Delayed, but not ‘too’ late Phalke to Manna Dey

No doubt, Mannadey is a versatile singer in Indian cinema, now Dadasaheb Phalke awardee. Moviebuff Muralidhara Khajane skeches mannadey in a diffrent view.

Before it was too late, Union Government has honoured one of the greatest singers Indian cinema has ever known, Manna Dey with Dada Saheb Phalke Award- the country’s highest award for outstanding individual contribution to Cinema for the year 2007.

The award is always given late but for someone like Manna Dey it has come really late, as he is like an institution of music offering every subject, be it comedy, passionate songs, sad, romantic or classical. This award was overdue may be he should have got it much earlier because he is one of those musicians who had learnt classical music very seriously and made it palatable for the common man.

Considered to be one of the greatest playback singers of Indian cinema, Manna Dey ruled the music scene from the 1950s to the 1970s with his versatile voice, singing more than 3,500 songs in many languages including Bengali and Malayalm. His songs “Pucho Na Kaise Maine Rain Bitaye”, “Ae Mere Watan, Ae Mere Bichade Chaman” “Pyar Hua, Ikarar Hua”, “Laaga Chunari Mein Daag”, “Ae Meri Zoharazabi”, “Ae Mere Pyare Watan” “Aaja Sanam Madhura Chandni Me Hum”, “Dil Ka Haal Suna Dilwale”, “Ye Raat Bhigi Bhigi, Ye Mast Fizayen”, “Jhanak Jhanak Teri Bhaje Pehaliya”, “Tu Pyar Ka Sagar Hai”,“Zindagi Kaisi Hai Paheli” and “Yaari Hi Iman Mera” from the film “Zanzeer” are among favorites of not only his fans but also many music composers of his time, who considers him as the “Dronacharya” of Indian music.

Manna Dey sang duet, “Ketaki Gulab Juhi” with classicist Bhimsen Joshi. He also sang duets with different genres with Kishore Kumar such as “Yeh Dosti, Hum Nahi Todenge” of Sholey and “Ek Chatur Naar” of Padosn. With Kishore Kumar

No wonder, for three decades Manna Dey held his own against all time greats like Mohammed Rafi, Mukesh, Kishore Kumar and Talat Mohamood. Even in films in which both Rafi and Manna De sang, though there was a domination of Rafi’s songs, Manna Dey’s songs stood out. There is no denying fact that Manna Dey is a great singer. Even a genius like the late Kishore Kumar held him in great esteem. It is said that, when Kalyanji-Anandji approached Kishore Kumar to sing “Kasme Waade Pyar Wafa Sab Batein Hein” in Manoj Kumar’s “Upkar”, the great singer was said to have backed out and told Kalyanji that only Manna Dey can do justice to that song.

Now when the rest of giants have gone, when the new generation has yet to find its voice, Government did right thing by honouring him prestigious Phalke Award.

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Prabodh Chandra Dey, who later become idol of music world by his nickname Manna Dey born on May 1, 1919. As a boy he has painted the wall of his mind with music. That is why walls of his home could not hold him for long. Besides his parents, his young paternal uncle Krishna Chandra Dey (K.C. Dey) inspired and influenced him to a greater extent. He used to call K.C. Dey as “Babu Kaka”. During his youth days at Scottish Church College, he used to sing to entertain his classmates. He learnt music from K.C. Dey and Ustad Dabir Khan.

Manna Dey found it difficult to choose between a bright career as barrister or a playback singer after graduating from Vidyasagar College, Culcutta. Before life could trap him in a mould, Manna Dey broke free and set out to look for his rainbow. He was looking for a dream city, a place where he could open and let all the notes fly out. There he would build his very own dream castle, where music would dominate each room, as it ruled his mind later. The search was successful.

Manna De, who was under mesmeric spell of his uncle K.C. Dey- a well known singer and a popular star, could not resist temptation of joining him. K.C. Dey took his nephew under his wings and the result was the birth of Mann De, who enthralled millions for five decades with his lilting songs that refuse to age with time.

Young Manna Dey grew up to the soft strains of Baul songs, Rabeendra Sangeet and Qayyal. His uncle put him through the paces acquainting with the subtleties of tappa, thumri, bhajan and qawwali. It is significant that Manna Dey did not stop learning music even after becoming independent music director. He continued to take music lessons in Hindustani classical music from Ustad Aman Ali Khan and Ustad Abdul Rehman Khan.

With the disintegration of the New Theatres in 1940, where he was working, K.C. Dey left for the then Bombay in search of fresh pastures. Manna De joined his uncle in Bombay and he (K.C. Dey) gave him distinct direction, a new form so that it could be more appealing and presentable. It was under his music direction that Manna Dey got his first break as singer way in 1942 with a film called “Tamanna” and Suraiya was introduced along with him. It is now history that although, she soon made it big as a singing actress star, Manna Dey had to languish in anonymity for many years. Patience has been the key word in his life. For, he had to take respite in being a second assistant or first assistant to senior music directors. Once it is said that he had made up his mind to return Calcutta and practice law.

But Manna Dey’s talent did not need much peddling. His first break came a year later when he recorded song for the character Valmiki in Vijay Bhatt’s “Ram Rajya”, then a solo in “Mashaal”-and every one knew a voice had arrived. Manna Dey quickly made a name for himself. His was the voice music directors turned to when they wanted a classical rendition; the timbre of his voice, its peculiar resonance lent itself so well to classical tunes and besides there was Manna Dey’s own self confessed love of such music.

