Check out 16 Return-To-Work Programs In India For Ambitious Women Like You!
Phir Zindagi... on organ donation is an extraordinary film based on a true story, that has convinced me to pledge my organs after death.
Phir Zindagi… on organ donation is an extraordinary film based on a true story, that has convinced me to pledge my organs after death.
Trigger warning: Death, grief, and loss, and could be triggering for survivors.
Finished watching this 55 minutes film almost 5-6 minutes ago, and have been sobbing uncontrollably through the last bit and just managed to control myself.
Phir Zindagi on organ donation is an excellent, well made film that will also remind yourself to drive safely, take all safety precautions, wear the helmet, follow traffic rules….
Because there is someone waiting for you at home and the pain and grief of loss can be unbearable…
The story of how organ donation has the potential of changing lives has been beautifully portrayed in ‘Phir Zindagi’ – a film written and directed by the award winning duo Sumitra Bhave & Sunil Sukthankar. It sheds light on the complicated and emotionally charged process of organ donation.
Phir Zindagi / Life Continues is about a young college student studying in Pune, who gets into a bike accident. The friend with him has worn a helmet, and survives unscathed, but Sumedh is brain dead on arrival, and according to rules, even when he is checked by neurosurgeons after 6 hours.
The film then goes on to portray the emotional aspect of organ donation for the grieving family, along with answering many social, medical, and legal questions… the fabulous performances brought this whole situation alive to me, and I was back in hospital environs, with all the complexities of difficult decisions by everyone.
I was especially wowed by the way the question of ethics, and of how the thoughts of who the recipient should or should not be has been dealt with.
One question asked to the relatives by the social worker played by the extraordinary Amruta Subhash to help them make up their mind – what would you feel about organ donation if you were a recipient instead of a donor?
A stellar cast known to deliver exactly the performances needed, Phir Zindagi… on organ donation features Ratna Pathak Shah, Naseeruddin Shah, Uttara Baokar, Vikram Gokhale, Jyoti Subhash, Amruta Subhash, Neeraj Kabi ( Ship Of Theseus & Talwar fame) and Dr Shekhar Kulkarni.
And what elevated this narrative to lofty heights was the voiceover by Naseeruddin Shah for a recitation of a poem that says,
Ai Maut, zuka le apna sar, aur chupa le apna chehra Mana ke tumhare kadmon mein aake ruk jaate hain saare raaste Tujhse jeet sakaa naa koi Ek na ek din aana hi hai teri panah mein Magar dekh khulkar apni aankhen Khule kiyein hain hamneh dil ke darwazein peekar ghoont gham ke Aur dhoond nikaale hai naye tareekein tuze bebas muqarrar karnein ke…
Oh Death, you’d better lower your head and hide your face I agree that all roads end at your feet There is no-one who is able to conquer you One day everyone has to seek their final refuge in you But do open your eyes and see for yourself We have swallowed our pain and opened our heart Do you think of yourself as helpless, now that we have found new ways to defeat you?
Just two words. Please watch.
I have pledged my organs after death. have you?
Phir Zindagi has been made by ZTCC Pune (Zonal Transplant Coordination Centre). You can find more about organ donation here, here and here.
In her role as the Senior Editor & Community Manager at Women's Web, Sandhya Renukamba is fortunate to associate every day with a whole lot of smart and fabulous writers and readers. A doctor read more...
Women's Web is an open platform that publishes a diversity of views, individual posts do not necessarily represent the platform's views and opinions at all times.
Stay updated with our Weekly Newsletter or Daily Summary - or both!
Neena was the sole caregiver of Amma and though one would think that Amma was dependent on her, Neena felt otherwise.
Neena inhaled the aroma that emanated from the pan and took a deep breath. The aroma of cumin interspersed with butter transported her back to the modest kitchen in her native village. She could picture her father standing in the kitchen wearing his white crisp kurta as he made delectable concoctions for his only daughter.
Neena grew up in a home where both her parents worked together in tandem to keep the house up and running. She had a blissful childhood in her modest two-room house. The house was small but every nook and cranny gave her memories of a lifetime. Neena’s young heart imagined that her life would follow the same cheerful course. But how wrong she was!
When she was sixteen, the catastrophic clutches of destiny snatched away her parents. They passed away in a road accident and Neena was devastated. Relatives thronged her now gloomy house and soon it was decided that she should be married off.
Being a writer, Nivedita Louis recognises the struggles of a first-time woman writer and helps many articulate their voice with development, content edits as a publisher.
“I usually write during night”, says author Nivedita Louis during our conversation. Chuckling she continues,” It’s easier then to focus solely on writing. Nivedita Louis is a writer, with varied interests and one of the founders of Her Stories, a feminist publishing house, based in Chennai.
In a candid conversation she shared her journey from small-town Tamil Nadu to becoming a history buff, an award-winning author and now a publisher.
Nivedita was born and raised in a small town in Tamil Nadu. It was for schooling that she first arrived in Chennai. Then known as Madras, she recalls being awed by the city. Her love-story with the city, its people and thus began which continues till date. She credits her perseverance and passion to make a difference to her days as a vocational student among the elite sections of Madras.
Please enter your email address