CORPORATE POWER AND THE FUTURE OF SMALL CINEMA

CORPORATE POWER AND FUTURE OF SMALL CINEMA

Those who celebrated the demise of Soviet Union, crumbling of Berlin Wall and diminishing of left ideology since last 15 years or so, are perhaps confused and surprised to witness the fall of capitalism in the west, the demonstration in wall street, Madrid,Paris and London. The 95% are asking the 1% to return the wealth accumulated at their cost and downtrodden of the world at large. Is it pay back time?

The root of the issue is not related to the type of Government, but with the people, power and justice. People have thrown out the powerful who have for long ignored their cause.

We got a glimpse of the people's power in the recent Anna's agitation. What has emerged sufficiently is that the 'corporate' culture which is the offshoot of capitalism has cheated the society. In the name of efficiency, competition, market it has extended its reach to the various areas which it perceives would provide them with wealth- education, health, land, entertainment etc.

Since the adoption of 'corporate culture' by the film industry there has been some improvement in work culture. The 'scripts' are now worked in advance and are less frequently written on the sets, the payment to crew and technical staff has improved and some order in the 'unorganised' industry is in place. The release dates are announced in advance, sufficient marketing in carried out, a separate marketing Budget ( in some cases it matches the budget of the film itself) is earmarked. There is much 'management', something which the American/Hollywood cinema adopted much earlier. However; one cannot think of any movie in recent times which has been of significance and contributed to cinema; only efficient products of corporate culture, gloss, glitter, loud, slick without soul. In essence the 'corporate culture' has multiplied the greed of the people associated with cinema. From crude financiers to crass distributors the cinema has moved to sophisticated, cold and cunning corporates.

Along with the extreme commercialism has arrived the superior technology which has made mass release achievable in that the Big film makers who have borrowed the corporate ideology smother 'small films' by occupying all available 'screens' across the country. This is done through satellite ( U F O )technology and through prints which are mass produced. The result is that most mediocre films muster sufficient money during the first weekend itself and are declared 'hit' which in older times they would have not. Therefore, the 'corporates' and the Big film makers not only survive by producing bad films but edge out smaller films from the theatre in order to hog all screen space. The recent case is of 'Sahib Bivi aur Gangster' which was doing good business but was removed from all cinema halls of Mumbai to make room for 'Ra One'.

Therefore in real terms films such as 'Ra One', 'Tees mar Khan' would never be hits if the norms were what were followed for 'Sholay' or any of the films of that era. During that time a film had to run for months to muster returns and be declared a hit and so survived on 'merit' rather than 'marketing'. This trend of mopping up money in the first week itself has given rise to a particular brand of films which appear attractive but lack depth because much attention is applied to amass money quickly. These films are therefore much like 'one night stand' lacking emotion. A 'quickie' perhaps rather than a long 'love affair'. The quality of films such as 'bodyguard','Rascals', 'Ready', reflect 'quickie culture'. That is why we have not seen a 'Sangam','Waqt', 'Deewar', 'Guide' etc. The rural themes are dead, because the urban ceteres make money.

What is therefore required is protection of 'small' and 'medium' film makers from the onslaught of Big film makers and in this a 'regulatory' body is required to be set up consisting of film makers, distributors, exhibitors, journalists and Government representative. The release of films should be regulated to allow for space for small films and control of 'monopoly' of Big banners. In the name of market and competition smaller films should not be edged out. Unions of the film industry should also look into the matter and allow space for small film makers. There should therefore be'cut-off' number beyond which a new film should not be screened.

OPPORTUNITY AND THE GAME OF GOLF

 OPPORTUNITY      AND        THE     GAME    OF     GOLF

        The  conflict between ability and opportunity  , inheritance and  achievement  is very old. Countries who have shunned such misconceptions have  moved ahead and have benefitted socially others are still struggling to shed their outdated mould. Still we have conservatives lamenting the loss of purity of blood whilst the progressives consider such theories as regressive.

