SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2015 (PAGE-4) BOLLYWOOD-BUZZ HERITAGE Noukriwala Mandir Adoor Gopalakrishnan: Such a Long Journey Rajeshwar Singh Raju As per Sanatan Dharma, the oldest religion on planet NETPAC (Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema) is bestowing the Lifetime Achievement earth, it is believed that there are 33 Koti (type) of Gods and Award to filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan at the International Film Festival of Colombo this Goddesses. Devotees in large number throng the temples dedicated to these Gods and Goddesses to offer prayers with month for his contribution to cinema. The award comes at a time when Adoor has put in 43 a firm belief that they come to their rescue whenever they years exclusively to filmmaking as a director and rightly considered as one without par on the need them. One of such sacred places is a Hanuman temple located Indian subcontinent. Shoma A. Chatterji explores his films and filmmaking. at Village Ghai, Charyalla, Tehsil Nowshehra, District Awards hardly make a difference to Adoor Gopalakr- ema. This, I think is the function of the art, any art for Rajouri. This place is located about 8 KMs from Nowshehra ishnan who is more interested in cinema per se followed that matter -- to make you aware, to make you think and City at Nowshehra to Kalar Road and is almost at LOC with by his own process of filmmaking than in awards. He won disturb you positively and creatively, to make you excit- Pakistan Border Jhangad. the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2005 and many awards ed about it, to make you responsive to things." It is believed that long ago, almost in 1967-68, a Sadhu over his 43-year-old career in films. This time, it is anoth- Adoor does not identify himself or his films with any belonging to a Royal family of Solan, Shimla area of adjoin- er Lifetime Achievement Award bestowed on him by NET- agenda, political, cinematic, or otherwise. When this ing state Himachal Pradesh had travelled through this area PAC, the largest and most powerful organization of film- writer first met Adoor at the Hyderabad Filmotsav in 1986 alongwith his female disciple named Sadhna. They carried makers and critics in Asia and beyond. Netpac is a world- and asked him what he does between films, since he makes a small idol of Hanuman with them. He made a small tem- wide organization with membership of 29 countries so few of them, his pat answer was, "I think about mak- ple here with the help of inhabitants of surrounding areas founded in 1990 by Aruna Vasudev at the request of ing films," just like that. and the idol of Lord Hanuman was installed. But after 5-6 UNESCO to promote greater understanding and appre- During the making of Vidheyan, starring Mamooty in years, he along with his disciple moved to an unknown place. ciation of Asian Films and filmmakers. a negative role, he said, "I make my films for After his exit from the place, the temple turned a deserted What do awards mean to him? "Awards everyone. Not everyone may understand one. are important particularly in the early them in the same way, but that is some- In 1981, Audhaya Nath hailing from Charyalla village days of one's career, because it tells thing I crave for. I am no fireside racon- about 2 Kms from the temple, who had his own Jagran Man- you in some way that what you are teur. As a filmmaker, it is my duty to dli decided to renovate the temple. The villagers also came doing is worthwhile. If there is respect the audience's intelligence. to extend whatever help they could render and the temple appreciation and substantial They can understand a film the way got renovated. Sh. Sant Ram, who used to live near the tem- recognition, it helps a filmmaker. they wish to. I try to be as cost- ple, was entrusted with the pious duty of performing regu- Awards are a kind of under- effective as I can. Vidheyan was lar prayers. It is said that he used to take wine and meat. standing from others about your planned at a cost of Rs.27 lakhs. But one day he saw a dream wherein he saw that Lord Hanu- work. Yes, awards are very I completed it within Rs.25 lakhs. man instructs him that if he wished to serve him then he will important. I was a little sur- I do not believe in going over- have to abstain from Meat and alcohol. In the dream Lord prised to begin with because budget to stress a point." Hanuman served him large quantity of meat and alcohol so this award usually goes to a vet- Adoor's technique is brilliant, as to quench his thirst for same. At this he got scared and eran. I do not consider myself to the most striking of which is his decided never to touch meat and alcohol. From that day be a veteran. But it is a great hon- power of understatement and his onwards, he served Lord Hanuman in that small temple with with all dedication and devotion here, gets his/her wish ful- our and I look upon it as very sat- ability to resist all temptations of all dedication and devotion. It is said that he had intuition filled at all costs. The devotees have strong conviction that isfying and gratifying," he says, surrendering to intellectual preten- about his death. On that fateful day, after praying at Hanu- the youths who offer regular prayers in this temple get smiling. sions. In fact, his cinema does not man temple, he placed his turban there and never came back employed within one year. Amazingly, this temple is getting Adoor's reluctance to identify demand any inner readings because and left for heavenly abode. After the demise of Sita Ram, popular as 'NOUKRI WALA MANDIR' now-a-days. himself with an ideology, his explo- each film stands by itself superbly even the temple was abandoned again as there was no care tak- rations of the individual, often on a one- at face value. er. Previously every year on 17th of February a grand Bhan- to-one basis that spans several layers of the Understatement in craftsmanship is also In 1996-97, Kuldeep Kumar who resides in nearby vil- dara was organized on Sathapna Divas, but from the day a human experience, his insistence on the auton- one of the hallmarks of his films. Low-key natu- lage Charyalla had startling experience that moved him from new idol of Lord Hanuman Ji was installed in the temple, it omy of the form in cinema, distinguish him from most of ral lighting blends the characters into their rural milieu within. He recalls that when once he had objected a man is organized on 8th of February annually. In fact, two Bhan- his peers, and often make him a subject of controversy, while the cinematography maintains the richness of the from Bakarwal community from urinating towards the old daras are held every year i.e. on 8th February and in Octo- principally because he belongs to Kerala, forever a volatile Kerala landscape without subjecting it ever to touristy, temple. But Bakarwal retorted by saying, Does it look like a ber month on the occasion of Hanuman Jayantis, when a political state with polarized agendas preached and prac- picture-perfect, postcard-like visual images. temple from any angle? Religious place are not kept this big wrestling competition_ DANGAL is also organized. On ticed by a segmented audience. "I interact with the medium of cinema by choosing a way." both the occasions mass participation reflects the faith of He has never compromised with market pressures or human being placed in a certain situation. It may be a vil- It moved him from within and he along with a few youths devotees in this temple which has been increasing every day. from the village decided to purify/renovate the temple at audience demands for mainstream entertainment. Yet, he lage simpleton, a disillusioned political worker or a writer As the temple is situated in a dense forest area, it is being their own. The room made for the stay of Sadhu was dis- has held on to his own language, style, approach, story as the case may interest my creative instincts and me. It visited by many species of birds and animals like Pigeons, and plot and is a name to reckon with on the map of Inter- is their existential situation that my film explores. None mantled as it was in shabby condition, and the stones used Pea-Cocks, different species of sparrows, crows etc. It is also national Cinema. He has made relatively few films during of this can be summed up through a slogan," he elabo- in the construction of that room were used for constructing his long span as filmmaker. His first film Swayamvaram rates. a small room for Langar purpose. After the renovation of believed that not only leopards but Tiger also pays regular (1972) came ten years after he graduated from the FTII, In a much understated way, his films deal with human temple, they decided to organize a Bhandara here with the visits to this sacred place which gets authenticated by his Pune. It was the second Malayalam film after Chemeen to 'absences' and sometimes, small 'presences' that mark help, of locals. Its tremendous success inspired them to footprints on the ground made for wrestling. Moreover on have won the National Award. Followed Kodiyettam that vital difference between Adoor and other filmmak- make it a regular feature.