Chapter 6. Findings and conclusion

Transcription

1 Chapter 6 Findings and conclusion Cinema is a powerful medium. It speaks with the language of universality. Cinema through story-telling, documentary, realism or fiction through its very nature demands a universal language. By accessing and understanding what makes a universal issue, the audiences can better engage with the world around them. Cinema has a mystique unique and is different from other art forms. Cinema communicates ideas and emotionally moves us. Films represented at the same time signify. They remix the real, the unreal, the present, real life, memory, and dream on the same shared mental level. However, other than being a very important means of entertainment and regaling the audience, cinema has played a significant role to bring about social changes.indian cinema has seen a great transformation since the early nineteenthirties. The 1930 s saw the emergence of three big banners in Indian cinema- Prabhat, Bombay Talkies and New Theatres. These banners took the lead in making serious films with gripping social themes meant for all classes of the Indian cinema. The first Indian talkie Alam Ara was released on March 14, After that, there was no turning back. Directed by Ardeshir Irani, it was the first Indian film with sound.during the same period, South India saw the release of two talkies- Bhakta Prahlada in Telugu and Kalidas in Tamil. Following the release of these movies was the till-date-famous Devdas. Released in 1935, it epitomized the agony of love and in a way introduced the first anti-hero of Indian cinema. It was remade twice in Hindi. Love was for the first time treated aesthetically. Every time Devdas was remade, love was redefined.a number of films during this period such as Duniya ke mane and Watan made a strong plea against social injustices.during the 1940s cinema in South India accounted for nearly half of India's cinema halls and cinema came to be viewed as an instrument of cultural revival. The late 1940 s also saw the commencement of the Golden Age of Indian Cinema. The Golden Age was from late 1940 s to 1960 s.it was from the post independence period that Indian cinema began to emerge as an agent of social change. Some of the most critically acclaimed Indian films of all time were produced during this period. 203

2 One of the most famous examples is Guru Dutt s movie Pyaasa. It focuses on the universal themes of love, pain, greed and hope. It was appreciated for its superb blend of both commercial and creative aspects. It critiqued the unreality of city life. Mehboob Khan s Mother India dealt with several social issues. It was one of the earliest films that were women centric. It became a landmark in Hindi cinema. Released in 1957, it brought the character of mother at the centre-stage in Hindi films. It was also nominated as an Oscar for the best foreign language film. Bimal Roy s Do Bigha Zameen dealt with common man and exploitation. It was this film that bagged first filmfare award for best film in Bimal Roy was also the director that introduced the Indian audience to the concept of reincarnation through his film Madhumati. This movie set a new trend. Other films that are based on the same concept include Karz and Om Shanti Om. While commercial cinema was thriving, the same age saw the emergence of a new Parallel Cinema movement mainly led by Bengali cinema. It was the cinema of social significance and artistic sincerity, presenting a modern, humanist perspective in contrast to the fantasy world of the popular cinema. The most important factor for this phenomenon was the Post World War situation in world cinema. This phenomenon was important because it gave rise to a cinema characterized by significant themes and innovative treatment. The scripts and stories that were dealt in the Gujarati films were intrinsically humane. They included relationship- and family-oriented subjects with human aspirations and deal with Indian family culture. This continues to be the trend till date.during the 1960 s, popular cinema shifted its social concerns towards more romantic genres. This period also became prominent for a more assertive Indian nationalism. Mughal-e-Azam carved a niche for itself because of its panache. It was not only because of the extravagant sets or the soulful music that the audience was left enthralled. The thrilling war scenes, the captivating Mughal romance, the stunning actress and striking actor too left an indelible mark on the audience.there was also an introduction of Comedy of Errors. For the first time, the double role of an actor was introduced by the movie Ram aur Shyam. Later a lot of similar films were made. These include Sita aur Geeta and Duplicate. Following the Indo-Pakistan wars in 1962 and 1965, the Indian officer came to be a rallying point for the national imagination. Old films such as Aradhana, Sangam, and newer ones like Main Hoon Na and Mausam highlight this.aradhana did not attract audiences only for the man in the uniform look. Instead it also focused on the differences created between a 204

