MALAYALAM BIOPICS: FROM BOOKS TO FILMS

Gayatri Binu Registered Number: 1324032

A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of

Master of Science in Communication

Christ University Bengaluru

2015

Program Authorized to Offer Degree Department of Media Studies

II

Authorship

Christ University Declaration Department of Media Studies

This is to certify that I have examined this copy of a master’s thesis by

Gayatri Binu Registered Number: 1324032

and have found that it is complete and satisfactory in all respects, and that any and all revisions required by the final examining committee have been made.

Committee Members:

______

______

Date: ______

III

IV

I, Gayatri Binu, confirm that this dissertation and the work presented in it are original.

1. Where I have consulted the published work of others this is always clearly attributed. 2. Where I have quoted from the work of others the source is always given. With the exception of such quotations this dissertation is entirely my own work. 3. I have acknowledged all main sources of help. 4. If my research follows on from previous work or is part of a larger collaborative research project I have made clear exactly what was done by others and what I have contributed myself. 5. I am aware and accept the penalties associated with plagiarism.

Date:

V

VI

Abstract

Malayalam Biopics: From Books to Films

Gayatri Binu MS in Communication, Christ University, Bangalore

This article talks about the difficulties that emerge when considering biographical films that are focused around biographical or autobiographical works of writing utilizing careful investigations of three Malayalam films. The films are an adjustment from their individual books. Biopic Films (or biographical pictures) are a sub-class of the bigger show and epic film types, and despite the fact that they arrived at a prime of fame in the 1930s, they are still unmistakable right up till the present time. "Biopics" is a term got from the blend of the words "Biographical" and "pictures." These films portray and sensationalize the life of a critical recorded personage (or group) from the past or present time. Now and then, verifiable biopics stretch reality and recount a biography with changing degrees of accuracy. Bingham (2010) asserts that the 'biopic'(or biographical film) is a deplorably defamed film type that merits more distinguishment. On account of Malayalam film industry there are numerous biopics which have gotten consideration of the group of onlookers. The researcher tends to analyse selected Malayalam biopics which have been adapted from books and tries to analyse how these adaptations have been played by the filmmakers. Analysing the various film qualities like aesthetic, ideological and/or theoretical implications used in them, the narratives style and representations used in the films and how different the film is from the books.

VII

VIII

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The author wishes to express sincere appreciation to the Department of Media Studies for their extended long-term support and especially to Professor Naresh Rao for his vast reserve of patience and knowledge. I also thank course coordinator Fr. Biju K. Chacko, Suparna Naresh, Aasita Bali, Amutha Manavalan, Rajesh A., Kannan S. and Shantaraju S. for their valuable feedback and restless assistance in bringing out this research. This thesis would never have been completed without the encouragement and devotion of my family and friends.

IX

X

DEDICATION

To my parents

XI

XII

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter I: Introduction …………………………………………………….……...………1 Chapter II: Review of Literature …………………………………………………….……6 2.1 Indian Biopics …………………………………………………...………………..10 Chapter III: Methodology …………………………………………………….……...…..13 3.1 Film Analysing ………………………………….…………………………...……13 3.2 Approaches of Interpretation ………………………………….………………..…14 3.2.1 Iconic Analysis ...... 14 3.2.2 Semiotic Analysis ...... 14 3.2.3 Psychoanalytical Approach ...... 15 3.2.4 Shot by Shot Analysis ...... 15 3.2.5 Formalist Approach ...…………...... 16 3.2.6 Realist Approach ...... 16 3.2.7 Contextual Analysis ...... 16 3.3 Myth of Nationhood ...... 18 3.4 Constructing a Masculine Trope...... 18 Chapter IV: Analysis ...... 20 4.1 Veeraputhran ...... 20 4.1.1 Findings from the movie Veeraputhran ...... 23 4.2 Celluloid...... 26 4.2.1 Findings from the movie Celluloid ...... 29 4.3 Swathithirunal ...... 33 4.3.1 Swathi Thirunal as Arts Patron ...... 34 4.3.2 Swathi Thirunal as an Able Administrator ...... 37 4.3.3 Finding from the movie Swathithirunal ...... 49 Chapter V: Conclusion ...... 42 Works Cited ...... 43

