Deep Dive: I Am (2016)
Film Lens
I Am is a 2010 Indian Hindi-language anthology film directed by Onir, consisting of four interconnected short films: 'Omar', 'Afia', 'Abhimanyu', and 'Megha'. Each story addresses the theme of fear and is inspired by real-life experiences. 'Afia' follows a single woman who chooses sperm donation to become a mother after her husband leaves her. 'Megha' depicts a Kashmiri Pandit returning to her homeland and confronting the past. 'Abhimanyu' deals with a successful director grappling with childhood sexual abuse and his sexual identity. 'Omar' focuses on gay rights, featuring a character from Bangalore. The characters are interwoven, creating a narrative that reflects on personal and societal fears.
The film was financed through donations from over 400 individuals worldwide, primarily via social media platforms like Facebook. It was released with subtitles in six languages: Hindi, English, Kannada, Marathi, Bengali, and Kashmiri. I Am received several awards, including the Audience Award at the 2010 River to River Florence Indian Film Festival and the Best Asian Film Award at the International Film Festival of Kerala.
Why Watch
- •See Nandita Das as a single mother in 'Afia'.
- •Meet Juhi Chawla's character returning to Kashmir.
- •Find out about childhood abuse in 'Abhimanyu'.
Did You Know
•I Am was financed by over 400 donors from around the world.
•The film features characters speaking in six different languages.
•I Am won the Audience Award at the 2010 River to River Film Festival.
•The scripts for 'Abhimanyu' and 'Omar' were nominated for TMG Global Awards.
Perfect For
LGBTQ+ rightsKashmiri historyChild abuse awareness