Film as a medium in the wrong hands can create havoc: Natesh Ullal

Mangaluru, Sept 6: National award winning film director B Suresha opined that as a powerful medium film can be used effectively for nation building, while noted documentary film maker Natesh Ullal pointed out that film as a medium in the wrong hands can create havoc.

They were speaking at a panel discussion at the two-day Chrysalis-2018 film festival organised by the PG department of Journalism and Mass Communication (JMC) of St Aloysius College (Autonomous) on Thursday.

“We have seen in history how film has been used for propaganda. Even today, we have the establishments world over using it create a false sense of development and prosperity. We can call the country developed only when the last person in society is part of the decision making process in a democracy,” Mr Ullal said.

Mr Suresha said that the visual medium can be used to raise consciousness of society and also to highlight vices so that society can redress itself. “Once you watch a film, it should make you think. It should motivate you to do something positive in life. It is then that a film can be called a good film and the film has achieved its success. Film should never be measured by its commercial success alone,” Mr Suresha said.

Answering a question as to which type of film making he would prefer to create awareness and consciousness in society, Mr Suresha said that his first choice was theatre and not film. “Theatre gives you possibilities for direct conversation with the audience. It is an intimate medium. My second preference is television as it has a large reach, and then comes film.”

Catherine Shilpa of the PG department of English at St Aloysius College chaired the session.

The two-day fest came to a close with upcoming south Indian actor Siddhi Mahajankatty gracing the closing ceremony. Expressing her joy at being able to participate in the first ever film festival organised by the students of JMC at St Aloysius College, she said, “I am still a student; film happened to me by chance. But I have realised that film is a wonderful medium to express oneself and create an impact among the audience.”