Celebrated Documentarian Anand Patwardhan Receives 6th Dr Asghar Ali Engineer Lifetime Achievement Award

Udaipur, Dec 11, 2025 -  Renowned Indian filmmaker and noted social activist Anand Patwardhan was conferred the “6th Dr Asghar Ali Engineer Lifetime Achievement Award” at a ceremony organised at the Maharana Kumbha Sangeet Sabhagaar in Udaipur on Wednesday (December 10).

Commander Mansoor Ali Bohra, Chairman of the Central Board of Dawoodi Bohra Community (CBDBC), informed that the award was given on behalf of the CBDBC, Bohra Youth Sansthan, Dawoodi Bohra Jamaat, Udaipur, Institute of Islamic Studies and the Centre for Study of Society and Secularism. This is an annual award conferred on individuals who have made remarkable contributions in social service, human rights and communal harmony.

Earlier recipients of the Dr Asghar Ali Engineer Lifetime Achievement Award include advocate and social activist Indira Jaising, Dr Flavia Agnes, Malayalam writer KP Ramanunni, retired Justice Hosbet Suresh and Urdu writer Abdus Sattar Dalvi.

The recipient of the sixth award, Anand Patwardhan is an acclaimed filmmaker known for meaningful, socially-conscious cinema which have won national and international awards. His first film Waves of Revolution was released in 1971, followed by powerful documentaries such as Bombay: Our City (1985), In Memory of Friends (1990), In the Name of God (1992), Father, Son and Holy War (1995), A Narmada Diary (1995), War and Peace (2002), Jai Bhim Comrade (2011) and The World is Family (2023).

Anand Patwardhan’s films amplify the voices of marginalised communities, women and oppressed groups. Over nearly five decades his documentaries have boldly addressed issues such as poverty, caste discrimination, religious fundamentalism, communal violence, political repression, and threats to Indian democracy, exposing uncomfortable truths and inspiring change.

Because of the issues he highlighted, the filmmaker faced multiple court cases and hardships, yet he continued his mission with courage.

In his acceptance speech while receiving the Dr Asghar Ali Engineer Memorial Lifetime Achievement Award, Patwardhan said he felt honoured to be selected for this award. He, however, admitted that initially he had been hesitant to accept it as he believed many other activists deserved it more but ultimately accepted it out of  “the regard I have for the person whose memory this award celebrates”.

The renowned filmmaker described Dr Asghar Ali as a leading advocate of communal harmony, an Islamic scholar, and a reformist figure within the Bohra community—someone who was both wise and humble.

“Dr Asghar Ali was not just one of India’s leading fighters for communal harmony, an Islamic scholar and a revolutionary reformist in his own community, but to me and all the young acolytes that gathered around him, he was also a wise and approachable teacher,” said Patwardhan, adding, “He had the enviable ability to appear docile while being a true radical in the best sense of the term. Perhaps the greatest compliment was that he was attacked by both Hindu as well as Muslim fundamentalists.”

Patwardhan reflected on the India of today, comparing it to the India of the 1990s and said this is an India that perhaps even Dr Asghar Ali would not have imagined could come to pass. "He had responded magnificently to the post-Babri violence of 1992-93. Under his leadership we had formed Ekta to build communal harmony and we marched through the city and small towns that had been badly affected by riots. "

He noted that earlier, communal forces had less influence over state power, mainstream media and public narratives. Social media and digital misinformation did not exist, giving society more time and space to resist division. He emphasised that the rising insecurity among minorities can sometimes fuel reactions that ultimately benefit those who spread hate.

“I do not mean to imply that violence and hatred from minority religious groups did not and does not exist. Indeed it usually takes two hands to clap and the rising insecurity amongst minorities can indeed provoke a reaction which is often exactly what the original perpetrator wants,” he added, saying that the real challenge is for all people who still value free thinking to stand together as humans first.

“We are a family,” he said, “and we must protect and care for one another. I won’t say much more, because I am neither a speaker nor a writer — I am a documenter of my times. That is why I prefer to speak through my films.”

“In closing I want to say that no matter how great Dr Asghar Ali Engineer was, real greatness is being able to inspire a team that can carry forward a legacy into the future. So, I must thank Irfan Engineer, Dr Ram Punyani and all the team gathered here, both those who are visible and those who work tirelessly, outside the limelight”, he concluded.

The ceremony began with Tilawat-e-Quran, followed by tributes to Dr Asghar Ali. Irfan Engineer, Director of the Centre for Study of Society and Secularism, recalled Dr Engineer’s legacy describing him as a global Islamic scholar and a leading reformist whose 78 books and articles in major newspapers, like The Times of India, shaped discourse on secularism. He added that the ideology of Dr Asghar Ali is being carried forward through this award.

Professor Hemendra Chandalia, founder of Udaipur Film Society (UFS) and the Chief Guest at the event, paid a tribute to Dr Asghar Ali and presented an introduction to the life and work of Anand Patwardhan. He appreciated the people who made Udaipur Film Festival (UFF) possible through UFS. Recalling his association with the Khwaja Ahmad Abbas Foundation, he said there are similarities between the works of Khwaja Ahmad Abbas and Anand Patwardhan.

Prof Chandalia announced that the next UFF will be based on films by Anand Patwardhan and stressed that although we are living in dark times, the light must continue to burn.

The award citation was read by Anees Miyaji. The event was conducted by Nasir Javed, and a Vote of Thanks was delivered by Commander Bohra.

The award ceremony was followed by the screening of Patwardhan’s film Father, Son and Holy War.

Several dignitaries attended the event, including Abid Adeeb, Yunus Baluwala, Iqbal Hussain Rassawala, Firoz Hussain Tinwala, Yusuf RG, Himmat Seth, leaders from PUCL, AIPWA, Udaipur Film Festival, Taleem-o-Tarbiyat Foundation, Janwadi Andolan, Janatantrik Vichar Manch and other social and human rights activists.

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