KOLKATA: Saurav Palodhi, director of “Onko Ki Kothin”, which saw its three child actors win National Awards, has publicly declared his support for Sonam Wangchuk. Palodhi dedicated the film’s recent success to Wangchuk, who is leading a youth-driven movement calling for the education minister’s resignation over exam paper leaks.Palodhi’s film highlights the flaws in the education system, depicting the severe realities of the education crisis, bureaucratic hurdles, and the extreme deprivation faced by the children in slums. “The three children, Riddhiman Banerjee, Tapomoy Deb, and Gitashree Chakraborty, won National Awards for this film, which highlights these systemic flaws that Sonam has been protesting against. I stand in full solidarity with him. The kids shared their National Awards with me, and I dedicate the film’s success to Sonam,” Palodhi said. On Monday, Palodhi kept an eye on the footage of thousands of youngsters from across the country, who reached the national capital to join the CJP protest and their march towards Parliament. “I have forwarded a video where my message on showing solidarity to Sonam was mentioned at the protest site in Delhi. I really wish I could be present there at Jantar Mantar. But unfortunately, I couldn’t. I plan to attend a protest march in Kolkata,” he added.Emphasising his commitment to education reform, Palodhi said, “I am against the digital divide in our education system. During the pandemic, my daughter was expected to attend classes online but I realised that she required two smartphones to continue her studies. While that might be manageable for someone from a privileged background, children who can’t afford to have the gadgets are deprived of education. Despite govt claims, I believe there should be greater focus on providing education offline and the need to improve govt schools, which are in abysmal condition.”
