PAAR – STORY ART
06 Mar 2011 Leave a Comment
in India, Indian Movies, Movie Review, Movies, philosophy Tags: 1984 Award winning movie, Hindi Movie, Naeeruddin Shah, Paar, Shabana Azmi
This is a Hindi movie set in then contemporary India – the year I was born.
The most common perception is that this movie is about the struggles in Bihar of labourers i.e. farm labourers. The labourers peacefully demanded higher wages. The landlord (played by Utpal Dutt) had political aspirations that failed, thanks to a candidate of the lower caste who won the election. There is a benevolent school teacher who helps the labourers think and educates them about the minimum wages fixed by the government. Of course, the landlord would not even pay the labourers the minimum wages due.
The labourers in keeping with the school teachers’ instructions are not violent and make quiet demands, go on strike etc. Losing the election is the last straw on the camel’s back for the land lord. His son decides to get rid of school teacher and kills him in a road accident.
Our protagonist (Nseeruddin Shah) is enraged by the death of his mentor and chooses to kill the landlord’s son. After this all hell breaks loose. The landlord is set to kill all youngsters in the village who may have caused the death of his son. People are murdered within the village temple. Its a gory bloodbath.
Politicians and the government offer some support at the time. Om Puri, plays the village mukhiya (head of the village) and narrates most of the story leading to the blood bath.
So Narangiya and his wife escape from this mayhem and reach the house of the benevolent school teacher’s wife. She gives them some money and an address of a friend to whom they are referred. The friend sends them to Calcutta to work in a jute mill factory.
The rest of the movie revolves around Narangiya and his wife’s struggle to cope with the huge monstrous city that Calcutta is. There is no job in the jute mill and many labourers are out of jobs. Finally they get a job worth Rs. 20 (which was a lot of money in those days) after commission. They need to get some pigs about 3 dozens across the river. The entire struggle of getting the pigs across is the essence of Paar. Paar literally means crossing or across in Hindi.
Throughout the movie, the wife is pregnant and thinks this time she will lose her child. But the movie ends on a happy note. They get Rs. 20 and some tips. The baby is alive. Everyone is happy.
Paar – also has a philosophical meaning. “Nadiya paar” literally means deliverance by God. A literal depiction of symbolism. All actors are brilliant.The cinematography is bleak to match with the reality of the persons the story revolves around. Many of the scenes are shot in darkness and in silhouettes. Even Calcutta is shown as seen from the perception of Mrs. and Mr. Narangiya.
On the whole a worthwhile experience. It was 2 hours well spent.
FIRAAQ – Separation or Quest
16 Feb 2011 Leave a Comment
in Absurdity, god, India, Life, Movies, philosophy, Politics, Religion Tags: Firaaq, Godhra, Gujarat, hindu, Indian movies, Movies, Nandita Das, Naseeruddin Shah, Religion, riots in Gujarat
This is a movie by Nandita Das. Her debut.
The movie is shot as an ensemble of lives of people in Gujarat post the Godhra riots. The lives of a Gujarati woman who is subjected to violence in her own home, a woman who cannot get over the violence in the city. A woman whom the riot had shaken up, she could hear people knocking her door crying for help, at her window asking to be let in. People whom a mob was chasing to slaughter. Women and children who were burnt because they belonged to another religion.
The story of a muslim couple, an auto rickshaw driver and his wife, whose house was burnt down by Hindu fundamentalists. An old muslim singer, played by Naseeruddin Shah. A man older than independent India whose love for music does not leave any room for hatred. His music survives the attacks. But he is anguished by humans killing other humans.
A muslim businessman married to a Gujarati girl, whose shop is looted and plundered by the likes of the husband of the Gujarati woman I mentioned earlier.
A little muslim boy in search of his dead father.
These are all people whose lives are changed forever. Why? Because a mob decided that people of a religion should be killed. The Hindus decided the Muslims should be killed. Muslims decided Hindus should be killed.
Why? Why? Why? Ask them why and no one can give one concrete answer. There is none! The truth is no one knows why they have killed or raped. No one understands the anger or the hatred. What is the difference between gods that have form and gods that don’t. Haven’t Hindus been taught that God is omnipotent and omnipresent? God is present in everything. If God is present in everything, how come your belief allows you to accept that God is absent in a muslim?
Politicians are using this mob mentality and what do they gain – 5 more years of power. In the name of religion? Isn’t religion a private emotion? Isn’t my religion sacred to me? Why is my religion superior or inferior to yours? Do singers persecute all people who cannot sing? Do dancers persecute all people who cannot dance? What about painters?
What is this religion for a mass? Is it not my liberation as an individual? I don’t understand.
I was not in Gujarat. But I can hear the screaming, I can smell the fear of people. Why? What are we killing each other for?
After the riots in that defeaning silence, stench of blood who is happy? No one. Everyone has been affected in some way or the other.
When I finished watching the movie, I was shivering. The movie ends on a positive note. But leaves the reality clinging to your skin. The fact that murder was committed at such a scale. Is this not genocide? How come the international forces have turned a blind eye to this? Is it not genocide? What does it take for it to be declared a genocide? Why isn’t India being condemned?
Why is the leadership in India not being condemned? The international community doesn’t care. India is profitable and therefore no one is raising any hue and cry. Is this the country I live in? Is this the world I want to bring children into.
I don’t even know what happened at Godhra. I was hardly 18 when it happened. We wanted to believe that there was reason for the violence, there was none. I only saw burning trains, screaming reporters and crying women. Who knows what the truth is? The truth is what the media paints it to be. Can one hear over the noise of the media. Its all unintelligible sounds. Its cacophony. I don’t even want to know anymore what happened. Can I live with the fact that it did happen? I have to live with the fact that it happened.