XIII

Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION

Custen, in Bio/Pics: How Hollywood Constructed Public History (1992), views the class as having kicked the bucket with the studio period in Hollywood, and specifically, Darryl F. Zanuck, yet Bingham's 2010 study Whose Lives Are They Anyway? The Biopic as Contemporary Film Genre demonstrates how this propagates as an issue kind utilizing a hefty portion of the same tropes utilized as a part of the studio time which has emulated a comparative route as that indicated by Rick Altman in his point of interest study, Film/Genre. Bingham likewise throws light on the male biopic and the female biopic as unique classifications from one another, the previous for the most part managing extraordinary achievements, and the recent by and large managing female exploitation. Christopher Robe has additionally composed on the sex standards that underlie the biopic in his article, "Taking Hollywood Back" in the 2009 issue of Cinema Journal. The class of literary biography, biographical dramas or "biopics" are arranged in the hazy area in the middle of fiction and non-fiction. The expression "biopic" appears to infer a mixture of classes, extending from serious documentaries to melodrama, action film or comedy. Different extensions of social studies have just as of late come to acknowledge biographical film as a genre. Cinema plays a pivotal role in the negotiation and construction of national identity, selectively appropriating history, attempting to forge a sense of commonality in a set of people by evoking a sense of a shared past and by establishing a rupture with “others.” One of the means of constructing a nation is through the biopic. Great men biopics chronicle heroic deeds, sacrifice, and lofty moral virtues and either fabricate, or rediscover, and authenticate the myths of the founding fathers and celebrated men. Biopics disseminate the “myth of nationhood” by use of various narrative strategies – such as a glorification of hyper-masculinity, structuring binary oppositions in terms of character and thematic concerns, “otherness,” visualizing national territory, homogenizing a cultural diversity etc. These films become a part of the nationalistic discourse that reflects perceptions of what it means to be “Indian.” Bollywood in general and the biopic in particular has moved away

from the Mother India mythology and its feminine reading of the nation to produce a particular variant of nationalism. The narrativisation of the past in silver screen has been a system for proliferating the thought of the country to a national open, a methods by which an individuals can fabricate a picture of themselves as people and groups. After a century of silver screen, motion pictures have changed significantly, both innovatively and elaborately, however after a hundred years, standard film is as of now telling and retelling stories, and the greater part of those stories are as of now being (or have been) appropriated from literary or emotional sources, as much as 85 percent by a few estimations and records. Adjustment has dependably been fundamental to the procedure of filmmaking since practically the starting and could well keep up its predominance into the film's second century. George F. Custen's Bio/Pics: How Hollywood Constructed Public History distributed in 1992 was one of the first far reaching histories of the class. While talking about Hollywood "studio" biopic's impacts on a more extensive gathering of people's understanding of verifiable occasions, Custen points out the power of cinema’s influence on the public’s perception of “truth”: “While most biopics do not claim to be the definitive history of an individual or era, they are often the only source of information many people will ever have on a given historical subject.” (Custen, 1992, p. 7) The audience for the most part searches out two fundamental "truths" when examining biographical film: the ordinarily known recorded and/or biographical actualities and the film's relationship to these and the "credibility" of the depiction of the primary character. Then again, seeing prominent recorded or open figures from another and unconventional viewpoint can bring them and consequently additionally the past into an alternate light. (Kangur, 2013) Katrin Kangur cites Giselle Bastin who clarifies our desires concerning biographical stories on screen as takes after: “When people’s lives are adapted to the screen, they are subject to the same appraisals and complaints that beset any form of film adaptation in the sense that the viewer can feel let down and betrayed by the film’s lack of similarity to its source “text”.” (Bastin, 2009) Also to the class of literary biography, biographical dramas or "biopics" are arranged in the hazy area in the middle of fiction and non-fiction. The expression "biopic" appears to infer a mixed bag of sorts, going from serious documentaries to melodrama, action film or comedy. Different limbs of social studies have just as of late come to 2

acknowledge biographical film as an issue. George F. Custen's Bio/Pics: How Hollywood Constructed Public History distributed in 1992 was one of the first complete histories of the class. The biopic as a genre is defined by Custen as encompassing films in which “the characters’ real names are used” (Custen, 1992, p. 8) “The fact that real names are used in biographical films suggests an openness to historical scrutiny and an attempt to present the film as the official story of a life.” (Custen, 1992, p. 8) While talking about Hollywood "studio" biopic's impacts on a more extensive crowd's understanding of authentic occasions, Custen brings up the force of film's impact on the general population's impression of "truth": “While most biopics do not claim to be the definitive history of an individual or era, they are often the only source of information many people will ever have on a given historical subject.” (Custen, 1992, p. 7) Biographical films as a rule have a tendency to take after two separate examples: those that claim narrative esteem and others that mean to reach more aesthetic objectives. The recent take more than every so often freedoms with the biographical/chronicled actualities for the sole purpose of introducing a holding story. Bingham summarizes this by saying that: “At the heart of the biopic is the urge to dramatize actuality and find in it the filmmaker’s own version of truth. The function of the biopic subject is to live the spectator a story. The genre’s charge, which dates back to its salad days in the Hollywood studio era, is to enter the biographical subject into the pantheon of cultural mythology, one way or another, and to show why he or she belongs there.” (Bingham, 2010, p. 10) The desires for biographical film no more incorporate recorded biographical precision – the "biopic", as per Bingham, is a sort that as a matter of first importance gives people in general the chance to really encounter an alternate life than their own. Treating autobiographical material as an issue of equivalent narrative quality, includes adjusting the subjective perspective of the autobiographical storyteller to a biographical literary work told in the third individual. With autobiographical writings, as distributed journals, journals or even semi fictional autobiographical books, perusers regularly expect that the writer of the content, the storyteller and the hero are one and the same individual. In the autobiographical content, the peruser hopes to discover the creator's close to home assessment of occasions. The individual behind the content ought to by one means or another be uncovered through it. These musings and feelings are acknowledged as the subjective perspective of the creator, reality as he or she sees it, not so much reality and nothing. This has been summarized as the different ways the reader can and will 3