    It is proven in democratic and fledgling societies  that DNA is only a means of identification and not a certificate of greatness, in our busy lives we fail to witness  the abundance of  existence of the truth that opportunity is indeed necessary for achievement and ability is present in all of us in  variety of manner. Nowhere, it is so visible as in the game of golf( I must confess  though that my interest in golf is recent). Even though it is said that the game of golf is a great leveller it is more referred to the unpredictability of the players’ performance and form, the classic case of Tiger woods’ dwindling status is an example. My reference is to caddies who assist in play. Most; at least in India are from poor economic and social background, they work to survive and are in their teens and twenties , but soon pickup the fineness of the game by observing and being on play and advise the novices as well as the established club players. Their advice may not always result in success but their confidence is to be admired.

       Many caddies become great players if given opportunity, Vijay Singh of Fiji is one such example.  Studying their talent and knowledge of the game one wonders as to how they understand in such detail which we learn after much coaching , reading, watching videos whereas they  have been just on the course helping and watching and listening to the established players and thereby learning from them. Indeed, each class has its unique way of learning, some merely afford simple methods others the luxurious ways! Though the game is for the elite it displays that  what people need is opportunity and talent does not belong to a certain class but is  widely prevalent in society waiting for the chance!

  Their  status is similar to that of a respected adviser, a ‘Staff’; a modern day ‘Saarthi’: what ‘Krishna’ was to Arjun . Yes; many may not acknowledge my assessment, it may appear to be far fetched, but it is indeed true. We must remember that Tenzing Norgay the first man to climb the Everest was a ‘porter’ in mountaineering expeditions, but rose to be a ‘climbing partner’ of Sir Edmund Hillary.

YAHOO !! - SHAMMI NO MORE ! LONG LIVE YAHOO !!

YAHOO!!

SHAMMI   IS    DEAD !     LONG   LIVE   YAHOO !

 He was ‘Junglee’, ‘Janwar’, ‘Bluffmaster’, ‘Badtameez’, ‘ Professor’, ‘Prince’, ‘Brahmachari’, ‘Rajkumar’, ‘Latsahab’, ‘Majnu’,, and ‘Pagla Kahi Kaa’. Man , larger than life with western regal looks and Pathan leanage. An exotic charm. Referred lovingly by lovely ladies as Lord Byron!- the great romantic poet of England known for his irresistible looks which disarmed many.

 Perhaps, one of the few actors whose screen persona so very much matched the off screen life. He was indeed quite wild and uncontrollable as the titles of his numerous films suggest; in his hay days of course.

I first saw him in a black and white film titled ‘Hum sab chor hain’, which was screened in our school hall. His thin moustache and neat and lean appearance  I still remember. But, prior to that it was ‘Professor I had seen as a child of six in the cinema hall of Lansdowne. But, for the grand Darshan i had to wait for ‘Junglee’. It was at Palace theatre, civil lines at Allahabad that I saw the film and like the youth of that time and Saira on screen was swept away by the Yahoo! Storm. He was indeed the first dancing star- joy Mukherjee, Jitendra, Mithun and Govinda followed much late , even Shahrukh seems to be greatly influenced by Shammi.

  Actors such as Dilip, Amitabh are known for their acting skills and therefore when we praise  their performance we refer to  the dialogues from their films. In case of Shammi the eternal image is of singing and dancing: ‘Yeh chand sa roshan chehra zulfon ka rang sunhera’ from ‘Kashmir ki Kali’, as he woos  Sharmila   singing  on a Shikara.  Teesri Manzil set the bench mark for musical thrillers , Shammi as Rocky the drummer who sings captivated us with many songs, specially ‘ O hasina zulfon wali jane jahan’ and ‘ Tumne mujhe dekha ho kar meharbaan, ruk gayi ye zameen tham gaya aasman jane man , jane jaan’. For, Brahmachari he won a filmfare award and was one of his last big hits is also known for its music, ‘Mein gaaun tum sojao sukh sapno mein kho jao’, ‘Aaj kal tere mere charche hain zuban par ‘. There are many more.