Yet, it seems music directors took a little while to understand strength of Manna Dey. But they did discover another truth about the young singer who had entered the scene. They understood that his voice could go beyond classical that it could lend itself to folksy tunes just as well, to fast racy numbers. In fact Manna Dey could do anything with his voice. But by the time the music directors realized this truth, it was too late for Manna Dey. It is being argued that he is most under-rated singer compared to his contemporaries and it is often said that, his own modesty, shy nature and hesitating attitude prevented him from peddling his talent. While he hesitated, newer, fresher, younger surpassed him, which was a distinct loss to the connoisseurs of good music.

But Manna Dey does not acknowledge the argument. In one of the discussions with this correspondent some time ago, Manna Dey refused to agree with this perception. He said that, he was good and capable of making a good song, come alive, but Rafi and Kishore were equally capable of doing so, however on the contrary “he could not do what they could”. This was the real reason for his being assigned a back seat in playback singing. Manna Dey is still a fan of Kishore Kumar. According to him Kishore was a performer and his voice was the best, quality was unique and he deserved the position he reached. Rafi’s style of singing according to him was a clincher, his range was unsurpassable. His (Manna Dey) voice could not scale such heights. . Can we say Manna Dey is too modest?

A versatile genius Manna Dey won the Filmfare award for his toe-tapping number “Ae Bhai Zara Dekh Ke Chalo” from “Mera Naam Joker” of Rajkapoor. The song happens to be one of the most intricate compositions of Shankar- Jaikishen, and it was the genius of Manna De that made it sound so simple and fluent.

Yet the career graph of this great singer never soared dizzy heights during his time. His deep voice was said to be unsuited for young heroes. He was arguably the most talented among his contemporaries, but he could never occupy the top slot. His gentle low-key approach never matched the pomp and pettiness of filmdom.

It is also argued that, luck too played a hand in Manna Dey being assigned to a back seat in play back singing. Though Shankar-Jaikishan made him sing all important songs of “Shri 420”, Manna Dey proved himself more than capable of carrying the film on his voice. Shankar-Jaikishan themselves were impressed. But, bowing to public taste they made Mukesh to sing “Mera Jootha Hai Japani”, which was instant big hit and the duo switched back to him for their next film. And of course the well known penchant Rajkapoor had for Mukesh’s voice ensured that Manna Dey was left out, almost completely from R.K. Films. However, Manna Dey proved his mettle even with the younger generation of music directors like R.D. Burman, who’s “Aayo Kahan Se Ghanashyam”, which is considered to be one of the composer’s best creation.

With the advent of modernity and when classical music considered to be old fashioned, Manna Dey who is primarily a classicist, Rafi, Mukesh, and later Kishore Kumar, who were ‘singers’ like Manna Dey lived for music entered the scene and they had zest and flamboyance that Manna Dey did have. Why others? His own uncle K.C. Dey was himself impressed by them. One event made it clear to Manna Dey that he would never be No. 1. At that time Manna Dey was very much involved in helping his uncle. On one morning K.C. Dey told him to call Rafi over to sing one of the songs. Of course, Manna Dey was hurt, as he was waiting for big chance and his uncle was calling an outsider. Mustering all courage he asked the reason behind rejecting him. K.C. Dey who gave a patient hearing explained to him that he (K.C.Dey) felt the song was more suited to Rafi’s voice than Manna Dey’s. Later as he heard Rafi sing he realized that his uncle was perfectly right, as in those days music directors used to set a tune first and then decide whose voice would suit it best and Rafi’s voice had a quality that Manna Dey could not quite hope to match.

Of course, there were songs that Manna Dey could sing best. It is to Manna’s credit that those tunes have become immortal. “Dekha Kabir Roya” of “Basant Bahar” is the finest example for this. “Chori Chori of Shankar-Jaikishan, Roshan’s “Barsat Ki Raat”, S.D. Burman’s “Meri Surat Teri Ankhen”, are now part of musical history and collector’s delight.

When music directors like Anil Biswas and Salil Choudhary who had favoured him in the past, faded away, and Rafi and later Kishore began to eclipse every other talent from Hemanth Kumar to Talat Mohamood, Manna Dey found himself almost neglected.

Undeterred by the development, Manna Dey continued to practice singing and occasionally compose. He tried to keep up with the times. He started singing Bhajans.

* * *

In “Memories Come Alive: An Autobiography” Manna Dey takes a nostalgic trip down memory lane. Besides recalling his struggle to carve a niche as a playback singer in Hindi films, competing with stalwarts like Rafi, Mukesh and Kishore Kumar, he also discusses at length his foray in to the world of Bengali film and non-film music where he came to be regarded as undisputed kind of melody.

Though he is accomplished singer and recipient of prestigious awards including Padmashree, Padmabhusan, Alluddin Khan, Lata Mangeshkar, National Film awards in the last forty years, Union Government delayed in identifying his contribution to the field of music and honour him with Phalke award. However, it is better late than never, the Centre finally woke up from its deep slumber and honored with Phalke.

* * *

P.S. Apart from singing for numerous Hindi, Bengali and Malayalam films, Manna Dey also sang for Kannada films including “Kalavathi” (Kuhu Kuhu), “Margadarshi” (Kannillaveno, Nelakanadeno) and “Kalpavriksha” (Jayate, Jayate).

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He lights up the screeen

Journalist and Moviebuff Muralidhara Khajane Writes about Prakash rai (Raj) in a diffrenet view.

Metamorphosis reminds one of two things: the biological process that most animals undergo – including the caterpillar that transforms into a beautiful butterfly. The other is Franz Kafka’s stunning piece of fiction, the protagonist becoming a beetle.