identify with the protagonist of the story: “Generally, the reader of a biography can be compared to a person examining a portrait or viewing a performer on stage. The sympathetic reader of autobiography is summoned through empathy, and may remember moments more vividly than simply facts.” (Jolly, 2001) Then again, biography as an issue can't appreciate the same "flexibility": biography is required to give both a more extensive and more target picture of an individual's life and absolutely take after the recorded and biographical actualities. Still, without utilizing autobiographical materials as sources, the author of a biography can not the slightest bit render the considerations and sentiments of his principle character without getting to be fictional. A biographical film can bring out passionate compassion for the character on the screen – through cam work we can see what the characters "see", their non-verbal communication passes on feelings, and so forth – yet the viewer of a biographical film does not have immediate access to the inward universe of the autobiographical "I". Some have contended that this is additionally the motivation behind why something fundamental is inexorably lost when an autobiography is adjusted into a biographical content (both of a book or a film). With regards to memoirs made into movies, William Mooney has pointed out that “the written memoir, because of its peculiar dependence on the interrelation of author and protagonist by way of the first-person narration, inherently resists adaptation into film by someone other than its author. […] eliminating the “auto” from the autobiography typically transforms the written memoir into a flat re-enactment of past events, “based on a true story”, yet presented from an entirely different perspective, to be viewed and evaluated as a completely different kind of work.” (Mooney, 2007, p. 294) However, if film adjustment and its source text(s) are seen as works of equivalent unique quality, adding an autobiographical layer to a biographical film – through the voice- over method for instance – gives a knowledge into the brain of the character, the blend which adds to the observer's perspective and our capacity to recognize the performing artist with an actual historical person. In the case of a biographical film, including those based on a life-story in book form, there is always the “real life lived” and the historical events to consider. Custen discusses how biopics manage to create a very different image of the past from that of the history books by bringing the past closer through the experiences of an individual caught in the historical events. There are of course many factors involved in creating a “believable” portrait of an actual (historical) person, and most often there are many varied sources that support the final creation of the persona we meet on screen. Here the successful casting of 4

the actor in the role of the main character is naturally rather important. Usually the historical or biographical films are confronted with the choice of disregarding or using documentary images of their characters as a part of or to supplement to the story. The conflict of documentary and fictional images might break the film’s illusion of “reality” created by actors. (Custen, 1992, pp. 32-34) Films are also able to show the past through images that represent certain cultural codes (or clichés) about the historical era.

5

Chapter 2 REVIEW OF LITERATURE

The biopic or biographical film (sometimes referred to as the ‘biofilm’) represents the life history of an actual person. Unlike documentary film, biopics employ actors to play the roles of these individuals: they are dramatised, fictional films. Biopics are often told as being inspired by or based upon the lives of famous people including entertainers, royalty, scientists and even criminals. Custen’s study focused on the variety of biopics released solely during the studio era of Hollywood cinema (approximately 1930 to 1960) (Custen, 1992). Interestingly, Dennis Bingham's Whose Lives Are They Anyway? The Biopic as Contemporary Film Genre participates in a thorough discourse of the historical backdrop of biography going from the biographical written work of Lytton Strachey (1879–1932) through to the autonomous peculiarity film I'm Not There (Todd Haynes, 2007). Whose Lives additionally takes a gander at the different manifestations of biopic including showy discharges, made for TV motion pictures and short films. The book portrays the tasteful contrasts of these structures and the effect they have on the biography of the star. The profundity of the study makes Whose Lives ostensibly the absolute most productive scholastic study to date that examinations the current condition of the biographical film. There are countless approaches to classify and henceforth consider the biopic, including kind of hero, time of discharge, story topic and stylish. Whose Lives properly assembles the chose biopics as per the sex of the hero. Differentiated into these two segments, Whose Lives handles the noteworthy contrasts between the (white) male biopic and female biopics: As Bingham clarifies, 'This book mulls over the advancement and lifecycle changes of the class. It likewise sees histories of men and ladies as basically distinctive kinds, as feedback of literary biography has additionally had a tendency to do'. As men and ladies contrast extraordinarily, so excessively do films about their lives. As Bingham contends: Biopics of ladies are organized so uniquely in contrast to male biopics as to constitute their sort, and they are considered as being what is indicated in Book Two. The traditions of the female biopic...have demonstrated a great deal more obstinate than those of the male biopic. This is because of the society's trouble with the very issue of ladies in the general population

