Nishit Saran died this day five years ago at the age of 26. He was a trailblazing filmmaker and is an inspiration to queer communities everywhere.
Born and raised in India, he moved to the US in 1994 for studies. Graduating with the highest honours in film from Harvard University in 1998, Saran was then awarded a prestigious teaching fellowship and a grant to make his first film. In 1998-99, Saran taught a year-long course in advanced filmmaking at Harvard, and also finished the making of ‘Summer in My Veins’, at the age of 23.
A personal documentary made with just a hand-held camera, it won high praise for its frank portrayal of Saran’s own struggle to reconcile his family ties and his homosexuality. The film has been screened at many international film festivals including Boston, Los Angeles, Toronto, San Francisco, Hawaii, New Zealand, and at both, public and private screenings in India. It was shown at what may well have been India’s first gay and lesbian festival, ‘Glitter & Gumboots’, organized by Delhi’s Lady Shri Ram College.
In May 1999, Saran returned to India to work on his next film. His first feature was ‘A Perfect Day’, an experimental film, 80 minutes in length, with a largely improvised script and minimal lighting that ignored many of the values of Bollywood; it was also India’s first digital feature film. It was shown at the ITC Digital Talkies International Film Festival in March 2001, besides other festivals. Saran also made ‘Project Flower’ on street children in Nizamuddin, New Delhi, which premiered at the World AIDS Conference in Durban.
Saran was outspoken in his support for gay rights in India and contributed articles, reviews, and essays to numerous national publications and webzines, including the strident editorial, ‘My sexuality is your business’ in ‘The Indian Express’ of 8 February 2000, which attacked Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code. Incidentally, he had been an editorial intern at his college magazine. (The Nishit Saran Foundation, run by the wonderful and brave Minna Saran and other family and friends, hosts some of his writings and photographs.)
Saran was researching Lord Shiva and the practice of Tantra for his next film project, when he passed away in a terrible car accident.
Born and raised in India, he moved to the US in 1994 for studies. Graduating with the highest honours in film from Harvard University in 1998, Saran was then awarded a prestigious teaching fellowship and a grant to make his first film. In 1998-99, Saran taught a year-long course in advanced filmmaking at Harvard, and also finished the making of ‘Summer in My Veins’, at the age of 23.
A personal documentary made with just a hand-held camera, it won high praise for its frank portrayal of Saran’s own struggle to reconcile his family ties and his homosexuality. The film has been screened at many international film festivals including Boston, Los Angeles, Toronto, San Francisco, Hawaii, New Zealand, and at both, public and private screenings in India. It was shown at what may well have been India’s first gay and lesbian festival, ‘Glitter & Gumboots’, organized by Delhi’s Lady Shri Ram College.
In May 1999, Saran returned to India to work on his next film. His first feature was ‘A Perfect Day’, an experimental film, 80 minutes in length, with a largely improvised script and minimal lighting that ignored many of the values of Bollywood; it was also India’s first digital feature film. It was shown at the ITC Digital Talkies International Film Festival in March 2001, besides other festivals. Saran also made ‘Project Flower’ on street children in Nizamuddin, New Delhi, which premiered at the World AIDS Conference in Durban.
Saran was outspoken in his support for gay rights in India and contributed articles, reviews, and essays to numerous national publications and webzines, including the strident editorial, ‘My sexuality is your business’ in ‘The Indian Express’ of 8 February 2000, which attacked Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code. Incidentally, he had been an editorial intern at his college magazine. (The Nishit Saran Foundation, run by the wonderful and brave Minna Saran and other family and friends, hosts some of his writings and photographs.)
Saran was researching Lord Shiva and the practice of Tantra for his next film project, when he passed away in a terrible car accident.
11 comments:
Yeah, I've seen the movie, 'Summer in my Veins'. Very frank and poignant indeed. Lovely piece of work.
He died in a car accident, right?
I met Nishit many, many years ago when I was in Boston showing my film Khush. He gave me a copy of Summer in My Veins and I have always treasured it.
A very big loss to the Indian queer community.
hi. yes very sad. he passed on very near my home in Delhi. I've got the entire film of summer in my veins up on my site and I'd like it if you'd add me to your directory of queer blogs as I have a growing section on Queer Desi stuff...a mix of things, mostly comedy.
good film!
I loved Nitin's Movie. His coming out scared me and encouraged me at the same time. His contribution shall not be forgotten.
Lovely blog you have here !:D
how is it possible to be openly gay and activist in india when homosexuality is illegal? or is it just the homosexual acts?
http://www.queersunited.blogspot.com
@ dgboiler: I guess you meant "Nishit's movie..."
@ queers united: that's right. According to Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, "sex against the order of nature" is punishable.
Nishit Saran is a great loss to the Indian LGBT movement. I wish I had met him when he was alive.
I guess i was so lucky to know him....and be a part of his life...after all these years i still cant get over the fact that he went so soon..i wnet looking for a job with him..but i got him as a friend...
I was his friend during college. It's been nearly a decade now since he has passed and the grief, especially the extent of missing him, is nearly indescribable.
I still remember our first kiss at the party in Delhi back in 2000. Though our interactions were brief over the party, a movie n couple of coffee dates, he was a very warm n alive. He still lives in my memories
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