Special by Sudha Prakash Katherine "Kat" Kramer, Founder of Kat Kramer's Films That Change the World is presenting three socially significant films as part of her Seventh Annual Film Series. She founded Kat Kramer's Films That Change the World to showcase movies that raise awareness about important social issues. She started with Barbra Streisand's Yentl in 2009 and has presented six socially conscious movies and documentaries so far. On April 10th, the annual event kicked off with the film, Bhopal: A Prayer for Rain at the Canon USA Inc., Screening Room, adjacent to the Stanley Kramer Screening Room located on the Sunset-Gower Studios. This year's screening was a moving and vivid depiction of the world's worst industrial disaster in history at Bhopal, India in December 1984 and the colossal destruction of life and the environment. Also this year she established the First Annual Kat Kramer's Films that Change the world, 'Hunt for Humanity Award' which will be presented annually. The first recipient of the award was none other than the legendary 97 Year old actress/ social activist from Hollywood's Golden age, Marsha Hunt. The award was presented by Ken Howard, President of SAG-AFTRA who called her a 'tough cookie' and said it is a privilege to present the award to the incomparable, incandescent, the strong, the brave and the bold Marsha Hunt. The event commenced with the Red Carpet arrival at 5:30 PM followed by the Introductions, Award Presentation and Keynote speeches. The event was attended by Film's Stars Martin Sheen & Mischa Barton, Director and Co-Writer Ravi Kumar, Executive Producers Terrance Sweeney and Leszek Burzynski and Director of Photography Charlie Wuppermann and various other Industry celebrities. Kal Penn who also stars in this film but could not attend, sent a special message which was read by Mischa Barton. The Keynote address was given by Tim Edwards; Executive Trustee of the Bhopal Medical Appeal who spoke about the way the survivors rose up in the face of the Government's apathy to help their community by establishing their own free clinics Chingari and Sambhavna where adults and children are treated with a combination of Western and Eastern medicine. Martin Sheen who plays Warren Anderson , Chairman of Union Carbide spoke about how he could not but say 'yes' to the role. He said that Warren Anderson who lived for thirty years after the tragedy did not want to speak to him or the film makers. So, he stayed truthful to the script and played him as a man who may have had good intentions initially but in the face of the tragedy did not live up to his responsibilities. Martin feels that the subject of the movie is timeless and is a reminder to the mankind and especially to the children that environmental issues are everybody's business and we should be always vigilant against the destruction of our air, water and soil in the name of progress. He said that shooting in India was a great experience and the spirit of India had a tremendous personal impact on him and rekindled his own faith in religion and his return to his catholic roots and spirituality. Bhopal: Praying for Rain is a drama highlighting the terrible events leading up to the poisonous gas leak at the Union Carbide pesticide factory at Bhopal, India. Ravi Kumar, the film director deftly weaves the apocalyptic real life events leading to the disaster through the eyes of Dilip an impoverished rickshaw puller turned untrained Union Carbide worker played brilliantly by Rajpal Yadav. Thannishtha Chatterjee ably plays the role of his wife who is happy about her husband's a job in the factory and the steady income and joyfully arranges the marriage of his sister. Kal Penn plays the activist local journalist Motwani who doggedly tries to expose the corporate greed and the local government's ineptitude by publishing several articles about the gross safety violations in the factory. Warren Anderson played remarkably by Martin Sheen flies to Bhopal in the aftermath of the tragedy but fled the country as a warrant is issued for his arrest. He never apologizes nor does anything to alleviate the sufferings of the masses for which his company was clearly responsible. Mischa Barton as a life style journalist who is roped in by Motwani to ask tough questions of Mr. Anderson is quite adequate in her brief role. The drama is intensified at the end of the movie when the deadly gas wafts through the surroundings on a wintry night interspersed with scenes of the wedding guests singing, dancing and feasting only to die horribly along with thousands of others a few hours later. The film is produced by Sahara Movie Studios and Rising Star Entertainment and distributed by Revolver Entertainment. After the screening, Kat Kramer moderated the panel discussion that included the film director, executive producers and the directory of photography. During the discussion, director Ravi Kumar told the audience that he grew up in a city not far from Bhopal and this incident had a profound effect on him. He was surprised that no filmmakers of Bollywood and Hollywood wanted to make a dramatic movie despite this being the major environmental disaster of the 20th century. So he took on the responsibility of making a feature film to re-tell the events leading to the catastrophe and the survivor's indomitable spirit in rising above their bleak circumstances. This was echoed by Tim Edwards who quoted his friend Indra Sinha who wrote that "a great catastrophe, followed by years of illness, poverty and injustice can overwhelm and crush the human spirit or it can enable ordinary people to become extraordinary with the realization that they are not weak or powerless but have the power to bring about great political change, to do good in their community and in the world".
Review of Bhopal: A Prayer for Rain
