PANAJI: Documentary filmmaker Vinay Shukla, known for his internationally acclaimed film While We Watched, spoke about the challenges faced by journalists, including poor rights, low pay, lack of protection, and inadequate contracts, at the Museum of Goa (MoG) during a screening of his film.
“We need larger dialogue around journalists and what is happening with them,” said Shukla during the event, part of the museum’s interactive ‘MoG Sundays’ series. The documentary, which follows senior journalist Ravish Kumar’s life and work, explores journalistic independence against the backdrop of increasing media bias in India.
Shukla spent two years documenting Kumar’s journey, gaining insight into the demanding realities of the profession. “I am deeply in respect of journalists, honestly. Their job is very, very hard. We don't quite understand the emotional labour and the emotional toll that it takes on journalists to witness tragedy every day, narrativize it, and try to find some justice for those affected. It’s a tremendous moral and emotional cost that journalists pay, and I am deeply in awe of them,” he said.
The filmmaker described his work as “an emotional experience of a journalist in his late 40s dealing with a mainstream current that is absolutely against everything he believes in.” According to Shukla, the film reflects larger societal struggles. “It’s exactly how we fight for our ideals,” he added.
When asked about the impact he hopes the film will have, Shukla said, “I hope it makes all of us worry a little more about where we are going and find a little more solace in each other's company”those who are like us and those who are unlike us.”
The screening of While We Watched at MoG generated discussions about the state of press freedom and the challenges faced by journalists, aligning with Shukla’s call for a deeper examination of the journalism ecosystem in India.
