Documentary film maker, Doordarshan newscaster, theatre artist and radio broadcaster, Ramesh Venkataraman's latest docu-fiction video, Zindagi Umeed ke Saye Mein (Life in the Shadow of Hope), is based on the true story of a person living with HIV and is part of a series. It was recently screened at the One World Screen Festival in Vancouver as part of the XI International Conference on HIV/AIDS. It was also screened by Doordarshan on December 1, 1996, observed as World AIDS Day.

Venkataraman's work with people living with HIV/AIDS has made him appreciate the need for sensitivity while dealing with such issues. He believes that the infected should be treated as human beings and not as mere statistics. It is his fondest dream to be able to nurture a change in social attitudes that would make life less harsh for people combating HIV/AIDS.

He has started work on his next film in the series and is now organising a forum for community support to people living with HIV/AIDS