Independent filmmaker Snehasis Das’s directorial Odia music video Kaacha Kandhei has been selected for Black Cat Awards International Film Festival which will be held at Bolivia in South America.
Snehasis known for feature films like Ghar Jaana Hai: The Stories Untold (2017), Hausla Na Ruthe: The Stories Untold (2018) and Kokoli: Fish Out of Water (2021) has received an official mail from the organisers in this regard.
Besides, Das has received an invitation from the Black Cat Film Festival for a special screening of his music video Kacha Kandhei which showcased how a boy, shedding all his inhibitions, comes forward to help his friend during her menstrual days.
Sharing the good news, Snehasis wrote on his social media platform, “Menstruation is a natural biological function. It is crucial for human existence. As a ‘not openly talked about’ issue, it silently reinforces the discriminations, superstitions and cultural taboos associated with it. Myths and restrictions around menstruation are one of the reasons behind unhygienic health practices too. There is nothing called ‘impure’ and ‘unholy’ around it, rather it’s the source of life. And Kaacha Kandhei is promoting that source of life to initiate open discussion on ‘Periods’ to end the taboo and stigma attached to it. #Let’sTalkPeriods!”
“Recently I visited Rayagada to be part of a film workshop where my music video Kacha Kandhei was screened. The workshop was meant for girls aged between 10 and 15. Being a man, I found it hard to raise the topic among girls. However, I was taken aback to find that they could easily understand the subject and discuss it to without any hesitation. I must say things have changed over the years. Still taboo is there in some rural pockets which we want to end through my video”, he maintained.
Snehasis further said, “We have been practising menstrual hygiene for ages. When it comes to Odisha, we celebrate Raja, a festival exclusively for women and young girls, since time immemorial. Raja is observed to celebrate Mother Earth’s annual period days. Gone were days when menstruating girls and women were given a separate room to reside and used old cotton sarees as pads when they attained puberty. Through the music video, all I want to bring changes in our thought process.”
Written by the legendary Devdas Chhotaray and composed by Abhijeet Mishra, Odisha’s melody queen Susmita Das and Antara Chakraborty have rendered voice for the music video which features actors Suryamayee and Abhishek Giri in pivotal roles.
The music video has been conceptualized and produced by Sneha Mishra from the organisation Aaina.