Renowned filmmaker Anita Barar joins 153rd Srujan Samvaad

Jamshedpur: The 153rd edition of Srujan Samvaad featured renowned documentary filmmaker Anita Barar as the special guest. Currently residing in Australia, Barar recently earned acclaim at the Melbourne Indian Film Festival with her film Finding Grandpa.

The documentary traces the journey of an Indian youth who travels to Australia in search of his grandfather, who had migrated there in 1920 to fulfill a promise made to his grandmother. The film captures his decade-long struggle to find the truth—why his grandfather severed contact with the family and whether the reunion ever takes place. More than a personal quest, the documentary also examines the history of Indians in Australia, weaving together themes of migration, memory, and human relationships.

During the interaction, Barar revealed that although the film is not yet available in India, efforts are underway to bring it to Indian audiences soon. She also spoke about the challenges of working with limited resources in Australia and her commitment to presenting meaningful stories from her homeland on screen.

This is not Barar’s first venture into impactful storytelling. Her earlier works include Crossing the Line, which portrayed the lives and relations of Indian and Pakistani families in Australia post-partition, as well as a documentary highlighting domestic violence against women.

The session was moderated online by Dr. Neha Tiwari, Head of the Department of Mass Communication at Karim City College. At the outset, Dr. Vijay Sharma, convener of Srujan Samvaad, welcomed Barar and shared the background of the initiative. Writers and filmmakers including Geeta Dubey and Kshama Tripathi also joined the program, making it an engaging and insightful exchange.