'Big Brother' is always watching: Documentary producers' body

'Big Brother' is always watching, claimed Indian Documentary Producers Association (IDPA) General Secretary Sanskar Desai, even as he said that the intimidating and all-pervasive gaze of the powers that be can be bypassed using different documentary film making techniques and methods.

"'Big Brother' is always watching. When a filmmaker decides to make a film, that filmmaker is not bothered about such things," Desai told reporters on the sidelines of the ongoing 50th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) here.

"Secondly, there are also different ways to portray your problems. You can bypass the 'Big Brother' using different techniques and methods," he said.

IDPA President Usha Deshpande, however, said that documentary filmmakers face the same risks as journalists while plying their trade.

"A documentary filmmaker faces the same kind of problems as a journalist. He has to decide what kind of risk he wants to take. What kind of stand he wants to take and how much courage does he have to stand by it," Deshpande said.

"There is no censorship. Today, there are so many digital platforms that now filmmakers do not bother about such things, even if 'Big Brother' is watching. The only thing is you have to have the courage," she said.IANS