The Information and Broadcasting Ministry and Netflix have collaborated to launch a series of short films on seven-inspiring women, to commemorate Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, marking 75 years of India’s Independence.
The short films were released by Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur, who said the initiative aims to bring inspiring stories to light. These films will cover diverse themes such as women’s empowerment, the environment, and sustainable development, according to the Ministry’s press release.
“Netflix will produce 25 to 30 two-minute short films for the ministry, which will be shared on social media platforms and telecast on the Doordarshan network,” Thakur said in a press conference. He also nudged Bela Bajaria, Head of Global TV, Netflix, to increase the number of short films to 75, citing the 75th anniversary of India’s Independence.
Ties with Netflix
The Ministry will organise training programmes on post-production, VFX, animation, and music production for filmmakers to create inspiring content under Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, the report said.
“Netflix is proud to partner MIB to celebrate and acknowledge the evolution of India over the past 75 years, by celebrating its beautiful art, culture and storytelling,” Bajara said.
“Netflix’s commitment to India is strong and growing and we will continue to find the country’s finest stories and share them across the globe,” she added.
Information and Broadcasting Secretary, Apurva Chandra, said a deeper collaboration featuring a long-running series on the freedom struggle is also in the pipeline.
Azadi Ki Amrit Kahaniyan
Three short films released on Tuesday were the first set produced under the partnership. The series features seven women changemakers, including Basanti Devi, an award-winning environmentalist who played a key role in the revitalisation of the Kosi river in Uttarakhand, Anshu Jamsenpa, the first woman to scale Mount Everest twice in the same season, and Harshini Kanhekar, the country’s first lady firefighter.
The films also feature Poonam Nautiyal, a healthcare worker who walked miles across Bageshwar district in Uttarakhand to vaccinate people; Tessy Thomas, the first woman scientist to head a missile project in India; Tanvi Jagadish, India's first competitive woman stand-up paddleboarder and Aarohi Pandit, the world’s youngest and the first woman pilot to cross the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean solo in a light-sport aircraft, PTI reported.
Netflix shared a teaser of the series on Twitter.