circle. This "trouble," as indicated by Bingham, kept female biopics in a cycle that always spoke to ladies' absence of achievement and their abuse. The pattern that Bingham decides in Whose Lives is that despite the fact that specific vocations or life occasions contrast for every person, the life of a real lady is spoken to in a notably diverse manner to that of a man in a biopic. The difference is ascribed to social impression of sexual orientation all through history, in accordance with perspectives evoked and made prevalently through established Hollywood film (Bingham, 2010). With films like Iris, Walk the Line, The Queen, Milk, The Wrestler overwhelming global film recompenses, the criticalness of biopics to contemporary circuits of "truthful" screen story is generally plainly obvious. The class has a tendency to be neglected "in actuality" banters about, in this manner exacerbating the discriminating disregard initially recognized by George Custen (1991) in his composition of the pretended by biopics in the development of open history. Imparting a large portion of the verifying codes and traditions of docudrama/dramadoc the biopic is distinctively concerned with specific authentic figures, instead of aggregate exercises and/or critical occasions, with effective ramifications for the ideological employments of the past. In the biopic the concentrate on the individual verifiable subject is exacerbated by standard silver screen's dependence on the expected film industry advance of real stars. The paper, Embodied reality: Contemporary biopics and the intonations of fame will grill the dynamic between star picture and the biopic subject. Given Dyer's contention that stars epitomize social values, the paper investigates how star persona curves our understandings of the biopic subject and the courses in which star picture upsets and/or helps the genuine talks assembled by the biopic account. (Dolan, 2009). Biopics of famous music stars have gotten to be very prominent in the first decade of the twenty-first century, with various film industry triumphs and motion picture grants in the class. In apparently offering a sight of the 'genuine story' behind the star persona, biopics help individual star pictures yet they likewise recreate more extensive accounts of mainstream music fame. Speaking to well known music fame on screen: the famous music biopic by Lee Marshalla & Isabel Kongsgaard offers a concise depiction of a percentage of the focal tropes of prominent music fame before enumerating how they are recreated in four late biopics. Further, the paper likewise examines the famous music biopic's equivocal relationship to truth. From one perspective, the biopic must constantly attest its truthfulness with a specific end goal to addition the power that a biopic needs to be credible and a wellspring of group of onlookers delight. Then again, be that as it may, the biopic can never

7

be a "genuine" truth as it is compelled by both the traditions of artistic authenticity and more extensive philosophies of prominent music fame. In its muddled uniting of truth and fiction, the paper contends, the prominent music biopic reflects the socially developed nature of fame all the more for the most part (Kongsgaard, 2012). “All those genres would have biographical elements or would occasionally do stories that are based on real characters, or real lives or people that existed. So, in a way, there’s been forming an idea of the biopic throughout film history as part of the popular genres, but the truth is that when Tom and I came into this project we also did it because we were interested that, in all this time, basically what we have is only two books, which are two excellent starting points to study the biopic, but it seemed very little considering the popularity of the genre” said Belen Vidal, co-author of The Biopic in Contemporary Film Culture. He likewise included that the vast majority of the long ago done writing on biopics was generally one-sided to English so they considered accomplishing additionally surveying of the biopic of recent years particularly and how additionally the class has spread and has gotten to be more obvious universally? The huge number of films originating from various national silver screens all showcasing them as biopics and a considerable number of them regularly being colossally prominent. La Môme (that was called La Vie en Rose) , a French film based on a French artist, Edith Piaf, making everything the route to the Oscars, the distance up to sort of easy street in Hollywood. It is circulated everywhere throughout the world. What about the conditions that made this hunger for biographical accounts and how the perticulat films are currently getting to be significantly more unmistakable from Hollywood as well as from everywhere throughout the world? The investigation of this phenomenon furthermore they remark on the biopic in contemporary film society. Is there such an unbelievable marvel as the poetics of the contemporary biopic? Is there such a mind-bending concept as a sort of specific structures that are consistently utilized and reused on numerous occasions, new types shaping… ? That is the thing that the book investigates taking a gander at the distinctive sections and uniting the work and attempting to discover the diverse focuses in like manner between parts that all the time would handle cycles and assortments of films from altogether different national films. They quote Hermione Lee, an illustrious biographer, “Biography is actually a quest for lives that speak to us” to say, its truly as critical the catching of the substance of the individual, of the character or the live of the individual as it is the reason it matters to us now and why it ought to matter to us. He further explains saying, “So the question of how best represent the live of a real person is fraught question because what we

