‘'Ilm ka Shehar’, screened at Hyderabad Literary Festival, examines the evolution of knowledge in Hyderabad

In this era of short attention spans, how are we consuming knowledge? Through her evocative short film, ‘Ilm ka Shehar’ (City of Knowledge), Dr C Yamini Krishna examines the formats in which knowledge has been presented throughout the ages in Hyderabad. The IT corridors house several knowledge cities today, but can you find real knowledge there?

Through her interactions with book conservationists and bibliophiles in the city, Yamini explores the ways Hyderabad has embraced knowledge over the years. “In the movie, I tell the story of books, libraries and people who love books. I also explore their relationship with open spaces. I talk about the need for spaces for reading. This is where people from various classes, castes and genders can meet on an equal footing,” adds Yamini, who is an Assistant Professor of Literary and Cultural Studies at FLAME University. The film talks of an era when Hyderabad harboured a robust culture of books and reading, and it also talks about a time when the spaces for reading were more accessible to people, irrespective of their castes and backgrounds.

“I tell the story of this transformation through the eyes of Dr. Syed Mohiuddin Qadri Zor, who is a prominent intellectual of the Deccan region. The idea for the movie came to me when I was trying to access some archival material at the ‘Idara E Adabiyat E Urdu’ near Irrum Manzil. This library was created by Zor sahab. As I learnt more about his life and his dedication to books, I started wondering about how knowledge has evolved in my city. I juxtaposed the old libraries against the present world of byte-sized information, and stumbled upon great insights,” adds the researcher.

Yamini’s mellifluous voice in the movie takes you on this journey through City Central library, Nizamat Jung library, Afzalgunj library, and Shah Ali Banda library. “After watching the movie, many have told me about how they want to read more books,” shares Yamini. The movie has been screened at several prominent spaces including Hong Kong University. The professor continues to receive invitations from all over the world.

In conversation with Deccan Chronicle: Prof. Yamini Krishna, Faculty of Literary & Cultural Studies, FLAME University.