''68 Pages'' is a 2007 Indian film about an

HIV The human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) are two species of ''Lentivirus'' (a subgroup of retrovirus) that infect humans. Over time, they cause acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a condition in which progressive failure of the immune ...

/ AIDS counselor and five of her clients who are from marginalized communities. The film is directed by

Sridhar Rangayan Sridhar Rangayan (also spelt Sridhar Rangaihn or Sridhar Rangayyan; born 2 April 1962) is an Indian filmmaker who has made films with special focus on queer subjects. His queer films, '' The Pink Mirror'' and '' Yours Emotionally'', have been ...

and produced by

Humsafar Trust Humsafar Trust ( meaning 'companion' in Hindustani: hi, हमसफ़र, ur, ہمسفر) is an NGO in Mumbai which promotes LGBT rights. Founded by Ashok Row Kavi, Suhail Abbasi, and Sridhar Rangayan in 1994, it is one of the largest and ...

in association with

Solaris Pictures Solaris Pictures is an Indian film production company based in Mumbai. It was created by Sridhar Rangayan, and Saagar Gupta in 2001. The two have gone on to create several award-winning films under Solaris Pictures' banner, focusing on LGBT ...

. It had its world premiere at the

International Film Festival of Kerala The International Film Festival of Kerala (abbreviated as IFFK) is a film festival held annually in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala, India. This film festival started in 1996 and is hosted by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy ...

and screened at several international film festivals. It won the Silver Remi award at WorldFest Houston International Film Festival 2008, USA., Page 10, Line 5 The film was also screened in the Pink Ribbon Express, a

National AIDS Control Organisation The National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO), established in 1992 is a division of India's Ministry of Health and Family Welfare that provides leadership to HIV/AIDS control programme in India through 35 HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Societi ...

initiative. The film weaves together five Mumbai-based short stories about people living with AIDS from some of the marginalised sections of society.

Overview

transsexual Transsexual people experience a gender identity that is inconsistent with their assigned sex, and desire to permanently transition to the sex or gender with which they identify, usually seeking medical assistance (including sex reassignmen ...

bar dancer, a

sex worker A sex worker is a person who provides sex work, either on a regular or occasional basis. The term is used in reference to those who work in all areas of the sex industry.Oxford English Dictionary, "sex worker" According to one view, sex work i ...

, a

gay ''Gay'' is a term that primarily refers to a homosexual person or the trait of being homosexual. The term originally meant 'carefree', 'cheerful', or 'bright and showy'. While scant usage referring to male homosexuality dates to the late 1 ...

couple tell their stories of pain, trauma, happiness and hope. ''68 Pages'' reveals how society stigmatizes and shuns those who have

HIV/AIDS Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual ...

, or even those who are merely different. The film was produced with support from Department for International Development (

DFID , type = Department , logo = DfID.svg , logo_width = 180px , logo_caption = , picture = File:Admiralty Screen (411824276).jpg , picture_width = 180px , picture_caption = Department for International Development (London office) (far right ...

), UK. It was made as an advocacy effort to support the

(NACO) in National AIDS Control Programme, Phase III. This initiative decided that the female sex workers, intravenous drug users, homosexuals and transgender people will be considered core groups, and HIV projects will start at a rapid pace in the next five years to serve them. During that period the film is scheduled to screen throughout the country in an attempt to change people's attitudes about those living with HIV. The film has also been mandatory resource material for all counselor training programmes in India by National AIDS Control Organisation, NACO.

Plot

Professional ethics demand that Mansi, a young counselor, maintain confidentiality, remain objective and avoid emotional attachment with her clients. As a sensitive person, she finds it difficult to remain unaffected. Her true feelings are reflected in 68 pages of her personal diary. Her writing tells the stories of Paayal, a commercial

; Nishit, an intravenous drug user; Kiran, a

man; and Umrao, a

bar dancer, who are marginalized and suffer discrimination both before and after becoming infected with HIV.

Cast

* Mauli Ganguly as Mansi * Joy Sengupta as Kiran * Jayati Bhatia as Paayal * Zafar Karachiwala as Nishit * Uday Sonawane as Umesh / Umra * Dilnaz Irani as Neha * Bakul Thakkar

Festivals

, India (December 2007) * Pune International Film Festival, India (January 2008) * Montage International, Kerala, India (February 2008) * Worldfest Houston, USA (April 2008)–Winner: Silver Remi Award * Bollywood & Beyond, Germany (July 2008) * Nigah Queerfest, New Delhi, India (August 2008) * Q! Film Festival, Indonesia (August 2008) * Tasveer–Independent South Asian Film Festival ISAFF (September 2008)
A Million Different Loves, Poland
(October 2008) * Siddharth Gautam Film Festival, Bhubaneshwar, India (December 2008) * Translations - Seattle Transgender Film Festival, USA (May 2009) * Ahmadabad International Film Festival, India (June 2009) – Winner: Best Film (Social Issue) * Perspektive – Nuremberg International Human Rights Film Festival, Germany (Sept 2009)

References

External links

Official site
*
"Not Just another AIDS movie - Maker of Gulabi Aaina ready with 68 Pages", Indian Express

" '68 Pages' portraying life, love & hope", The Times of India

"Queer Crash", Telegraph

"Breaking Free", Telegraph

"Documentary on AIDS counselor", The Times of India
{{DEFAULTSORT:68 Pages 2007 films 2007 LGBT-related films HIV/AIDS in Indian films Indian LGBT-related films Transgender-related films 2000s Hindi-language films