8

can say is there have been modes of writing and modes of filming about real lives. We can go all the way back to Sigmund Freud and when he was researching about the live of Leonardo da Vinci and produced a biography that actually was heavily criticised by his contemporaries as being completely inaccurate. But what Freud was looking for was not exactly an accurate biography but for symptoms or little clues in the childhood of Leonardo that would give you a sense of the man that he would become later and the great artist he would become. And this is a model that really endures in contemporary film-making as well as in classical film-making.” The book has taken a gander at it as the teleological model or the fulfilling toward oneself story: retreating to the start of an account, backpedaling to the adolescence of the individual just to discover precisely the intimations that bode well for what one knows the individual will get to be. In that sense it delivers a totally fake or created story on the grounds that its generally adapted by what one knows this individual will get to be incredible for. So the story gets to be subordinated to that, its formed by that learning. So they were exceptionally intrigued about how that learning can get to be extremely ordinary and, as it were, extremely unsurprising. (Brown, 2014). The biopic “narrates, exhibits and celebrates the life of a subject in order to demonstrate, investigate or question his or her importance in the world; to illuminate fine points of a personality; and... to enter the biographical subject into the pantheon of cultural mythology” (Bingham, 2010). The established Great Man biopic seeks after the goal of soonest biographical written work: to join hagiography with enlightenment. Through a determination of the most encomiastic records of the subject, the biopic endeavors to deliver the full clarification of a life that is consistent with the misconceptions or aggregate social memories of the hero. Through “its controlling storytelling devices... beginning in medias res, embedded flashbacks to “primal scenes,” montage sequences that condense the rise (or fall) of the subject, or trial-like scenes where, under pressure, the historical character verbalizes his or her goal” (Vidal, 2014, p. 9) , the biopic inventively reproduces a verifiable minute and produces the legend as a device of history. As per Vidal, in portraying the legend's life before he attains significance, the biopic conflates myth with a feeling of authentic certainty and "history turns into close to a fulfilling toward oneself prediction". He includes that "this mode of location [the biopic] darkens its ideological predisposition". The onlooker of the extraordinary man biopic is in this way situated as an issue beneficiary of an "icon-memory."

9

2.1 Indian Biopics In film, incredible men biopics have been a strategy for conveying the interests of patriotism by the chronicling of brave deeds, presents, and grand good ethics, and by creating, rediscovering, or confirming the myths of commended men. Presentations of specific renditions of chronicled lives benefit particular philosophies and naturalize a symbolism of the country in the prevalent mind. In introducing a semi sensible depiction of the lives of the heroes, the Indian biopic builds and intercedes a particular and overwhelmingly manly picture of the country to the group of onlookers. The perfect of "country" is reenacted and implications, for example, national pride and national optimism, are imparted to the gathering of people in four Indian biopics: Sardar (Ketan Mehta, 1993), The Legend of Bhagat Singh (Rajkumar Santoshi, 2002), Mangal Pandey: The Rising (Ketan Mehta, 2005), and Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (Rakeysh Omprakash Mehta, 2013). Films can be utilized as proof of the nationalistic talks and society of the time in which they were produced. In India, artistic biography has delighted in becoming fame as of late with the realist strand delivering numerous biopics, outstandingly on the pioneers of the Freedom Struggle (Dwyer, 2014) Discriminating written work on Indian film, states Lalitha Gopalan, much of the time harps on how Indian films are consistently concerned with the inquiries of national personality and history (Gopalan, 1996, p. 381). The Independence Struggle, artistically related to the lives of its pioneers, has turned into a national casing of reference, a meta-account affecting aggregate personality, and filmmakers have either insisted or deconstructed the mythology encompassing national pioneers. The most punctual films – biographical pictures of legendary saints – were roused by Bal Gangadhar Tilak's call to "swadeshi" (from "swa" – own, and "desh" – nation). Kaliya Mardan, a 1919 film regulated by Dhundiraj Govind Phalke, demonstrated Lord Krishna vanquishing the serpent, Kaliya, to the ensemble of "Vande Mataram" (the progressive national melody of the Indian Freedom Movement). Bhakta Vidur (1921) retold the scene from the epic Mahabharata, with the hero, Vidura, showing up as Gandhi with his trademark loin material and top. The film likewise incorporated a melody on the chakra (the turning wheel, which Gandhi presented as an issue of Indian liberation) and the Indian National Congress. The lives of incredible men, legendary or recorded, have reliably been energizing purposes of patriotism. Through the stories of individual accomplishment, the biopic participates in a type of chronicled (re)writing where authentic occasions are seen through the subjective crystal of the legend's encounters. The one of a kind national

