Shekhar Kapur makes short film on water crisis

Shekhar Kapur’s Paani Shekhar Kapur’s Paani  might not have seen  the light of the day, but that hasnt deterred him from making a film on water crisis.The filmmaker has collaborated with WaterAid to create a short animation Brides of the Well, adapted from a story written by Kapur himself. It highlights water scarcity issues and how it impacts on women and girls globally, read a statement. Narrated by Bend it like Beckham star Parminder Nagra, the film tells the story of Saraswati and Paras, who are forced into child marriage and a life of servitude, centred around walking long distances to collect water for their aging husbands. It launched on Thursday to mark the International Day of the Girl. Though fictional, Kapur’s film highlights the plight of young girls across India who — like those depicted in his animation movie — are bound to a life dominated by walking long distances to collect water. “Water is one of the world’s most precious resources. But for those who live with water on tap, it can be difficult to imagine how life would be if water wasn’t so accessible,” Kapur said. “That is why I wanted to tell the story of Paras and Saraswati and show how people across the world live every day without water, dictating their futures, dreams and prospects. It is a great injustice that 1 in 9 people still live without access to clean water around the world.” V.K. Madhavan, Chief Executive at WaterAid India, added: “The burden of fetching water is predominantly borne by women and girls, preventing them from reaching their full potential. This affects their education, health and livelihood opportunities. This must change.”  (IANS)