In this case, it’s the former – the case of the luminous butterfly. Going a little further, I would extend this metamorphosis to Prakash Raj, the much-loved actor of the South, who has bagged his fourth National Award as Best Actor for his brilliant performance in Priyadarshan’s “Kanchivaram”. He has acted in more than 250 films and has even produced films in Tamil. Now he is directing “Naanu Mattu Nanna Kanasu” in Kannada (a remake of his famous “Abhiyum Naanum”)

In “Kanchivaram” Prakash plays the role of a weaver, who dreams about a silk sari for his daughter’s marriage. What sounds like a simple dream is far too complex to be in the ambit of one’s imagination. Keep reading

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Song Of Sparrow

Moviebuff Hemashree write a view on Movie SONG OF SPARROW. Famous Iranian Filmmaker Majid majidi, who crafted this movie.

From time and again it is proved so precisely that any movie which is humane in nature moves one's heart and soul. One such movie is here again to stir the hearts and souls. We caught up with The Song of Sparrows(Avaze gonjeshk-ha) on the last day last show at Camera 12 theatre. Majid Majidi is best known for his vivid sense of visualization, lyrical narration and humane characterization. His story telling offers diverse dimensions of everyday lives with a pinch of compassion. He does it again in his new movie, The Song of Sparrows, which portrays a poor lower class family, their hard times to keep the ends meet. Karim works at an ostrich farm in a sub urban village near Tehran. He has a family of four to feed, a wife and three children. Other than that Karim has to fight hard to keep up with his low income falling short every month. His daughter needs a new hearing aid; his son wishes to buy goldfishes, sell them and become millionaire are the new additions. Distress befalls him when an ostrich runs loose from the ranch in to the mountains costing Karim his job. Karim starts a desperate search up in the hills and grass lands for the lost ostrich donning himself with ostrich feathers and a wooden rod. His efforts go in vain. While in Tehran, Karim is mistaken for a taxi driver and this becomes his new means for income. He starts ferrying people, encountering generous and treacherous ones at the same time. The city hours give him a chance to learn new habits and self-centered thinking. The openness of country sides and the dense crowded city streets are in contrast. With each day passing by Karim becomes more and more aware of the tricky charisma of city living and slowly looses his simplicity. In a desire to accumulate and a conscious effort to upgrade his lifestyle, Karim starts fetching junk stuffs on his ride back home. Each day he brings things which get piled up in his backyard; a TV antenna, a window frame, a door, and what not. Now the conflict is between his honesty and his newly acquired greediness. Karim turns into a self centered person who once was amicable with people and neighborhood. He refuses to accommodate and share. Karim has lost so much from his new found money and materialism that he refuses to be the man he was, simple and honest person. In parallel to Karim's behaviour, his son Hussein with his troop of friends has a wish to buy goldfishes, sell them and become millionaires. They literally work hard towards it; Cleaning up the silt filled water tank, refilling with fresh waters. Sparrows come and nest. The small little place turns out to a cool retreat. Once, while climbing around the junk pile, Karim falls and gets his leg fractured. He is bound to be at home, confining himself to the front yards. It is then that he realizes how dependent he is of his family and their love and care. He also misses being a caring father, a loving husband and most of all an honest man. The imagery used to portray Karim's changing behaviour, his struggle to stay honest, the contrast between the city and countrysides are excellent. Some of the scenes - Karim falls off from his own junk piled up backyard, making him to learn from his own (mis)deeds ; Karim is not sure whether to offer a huge note to a poor girl, however we are not shown whether he does give it or not ; Karim getting back the Blue door from his neighbour not willing to donate ; a refrigerator he would have wished to keep for himself but returns ; a TV antenna which makes him proud amongst other neighbours, are beautifully crafted. Majidi knows the magic of vision. His visuals are painted canvases. He is a master when it comes to colour and craft. Arid and mono toned landscapes used as backgrounds offer the characters to colour up the screen. Spectacular aerial shots are Majidi's forte. The Song of the Sparrows has some of the best and enthralling shots. There are a number of visual high points : Karim in disguise of an ostrich goes up in to the hills to find the lost ostrich. A helicopter used 360 degree shots in this scene are breathtaking. Blue door against the muddy brown field becomes a powerful imagery of Karim's hard work and distress to feed the family. Some shots are so simple yet convey a strong point, such as in one shot the soft foot prints of children on the hard dry silt are shown to communicate that the work is already done and they are serious into bringing goldfishes into the water tank. The emotional high point comes when the goldfishes spill from the burst plastic tub and the children have to forgo them in order to save the fishes from dying. They push them into the water stream much against their wishes. Karim sings - " the world is a lie; the world is a dream " to comfort the children and more to himself. At the end there is a stunning dance of an ostrich. I wonder how beautifully a simple story turns out to be a poignant , sometimes hilarious and profoundly humane narrative in structure and style. It would be a cliche if I say that the actors live the characters they play. But yes they do. Reza Nazi, as the protagonist Karim, Maryam Akbari, as Narges and a host of wonderful child actors support the film generously. Noted for his poetic Neo-realism style, Majidi represents a rare group of filmmakers who exploit life and lives in its utmost glory. and " The Song of Sparrows " proves that.