 He was an urban star and his fame was with the youth like that of Dev Anand . He gave a sense of joy to a generation who searched in cinema  for escape from the reality and also for entertainment, he also provided confidence to  the youth of that time affected by colonial burden.

  Many contributed to his success but since his forte was dance and music the music directors, lyricists and singers are to be credited, chief among them was Mohammad Rafi who sang almost all his songs. Shammi in his interview has paid his gratitude to him , O P Nayyar gave him the initial boost with ‘Tumsa nahi  dekha’ and ‘Kashmir ki Kali’ the later success could be credited to Shankar Jaikishan and Hasrat Jaipuri/ Shailendra- ‘Professor’, ‘Junglee’, ‘An Evening in Paris’, ‘Raajkumar’, ‘Brahmachari’, ‘Andaz’ are some of them.

   Later in his life, he played character roles, grew beard and added much weight- Zameer, PremRog, Vidhata, Betaab, Naseeb are some notable films.

   Star of his stature may be seen again but there will not be any of his style, flourish, élan, robustness and confidence. He set a new status for dance and carried forward the great and unique Indian tradition of performing arts based on movement and music. Yahoo!!

MAHADEV AT COOPERAGE- YAI HAI BOMBAY MERI-JAAN

                                   MAHADEV        AT      COOPERAGE

                                 ‘ YAI     HAI    BOMBAY      MERI   -      JAAN’

                                    This  is Mahadev the Newspaper seller at Cooperage crossing, Bombay.Selling ‘Mid-Day’, at 11.Behind his photo you can see the Statue Of ‘Rajiv Gandhi’, the  PrimeMinister who talked of modern India!  perhaps  the dreamer of modern India!  What an irony!

Mahadev  lives in Machhimar colony opposite the Badhwar park( where Kasab arrived with his gang). He has been selling newspapers since last thirty years. I could only ask his name, where he stays and the years he has been in this profession, before the green light appeared and I had to move. But  Mahadev makes me think , his distinct cap gives him dignity.Indeed this city gives dignity to the downtrodden. People who are oppressed by the class and caste distinction in villages find freedom in this crammed city!

      Mahadev struggles to sustain in South Bombay, from meagre earnings he may be able to save to have a cup of tea in the Persian restaurant at Wodehouse road sometimes or may be managing the ‘cutting chai’. Who would be there in his family? A son !  unemployed ? Would his wife be waiting in the evenings to muster his earning and plan the day(life) ahead? Is it possible that Mahadev would be busting his earnings in ‘country liquor’ neglecting his wife to fend for herself? I am certain sometimes he would be watching cinema at Eros or Regal sitting in the stalls enjoying ‘Buddha hoga tera baap’. That may depend on the sensation the ‘Mid-Day’ may create!

     Will he be ever be able to go back to his village? To commit suicide! He is among the millions who have left their villages in Maharashtra so that now only 40% dwell in villages in the state- Yai Hai Bombay Meri Jaan!

 

    

      

THE MANGO TREE

                                                  



                                               


                                             
                                                  THE   MANGO   TREE

 It  was  one afternoon in Summer during lunch time the casual staff entered with a plate of cut mango, and indeed it was a pleasant surprise to relish fresh ‘hapus’ with my simple Tiffin, he said that it was from his village where his family has a solitary Mango Tree . And I could  understand  that there was this sense of belonging to his village, and I am sure he was proud of his solitary mango tree., why then would he offer that  mango from his solitary tree to me? He conveyed so much!  It enhanced his status! How many of us have a mango tree in our village? Do we know our village?

     This small gesture of his made me think, I wondered that this young man lives in  Mumbai; city of supreme urbanization where there is hardly any space for courtesies and culture, where the demands of survival smother the tenderness of humanity . Therefore in such a milieu  the visit to his village purifies him of urban ills, it cleanses his sensitivity and makes him human once more.

