Caught up with a couple of bollywood movies after a long time during the recent Indian visit.
First one because it was generally branded as a cult, a milestone in Bollywood; including the BBC online waxing...'Accomplished and universally appealing, this is the way Bollywood films should be made....''
1. A bunch of happy go lucky students prodded by a firang rationalise personal grief and outpour unto the nation as revolution. 'Maar daalo use'. Finish --end of the story!
Then what do you know what it takes for any 'educated adult of normal intelligence' to kill his dad? A couple of cigarettes and couple of ‘nautanki hein saala’ lines. 'Maar daalo use bhi'. Finish-- end of the story as well.
When I’ve put a case on similar lines , I found distasteful thoughtless defence that wouldn’t even sell a matchstick like - ‘but its better than so many other movies released in bollywood’.
The point, my dear friend is what a piece of art can hold within itself per se?, because it is obvious that compared to shit even puke seems better.
The songs , the stronghold domain of Bollywood, were definitely well crafted with apt picturization,(esp personal fav tu bin bataaye) considering that somewhere around a decade back bollywood used to compose songs like ‘tu tu tu tutu taara, something dil bechaara’!!
For more observant peeps a subtler query would be - Susan(Sue) , the hindi swearing, all dancing, all passionate about India firang? Why doesn’t she dive off into the pool like other Indians ?
Sorry did I hear cult movie? Long way mate...
I dont regret watching it but I woudnt remember it either. Im happy with a Dvd of all the songs.
2.The other was described as an inspiration from Godfather. I wanted to see it because it was made by a guy who gave our generation one decent movie to look back to. So then, a general quiz show host, Reynolds pen salesman with no serious furthering desire or ambition is brought in to serve as a Hindi Godfather. The chap generally lazes around , drinking teas (from a saucer!!) , hardly speaks and looks like a Doberman gazing first here, then there , then again somewhere at the floor, finally at the corner all through for the absolutely unfathomable and irrelevant background score which goes like govindaa govindaa govindaaa.... repeatedly until he gets back to his saucer again. Now that’s what would be acting!! We are sorry if you missed the method!
Readers may feel that Im quite caustic and not considered in my view and also that I have ignored a few other positives, both of which I do not deny. I feel very strongly because for a nation that cant afford a decent meal for her own people, India produces about 1200 such movies a year, each worth a few million, unaccounted to any value or any identity. Not even to sense. Just like that. Manipulated and packaged entertainment. The above mentioned movies I’m told are the better ones. I cant even begin to imagine the state of the rest.
Such a colossal shame.
Then,one look at states like Denmark, Belgium , Iran, et al turns that into disgust and anger in no time.
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3 comments:
Sarcasms are good! Chiding Bollywood for Quality V/S Quantity doomed to be met with a knowing impish smirk by insiders and their patrons.
If you have the patience to slug it out, deconstruct the pop culture and icons of spicy stereotypes you could be in for some surprises. Besides the whole thing is not really about art, its an industry where a great number of people eke out their livelihood and some grab more than most.
Since they are packaged and sold in the name of cinema, there has to be some kind of Film theory devised to take on the cause and effects of bollywood phonemenon. Its manipulative machination of movie markets (by forcing distributors of "meaningful" cinema out), glorifying violence (hero/heroin taking up arms to nip the corrupt and the cruel) the evil, consolidating stereotypes of gender, class, race, and language issues are all part of the dynamic.
The popular versions of traditional dance and songs have been adapted in indian movies from the very beginning, and they are absolutely different from the western musicals. Things that a Godard used in the name of alienation techniques are passe in (molly/tolly/kolly)bollywood movies. A typical indian movie is a higly formalised (albeit cliched) form of art - To quote from Wiki "They frequently employ formulaic ingredients such as star-crossed lovers and angry parents, love triangles, corrupt politicians, kidnappers, conniving villains, courtesans with hearts of gold, long-lost relatives and siblings separated by fate, dramatic reversals of fortune, and convenient coincidences." Oh, don't we all love the item numbers that enfranchise and excite the low brows and the heart wrenching melodies lip-synched by Waheeda Rehman, Kajol et al?
Shyam Benegal's “Bhumika” has lot of insights on Indian movie industry during its early stages and some brilliant observations on the interplay of artists, their relationships and search for identity and fulfillment. Satyajit Ray had another movie called "Nayak" that dealt with similar issues. Apart from that we never had any retro works on "film industry"
You cannot however say that nothing has changed in bollywood. "Western" influence has been on the rise as result of ever increasing urban population, emerging markets of expats and overall exposure of average movie goer to the charms of Hollywood movies. "Wet scenes" and veiled kisses made way for skin flicks, Plots of crime films have become realistic, patriotism and rebellions have become less jingoistic and nuanced, taboo subjects have been played with - all with an unmistakable stamp of bollywood.
