Theatres, public places are indifferent to the old and disabled

During the last Bimal Roy Awards night, we considered ourselves extremely fortunate that Sulochana bai (Sulochana Latkar) agreed to grace the occasion. 

Not only was she an artist from my father Bimal Roy’s era, she was also the right choice to felicitate Asha Parekh.  

The fact she lived near the venue – Veer Savarkar – was encouraging. I made sure that the Savarkar lift could accommodate a wheelchair. The ushers too assured us they were used to wheeling elderly into the hall. 

In addition, a kind friend arranged for ward boys to aid Sulochana bai upstairs. 

However, what we failed to take into account was that the Savarkar hall stage had no ramp. How could Sulochana bai negotiate the stage to honour Asha Parekh during the function? 

The stage steps were too narrow to be of any use to a wheelchair-bound person. Forced to compromise, we had to move the entire ceremony in the crowded auditorium. This was much to everyone’s disappointment as no one saw the wonderful moment.

That particular evening brought to mind other incidents where the absence of a ramp almost ruined the occasion.

Soon after the BRMC awards night, I was climbing the steps of St. Andrew’s to attend Kaifi Saab’s centenary programme, Raag Shayari. 

I found the climb painful and wished there was a ramp, or at least an elevator. I recalled the time when we honoured Shashi Kapoor in that very hall. Special permission was taken to bring the ailing Shashi into the auditorium via the lift. 

The St. Andrew’s elevator, by the way, is not open to public! Our film society showed several films in the college AV room right next to the elevator. We have several senior members, but they could not attend as there was no lift. 

Our requests to allow senior citizens to use the lift fell on deaf ears. Finally we gave up using the Andrew’s AV room. 

What is surprising is that this popular auditorium has not yet given a thought to having a ramp – or an elevator to ease the journey of elderly, and differently abled into the posh auditorium.

A PWD guideline makes it compulsory for educational institutes to have ramps, toilets and other facilities for the differently abled.

While planning any public space like a theatre or mall, countries in the West, for example the US, UK and Europe, make it mandatory to have ramp access.

In a premiere place like St. Andrew’s, space is not an issue. The need to provide urgently needed facility for elders and others has been sadly ignored. 

The absence of any concern for the physically disabled and the elderly is indeed deeply distressing. In fact, it is humiliating.

How can we forget that everyone will age sooner or later and find it increasingly difficult to climb steps? We are guilty of depriving a vast section of society of attending concerts, theatres and performances, which is everyone’s birthright. 

As in educational institutes, ramps and elevators must be made mandatory in all public spaces.

I remember how the Jehangir ramp came up. It is an incredible story to be shared. Build almost overnight, the Jehangir ramp came into being when the gallery was holding eminent tapestry artist Nelli Sethna’s solo retrospective. She was on a wheelchair by then. The gallery had a wide flight of steps at the entrance. But there was no ramp. Nelli was married to our good friend Homi Sethna. Besides being a documentary filmmaker of repute, Homi was an activist and a mover and shaker as well. 

Shocked that Nelli will not be able to access the Jehangir for her own show, Homi created such a hullaballoo that the authorities hastened to build a ramp to enable Nelli’s access. 

Today, it is perhaps one of the only public venues – like the CSMVS - to have a ramp for public use. I thought of raising my voice about this important public interest issue. I hope I shall not remain the lone crusader and more voices will join me in protest?

We have to demand ramps, and elevators. Let us go the Homi Sethna way. Or any way until something we justly deserve is achieved.

Author, a filmmaker, is daughter of Bimal Roy