Dr. Debjani Halder’s hard-hitting documentary highlights homelessness and mental unrest

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A stark, in many ways intentionally depressing, and bold documentary, Khat—A Letter To My Home, is an incisive look at how society so callously treats the homeless and those suffering from mental unrest, with a layered and hard-hitting narrative. This documentary delves into societal consciousness, stressing that those who wander without a roof, grappling with the shadows of their minds, deserve prompt treatment and a beacon of hope for a brighter tomorrow.

The impact of social context on mental well-being and malaise, and how class, gender, race and age bear weight upon one’s existence are explored movingly. Khat… investigates the concept of ‘normal’ in the society’s perspective, and treats ‘home’ as a metaphor for belonging and acceptance. It hits out at the cultural ‘hegemony’ of civilization — a force relentless in its quest to erase the existence of these individuals from the mainstream, and challenges our perceptions and stirs our collective conscience.

Its director, Dr. Debjani Halder, is a national and international award-winning scholar and filmmaker. She is working as an Associate Professor of Filmmaking in Manipal Institute of Communication, MAHE in Udupi. She has received Fellowship Awards from National Film Archive of India, Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Rashtrapati Nivas, European Excellence Fellowship Awards of Central European University in Budapest, Dr. S. Radhakrishnan Fellowship and a Postdoctoral Fellowship, Indian Council of Social Science Research (Ministry of HRD and Government of India).

Debjani’s documentaries, Documenting Agony Ritwik and The Dark, have fetched several national and international awards. Her recent documentary as co-director, The Ethos of Darkness, received the 69^th National Film Award as Best Science and Technology Film.  She is the author of three monographs and published almost 30 articles in several National and International journals. She started her film career in 2007 and has so far made 7 documentaries. Excerpts from an email interview follow.

What was your vision behind making this documentary?

My vision was to delve deep into the lives of those who find themselves at the crossroads of homelessness and mental illness, existing below the socially defined poverty line. Through a poetic and fictional lens, my aim was to explore and raise our collective social awareness about the critical need for timely mental health treatment and a gateway to a better future for individuals facing these challenges. This project is a pioneering effort to shed light on the inter-linkage of homelessness, mental illness and societal victimhood while also inciting discussions around the concept of normalcy and the perennial hope for a home, which here transcends its literal meaning to symbolize a sense of belonging and stability.

At the heart of this documentary is an exploration of the human psyche and socio-behavioral patterns of individuals in distress, set against the backdrop of the societal and cultural norms that often marginalize them further from the mainstream. By emphasizing the human right to mental healthcare and the impact of social contexts like class, gender, race and age, we explore how these factors contribute to the complex dynamics of mental health and societal belonging. This project critiques the so-called ‘civilization’ and its socio-cultural hegemony that systematically excludes these individuals from the societal fabric, highlighting the urgency for a collective rethinking of our values and responsibilities towards each other. Through this documentary, I invite viewers to engage in a journey of understanding, empathy and action towards creating a more inclusive and compassionate society.

Q What made you venture into filmmaking? Did any experience with nears and dears, known people and so on trigger such a strong motivation? Are you in general (as a writer, filmmaker and person) a keen observer of the dark facets of life in general?

In the year of our tumult, 2017, Europe was on the brink, teetering on the edge of fragmentation under the sheer weight of migration. Amidst this chaos, I found myself in the historic heart of Budapest—a fellow at the venerated Central European University. Each day, as I navigated the city, I couldn’t help but notice the subways pulsed with the beat of Roma migrants, the roadsides echoed their tales of displacement and the countryside sighed with their weary presence. In that moment of history, the UNO’s declaration echoed like a thunderclap—borders flung open for Syrian souls in flight.

Despite the babel of Hungarian and Slovak around me, I found communion and dissent in equal measure from those willing to share their stories. Drawn by an inexorable pull toward understanding, I plunged into the depths of social science, seeking to unravel the tangled skein of homelessness. My journey took me back to India in 2018, where I met the wise Dr. Sanjiv Jain.

He illuminated the dark intersections of homelessness and mental anguish for me, directing me to the sanctuary of Banyan, to souls adrift in mental distress and poverty. After four years of rigorous questing, October 2022 saw my pilgrimage to Banyan in Chennai, where I stayed among the lost and the forsaken for five days—a span that would redefine my existence.

Their eyes, brimming with unsung stories and phantoms of hallucinations, sought in me a connection to vanished loved ones, to fragments of a life interrupted. It was a vacation that entwined their stories with my essence, unfurling their uncharted territories of human endurance and despair before me.

Compelled by an unspoken duty as a film practitioner, I found myself at the crossroads of destiny and determination. And yet, the path remained fraught with obstacles until the benevolence of Dr. Nanda Raj from Australia gave wings to my vision.

Rallying beside me were the custodians of my dream: Siddartha Jatla, a filmmaker of profound insight; Mr. Dwarika Prasad Uniyal, a poet and educationist whose wisdom knows no bounds; my co-director and producer, Mr. Avijit Banerjee, whose vision mirrored my own and also a legion of friends from the Netherlands to China. Also backing my dream were all the technicians whose skill and dedication breathed life into our shared aspiration. Thus, I forged my odyssey that was not merely one of personal enlightenment but a testament to the power of collective hope and unwavering friendship, a beacon for the silent voices waiting to echo through the annals of time.

To what do you attribute the many honors and awards you have already got?

Awards acknowledge diligence and perseverance, representing more than merely a financial reward. Despite not receiving accolades, numerous luminaries in the realm of cinema continue to be celebrated for pioneering innovative methods in filmmaking and educational approaches to the craft. Even if this film does not receive any awards in the future, my spirits will not be dampened. Morally, my vision was lucid and, ultimately, I succeeded in bringing it to fruition.

What can we expect from you next?

Embarking on the journey of crafting my next feature film, I find myself at the threshold of an extensive exploration that promises to span at least two years. This period is a pilgrimage through the myriad paths I am committed to tread. Each step is a deliberate move towards distilling the essence of the narrative I aim to bring to life on screen. While being challenging, this journey is a testament to the dedication required to make cinema that seeks to entertain and resonate deeply with its audience. This is more than a project: it’s a voyage of discovery, creativity and transformation.

As a film practitioner, I am deeply inspired by the works of Iranian filmmaker Majid Majidi and Japanese filmmaker Ozu. My approach to filmmaking is deeply rooted in the traditions of neo-realism and the New Wave. My project is a children’s film that aims to uncover the nuances of childhood innocence, the sharp edges of socio-economic disparity and the complex dynamics of toxic parenthood. It will aim to shed light on these critical matters through the pure and unassuming eyes of a child, while offering audiences a reflective mirror of society again.