There are some who confidently will tell me who actually started it, which is the best magazine to believe. Tehelka seems to be the most reliable account. Yet. It doesn’t explain the desire to burn human flesh, to massacre, to drink blood. I don’t think anyone can answer this question.
Leaving Home – A Music Workshop
12 Apr 2010 3 Comments
in Movie Review, Movies, Music, Uncategorized Tags: Documentary, Indian Ocean, Indian Rock Band, Leaving Home, Maa Rewa, Movie Review
This is a documentary on the struggle and creation of the Indian rock band – Indian Ocean. It was a 15 year long struggle. A band of nobodies, a band of somebodies. Creators.
The movie is a biographical depiction of 4 lives. The narration is simple and non-dramatic. The filmmaker clearly adores Indian Ocean and does not believe in slowly introducing the subject. It is a movie about music; it is a movie about music makers – four guys , namely, Ashmeek, Rahul, Amit and Sushmit. These guys are your regular next door boys whose passion for music and creation of music glued them together. Each of them has some or the other unique talent which helps the group moving forward.
While watching the movie, the audience is not beaten to death with the fact that Indian Ocean was rejected and turned down by most music recording companies. It was subtly reinforced at different junctures in the movie. Of course, there was a struggle trudging uphill for these boys. But that is not the main theme of the movie.
The movie is brilliantly divided into 4 parts. Each part depicts the contribution of one guy and his individual struggle. As the story progresses one sees how destiny brings the 4 of them together. The last one to join the band, the drummer, Amit, is actually a guitar player. He is most versatile. He plays the flute, he plays the keyboard and helps in the recording of their songs.
Of course, Ashmeek is immediately my favourite, a tabla player who is also the group’s vocalist. Sushmit with his pointed determination towards creation of music comes across as the one who has brought this group together. And finally the most lovable Rahul. He has been the composer and singer of one my favourite numbers – Maa Rewa. Maa Rewa is song that simple villagers sing in the honour of the river Narmada.
This group has uniquely managed to convert simple folk songs, Kabir’s couplets and such other poetry into vibrant, moving music. The music is their heart, the music is their mind and the music runs through their veins. Their respective families accept that they could not have supported them in the beginning.
The movie is mostly shot in their workshop – that’s right. The place where they create music. They sit together and just play, listen to each other, play more and stop when they feel they have found the right tune/rift. Then they improvise on that rift. No song is passed until all four of them have given their assent. Democracy in music. The fact that they have been able to create only 30 songs over the last 19 years (approved by all of them) is evidence of the tediousness with which they work on their music. It also tells you the level of frustration they may face when not being able to hit perfection.
While we are transported into the world of music, it is impossible not to be drawn by the synergy that one can see on screen. It is only hard to imagine, that if on screen we can see so much synergy, what the level of oneness would be in reality. At the same time, there is honesty in their music and their creation. The audience is exposed to constructive criticism by one group member of another.
Unfortunately, they lost their voice last December.
On the whole, the movie leaves you jealous and aspiring and hoping to achieve the bliss that these individuals have achieved. If you love Indian Ocean, you must watch it.
Alice in Wonderland
29 Mar 2010 Leave a Comment
in Movie Review, Movies Tags: Alice, Alice in Wonderland, Johnny Depp, Lewis Carrol, Mad Hatter
For those who loved little Alice, the grown up Alice would seem like she lacks character, energy and like she is awfully pale. The movie is of course very well made. Johnny Depp is brilliant as the Mad Hatter. Anne Hathway is funny as the white queen, though personally I though the red queen was more fun.
It was refreshing to watch a movie with caterpillars and vanishing cats after a long day at work. Definitely the plot is entertaining, though predictable. The effects were also very good. My personal favorite is the Cheshire Cat.
The movie was replete with symbolism. I liked particularly the depiction of the red queen as the mindless bureaucracy of today. Her policies were mind numbing and demanded the impossible. Also, the survivors today are those who metamorphose themselves to become unified with the government’s notion of “what is good”.
I particular liked the satire brought out through the red queen’s mannerisms. How she uses the flamingo and the mole for her entertainment. The rest of the plot like I said was totally predictable. But definitely a good sunday afternoon watch.
If you wish to take your kids, I think you should but only after first making them read the original Lewis Carrol version.
Beauty and Art
28 Dec 2008 1 Comment
in Art, Life, Movies, philosophy, Thoughts Tags: AnourAnon - Bengali Movie, Art, Life, Movies, philosophy
I have realised today that art is an expression in the pursuit of beauty. What a common man can experience but cannot describe is expressed by the artist through his art form.
During my very recent trip to Rome, Florence and Venice, I for the first time time was engulfed by beauty and it had a physical force for me. I was hijacked and enthralled. You can say the beauty of the Sistine Chapel nearly encased me. I was immobilised.
I realised also that beauty can be of varied forms. I have experienced an unique feeling – the beauty of a child. In Italy I experienced the beauty of art. The expression itself being beautiful and when one dwells upon the content or context one can experience a different kind of beauty.
It was perfect timing that I watched a Bengali film called – AnourAnon (“harmony” – I was told). The beauty of the relationship of the protagonist and his wife enthralls you as much as the beautiful weave of the storyline. I was choked in the end. The feeling is not of sadness or anguish but of understanding. My trip to Italy has become a lovelier memory and life just seems perfect.
I guess there is a harmony now, in life with my partner and within me. The harmony is beautiful and I think this is the true pursuit of the artist. I am on the other side of the fence. Not an artist but a lover of beauty. It is as satisfying.
