New Delhi: Indian Missions/Posts abroad under MEA will be screening the short film ‘Sri Aurobindo: The Beginning of Spiritual Journey’ this Independence Day to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Sri Aurobindo under Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. Directed by award-winning Indian filmmaker Suraj Kumar, the short is based on a screenplay by Manish Kumar Pran. The film stars Vikrant Chauhan in the titular role.
The short, based on Sri Aurobindo Ghose’s prison life (1908-1909) was shot in Alipore Jail, Kolkata, from where his spiritual journey has started. Sri Aurobindo was arrested for conspiracy on 5th May 1908 and spent a full year in Alipore jail while the British Government, in a protracted court trial tried to implicate him in various revolutionary activities. It came to be known as Alipore Bomb Case. He was finally acquitted and released on 6th May 1909.
Independence Day 2022 also marks 150 years of Sri Aurobindo, who was born on 15th August, 1872, which makes the short film becomes even more special. The film puts spotlight on an important chapter of Sri Aurobindo’s journey that often gets overlooked when one talks about his exemplary life and work.
Sharing his thoughts about the film, Suraj Kumar said, “While Sri Aurbindo Ghose was lodged in jail, his spiritual transformation started just after 2-3 days of prison life. My short film ‘Sri Aurobindo: The Beginning of Spiritual Journey’ documents his beginning of spiritual journey in Alipore jail.”
Speaking about the film’s conception, Kumar added, “The idea of making the short cropped up when one of my friends from IIMC, India’s leading prison reformer and founder of Tinka Tinka Foundation, Dr. Vartika Nanda discussed it with me somewhere around 2020. Subsequently, I visited the National Library of India in Kolkata to document and record the news articles published related to Sri Aurobindo’s imprisonment.”
According to Vartika Nanda,” This journey made me introspect more on the life of Sri Aurobindo. Visit to Alipore jail, the sessions court, revisiting his book several times and knowing his thoughts added a fresh perspective to my work on Tinka Tinka Prison Reforms. This was a new chapter of learning for Tinka Tinka Foundation.”
Film will be screened in different educational institutes all through the year.
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