“The Colour of Darkness” as the name suggests, is an independent film set in two continents dealing with themes of the possibilities of discrimination and violence.
It explores India’s caste system, a prevalent entrenched class system which is often glossed over in the multi-million dollar film industry of Bollywood, and is rarely referenced in international modern media depictions of India, which is emerging as a progressive power in Global services and technology sectors.
It also highlights the question of the dark underbelly of ongoing Australian racism, even in the cosmopolitan city of Melbourne and the ongoing struggles within the caste system in India.
The film is shot both in India and Australia, keeping in view the diversity of the subjects. To give actual feel of the ongoing caste system over time in India, a part of the film has been shot in a village in India.The other part will be shot in Melbourne where the issue of the intercultural tensions has been highlighted and directed towards Indian students.
The Colour of Darkness is a feature length drama, inspired by true events; written, directed and scored by acclaimed musician and filmmaker Girish Makwana. This film showcases two continents dealing with themes of discrimination and violence and the atrocities faced by people because of it.
Explaining about the upcoming film project, Girish says, “ ‘The Colour of Darkness’ is a fascinating, character driven story, inspired by real life events, dealing with themes of intercultural tension, the caste divide, exploration of different worlds, and how immersion in a different culture can help you to achieve a greater understanding of your own origins. Yet it also portrays the tenderness and kindness of human relationships that can arise from the most unlikely situations and the wonder that comes from making unexpected discoveries in the world around you and in yourself”.
Makwana says that ‘The Colour of Darkness’ may be of special interest to audiences living in Melbourne, and audiences living in, or originally from, India.
“Anyone who has suffered from discrimination can relate to the themes in this film, and can be considered part of the target audience. This film is exploring phenomena from real life that is not often given attention, so it can be an educational tool as well as an artistic endeavour. All members of groups against discrimination and racism can be considered as a part of the target audience”, he adds.
“It may also be significant to anyone having lived in or visited either Melbourne or India and now living anywhere in the world. These are both significant numbers of people, especially in Europe and the US where India and Australia are very popular vacation/long term visit/working holiday destinations. However, intercultural issues are global, and anyone concerned with intercultural tension and discrimination can be considered part of the target audience” .
Explaining the diverse themes of this 90 minute movie, Makwana says, “Social justice is a global phenomenon, but takes a special form in India which is not often talked about in any detail in the international media. It is the ‘elephant in the room’ when India is currently trying to be perceived as a modern country. You generally only ever hear about the caste divide in India in ‘rags to riches’ tales, rarely hearing anything about the tough realities of discrimination suffered by lower caste people in their daily life which even continue into the present day. A unique portrayal of the caste system sets The Colour of Darkness apart and makes anyone interested in class struggle and learning more about the caste system part of the target audience for this film.”
He says that the movie targets a wide range of audience.
“The target audience includes anyone who is interested in becoming more aware of intercultural tensions, learning about the caste system, and also anyone who enjoys the drama of a character driven story. There is also something in this film for people interested in a travel story with a variety of exciting locations. This film crosses the superficial boundaries that many modern films fall into, of appealing to only one gender of film goers as it has equal appeal for audiences of men and women”, Makwana adds.
The Colour of Darkness boasts a vibrant and original soundtrack, reflecting Makwana’s classical training, which adds a whole separate vital dimension to the film, making it a must-see for music aficionados.
Due to its diversity of subject matter, character and location, the high quality of writing, cinematography, acting and music which go to make up The Colour of Darkness, it should have a very broad appeal.