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ವುಮೆನ್ ಟ್ರಾಫಿಕಿಂಗ್ ಕುರಿತಾದ ಎರಡು ಚಿತ್ರಗಳು

ಡ್ರಗ್ ಟ್ರಾಫಿಕಿಂಗ್ ಮತ್ತು ವುಮೆನ್ ಟ್ರಾಫಿಕಿಂಗ್ ಕುರಿತ ಹಲವು ಸಿನೆಮಾಗಳು ಹಾಲಿವುಡ್‌ನಲ್ಲಿ ತಯಾರಾಗಿವೆ. 2001ರಲ್ಲಿ ಬಂದ ಟ್ರಾಫಿಕ್ ಸಿನೆಮಾ ಕಲಾತ್ಮಕತೆಯಲ್ಲೂ ಮಿಂಚಿದ ಅಪರೂಪದ ಚಿತ್ರ. ಇದರಲ್ಲಿ ಡ್ರಗ್ ಕಥೆ ಇದೆ. ಹಲವರು ಇದನ್ನು ಸ್ಟೀವನ್ ಸೋಡೆರ್‌ಬಗ್‌ನ ಮಾಸ್ಟರ್‌ಪೀಸ್ ಎಂದೂ ಕರೆಯುತ್ತಾರೆ.

ಕಳೆದ ವರ್ಷದ ಆರಂಭದಲ್ಲಿ ಬಂದ ಟೇಕನ್ ಸಿನೆಮಾವು ವುಮೆನ್ ಟ್ರಾಫಿಕಿಂಗ್ ಕುರಿತ ಅಕ್ಷನ್ ಮೂವೀ. ಲಿಯಾಮ್ ನೀಸನ್‌ನ ಲೀಲಾಜಾಲದ ನಟನೆ, ಅವನ ಸ್ಪಷ್ಟ ಡಯಲಾಗ್‌ಗಳು, ಸ್ಟಂಟ್‌ಗಳನ್ನು ನೋಡಲು, ಸಿನೆಮಾದ ಉದ್ದಕ್ಕೂ ಕೊಂಚ ವಿಪರೀತ ಎನ್ನಬಹುದಾದ ಗನ್ ಹಾರಾಟವನ್ನು ಅನುಭವಿಸಲು ಈ ಸಿನೆಮಾ ನೋಡಬಹುದು. ಸೆಮಿ ಅಕ್ಷನ್ ಮೂವೀ ಅಂತಲೂ ಇದನ್ನು ಕರೆಯುತ್ತಾರೆ. ಯಾಕೆಂದರೆ ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಅಪಹೃತ ಮಗಳನ್ನು ಸಂರಕ್ಷಿಸುವ ಭಾವುಕ ಕಥೆಯೂ ಇದೆ.

ಮಕ್ಕಳು ಹೊರಗೆ ಹೋಗುವಾದ ಅದರಲ್ಲೂ ಪಿಕ್‌ನಿಕ್ ಮುಂತಾದ ಹೊರಸ್ಥಳಗಳ ಪ್ರವಾಸಕ್ಕೆ ಹೊರಟಾಗ ತಂದೆ ತಾಯಂದಿರು ದಿನಾ ರಾತ್ರಿ ಮೊಬೈಲ್ ಮಾಡು ಅಂತ ಹೇಳುವುದು ಇಂದು ಭಾರತದಲ್ಲೂ ಕಾಣಬಹುದಾದ ಸಹಜ ವರ್ತನೆ. ಇಲ್ಲೂ ಹೀಗೇ ಆಗುತ್ತೆ. ನೀಸನ್ ತನ್ನ ಮಗಳು ಪ್ಯಾರಿಸ್‌ಗೆ ಹೋಗುವೆ ಎಂದಾಗ ಮೊದಲು ಒಪ್ಪುವುದಿಲ್ಲ. ಜೊತೆಗೆ ಮಗಳು ಇರೋದೇ ತನ್ನಿಂದ ಡೈವೋರ್ಸ್ ಆದವಳ ಜೊತೆಗೆ. ಈ ಯಮ್ಮನೂ ಘಾಟಿ. ಮಗಳನ್ನು ಕಳಿಸಲೇಬೇಕು ಎಂಬ ಹಟ. ಕಾನೂನಿನ ಪ್ರಕಾರ ಅಪ್ಪನ ಅನುಮತಿ ಬೇಕೇ ಬೇಕು. ಕೊನೆಗೂ ಅಪ್ಪನಾದ ನೀಸನ್ ಅನುಮತಿ ಕೊಡ್ತಾನೆ ; ದಿನವೂ ಫೋನ್ ಮಾಡಬೇಕು, ಅಪರಿಚಿತರೊಂದಿಗೆ ವ್ಯವಹರಿಸಬಾರದು ಇತ್ಯಾದಿ ಷರತ್ತುಗಳೊಂದಿಗೆ.

