MERI PASAND – MY TRIBUTE TO 100 YEARS OF INDIAN CINEMA

I not only speak and think in many languages, but also entertain myself in several languages.

On the occasion of 100 years of Indian cinema, I take pleasure in sharing some of my favourite films. (in no particular order)

NAVRANG (1959- Hindi) – I like this film not just for the lovely songs, dance sequences of Sandhya and the artistic scenes, but for the portrayal of a complex relationship between a man and a woman, the mismatch between expectation and reality and the man’s fantasy.  The first time I saw it, I was an adolescent and did not understand much.  I saw it once again recently.

GARAM HAVA (1973 – Hindi-Urdu) I like the film as I could relate with all the characters.  It is a very sensitive film.  Two scenes from this film that continue to haunt me are 1) the protagonist’s mother’s refusal to move out of the ancestral house when they are evacuated 2) removal of dinner plates to portray the shrinking size of the family.

ZUBEIDAA (2001- Hindi) This autobiographical film written by Khalid Mohammed and directed by Shyam Benegal is one of my favourites.  The screenplay, direction, casting, costumes, music, background score are all excellent.  Though it is a sad story, nowhere the film is gloomy. 

GUNDAMMA KATHA (1962-Telugu) This is my all time favourite Telugu film.  Strangely, I know all the dialogues of this film by heart.  Everything about this film is so perfect; the screenplay, dialogues, direction, casting and performance.  A Sanskrit term that is often used in Telugu media is “Na Bhooto Na Bhavishyati” which means “never in the past, never again in future” which is so apt for Gundamma Katha. I don’t get bored watching this film again and again.  Though the film was made in Tamil as Manithan Maravillai and in Hindi as Swayamvar, I doubt if they carried the same aura of Gundamma Katha.

MICHAEL MADANA KAMA RAJAN (1990 - Tamil)  A few years ago, a colleague of mine was writing a book on Tamil Cinema and sought my help to write synopses of the films he was planning to cover.  As I had seen most of the films that featured in his book, editing/writing the synopses was not very difficult.  But, I had seen Michael Madana Kama Rajan in bits and pieces on TV.  Though I enjoyed watching it every time, I could never follow the story line.  I had to edit 5000 words synopsis into a 1200 one.  It was the toughest of all the assignments as the screenplay was so complicated and more visual oriented.  Translating the scene into words was very difficult and I not only enjoyed watching the film again and again, but also writing the synopsis.

36 CHOWRINGHEE LANE (1981-English): An old English teacher on the verge of retirement lives a reclusive and uneventful life.  A chance meeting with an old student brings vibrancy to her life.  The student requests the lady to let the student’s friend, an upcoming writer, to use her apartment during the day when she is at school, for working on his project. The lady agrees and the student and the writer (also the boyfriend) use the lady’s apartment to spend time together under the pretext of writing a book. The naïve lady showers love on the young couple and keeps in touch with them even after they marry and settle down. The young couple avoids the lady, which she fails to understand and when she understands, she is shattered.  Being single, I can relate to the protagonist.

BETTADA JEEVA (2011-Kannada) The movie made based on Jnanapith Awardee K.Shivaram Karant’s novel was very refreshing.  The screenplay, direction, cinematography, the locales and the performance of all the actors added value to the story. The story set in early 1940’s is about a freedom activist escaping arrest, taking shelter in the house of an elderly couple in a remote hilly village, away from civilization.  The hosts make his stay in their house an unforgettable experience.  I am desirous of living in such a remote village after my retirement.

NOTTAM (2006-Malayalam) The film depicts Koodiyattam, an ancient Sanskrit Theatre form in Kerala.  Nedumudi Venu plays the role of a Koodiyattam artiste who dedicates his entire life to the art form.  The film shows the struggle of the artistes to sustain the art in the changing scenario.  I saw this film on Loksabha TV on a Saturday night and at the end of the film, there was a problem with the signals and I didn’t know how the film concluded.  The next morning when I went for a radio programme, I discussed the film and my disappointment with my friend and colleague, a Malayalam announcer with AIR.  She refused to discuss the end with me and suggested that I should watch the film again for that last scene and said she can arrange to get a DVD for me.  Fortunately, most of the films telecast on Loksabha TV on Saturday nights are telecast again on Sunday afternoons and so I returned home to watch the movie once again.  In the last scene, the protagonist falls down and as the co-artistes and the audience wonder if the artiste is performing or has collapsed, he opens his eyes. “Nottam” in Malayalam means “The Gaze” which has a dual meaning in this context.  Facial expressions and intense eye movements are intrinsic part of the dance form and his opening eyes brings relief to the anxious audience, colleagues and family members.

YARWNG (ROOTS) (2010-Kokborok) The first time I heard the term “Kokborok” was when I saw this film.  It is a very well taken film about an indigenous tribe getting displaced due to a hydel project.  How insensitive we are to our fellow human beings! It is the same theme, told in a different manner in Bhoomi Geetha (1997-Kannada)

I have watched and enjoyed many films in Marathi, Oriya, Bengali and Assamese.  Since I am unable to recollect the names and the characters correctly, I have not discussed them here.