10

and social intonations of the biopic guarantee that the representation of the character is interceded through the talk of the country. That one of the prime thought processes of the biopic is developing the country can be seen from the way that the premise of the film is generally more emotional than authentic. While the plot of the film would try to take after the recorded "realities" where conceivable, the executive would not dither to substitute a fictional account for a generally exact one when the overall emotional concerns of the film demanded (Chopra-Gant, 2008, p. 75). On the off chance that it is the "crashes of realities and sensational fiction which causes a ton of safety" (Bingham, 2010) that makes Western biopics a "defective kind," in Indian biopics "emotional fiction" overpowers "facts" – deleting the problematics of subject's lives and developing an overwhelming saint. Indian biopics have seldom advanced past the soonest traditional, celebratory melodrama style; numerous wartsand- all sort of biopic like The Dirty Picture (focused around the life of thing number young lady, Silk Smitha) and Guru (on the life of eminent industrialist Dhirubhai Ambani) are just ineffectively masked realistic romans-à-clef, not biopics legitimate. In chronicling the lives of the celebrated, Indian biopics have a tendency to stay away from dubious angles and build the life as an unfolding of fate to significance and accomplishment. The "thought of a "calling," with its profound undertones" (Bingham, 2010, p. 37) educates the Indian biopic, and the legend turns into the epitome of goodness and righteousness; the film, a vehicle for an instructional message. Indian biopics, consequently, embody rhetoric of ideology – purity or patriotism, and films on national heroes are discursively framed to communicate the image of a nation to a public. Anderson's meaning of the country as "an envisioned political group – and envisioned as both constrained and sovereign" is still the acknowledged idea of the country. A country is a non-existent develop – it is not the enlivening of an individuals into political and social awareness; it is a production of a geo-political and social thought where none exists. “Both Gellner and Anderson stress that nations are ideological constructions seeking to forge a link between a self-defined cultural group and the state, creating abstract or imagined communities that we loosely refer to as ‘the nation’ and which gets passed off as ‘natural’” (Hayward, 2000, p. 89). A country rises as a thought from the customs of political thought and literary dialect furthermore through patriot talks that present the thought of a country as enduring through time. To keep up the fantasy of social and social coherence, a country needs stories

11

– an abundance of memories of an imparted past, magnificent legacy, and brave attempts, which are built by accounts that look to name the area and space that an individual’s inhabit. There are two aspects that constitute the “spiritual principle” of the nation: the past and the present – “the possession in common of a rich legacy of memories... [and]... a present day consent, the desire to live together, the will to perpetuate the value of a heritage that one has received in an undivided form” (Renan, 1990, p. 9). What biopic does is to create the one and instigate the other. The biopics’ politico-ideological interests resonate with what Friedrich Nietzsche called “‘monumental history’: a monologic discourse that seeks to forge continuities between the present and the past through the tools of narration” (Vidal, 2014, p. 11). Allied to a critical minute in the life of a country, biographical stories of national legends are significant at the present time memory, history and development of a particular talk of national character toward oneself.

12

Chapter 3 METHODOLOGY

The researcher has chosen to have a qualitative approach by conducting Critical Content Analysis and In-depth study on the topic. The researcher intends to refer articles, journals, research papers and other publications related to the topic of research. The researcher will be watching the selected movies and then compare the visualisation of the movies to the reference material which if about the real life personalities on whom the movies are based on.

3.1 Film Analysing Film investigation is the procedure in which a film is examined as far as mise-en- scène, cinematography, sound, and altering. One method for dissecting films is by the shot- by-shot examination, however that is commonly utilized just for little cuts or scenes. Film examination is nearly joined with film hypothesis. Diverse creators recommend different methodologies to film examination. Jacques Aumont and Michel Marie in their distribution Analysis of Film propose a few key focuses with respect to film examination. There is no all inclusive strategy for film examination, film investigation can never be closed as there will dependably be something more to investigate and it is vital for one to have information about film history in place perform a film examination. They perceive different sorts of methodologies: Text-based film examination (structural methodology), theme based investigation (account methodology), picture and sound methodology (notorious investigation), psychoanalytical methodology and recorded methodology. An alternate system is recommended by Thomas and Vivian Sobchack in their distribution Introduction to film. They recommend viewer can see taking after components: examination of film space, investigation of film time and film sound. As they concentrate principally on notable parts of film they further propose extra components: the picture, tone, arrangement and development