ಮಗಳು ತನ್ನ ಸ್ನೇಹಿತೆಯೊಡನೆ ಪ್ಯಾರಿಸ್‌ಗೆ ಹೋಗಿ ಇಳಿದ ಕ್ಷಣದಿಂದಲೇ ಘಟನೆಗಳು ತೆರೆದುಕೊಳ್ಳುತ್ತವೆ. ತನ್ನ ಅಪಹರಣವನ್ನೂ ಮಗಳು ಅಪ್ಪನಿಗೆ ಮೊಬೈಲ್ ಮೂಲಕ ಆನ್‌ಲೈನ್ ರಿಯಲ್‌ಟೈಮ್ ವಿವರಿಸುತ್ತಾಳೆ. ಮೊದಲೇ ಅಪ್ಪನ ವೃತ್ತಿಯೇ ಪ್ರಿವೆಂಟರ್. ಪೊಲೀಸ್ ಥರ ಪತ್ತೇದಾರಿ ಕೆಲಸದ ಮೂಲಕ ಅವಘಡಗಳನ್ನು ತಪ್ಪಿಸೋದೇ ಅವನ ವೃತ್ತಿ. ಕೇಳಬೇಕೆ? ಮಗಳು ತಿಳಿಸಿದ ಅಲ್ಪ ಸ್ವಲ್ಪ ವಿವರಗಳನ್ನೇ ಹಿಡಿದುಕೊಂಡು, ಪ್ಯಾರಿಸಿಗೆ ಬಂದಿಳಿದು ಆಕ್ಷನ್ ಶುರು ಮಾಡುತ್ತಾನೆ. ಮುಂದಿನ ಕಥೆಯೆಲ್ಲ ಚಕಚಕನೆ ಸಾಗುತ್ತದೆ. ನಿಜಕ್ಕೂ ಇತ್ತೀಚೆಗಿನ ಬಾಂಡ್ ಸಿನೆಮಾಗಳನ್ನು ಚಚ್ಚಿಹಾಕುವಷ್ಟು ಆಕ್ಷನ್ ಇಲ್ಲಿದೆ. ನೀಸನ್‌ನ ಪ್ರೌಢ ಅಭಿನಯವಂತೂ ಕಣ್ಣಿಗೆ ಕಟ್ಟುತ್ತದೆ.

ಈ ಸಿನೆಮಾ ನೋಡಿದ ಮೇಲೆ ಇದೇ ಥರ ಇನ್ನಾವ ಸಿನೆಮಾ ಇದೆ ಎಂದು ಹುಡುಕಿದೆ. ಟ್ರೇಡ್ ಎಂಬ ಸಿನೆಮಾ ಸಿಕ್ಕಿತು. ಅದನ್ನೂ ಕದ್ದು ನೋಡಿ ಬರೆಯೋ ಹೊತ್ತಿಗೆ ಬ್ಲಾಗ್ ತಡವಾಯ್ತು!!

ಟ್ರೇಡ್ ಸಿನೆಮಾ ಕೂಡಾ ಇದೇ ಕಥಾ ಹಂದರವನ್ನು ಹೊಂದಿದೆ. ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಮೆಕ್ಸಿಕೋದ ಮಧ್ಯಮವರ್ಗದ ಕುಟುಂಬದಲ್ಲಿ ಅಣ್ಣ ಉಡುಗೊರೆಯಾಗಿ ಕೊಟ್ಟ ಸೈಕಲನ್ನು ಹತ್ತಿ ಸವಾರಿ ಮಾಡುತ್ತಿದ್ದ ತಂಗಿ ರಶಿಯಾದ ವುಮೆನ್ ಟ್ರಾಫಿಕಿಂಗ್ ಗ್ಯಾಂಗ್‌ಗೆ ಸಿಕ್ಕಿಬೀಳುತ್ತಾಳೆ. ಅಣ್ಣ, ತನ್ನ ಸ್ನೇಹಿತರೊಂದಿಗೆ ಹುಡುಕಾಟ ಆರಂಭಿಸುತ್ತಾನೆ. ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಗನ್ ಇಲ್ಲ; ಕ್ಷಣಕ್ಷಣಕ್ಕೂ ಆಕ್ಷನ್ ಇಲ್ಲ. ಅತ್ಯಂತ ವಾಸ್ತವಿಕವಾದ, ಕಲಾತ್ಮಕ ಚಿತ್ರ ಅನ್ನಿಸುವ ಹಾಗೆ ಕಥೆ ಬೆಳೆಯುತ್ತದೆ. ವೃದ್ಧ ಪೊಲೀಸನೊಬ್ಬ ತನ್ನ ಕಳೆದು ಹೋದ ಮಗಳನ್ನು ಹುಡುಕಿಕೊಂಡು ಬರುವುದಕ್ಕೂ, ಈ ಅಣ್ಣ ಅವನ ಕಾರಿನ ಡಿಕ್ಕಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಅಡಗಿಕೊಳ್ಳುವುದಕ್ಕೂ ಸರಿಹೋಗುತ್ತದೆ. ಅಲ್ಲಿಂದ ಇಬ್ಬರೂ ತಂಗಿಯ ಹುಡುಕಾಟ ನಡೆಸಿ ನ್ಯೂ ಜೆರ್ಸಿಗೆ ಹೋಗ್ತಾರೆ.

ಎರಡೂ ಸಿನೆಮಾದಲ್ಲಿ ಅಪಹೃತ ಹೆಣ್ಣಿನ ಹರಾಜು ನಡೆಯುತ್ತದೆ. ಟೇಕನ್‌ನಲ್ಲಿ ಡ್ರಗ್ ಸೇವನೆಯಿಂದ ಮತ್ತೇರಿದ ತೂರಾಡುವ ಮಗಳನ್ನು ಸ್ವತಃ ತಂದೆಯೇ ಹರಾಜಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಖರೀದಿಸುವ ದೃಶ್ಯ ರೌದ್ರತೆಯಿಂದ ಕೂಡಿದೆ. ಹಾಗೆಯೇ ಪೊಲೀಸನ ನೆರವಿನಿಂದ ಇಂಟರ್‌ನೆಟ್ ಮೂಲಕ ತಂಗಿಯನ್ನು ಎಷ್ಟೋ ಸಾವಿರ ಡಾಲರ್‌ಗಳಿಗೆ ಕೊಳ್ಳುವ ಅಣ್ಣನ ಮುಖಭಾವ ತುಂಬಾ ಹೊತ್ತು ನೆನಪಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಉಳಿಯುತ್ತದೆ. ತಂಗಿಯ ಅಭಿನಯವೂ ಚಿತ್ರದುದ್ದಕ್ಕೂ ತುಂಬಾ ಮನೋಜ್ಞವಾಗಿದೆ.

