 Venue: Churhat Kothi, Bandhavgarh
Date: April 1-4, 2005
Anchor: Shyam Benegal
Churhat Kothi ( boutique jungle camp) and Soulitudes are honored to present a retreat with the reputed film director Shyam Benegal, in Bandhavgarh, amidst the jungles of Bandhavgarh.
Few are aware that Mr. Benegal’s successful career as an ad film maker preceded the tryst with cinema. Mr. Benegal brings to us all an unique understanding of the Indian psyche. For over four decades he has shared the diversity of India through the commercials, socially relevant cinema, enriching documentaries and epic television serials. The retreat, over the course of three days will enable the participants to understand the sensibilities of Mr. Benegal, and its manifestation in cinema and documentaries. Through interactive sessions, Mr. Benegal will share his early influences, marketing in the 60’s and 70’s, his discovery of India, the cinema and efforts to make meaningful cinema in a demanding marketplace. The program will consist of five sessions of approximately an hour and half each from the 2nd to the 4th April. The discussions would blend with visits to Bandhavgarh National Park (optional) which is among the leading wildlife reserves in the country, and slide shows by the resident naturalists.
Integral to the retreat will be the participant ability to enrich discussions with Mr. Benegal and the other attendees. Thus the number of participants will be limited to fifteen. The details of the retreat are below. Participants are advised to book the train tickets at least 3 weeks in advance. Soulitudes is more than happy to book the tickets to the nearest rail head
(refer to the sections Travel Information & Terms and
conditions)
 Our venue, Churhat Kothi is a special place.
Over three generations the family of Churhat has been closely associated with Bandhavgarh, its forests and its wildlife. Dhruv Singh is the current resident owner. His grandfather, Rao Bahadur Rana, turned from a hunter to a preserver of Bandhavgarh wildlife. KK Singh, Dhruv’s father, took the journey further as an environmentalist and entrepreneur running the Bandhavgarh Jungle Camp for over 20 years. Over two decades, thousands of travelers, wildlife enthusiasts and tiger aficionados from across the world have explored the dramatic vistas of Bandhavgarh jungle with the owners of Churhat
Kothi.
The event was a great success.
Would you like to read
comments comments of some of the participants?
| Workshop
Structure* |
| April
2 |
|
| 7
am - 10 am |
Morning Safari into the Bandhavgarh park (optional) |
| 11
am - 1.30 pm |
Session 1:
Morning (breakfast served)
The Individual
1. Early influences in childhood, college and
family
2. First years at work in the advertising industry
3. Growing up in post colonial India
4. Gandhi, Marx, Buddha and Nehru
5. The Interiors - compassion, passion, anger and
ego
6. The Quest for personal development and growth
7. Worldview |
| 3
pm – 5.30 pm |
Session
2
The Discovery of India
1. The Evolution of the Indian Ethos
2. The Young Nation (1950- today)
3. 'The Baggage of the Past' and the unhealthy manifestations
4. The strengths of India’s tradition, culture and
diversity
5. The Promise of India |
| 8
pm-10.30pm |
View Cinema of the Maestro: Manthan |
| April
3 |
|
| 7am
- 10am |
Morning Safari into the Bandhavgarh park (optional) |
| 11am
- 1.30 pm |
Session
3: Morning (breakfast
served)
The Discovery of India (Contd.) |
| 3
pm - 5.30 pm |
Session
4
The Art Form: Cinema &
Documentaries
1. The Cinematic Influences
2. Inspiration and Ideas
3. Weaving the elements together, e.g. music, photography, surroundings
4. The Shyam Benegal Breakthrough Era: Mid 70s
5. The role of documentaries and the choice of
subjects
6. Cinema today and the future |
| 8
pm - 10.30 pm |
View Documentary/ Cinema of the Maestro: Documentary on Satyajit Ray/ Zubeida |
| April
4 |
|
| 9am
– 11.30am |
Session
5: Morning (breakfast served)
Success, Commerce and the Audience
1. The challenges faced by independent voices in culture and specifically in cinema
2. Overcoming the obstacles of creating socially relevant
cinema
3. Reaching out of issue based cinema to a larger
audience
4. Working with the establishment to create meaningful
cinema
5. Funding, marketing cinema that breaks the status
quo
6. Dealing with success, failure and the in-between
|
| 1.30pm |
Departure of Mr. Benegal and family for Mumbai |
|
*The schedule and programme outline is tentative and subject to change |
Travel information
Arrival in Bandhavgarh on April 1st 2005 and departure on the 4th April, 2005
Bandhavgarh is an overnight train journey from Delhi and Mumbai. The nearest railhead from New Delhi is Umaria (33 kms from Churhat Kothi) and the nearest railhead from Mumbai is Katni (105 kms from Churhat Kothi)
Pricing
Rs. 13,500 per head
The price includes:
1. All sessions with Mr. Benegal
2. Accommodation in luxury jungle tents for 3 nights (April 1st-3rd)
3. Transfers and pickups from the nearest railhead (Umaria/Katni)
4. All meals in Churhat Kothi Boutique jungle camp
6. All taxes
The cost excludes:
1. Train tickets
2. Jungle Safari rides
3. Alcohol
4. Tips
5. Personal expenses such as phone calls, laundry bills, toiletries, etc.
Terms & Conditions:
1. A 50% advance is required at the time of booking
2. Full payment must be made 10 days prior to the event.
3. In case of cancellation 50% of the paid amount will be refunded.
4. As you understand, Soulitudes will not be held responsible for participants missing any part of the event due to plane/train/car delays.
5. Participants have to make their own travel arrangements up to the nearest rail head (Umaria/Katni). However, Soulitudes will be more than happy to arrange travel to the nearest railhead, if required, but will charge a service fee of 15%.
Relevant Links
Mr. Shyam Benegal
http://www.bfi.org.uk/showing/nft/featurearchive/benegal/
http://www.bfi.org.uk/showing/nft/featurearchive/benegal/datta.html
Churhat Kothi and Bandhavgarh Jungles
Webshots
Please feel free to revert to us if you need any further clarifications.
Shobhana (+91) 9820889808, shobhana@soulitudes.net
Ram (+91) 9892692809, ram@soulitudes.net
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