3.2 Approaches of Interpretation

3.2.1 Iconic Analysis Iconic analysis essentially manages picture or picture (and off and on again additionally film sound). In notable analysis we attempt to see how diverse pictorial components pass on the importance of film. There are a few cases in film history where picture was significantly more than simply key component of film (i.e. prewwii vanguard films, Italian neorealism, film noir, and so on.). However today in most account films (Fictional film) we attempt to conceal pictorial components from group of onlookers and cover them behind the story. In such films it is generally troublesome (if not occasion pointless) to examine picture accordingly. We in this way all the more regularly have a tendency to watch different components like light, cam development (see Cinematography), creation and so forth and attempt to see how these components impact or cross-reference different components of film, in the same way as story, mind-set and so on. As notorious analysis gets from single picture and it is nearly identified with systems of film creation therefore requesting in any event concise understanding of these specialized components of film it is for the most part valuable strategy for exploration for film schools and other instructive organizations. Film commentators tend not utilize this strategy as an issue "alone" approach, yet they rather utilize it as an issue of different analysis system.

3.2.2 Semiotic Analysis Semiotics (additionally called semiotic studies and in the Saussurean custom called semiology is the investigation of importance making, the philosophical hypothesis of signs and images. This incorporates the investigation of signs and sign methods (semiosis), evidence, assignment, similarity, relationship, illustration, imagery, implication, and correspondence. Semiotics is nearly identified with the field of semantics, which, as far as concerns its, studies the structure and importance of dialect all the more particularly. As unique in relation to semantics, be that as it may, semiotics likewise ponders non-phonetic sign frameworks. Semiotics regularly is isolated into three limbs: Semantics is the connection in the middle of signs and the things to which they allude; their denotata, or significance. Syntactics is relations among signs in formal structures. Pragmatics is the connection in the middle of signs and sign-utilizing operators.

14

3.2.3 Psychoanalytical Approach Aged Greek logic's "upsetting of mythology" as an issue to understanding of the increased tasteful. For Plato, Eros takes a just about otherworldly indication when the subject looks to go past itself and structure a common union with the objectival other: "the genuine request of going...to the things of adoration, is to utilize the excellencies of earth as steps...to all reasonable structures, and from reasonable structures to reasonable actions, and from reasonable actions to reasonable thoughts, until from reasonable ideas he lands at the idea of outright magnificence".

3.2.4 Shot by Shot Analysis This is a composed portrayal of a given grouping in a film in place of the shots. As per Michael Ryan and Melissa Lenos, while doing shot-by-shot analysis, we begin with depicting the systems utilized as a part of the shots or pictures we are examining. After that, we likewise need to expand what impacts these systems can deliver when seeing the film; for instance, cam heads what we see in the film so the progressions in cam plot have affect on gathering of people's elucidations of the implications the motion picture tries to pass on. A portion of the systems utilized as a part of film delivering could be structure (frontal area/foundation, casing/smashing, and so forth.), cinematography (close-up, medium shot and long shot, dish shot, tilt shot, and so on.), altering (montage, eye line match, and so on.), etc. Recognizing the substance, whether express, verifiable, or symptomatic, with a certain mentality you see the film takes (whether by its essayist and/or its executive), is an understanding of its ideological significance. Numerous films are unmistakable endeavors by their filmmakers to influence crowds to their perspectives. Others are more keen on raising different issues for crowds to contemplate. These may be less cumbersome in supporting one perspective or an alternate, and some of the time even appear to be irresolute, portraying contradicting perspectives as each one having substantial concerns and each one having their great and awful focuses. Still different films express evident socio-political perspectives through their characters, yet may seem to disaffirm them through the actions and extreme resolutions of the plot, conceivably to keep them attractive to a more extensive open while even now bringing issues to light of the issues. It's dependent upon viewers and faultfinders to figure out if a film is viable at accomplishing some or every last bit of its aims, and off and on again even what those expectations may

15

be. Analysis from a mixed bag of methodologies can help a viewer acknowledge simply what a film is attempting to do, and to admire it more, whether one concurs with it.

3.2.5 Formalist Approach A formalist methodology takes a gander at the film itself, its structure and structure. Consequently, while different methodologies regularly utilize some level of outside confirmation to investigate a film, a formalist methodology will concentrate essentially on inward proof. This methodology may examine how the way the plot displays the story material drives the viewer to see things at sure times and have reactions that may be diverse if introduced some other way. A story analysis will look at how a film utilizes different account formal components, (for example, character, setting, reiteration/variety, and so on.) to pass on intending to the viewer. Analysis of particular formal strategies may focus on a film's utilization of mise en scene or photographic structure, cam developments, altering decisions, sound in connection to the picture, and so on., noting the impact of those procedures on how the viewer sees the scenes and translates what they mean.