ಎರಡೂ ಸಿನೆಮಾಗಳನ್ನು ನೀವು ಡೌನ್‌ಲೋಡ್ ಮಾಡಿಕೊಳ್ಳುವುದಾದರೆ ಟೊರೆಂಟ್ ಲಿಂಕ್‌ಗಳು ಇಲ್ಲಿವೆ: ಟ್ರೇಡ್:http://www.mininova.org/get/2440585
ಟೇಕನ್ : http://www.mininova.org/get/1980837

ಒಂದೇ ಕಥೆಯನ್ನು ಇಬ್ಬರು ನಿರ್ದೇಶಕರು, ನೋಡುವ ರೀತಿ ಹೇಗೆ ವಿಭಿನ್ನವಾಗಿರುತ್ತೆ ಎಂದು ತಿಳಿದುಕೊಳ್ಳಲು ಎರಡೂ ಸಿನೆಮಾ ನೋಡಿ. ಮನರಂಜನೆ ಬೇಕೋ, ಮನೋಜ್ಷ ಕಥೆ ಸಾಕೋ ಎಂಬ ಪ್ರಶ್ನೆ ಮೂಡುತ್ತದೆ. ಮೊದಲು ಟೇಕನ್ ನೋಡಿದ ನಾನು ಅಬ್ಬ ಎಂಥ ಆಕ್ಷನ್ ಎಂದು ಹುಬ್ಬೇರಿಸಿದ್ದೆ. ಆಮೇಲೆ ಟ್ರೇಡ್ ನೋಡಿದ ಮೇಲೆ ವಸ್ತುಸ್ಥಿತಿಯನ್ನು ಬಿಂಬಿಸೋ ಚಿತ್ರವೂ ಮುಖ್ಯ ಅನ್ನಿಸಿತು.

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Kancheevaram

Two malasian guys written this review in "thoughs on films".

Hot on the heels of a fairly good recommendation by my friend, yet another recommendation from another friend cropped up almost from nowhere. Actually, it’s not much of a surprise: we’ve constantly been updating each other on the movies that we have caught at the festival (”Dude, you’ve GOT to go see ‘Sell Out!’”). Generally speaking, though, it is often based on the fact that we have indeed seen the film, rather than thinking that the poster actually looks nice.

Having said that, the poster for Kanchivaram wasn’t all that bad either.

It wouldn’t, however, have been enough to drag me in. I like my sleep. I have learned that the secret to enjoying a film festival properly is to really make sure that as much as we watch the movies, party, and dance the night away while telling people that you don’t drink alcohol (the pressure inevitably grows after your friends have had a few). And so sleep, when properly channeled, becomes as essential an ingredient to the mix of enjoying oneself. After all, no one likes to fall asleep inside the cinema, no matter how hard you try.

He wouldn't share his chewing gum for all the tea in China.

So, I like my sleep. But I like good movies even better. And my friend’s strong and persuasive recommendation for a film that he hasn’t even seen yet kinda pushed me further down the path. The ticket wouldn’t cost me a thing, since I had my pass, and I might even enjoy it. I rarely watch films from India, for some reason, and diversity is the spice of life, isn’t it not? Well, it very well should be, even if it isn’t. For someone who wants to be a filmmaker, however, diversity is as much a necessity as it is a choice. You can never say shut yourself off from potential sources of inspiration, and you can never so no to a good film. Diversity, then, in terms of the films you watch, will give you a better idea of what you want to shoot. Sometimes, just as importantly, it also gives you an idea of what you don’t want to do.

"OK, I'll make your sari, but I want some muruku in return."

‘Kanchivaram’, then, falls firmly in the camp of the former. Set just after India’s independence from those dastardly British, the film starts with Vengadam (Prakash Raj) being transferred from a prison back to his hometown, Kanchivaram. You’d think that a man under such heavy security (constantly being cuffed) would be a murderer or something of the sort. Rather, the truth is rather more simple: he is a silk weaver. As the journey progresses, his past is revealed via a number of catalysts, such as the sounds of the stormy night.

We learn, then, of the ambition that this humble man dreams off. Despite his undoubted skill, working for a rich man and weaving him plenty of silk saris, he doesn’t make much money. Even more importantly, he doesn’t have the much of a chance to fulfill his ambition since he was young: to give his bride a silk sari. Now, it’s not like these days, when it seems as if a silk sari is abundant available for everyone. Within the context described, a mere silk weaver even coming close to owning a sari is like a rubber tapper blinging it in a nice Ferrari. Not very likely, and in ‘Kanchivaram’, damn near impossible.

"The root of 89.3 multiplied by 3 is..."

He works to try to fulfil this, but life being as life is, at various points of he, he has to give it up to ensure that others are not to be left behind. For example, after his brother in law lost a lot of money on bad businesses, he confided to Vengadam that he is not able to take care of Vengadam’s sister. He gave him all of the money that he had saved for the sari, just so that his sister is able to live a normal life. He wasn’t able to fulfill this particular dream, then, but then he shifted his attention to ensuring that his daughter will be able to wear a sari for her wedding day. Through such events do we see of the kind and compassionate man that he is, and the seed of communism.