3 married couple. The film went on to show their unification thus filling each heart with joy and contentment. The 1970 s were an introduction to young romance. The movie Bobby brought forward teenage love. A national craze, this movie received rare reviews. This era was also a time for action flicks, the most loved one perhaps being Sholay. This enduring film was perhaps the success behind the further rise of commercial cinema. It also showcased the concept of true male friendship.at the same time, devotional films were given importance. Jai Santoshi Ma is a devotional classic released in 1975.Another significant film of this time was Deewar. It was a crime film pitting a policeman against his brother, a gang leader. Directed by Yash Chopra, Danny Boyle described the film as an absolute key to Indian cinema.it was in the late 1970 s that Yash Chopra s film Kala Patthar released. It focuses on the pitiable and dangerous lives of the coal miners. This movie too sees the characters fight for social justice. It portrays a fight against poor equipment, less than sufficient medical supplies and lack of facilities.it was Mahesh Bhatt s film Arth that put a bold theme before the yet reserved audience. The big screen was familiarized with the idea of extra marital affair. This movie brought to forefront one of those social realities that had been a taboo for long. It became a landmark because it dealt with a real problem in a realistic way.though the Hindi cinema saw the gates of the Golden Age close by the end of the 1960 s, South India s Malayalam cinema of Kerala, regarded as one of the best Indian film genres, experienced its own Golden Era during the 1980 s and 1990 s. This period of popular cinema is characterized by the adaptation of everyday life themes and exploration of social and individual relationships.up in the north, this was the time for the revival of romance. The movie Maine Pyaar Kiya brought back the love in the air genre. This was followed by a string of romantic movies. The movie that seemed to top every girl s favourites list was, and remains, Dilwale Dhulaniya Le Jaayenge. It was also the time for romantic comedies like Hum Hain Raahi Pyar Ke. In the late 1990s, 'Parallel Cinema' began experiencing resurgence in Hindi cinema, largely due to the critical and commercial success of Satya, a low-budget film released in It was based on the Mumbai underworld, directed by Ram Gopal Varma. The film's success led to the emergence of a distinct genre known as Mumbai noir, urban films reflecting social problems in the city of Mumbai.The movie Nayak released during this period. Through their film, the filmmakers posed queries on the way our democratic system functions. It asked the audience Are we really a democracy? Since the beginning of the 21st century, 205

4 movies no longer remained melodramatic. Perhaps this century has witnessed the most films bringing about a social change.the new millennium started with the controversy generated by the filming of Deepa Mehta s last of the Trilogy Water, which was based on the life of Hindu widows in the 1930 s. The years that followed saw movies like Rang De Basanti and No One Killed Jessica that not only popularized the concept of candle march, but also encouraged the audience to stand up against crime and in favour of justice.the famous movie 3 Idiots changed the way students looked at marks. The concept of run after knowledge, marks and success will follow spread like wildfire throughout the world. So much so that this highly acclaimed movie was shown at the UN for both the message and stellar performance by each of the actors.the film Aarakshan too sparked off debates. The tagline for this film was India vs. India. It gave the audience a chance to question the education system followed in our country. Based on the social issue of reservation, it became the centre of arguments and disputes.the recently released movie I am Singh puts into limelight the atrocities that Sikhs had to face after the 9/11 attack. Infact the 9/11 tragedy became the base of other movies as well including New York and My Name is Khan. It is by the filming of movies like these that cinema can be termed as transformative. Cinema, with its powerful tools of fiction and nonfiction can please, transform, and deceive shapes in the audiences mind. It is a matter of pride that, Indian cinema has not only remained popular in India, but it has increased its boundaries elsewhere in world. It is really encouraging to see a double bottom-line production house in India. Movies are a really powerful medium in India. In the words of Bertolt Brechet: We need a type of theatre which not only releases the feelings, insights and impulses possible within the particular historical field of human relations in which the action takes place, but employs and encourages those thoughts and feelings which help transform the field itself. Kudos to the Indian cinema! Study reveals that acceptance of Gulzar as a director is much more because the coworker and contemporary film critics are of the oprnion that Gulzar sahab has a unique blend of director, lyricist and screenplay writer. Some critiques believes that his understanding of Urdu and his belongingness from Punjab which is culturally rich is a main reason behind his literary rich screenplay and excellent directorial approach. His simplicity is another key aspect which has helped him to bring emotions on screen as it is.although gulzar has directed 17 films. 16 films are released. All are quite 206

