmmakers - Sumit Dasgupta , Aiman Salman and Santosh Chandrasekhar – are mass communication post graduates from St Joseph’s College, Bengaluru, who developed the documentary as part of their final project.
Sumit Dasgupta said that the documentary initially tried to convey the idea of how the Tibetans were waiting for freedom to live and to enter their homeland. For Aiman Salman, conversing with Tsundue was the major thrust towards finding a clear objective after months of thorough research. According to Santosh Chandrasekhar, the first frame he saw at the Golden temple situated there also turned out to be the most fascinating one for him.
“Their strong belief in what they carry was reflected on each face which made it memorable for me,” he said. At present, 11 lakh Tibetans reside in India, the only country which offered asylum after the developments in 1959. “500 monasteries which are centres of learning culture, craftsmanship, philosophy and dialectics also function here which conveys how important a place India is for us,” said Tenzin Tsundue.