Wait, what? Communism? Yes, you read that right. This film, in a way, has a very Communist agenda at its heart. The low pay, long hours, and little chance of an improvement sees Vengadam striving to improve the workers’ conditions. There’s also the small matter of making sure that he has enough silk to make the sari for his daughter, so while he saves up the money for that one, driven by his desire to fulfill his promise to his family, he resorts to underhanded tactics to realise that dream.

Red = prosperous in any culture.

That, at the heart of it all, is the crux of the film. The director’s tendency to pull things together from the past and the present is very interesting, almost Christopher Nolan-esque in a way (although he doesn’t really come close; nobody messes up a movie’s timeline more than Mr Nolan). He is helped in no small part by a very strong performance by Prakash Raj. I’m told by my friend that it’s not quite the usual territory for him to be venturing into, which is all the more reason to credit him with a very solid performance. It is through him that we live the trials and tribulations of the oppressed. In moments of solitude, his body language is more often than not more than enough to convey a sense of defeat.

Of course, it’s not much of an Indian film without having a closer look at an aspect of Indian culture or history. The director, Priyadarshan, made sure that the audience would know exactly what the deal is. The film even has prologues and epilogues describing the context that the film is set in. Every little thing, then, is constructed to clearly propagate this particular agenda. For example, Vengadam is the fine humanist that everyone can root for (witness the stand he takes for a suspected thief earlier in the film), while his boss, for the most part, appears to be a rather heartless man. Perhaps a further exposition into making the characters a little more vague would be most welcome, but then again, we shall not forget that this film is as much a propaganda tool for communism/socialism/any sort of such-ism as it is a feature film. In that context then, he did a good job of achieving his objective of obtaining my pity and sympathy not only for Vengadam (oh, what a heartbreaking final scene it was…), but also for the people that he is supposed to represent. After all, the film’s poster has the hammer and the sickle of Soviet Union on it. In that regard, then, it does exactly what it says on the tin.

At least you won’t fall asleep watching it.

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The Stone Man Murders

A Moviebuff from bangalore uncovers The stone man murders. 

Movies can be categorised in many ways; period, historical, real-life stories, fictional and et al. Of all these categories, one concept fascinates me more. In this category, the concept is real but the characters are fictional and it is awesome to see how a director unwinds the real story through fictional characters. One best example of this type is-The last king of Scotland. For all of those who have seen the movies, start browings in the websites as to check whether the hero really existed as we all know about Idi Amin, the Ugandan dictator. Similalry, another movie Munich, where the Isreaelites take revenge against Palestinians for murdering Olympic sportspersons. Even in that movie, the protagonist is a fictional figure. 

The latest to join the bandwagon is The Stoneman murders. When, I first saw the DVD cover, I was hesitant to watch the movie. I had thought that it would be filled of gory scenes and was a movie made to show the psychopathic killer. But, my opinion completely changed and thought it was one of the best movies I have seen. The movie revolves around nine mysterious murders that rocked 
Mumbai in 80s. According to police, the murders have not been solved till date. 

So, let me get into the story: A police cop is suspended from service as his 'tough treatment' results in lock up death. Now, he has been asked by the police commissioner to do a parallel inquiry into the mysterious stone man murders privately. On one hand, the hero (Kay Kay Menon) has no police support). It is a difficult task for him. His wife too starts hating him as he is hardly seen in the night. The entire night, he starts looking out for the mysterious murderer. Before he could do something, eight murders take place. But, his former colleagues suspect him to be murderer. Now, the hero wants to prove his innocence at the same time wants to find th real culprit. 

It is definitely a movie worth watching. The best part is that how a director has bridged the nine mysterious murders of Mumbai and subsequent nine mysterious murders in Kolkata. If you get a chance to watch the movie, don't miss it. 

Movie: The stone man murders, Language: Hindi

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AMU- A Journey towards TRUTH

AMU is a personal journey. It is intense in the narration, with a mystic element of search – a frantic search to know the answers, the identity and most of all - the TRUTH. Truth about one person, one community, and one nation-HEMASHREE write a note on Movie AMU.

The film, AMU (2005) , starts off, rather usually, like any other – ‘back to the roots’ films, but slowly unmasks the still burning carnage of the year 1984. (www.carnage84.com/homepage/mainpage.htm)

A horrible tragedy of the largest democracy in the world is hard hitting. Amu, narrated in a sarcastically and in an empathetic style, is certainly a personal experience combined with the tragedy that shook the integrity of a nation and the trust of thousands of people.

Kaju ( Kajori Roy ), a 21 yr old, is back from America where she lived for 18 years, since the age of 3. She is in Delhi in search of her roots and her biological parents. In her quest joins, Kabir, a university student and son of a rich IAS officer. As they embark on the findings, their families become restless. They do not want Kaju to know the reality. Kaju’s mother, Keya, unexpectedly lands in Delhi. Coming to know her adopted daughter is all over Delhi’s slums, to find out her biological mother, Keya is concerned and scared. What Kaju and Kabir find out about their own selves is the Truth. And that Truth all of a sudden uncovers the Pandora’s Box and engulfs all.

This film is of the utter importance because it is a personal account. Self experience of the director, 

Shonali Bose herself, who was present in Delhi in 1984 and was helping out the people in the rehabilitation camps. The main motivation for making this film now, as she says, is the question - why are we shunning the truth? The simple answer she got – as one of the character in the film says- why do we need to project the ugly face of our country, which is better to be hidden and buried. 

But, how can you hide the tears that roll from the eyes of a mother who has seen her sons and daughters slaughtered and how can you burry the angst of thousands of people who are made to feel betrayed and cheated in their own home land.

