for grown-ups

Burhan Wazir explores a lesser known independent strand in Indian cinema that is prepared to talk seriously about politics

A hundred years after India’s first movie Gangs of Wasseypur, which had an initial was shown in a theatre in pre-partition running time of five hours was released Mumbai, its film industry is still seen as in two parts, heavily promoted on social the Bollywood dream factory, churning media and premiered at the Cannes Film out boy-meets-girl adorned Festival in May. with elaborate musical numbers, warring Despite these successes, India remains relatives and repressed sexual tensions. a challenging market, occasionally prone Such an impression overlooks the more alessandra benedetti/corbis to censorship. An upcoming adaptation serious strand that runs through Indian of Salman Rushdie’s acclaimed love letter cinema, producing challenging in to India, Midnight’s Children, is unlikely all political shades and languages. to get a release on the sub-continent, The decades between the 1960s and Mira Nair: first cross-cultural cast project despite roles for a number of well-known 1980s may have produced India’s most Indian actors. Rushdie remains a memorable instances of escapism, Monsoon Wedding and The Namesake, controversial figure in India – a planned but they also saw the ascendancy of dramas anchored in the emotional seas appearance at the Jaipur literary festival -makers such as Shyam of Indian family life, The Reluctant was cancelled last January after protests Benegal, Satyajit Ray and Mahesh Bhatt Fundamentalist is Nair’s first cross- by Indian Muslim groups. who examined such divisive issues as caste cultural cast project. Indian films The stark contrast between the prejudice and the harassment of women. regularly traverse the globe, but whether competing strands of Indian cinema Today, India produces around 600 set in London, Paris or Geneva, their weren’t always so pronounced. films each year – increasingly tested to love-struck couples usually interact Historically, Indian films, in all their cater to the tastes of middle-class locals solely with other Indians. populist glory, echoed the tectonic shifts and foreign emigrants with gym-fit actors, ‘I think it shows how Indian cinema in the world’s most populous democracy. exotic locations and a rampantly is changing,’ says Rajinder Dudrah, In the 1950s, such as Guru Dutt consumerist lifestyle. But there exists the head of drama and senior lecturer directed Kaghaz Ke Pool (Paper Flowers) a more introspective pool of directors in screen studies at the University of and Pyaasa (Thirsty), films that cast within Indian cinema who are auditing the Manchester. ‘Nair and her production a critical eye on materialism and country’s internal politics, corruption and team are obviously playing to a number corruption. In the 1960s and 1970s, social stigmas. of different constituencies. A traditional Awaara (Tramp) and Sangam Recently premiered at the Venice Film Bollywood base will appreciate the well (Confluence), both directed by Raj Festival, director Mira Nair’s adaptation known Indians in key roles. Kapoor, evoked the loss of Indian of The Reluctant Fundamentalist is one of ‘The adaptation of a critically identity as a consequence of a a number of notable shifts in Indian film. acclaimed book will draw viewers metropolitan boom. The country’s Mohsin Hamid’s 2007 novel, an elegant aware of its post-9/11 history. The film is struggle with political decay and police exploration of a young Pakistani man’s playing to both a traditional Bollywood brutality during the rule of Indira Gandhi complicated relationship with the West, base as well as non-Indian audiences.’ flashed across cinema screens in Deewar treats a subject rarely discussed in Nair’s film isn’t the only example (Wall) and Adalat (Court). As recently as Bollywood. In fact, India’s tense of the subtle revolution taking place in the 1980s, Coolie and Parinda (The Bird) relationship with its immediate neighbour Bollywood. Mumbai is witnessing the focused on Mumbai’s notorious remains largely absent from cinema birth of rival film industries in Calcutta, underworld gangs. screens. Nair’s adaptation of Hamid’s Chennai and Bangalore. Regional In the past two decades, however, novel makes novel use of American and audiences demanding local content India’s economic expansion has exerted Indian acting talent. have loosened Mumbai’s century-old a powerful influence on cinema. As India The film stars Kiefer Sutherland, monopoly. Released earlier this summer, has opened its doors to financial trade and Liev Shreiber and Kate Hudson, alongside Anurag Kashyap’s Gangs of Wasseypur, outsourcing, the country’s middle classes such sub-continent veterans as Shabana a violent crime saga spanning three have changed lifestyles. Neglected Azmi and Om Puri. British Asian actor generations, proved extraordinarily theatres have been replaced by shining Riz Ahmed, who starred in the Chris successful. The film marked a departure multi-screen cinemas in modern Morris film Four Lions, plays the lead. from the Bollywood rulebook – Kashyap shopping centres. The wealth has also Put alongside her previous releases cast his script with no top-tier names. trickled down onto other sectors.

46 | the world today | october & november 2012

TWT_filmbollywood05.indd 46 02/10/2012 11:26 film Bollywood for grown-ups

Burhan Wazir explores a lesser known independent strand in Indian cinema that is prepared to talk seriously about politics k5 media group k5 media

Riz Ahmed in The Reluctant Fundamentalist plays a US-educated Pakistani with conflicted attitudes towards the West

According to Euromonitor, outbound They are plastic films that culturally are Perhaps India’s competing schools of tourism has grown by 13 per cent in the misinforming their audiences. The India film-making might benefit from sharing past five years. Rising narrative simply isn’t the the nation’s multi-screen cinemas. Indian cinema, echoing this new experience of most Indians. According to Rachel Dwyer, professor found adventurism, has taken on a brash ‘But there seems to be a distinct shift of Indian cultures and cinema at the confidence. A typical Bollywood film away from the hyper commercial films School of Oriental and African Studies begins in Dubai, pauses for lunch in a from India,’ says Joshi, pointing to in London, the view of London bistro, before uniting the leading recent films such as the political mainstream Bollywood is one- man with his paramour on a rooftop Shanghai and Vicky Donor, a drama dimensional. ‘Hindi cinema can be bar in Manhattan. Supercars, shopping about infertility, as evidence. ‘Films such political about the personal,’ she says. sprees and the insistent sounds of as Gangs of Wasseypur and Vicky Donor ‘A film which explores homosexuality electronic dance music have replaced have thrown a more critical eye on life or religious intermarriage will have traditional themes of family, identity in India. And unlike before, independent an impact. and modesty. directors don’t struggle to have their ‘However, it will always be done ‘Mostly, modern Indian cinema has films shown. They are released across through the melodramatic form of the been trivialized,’ says Lalit Mohan Joshi, India’s multi-screen cinemas to large film, which should not detract from the director of the South Asian Cinema audiences. People seem to expect argument, as entertainment is the way Foundation. ‘Especially since the latter more these days. I think there’s an to reach large audiences.’ l part of the 1990s. Most of the films awareness that India has pressing produced by Bollywood these days have problems: a disillusionment with the Burhan Wazir is Editorial Manager at the got nothing to do with social reality. political process and corruption.’ Doha Film Institute

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