5 popular among its audience. Maximum no. of co-worker have seen all his movies when asked how many movies he has directed 56 % said 16 movies and 22% said 17 movies which includes Libas which was not released. This eagerness of his peers for his movies is complimenting the research fact that Gulzar s acceptance as a director is much greater. Gulzar has a great understanding of human behaviour as majority of the co-workers are of the opinion that the topic he selects for films are mostly based on Human relationship. Whereas very few think that his topic selection is mostly influenced with contemporary social issues. Very few relates his plots with contemporary issues. Present study also reveals the fact that Gulzar is a master of offbeat cinema as 42% co-workers are of the opinion that Gulzar is a master of offbeat Cinema and only he can dare to think about such stories or plots even in this cut throat competition of commercial cinema. Majority of respondents are of the opinion that gulzar s story makes his films distinguish from other film makers. His film Namkeen is an excellent example of emotions superseeding props, lightings, sets and other modern techniques. As far as human relationship is concern 74% respondents believes that Gulzar is excellent in bringing Human relationship on Screen. Majority of the respondents were of the opinion that Gulzar has unique tool to bring human relations on screen that is his Dialogues. Where as few are in favour of props used by him. In his most of the films he selected rural ambience and very simple screen projection of character but the dialogues were quite intense. Hu Tu Tu, Parichay, etc are an excellent example. Majority of respondents are of the opinion that Gulzar has addressed human Behaviors in each of his films. And this why Gulzar has defined his saprate niche of audience and thus he has distinct age group of audience. 56 % respondents believe that his screenplay is the main reason behind distinct age group audience. As far as climax of the film is concern majority of the respondents are of the opinion that the climax of Gulzar s film is unexpected. Whereas rest of the respondents believes his climax is quite expected and obvious. About the genre of Gulzar one more intresting fact came into light that is, Gulzar is a master of flashback and he is much better than Rajkumar Hirani. Whereas 36 % respondents didn t said anything on this. And 18 % respondents believes Rajkumar Hirani is much better in direction as far as use of flashback is concern. 207

6 He is far ahead from the contemporary film makers.his every film is unique and special. Majority of the respondents are of the opinion that there is no similarity among Gulzar and Vishal Bharadwaj as far as adaptation technique is concern. Both have unique genre. Where as very few people are of the opinion that adaption is common in both the Directors. Gulzar has unique aspects of adaption. 46% people believes his literary rich screen play is unique 24 % said when he adapt any story it becomes total new or different. Co-workers are of the opinion that Gulzar s Story is the most important component of his films where as 28% said his music also plays vital role in his films. Thus, present study with its pure facts has reveals many aspects related to living legend of Indian Cinema,Gulzar Sahab. Gulzar sahab although have confined his role to lyrics and screenplay but he is very much required with his brilliant ideas in direction also. He can t get rid of this role by saying that social practises has changed and that is why he also haslimits himself to lyrics only and changes his role of contribution in Hindi cinema. Gulzar as a film maker has portray Humanism in various forms and highlighted social relationships between characters. His every character is well defined either the character is a main lead or a secondary or a minor. For example in Mere Apne there are several characters and each character is well defined. In Khushboo Kali has been given very less space but even then she has a relevance in the screenplay. Kali has a unique kind of relationship with Dr. Brindaban and his son Charan. In Mausam when Narayan wants to cross the road Arti helps him and then a unique kind of relationship emerges. Titles of the films of Gulzar also gives an indication related to relationships. Mere Apne itself means some one which is very near to us. Mausam is a film which tells us about two different mausam in Dr. Amarnath Gill s life. And both segements of his life are entagled with some complex relationships.parichay,kinara, Ijaazat, Lekin almost every film has characters which deals with humanism and believe in social relationships. Dialogues plays an important role in any film. Gulzar as a film writer wrote very meaning ful dialogues in his films. It seems that a common man is speaking in front 208