The carnage of 1984, took place in Delhi for 3 days, aftermath the assassination of Indira Gandhi was not a communal riot, but a well organized crime, genocide against one community. Officially till date, there hasn’t been any number stating the loss of lives, it is believed that over 4,000 to 10,000 people were been the victims.

There has always been a silence over the 1984 incident. Though there were 9 commissions laid out to investigate, latest being Justice Nanavati commission, there was never a serious effort made to reveal the truth. 

Justice is not been delivered to the thousands of people who lost their dear ones. It wasn’t 20 years back. It is still alive … even to this date. Widows are waiting for the social justice. And it is delayed or it does perhaps will never be given.

No one is answering. Or they are tired of remembering the horror. Or waiting for justice. Or they simply do not have the time to talk about this ‘trivial’ issue.

The film AMU focuses on various points. One being political responsibility and social justice. Not over boarded with violence and agony, the film states very clearly that whenever a riot, a communal violence takes place in India, it isn’t because common people are involved in it; but because, it is so well organized. 84’ carnage was not about Hindus and Sikhs, same as Godhra is not about Hindus and Muslims. It is an organized, meticulously carried out collective Crime against one’s own people.

It’s a hard hitting truth in India, that not any one party is been able to be sensitive enough to the people of India. In one of the scenes, Kabir tries to find out some info in a book store. The book shop keeper says, there is no record, written book on the 1984 incidents. Surprisingly a real fact that any evidence would have been destroyed. There were threats to the director of this movie to stop the shootings.

What is impressive about the film is that it gives an account of the past, yet highlights today’s point of view - The youth questioning the history.

Well, there is no real history. Or …… who writes the history? Who becomes the history?

Justice is questioned. In one of the important scenes of the film, where the widows share their stories with Kaju and Kabir, they say - Yes, 2 people got the punishment. The bodyguards …. This clearly indicates that justice has no meaning in the lands of absolute power and corruption. What about those who were responsible for the murders, a planned massacre of one community.

It was the same scene on which the Indian Censor Board had asked a CUT. What was commendable on the part of the director is that , she chose to silence the fictional characters instead of going for a censor ordered cuts for some 3- 4 lines which were clearly pointing towards the Govt.'s role.

As the director says - Instead of changing the lines so that the audience would not be pulled out of the film we took the decision to let the characters go silent. We thought it was a powerful indictment for audiences to see fictional widows in a fictional film silently moving their lips. Silenced even after twenty years of tears.

In India, we are blind, deaf and mute – all - at the same time. Or perhaps, made to be so.

Though Kaju is ready to accept the truth as it is, (that she is Amu) it is unexpected. Amu's father and the only brother are killed in the carnage and the mother is left alone by the trauma. Amu is been adopted by Keya, leaves to America at the age of three .

Kaju asks Kabir, that why he can’t accept the fact that she is a girl from the slums. Kabir says she is too beautiful to be so. This, points to the psyche of the upper class, prejudices that we have on certain kind of class and community as a whole. Kaju finds a letter written by her biological mother Shanno to Keya before dying , in which Shanno pleads Keya that Amu should never know the truth.

It is painful. But at the same time the voices are being suppressed. We ourselves do it or someone else does.

And Silence is bliss. And we practice this as a religion.

It is not incidental, but deliberately real when one of the characters says that the minister, who refused to help them, was a kale chashmewalah indicating the involvement of one of the accused minister in the incident. In one of the scenes, when Kabir confronts his IAS father on the Sikh killings, the father discourages Kabir, saying he knows nothing. But, in the later scenes, we get to know that the IAS officer was infact incharge of the area or of something, we are not told clearly in the film. But it is revealed that the senior officers too had had a key role to play.

The film also throws light on the father – son relationship, coming to terms with communications and undercurrents of a rebel. Where as the mother – daughter bonding (of Kaju and Keya) is the highlight aspect of the film. Though, not a biological mother, Keya’s concerns are very natural, given the situation they are in. She confesses to her daughter and they both cry out their heart, feeling light while the rain is pouring outside heavily.

The lead actor Konkona is a bundle of talents and she is already a proven actor, comes out with her best as Kaju. Brinda Karat, a first time actor has surpassed her political persona, retaining the activist charisma as the role of Keya demanded it. An under rated actor Yashpal Sharma excels in some of the scenes, both in humour and in emotional scenes. Lavleen Mishra, a not much explored actor, holds on to the same bubbly character she is known for ( chutki in Buniyad ), but here, rather in a mature way. Though the character had the shades of a village lady, Lavleen as Govind’s wife , shows all vibrancy in her portrayal. For others, Ankur Khanna (Kabir), young Amu, Amu’s mother, father and brother and many other characters are all first time actors. They did not act, they lived themselves on screen.

AMU, takes a poignant look at the subject. It goes back from the present to the past , peeks in to the tragic event of the past, comes back to the present again and when it ends, there is another carnage taking place, that of - Godhra. Same roots, same anger, completely different political party, different community - coming to a full circle. Seems like nothing is changing – or has changed since.

Why? People becoming insensitive to the surrounding issues. Hatred is being manufactured. It is intentional to keep the cycle of violence going.

In this kind of atmosphere, do we able to expect the Justice … any sooner?

Though on the personal level, AMU is a positive end, but at large, the society is still bleeding with hundreds of wounds beyond any healing.[ Film's official website : http://www.amuthefilm.com/home.html ]

[ wiki site : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amu_(film) ]

Also check out the Documentary film on The Sikh Carnage 1984 and story of the survivors.

THE WIDOW COLONY - India's Unsettled Settlement directed by Harpreet Kaur . http://www.thewidowcolony.com

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