DEPwD Hosts Special Screening of ‘Srikanth’ in Indian Sign Language, Promoting Inclusivity in Entertainment

The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities organized a special screening of the film ‘Srikanth’ in Indian Sign Language (ISL) at PVR, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi today. Deaf children from NGOs working with the hearing-impaired community in the Delhi-NCR region were present at this event. This effort is a significant step towards promoting accessibility and inclusivity in the field of entertainment.

On this occasion, Secretary (Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities – DEPwD), Shri Rajesh Aggarwal said, “Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has always emphasized the importance of Indian Sign Language (ISL) and continuous efforts are being made in this direction.” In March of this year, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting issued guidelines prioritizing inclusivity in future films. He further added, “Entertainment should be accessible to everyone, whether they belong to the hearing-impaired community or other persons with disabilities. The film ‘Srikanth’ is an inspirational story, and films like this convey a powerful message to society.

Shri Aggarwal expressed his gratitude to Yunikee (agency that converted the film into ISL), the Director of the film, T-Series, and Chalk and Cheese Productions etc. He also invited producers and directors from the Indian film industry to join this initiative and contribute to building an inclusive society.

The film's director, Shri Tushar Hiranandani, expressed his heartfelt emotions during the special screening, and said, “Today is a very important day for me. I give full credit to Government of India for showcasing ‘Srikanth’ in ISL”. Shri Chaitanya, Chief Officer of Yunikee thanked the Secretary and mentioned that it was a significant responsibility for him.

Watching the film in sign language for the first time brought visible joy to the faces of the children and other persons with disabilities. This experience was not only a source of entertainment but also a testament to their inclusion in mainstream society. The children praised this remarkable initiative, saying, "We hope that the Government of India continues to create such disability-friendly environments for us, so that we too can enjoy every color and joy of life.

During the screening, senior officials from the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, students from the deaf community were also present. This event sent a positive message about making entertainment accessible to the hearing-impaired community and working towards creating an inclusive society.