Eshwari R

This Foundation Project implemented by IFA under Neighbourhood Engagements seeks to document the relationship between the predominantly working-class community of Laggere and the legacy of cinema. It aims to capture cinema not just as an art form, but also as a source of leisure, joy, resistance, and cultural identity for the people of Laggere. This will be achieved through multiple forms of community engagement, including mapping the memories associated with key landmarks in the neighbourhood via audio-visual documentation and collecting oral histories. Eshwari R is the Project Coordinator for this project. 

Eshwari R is a Creative Writing and Public Engagement fellow at Aruvu Collaboratory, with a strong interest in films and is drawn to work in education and community engagement. Her background in working across urban and peri-urban areas, along with her deep understanding of cultural history and memory, is valuable in contributing to community-driven research projects. She will collaborate with researcher, translator, writer, and interpreter Mahima Gowda. Given their experience, Eshwari R is best placed to be the Project Coordinator for this Foundation Project of IFA. 

Located at the intersection of the Peenya Industrial Area and the residential Nandini Layout, Laggere is home to a diverse and vibrant working-class community, as well as a rich regional cinema history. It has become a destination for both interstate and intrastate migrants, particularly due to the many industrial and garment factories in the area. Laggere is also notable for its connection to Kannada cinema history, with landmarks such as Kanteerava Studios, the Dr. Rajkumar Memorial, and the Ambareesh Memorial. Additionally, Laggere is the site of Akash Cinemas, a long-standing single-screen cinema that began as a tent in the early days of Laggere grama. Over the years, it has undergone numerous renovations, maintaining its place as one of the few surviving single-screen cinemas in the city. Cinema also plays a central role in the public life of Laggere, particularly around Aladmara Circle, where its presence is reflected in both the physical space and the iconography throughout the area. Through this project, Eshwari and Mahima seek to understand the evolving relationship between the working-class community and cinema in Laggere. Some of the questions that they will explore are: How does the relationship of the people with cinema adapt to the constraints of time and space? In what ways does cinema serve as a source of leisure, joy, or resistance? How is cinema reflected in both public and private spaces within the community? Furthermore, they will examine some of the historical and cultural structures of Laggere, as well as the community's role in preserving cinema in this rapidly urbanizing part of the city. 

The project coordinator will gather oral histories through semi-structured interviews, capturing memories, anecdotes, and personal experiences tied to cinema. These stories will be accompanied by visual artifacts such as photographs, videos, ticket stubs, and other memorabilia. The project will engage with a variety of communities, groups and employ participatory methods to reflect the diversity of Laggere’s population. The project aims to capture and honour the local fan cultures, artistic expressions, and community stories of Laggere using sound, photography, and storytelling. By engaging with the community, it will encourage dialogue, create opportunities for collective expression, and contribute to the cultural memory of the area through participatory approaches and shared knowledge creation.

The Project outcome will be a public exhibition featuring sound and photographic work, a printed zine, and a working paper or photo essay/story. The Project Coordinator’s deliverables to IFA along with the final report, will include documentation of the public engagements, the zine, and either a paper or a photo essay. 

This project suitably addresses the broad framework of IFA's Project 560 programme in which it will work with the working-class community of Laggage and highlight their stories and connections with cinematic histories and experiences of the city.

IFA will ensure that the implementation of this project happens in a timely manner and funds expended are accounted for. After the project is finished and all deliverables are submitted, IFA will put together a Final Evaluation to share with Trustees.

This project is supported by BNP Paribas India Foundation.