The story of the Cochini Jews has been told and replayed so many times that it has been reduced to anecdotal, tourist-friendly clichés. Documentary: Rohan
Sabharwal’s film on the Cochini Jews looks at the group from the perspective of individuals However, Mumbai-based Punjabi director Rohan Sabharwal was not interested in this story. “How far can civilization be shattered?” ” he inquires. He responds, “Down to each individual.” In his documentary Where The Heart Is, Rohan intended to chronicle Cochini Jewish history, stretching from Kochi to Israel, via individual personalities and their tales.
Rohan first heard of Kochi’s Jews in 2002, while studying for his Master’s in Mumbai, through a friend pursuing his Ph.D. Years later, Mathew Antony, the grandson of A.B. Antony, an Indian Jewish idol, Salem approached him after reading Rohan’s Wikipedia page, where he stated his interest in the community. Rohan arrived in Kochi in March 2012, accompanied by Mathew, to interview families practically door-to-door. The film depicts Cochini Jews who are currently residing in Kochi, Israel, and Bangalore. “I started this project with no information, which I enjoy because it allows me to learn as I go. The film follows a similar path; as it proceeds, I pose the topics that the spectator is also considering at the time.”
Source: https://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/a-life-across-shores/article5433605.ece
