- Welcome to POV.
I'm Pete Schwaba, host of PBS Wisconsin's Director's Cut.
Tonight, we bring you a good, old-fashioned newsroom drama
from India, where one man's struggle to report the truth
amid political extremism
is under attack in the film While We Watched.
The film's leading man is Ravish Kumar,
an Indian newscaster at a crossroads in his career
as he tries to stick to his journalistic principles
despite growing pressure from other networks,
who sensationalize stories and headlines for ratings
and accuse those who disapprove of the practice
as enemies of the state.
Kumar has a true crisis of faith,
to the point where he has to choose
between sticking to his journalistic philosophies
or leave the profession altogether.
Kumar's criticisms and conviction
while speaking the truth about the government
become an issue not only for him,
but create conflict for his bosses.
His network, NDTV, loses viewers as well as reporters.
It gets so bad for Kumar that he receives death threats.
While We Watched is directed by Vinay Shukla,
who also shared credit as his film's cinematographer.
His 2016 film An Insignificant Man
was award-winning and put him on the map.
He is one of the most prominent Indian filmmakers working.
He shot While We Watched using a vérité style,
taking the viewer into the middle of the drama and conflict
in both his personal and professional life.
Shukla says it is important for a documentarian
to constantly try to read the room or audience.
The problem with film is that you often get little feedback
until after the work is released.
Shukla says the key to being a good documentary filmmaker
is to follow your instincts.
When asked how he found the project,
Vinay Shukla says watching the news in India
was not good for his mental health and gave him anxiety.
In his leading man, Kumar, he found a kindred spirit
who lived in that world and felt the same way.
Shukla said recently he is attracted to subjects
or main characters who are willing to raise their hand
and say, "I disagree."
He certainly found that with Ravish Kumar.
While We Watched starts now on PBS Wisconsin,
your home for independent film.