Monday, April 25, 16
To,
Shri Arvind Kejriwal
Chief Minister of Delhi
Chief Minister’s office
3rd level, Delhi Secretariat,
I.P. Estate, New Delhi-110002
Also to:
Bunglow No. 6,
Flag Staff Road,
Civil Lines, Delhi.
RE: PRE-RELEASE SCREENING OF ‘BUDDHA IN A TRAFFIC JAM’
Dear Shri Arvind Kejriwal Ji,
I am the writer/Director and producer of a small yet revolutionary film ‘Buddha In A Traffic Jam’. It’s one of the boldest political dramas ever made in India. The film releases on May 13th.
Though this film has been celebrated by a plethora of International Awards –Official selection at MAMI, Best screenplay at Madrid Film Festival, Best film/director at Jakarta Festival, Dadasaheb Phalke award for acting – it has found major opposition and resistance from various power centers in India. Exactly like India Against Corruption. Therefore, I believe, you can relate with our struggle.
The film was denied screening by the Cinema department of JNU. Later on, students took over and screened it to thousands of students at the Admin Bloc of JNU. Since then the film has become a rage amongst students and has been invited and screened at India’s top 25 Universities – IITB, IITG, IITM, IITK, IIMC, SP Jain Management Research Institute, Osmania University, NALSAR, Natuional Law University, Hyderabd, Allahabad Univers, BHU, Punjab Univ, Himachal Pradesh UNIV, Delhi Univ, Pune Univ, IISc and is invited by Jadavpur University, Kolkata. Wherever Buddha goes, it’s greeted with overwhelming response and that gives me immense hope that the students of our country will bring about a revolution that even you are seeking. I believe if any politician who must see this film is you and instead of writing a template based invite I’ll tell you why you must watch this film.
- Where most of the political films raise questions this film gives a solution – how we can find real “azaadi” from the middlemen and hence corruption. This is exactly what your ‘Swarajya’ campaign seeks.
- The film probes and exposes Naxal-NGO-Academia nexus and delves deep into the theme of ‘intellectual terrorism’ which I belive is a dveloping threat to our great country.
- You were India’s first disruptive politician. This is India’s first disruptive film.
- Since you had no resources you used it to your advantage with political innovation. We have no resources and we have relied on marketing innovation.
- You started your fight against crony-capitalism and corruption, which became a movement. I started this fight against crony-socialism and this film has become a movement.
- Yours was a movement of the common man, by the common man and for the common man. Ours is a movement of the students, by the students and for the students. (Just to mention this film was initiated by the students of Indian School of Business, Hyderabad).
- AAP was a political start-up in true sense. This film is a start-up in true sense.
- You found opposition by a rigid political system and corrupt politicians. We are finding opposition by a rigid academia and corrupt faculty.
- People who associated with you for immediate gains left you one by one. People who associated with us for Box Office returns left us one by one.
- Your functions were sabotaged and disrupted by vested interests that didn’t agree with you. Our screenings have been sabotaged and disrupted by vested interests that do not agree with the film.
- You didn’t have money but ‘Junta’ made it possible for you. We don’t have money but ‘students’ are making it possible for us.
- Your politics is based on truth and evidences where you exposed so many nexuses. This film is based on truth and evidences and exposes Naxal-NGO-Academia nexus.
- You are a champion of student’s cause and freedom of expression. This film champions students’ cause and seeks it’s right to expression.
- You were alone in your fight. I am alone in my fight.
- Last but not the least, you are a man on a mission. I am also a man on a mission – to help build India.
Since you are one of the very few political minds that believe in the sanctity and importance of truth, we are absolutely certain you would love the film in its very essence.
You being a cinema enthusiast and India lover would definitely love the film because of its contemporary relevance and consider tax rebate, as extremely high rates of taxes do not let the poor students watch meaningful cinema.
We are releasing the film on the 13th of May. I’d prefer if you can see the film anytime between 7th-12th May. Please let us know a good time so that we can screen the film for you.
Please feel free to ask your office to call me direct at 9821050334 or my DA Ms. Naireeta Dasgupta 8420 126895.
Thanks and regards.
Jai Hind!
Vivek Agnihotri
