The Indian Miracle? 2007
Distributed by Filmakers Library, 124 East 40th Street, New York, NY 10016; 202-808-4980
Produced by Juniper Productions
Director n/a
DVD, color, 49 min.
Sr. High - Adult
South Asian Studies, Social Sciences, Economic Development, Sociology, Political Science, Social Justice
Date Entered: 02/25/2010
Reviewed by Triveni Kuchi, Rutgers University LibrariesThe Indian Miracle? sets out to investigate the question of social and economic development in India given that "within a generation India's economy will overtake Japan and western Europe to become the third largest in the world."
Journalist Krishnan Guru-Murthy from Channel 4 News in London studies India's development through video interviews of various policy makers, businesses, and Indians from a variety of backgrounds. He juxtaposes the dramatic rise of income and wealth of the rich and middle class in India against the continuing lack of infrastructure, facilities and basic necessities for the underprivileged and poor. As expressed by one of the interviewees "India is booming only for the rich not for the poor." Presenting the contrasts and conflicts in policy making, the lack of clear developmental goals or understanding of problems, Guru-Murthy hints throughout that lopsided development is rife for unrest and revolution from millions that are still struggling for the very basics – food, shelter and clothing. He then leaves the audience with the question of whether this is really a problem of understanding on the part of the rest of the world and not so much an issue for Indians since they are "used to living with contradictions."
This DVD will be useful to generate multi-disciplinary class discussions about a range of social issues but more specifically about economic development, inequality, distribution of resources, and social justice.