7 of us. Dialogues also tells about the scenario of country. Mere Apne has some dialogue which tells us that whole country has same problems. When there was a clash between groups. A girl says to his elder, Iss muhale ko chhod kyun nahi dete? (Why don t we leave this colony?). He answers, Iss muhale ko chhod ke kahaan jayenge, saare desh ka yahi haal hai. (Where we will go after leaving this colony? The whole country has same problem) Gulzar uses props very well while defining intensity of relationship between characters.there is a scene in Aandhi where a surahi is used to define the intensity between Arti Devi and JK. In Mausam stick is used and Gulzar stick as a metaphor of the relationship between Chanda and Dr. Amarnath Gill. Gulzar also placed a song Chhadi re chhadi kaisi gale mein padi. Here chhadi (stick) also means Chanda. Gulzar is the master of Flashbacks. Except Koshish his every film is in a non-linear narrative form. He has used flashbacks to explore the relationships between various characters. In Mere Apne the scene of the revolutionary also depicts the humanitarian approach of Anandi Devi and her husband d Niranjan. Gulzar has worked with filmmakers who belonged to Bengal. Gulzar accepts that he is influenced by the rich literature and culture of Bengal. In his film he tries to portray the culture of Bengal. As he is born in Punjab and belongs to a sikh family he also used many Punjabi words in his dialogues. Anger is also an integral part of Gulzar s films. Mere Apne, Maachis, Hu Tu Tu are the examples. He started his career with Mere Apne and his last film was Hu Tu Tu as a director. Both are violent films but his anger is the anger of society.his anger is entangled in a beautiful human relationships. Gulzar has very strong female characters in his films. If the female character is not protagonist of the film even then she has been given a due space in the scenario. Anandi Devi in Mere Apne, Arti Devi In Aandhi, Panna in Hu Tu Tu, Chanda and Kajli in Mausam, Arti Sanyal in Kinara, Veera in Maachis, Kusum in Khushboo, Meera in Meera are very strong characters. Being a poet Gulzar s films seems like poetry on the screen. Gulzar has knitted songs very well in his screenplays. Songs helps in the progression of the story. Songs also tells the audience the conflicts of the characters.song of Mere Apne, Haal Chaal 209

8 Thik Thak Hai (Everything is fine) gives the information about the social and political status of society during that period.. Suggestions for further research on Gulzar s Films Gulzar has directed only 17 films. 16 Films are released. Libaas was screened in the month of November 2014 in India International Film Festival in Goa.From Mere Apne to Hu Tu Tu he has directed variety of genre. There is a great scope for further research from various point of views on Gulzar s style of film making. He is also writer and lyricist of his films. Most of the films by Gulzar are women centric. The lead characters of his films are either women or women share equal space in the screenplay.so the portrayal of women by Gulzar in his films is also an interesting arena to study. Gulzar s non-linear style of film making is also an interesting part to study. Gulzar is still writing songs for films and this can also be a part of an independent study. Gulzar has written screenplays and dialogues for several films. A study can be conducted on this characterisctic of Gulzar. 210