Or strap the gear to their backs. He was concerned that the film, which focuses on the story of a Hindu zealot attack against a Catholic priest, might invite reprisals from radical groups. Dasgupta needed the remoteness to produce Uttara, a study of how intolerance devastates a tiny rural community. But even the distant village wasn't far enough. But when it came to their churches, the villagers, afraid that Hindu extremists might identify the buildings and burn them down, refused to let the cameras in.
Religious fundamentalism is a difficult movie subject at the best times.
In a sectarian climate, it can be downright dangerous. But the rise of Hindu nationalism is precisely what compelled Dasgupta to take a stand. There's a growing cult of violence. The trend has been spreading. In 1993, Hindu-Muslim riots broke out in Mumbai over a disputed holy site.