There are many talented and skilled people among them. Individual brilliance is well and good, but that doesn't make any impact on the general direction or preferences (perceived or otherwise) of the producers or masses. I don't expect the bollywood or for that matter any (Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam etc) popular movie making or viewing culture to change for a long time.
After all we are like that "wonly". No?
I think its a bit tired to rant the usual stuff about Bollywood.
Not again!!!
The film disturbed me greatly for an entirely different set of reasons. I took a friend to see it, who wanted to know where were the adults? Not even one who had a positive influence on the youngsters?
Also, have been thinking of this phenomenon of film making or any collective art. Film making is not an individual art form. A whole bunch of exceptional ad dedicated people have to come together to create a product. Is it possible we are just not good at anything that involves any team work? There are so many wonderful artists, all of whom are great individually, but when it comes to creating any collaborative work, there is a lot left to be desired. Also, the standards of excellence required in a marriage of technical and artistic skills that cinema requires, is just not a part of life. Hey, none of take criticism well in small things like writing, leave alone bigger work. Isnt there a “chalta hai” attitude that colors all efforts? So why expect film to suddenly produce the excellence that other things lack?
The love of literature, music and other aesthetics has to precede the appreciation of an art form like cinema. How many people actually are even familiar with literature in their mother tongues? Leave alone distinguish what is good literature.
We focus on 95% in math or science, an engineering education, a medical college seat and the human being is considered to have reached the pinnacle of human growth?
Art does not exist in a vacuum. It grows in fertile soil. If fertile soil does not exist, the correct question to ask it why?
Thanks Rajesh and Sumita for your views. I would be guilty of hurling yet another tokenistic Molotov against bollywood, if I do not elaborate.
My indignation is not against bollywood as an industry or any form of clichéd culture extant as such. It would be naïve to expect anyone to be consistent with the outcome all the time.
Raj, I figure what you are saying but deconstructing a phenomenon would help little to actually come to terms with the mindlessness of it all. How do you propose I should explain to my Spanish friend, a Katrina kaif wearing skimpy clothes develop an instant shyness to the approaching lips of akshay kumar when a few minutes back she was gyrating all across him after confessing her love for him?? It simply lacks any structure or culture either in innate or innovated form in the context of Indianess.
My mourning has been entirely for the absence of sensibility in Indian movies. Of course there have been significant changes in the greater bollywood milieu as such, but still the whole package remains the same. How is that we can relate to traffaut and Bergman with whom we have no special association except that of another story teller-viewer and not with our very own? I wouldn’t agree with sumita saying that such sensibilities are to expected from filmmakers who are well acquainted with higher art forms. In fact most of the revered filmmakers were quite eccentric and were deprived in one sense or the other. Forget being gifted, it is natural for any average artist to get better having spent sometime in the field. And sadly there isn’t one such guy, who passionately wills to be better, take a look at Kamal Haasan Amitabh Bachhan and Shahrukh Khan… what is that these guys lack, fame? Money? They walk the Cannes carpet representing India and yet comeback to sell the same ole Rahul Pooja stories. Isn’t that crushing? That people who are actually exposed to quality cinema just turn a blind eye for personal gains? Sooner they are bound to go without any personal and professional growth?? Richer perhaps but soon to be forgotten.Instead take a look at chaps like Clint Eastwood et al who having learnt their tricks in the industry have grown into decent story tellers.
And there are few gifted Indian actors who were deprived of real acknowledgment. Amrish Puri who I believe is nothing but a Indian version of Gene Hackman and undoubtedly a far better actor died without an Oscar. Paresh Rawal, who again reminds me of Danny Devito is exploited by made to wear chaddis….its such a shame!
I again disagree with sumitas remark about the lack of team work….anyone who has seen the work going into making of a average bollywood song would know better, the demanding takes.. its all there but just misguided. And when exactly did this whole concept of the song become indianised ? The 40s 50s songs eg baiju bawra et al are poignant in their portrayal of emotions but somewhere later, songs became such a essential ingredient , just because it could generate revenue and then for the subsequent generations it was unthinkable to make a movie without songs.
And to large extent , the audience is also responsible because unlike the European audience most Indian inc the majority of expats regard cinema as a distant timeout than mirror of life.
My misery is Im still looking for just one sensible movie that I can show to others here as a true reflection of Indian way of life. I hope it happens in this life time.
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