Bangalore Shorts Film Festival to be held from June 21, 2014 is going to screen Ankahi Ansuni, A documenrary produced by Students of Journalism and Mass communication from a college in Chandigarh.  The documentary is one out of the nine that has been nominated. The other films include entries from US, Malaysia, Italy and six from India.

The festival received 256 short films and documentaries as entries from over 40 countries, 31 of which were nominated from US, UK, Germany, France, Singapore, Mexico, Argentina, Netherlands, Estonia, Italy, Brazil, Bulgaria, Sweden, Malaysia and Kazakhstan.

Based on the lives of members of bands that play at marriage, Ankahi Ansuni shows how they play in the hot and humid seasons with their heavy dresses and instruments, without food at times. It highlights how they have to spend nights outside in winters as they wait to play at the time the ‘doli’ departs.

“Most of them suffer from serious mouth, throat, ear and lung diseases. Owing to poverty and hunger, they start taking drugs and indulge in smoking and drinking which further deteriorates their condition,” said one of the proffessors under whose guidance the documentary was made, while adding that though they play melodious and happy tunes in marriages, their own lives remain unheard of.

“We have shot the documentary in Chandigarh, Mohali, Dera Bassi and Zirakpur. It took us three months to complete it,” said Joy Joshi, student director of the documentary.