SPECIAL NOTE: The screening of the movie is made possible by efforts of Dr. Wani of MSSO and arrangements at UBC were made by Dr. Kotwal, Dr. Bose, Ms. Susan Duska and Mugdha Yeolekar.

Few words about the movie: "Devrai". The first commissioned film on mental health to see the light of day. A film that tries to demystify schizophrenia, give it a human face. The film operates on the simple theme of a family coming to terms with the disease and learning to live with it, realizing that the disease is not curable, but can be controlled with medication. There is no permanent solution to it, only momentary reprieves.

The film stresses on the role that society can play towards the recovery and rehabilitation of those afflicted with schizophrenia. It is up to us to change outlook of the society, which views all these people as 'mad', not realizing that this disease is chemical in nature rather than mental. It is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain which results in a diffused perception of reality. This causes the hallucinations that can be controlled with regular medication. What we need to understand is that the patient's reality might not be ours but for him, it really exists. So, we need to empathize with the patient first and then try to slowly convince him that what he sees and feels is, to a great extent, an illusion and that he can control it himself.

THE DIRECTORS: Most of you will be aware that the director duo - Sumitra Bhave and Sunil Sukhtankar, has won numerous awards nationally and internationally for their earlier feature films including "Doghi", "Dahavi F" and "Vastu Purush".

Cast: Atul Kulkarni, Sonali Kulkarni and Dr. Mohan Agashe