     And the incident took me back to my village in search of my mango tree, far in the  sub- H imalayan terrain in the valley of Garhwal.  And I looked at my mango tree and was told by the villager that this year no mangoes appeared, but I was not disappointed, for I had made my Trip! And I resolved to visit again to remain rooted to my origin  and relish the sweetness of my mango tree.

      We all have our mango tree hidden far away, we must visit our tree for our sustenance and regeneration , or plant one for survival.

YAI HAI BOMBAY MERI JAAN

YE -  HAI        BOMBAY       MERI            JAAN

       

          I n     the    fifties     when   Guru  Dutt   made  C I D  , the famous   Bombay  song  ‘Aye  dil   hai   mushkil    jina  yahan,   ye hai Bombay , yai hai Bombay, yai hai Bombay   meri  -jaan’ written    by   Majrooh Sultanpuri  and  composed by O P  Nayyar caught the imagination of the viewers and has since remained embedded in our collective consciousness. It was sung by Rafi and Gita Dutt and played on Johny Walker and Kum Kum on screen whilst they move on the Victoria on marine drive. The song  represents the difficulties, agony and ecstasy of being in Bombay.

      Since then many songs reflecting the spirit of Bombay have been enacted on Screen. Amitabh Bachhan   enacted  the  famous ‘ Ei   hai bambai  nagaria  tu   dekh  babuwa.........’  in ‘Don’ sung in typical   Avadhi/Allahabadi  dialect it narrated the woes of the eastern migrants. The rap song sung by Javed Jafferi in ‘Bombay Boys’  also made news with its typical Bambai dialect. Bhupender sung ‘ek akela is shehar  mein  raat   mein  ya  dopahar  mein...’ depicting the forlorn and lonely state of Amol Palekar in ‘Gharonda’ also haunts us specially the lines of Gulzar   ‘ Jine ki  jagaha  to koyi  nahi  marne ka  bahana  dhoond  ta  hai  dhoond  ta  hai...’    This was the photograph i took on 18 July at about 0900 near cooperage crossing. The labourers are are loaded in a bulging truck on their way to docks to deliver goods, they seem satisfied with the world- 'yai  hai Bombay  meri  jaan....'

ALVIDA HUSAIN

ALVIDA      HUSAIN

I   had seen   Husain at the  Maganlal Dresswala’s shop at Marine Drive about 12 years ago, where  I  had gone  with my son to rent a Santa Clause dress for the Christmas  celebrations at his school. Husain was there to select  a peak cap for his car driver. I was so awe struck by his presence  that it did not register in me to at least talk to him. I have been his admirer and have always argued in his favour. Later, again I saw him at the Art Gallery at Flora Fountain where his work on Banaras was at  display. When his  troubles regarding painting Hindu Goddess  in nude started I sympathised with him because those opposing him did not understand his genius and treated him ordinarily , he was so prolific and yet unique and we did not realize his true worth, in his lifetime. By dying in London he has in a way replied to the insults and insinuations we hurled at him, now when his fame and popularity will soar with time  and the world will visit his graveyard in London and of course the many works we will rue our reactionary behaviour.

     I am not an Art critic but I regularly visit the Art Galleries of South Mumbai and do make an effort  to visit when works of imminent painters and Artists are on display. Some years ago works of Picasso were at display at the National gallery near Regal and it was at that time I assessed that it was unfair to call Husain as the Indian Picasso because  though both made contemporary Art  and Husain did make horses probably under the influence of Picasso but Husain’s choice and range of colours and his themes were so very varied. He represented  India in his paintings and his distinct colours and strokes set him apart .His colours are so fascinating that whenever I am near the Taj mahal Hotel at Colaba  I cannot curb the urge to visit the Reception counter and admire the orange-red mural made by Husain. Husain was topical too and expressed his appreciation in paint- Madhuri Dixit, Amitabh Bachhan, Raj Kapoor’s Henna, he painted all.  

     I always thought that his religion was Art and those who were against him should have judged him as an Indian and not as a   Muslim. One Newspaper has aptly titled its front page report on his death— ‘ Husain  lives  in  deathless Art ’.