3.2.6 Realist Approach A realist methodology looks at how a film speaks to "reality." Some films endeavor to make systems "undetectable" to viewers so the characters and circumstances are dependably the essential centering. Others endeavor to utilize artistic strategies to repeat a certain kind of reality the filmmaker needs the gathering of people to experience - adoration, maturing, memory, craziness, medication use, and so on. A few films are more concerned with making temperaments and passionate impressions than with delineating a customarily plotted story with an evident starting, center, and end. These films may be endeavoring to pass on a kind of reality critical to their makers, trusting that viewers will get on it, however non-standard utilization of strategies and non-standard structure may oblige a deliberate exertion from a viewer to comprehend, numerous viewings, or even a clarification by the filmmaker.

3.2.7 Contextual Analysis A contextualist methodology to analysis dependably considers a film as a component of some more extensive connection. This can be society everywhere (as in the symptomatic translations specified over), the specific society, time, and place that made it (a culturalist approach), the executive's close to home life and past collection of work (an

16

auteurist approach that expect the chief is the "creator" of a film), or different mental and/or ideological connections. A mental approach regularly recognizes plot components with hypotheses of clinicians like Freud or Jung, searching for sexual imagery, treatment of the intuitive, representations of the id, conscience, and superego, and so forth. The dualist methodology searches for sets of contrary energies (male-female, great detestable, light- dim, urban-rustic, and so forth.), conceivably distinguishing them as typical of differentiating propensities in the public eye or personal temperament itself. A women's activist analysis focuses on the depictions of ladies in a film - are they solid, powerless, generalizations, heroes, adversaries, and so on. A Marxist pundit will endeavor to partner characters and occasions in a film as illustrative of class battle, work versus administration, poor versus rich, abusive governments, and other Marxist sociopolitical concerns. A nonspecific methodology takes a gander at a film as an issue of a type, contrasting it and different films from the same classification and discovering significance by recognizing imparted typical themes or varieties from the normal equation. This is particularly helpful when a film deliberately subverts or modifies different components of customary bland recipes. A nonexclusive analysis frequently profits from a more extensive arriving at context oriented methodology, as an issue number of class films (particularly sci-fi, dream, and westerns, additionally others, for example, excursion films, war films, and chronicled dramas) join purposeful representations and symptomatic substance identifying with contemporary society at the time they were made. An alternate approach to look at a film in a certain setting is to annul its gathering by crowds and commentators throughout the years. A few films were colossal mainstream and basic triumphs when initially discharged, yet were everything except overlooked inside a couple of years or maybe 10 years or two. Different films were basically overlooked when they first turned out, yet steadily picked up viewer and basic approval to the point that they're currently viewed as real magnum opuses or dearest top choices. It's conceivable that a film initially dismisses by faultfinders however prevalent with the mass review open step by step turned around that position through the decades so it is currently discriminatingly regarded yet to a great extent hated by the overall population. Still different films incite a certain measure of discussion, falling lock stock and done with support starting with one decade then onto the next as open and/or basic tastes change. A variety on this overview of reaction to a film throughout the years is the hereditary methodology, which finishes a film all phases of its creation and discharge. It will look at and assess different drafts of the story and script, updates about changes amid creation, proceeding through different cuts of the film made for sneak peak groups of

17

onlookers, showy discharge, re-altered rereleases, TV and feature versions, and later "complete" executive's cuts.

3.3 Myth of Nationhood Biopics disseminate the “myth of nationhood” by use of various narrative strategies. These films turn into a piece of the nationalistic talk that reflects impression of what it intends to be "Indian." National cinema does not “simply articulate the cultural specificities of a given pre-existing nature” (Hjort & MacKenzie, 2000, p. 8), in any case empowers the tenants of the geo-political space of India to envision themselves as an issue national group. Different signifiers of a country – space, tunes, and semiotics – are introduced to summon a patriot soul. On the quality of the films being tended to here, it can be said that the most critical story procedures are the development of a manly figure of speech, the formation of parallel resistances, and the utilization of visual, lexical and typical representations in light of what is seen as the current concerns of the country.

3.4 Constructing a Masculine Trope Conventional Indian culture favored the masculinity of the Brahman (the cleric/researcher standing) with his cerebral self-denial over the brutal and dynamic Kshatriya (the warrior station). Then again, with pilgrim goals valorising hyper-manliness and criticizing the English taught locals as mischievous and weak, Indian patriots attempted to recover their respect toward oneself by building the perfect of the Kshatriya as the ideal model of "genuine Indianness". (Kulkarni, 2014). Krishnaswamy contends that the thought of Indian feminineness was "a misreading and misshaped distinguishment of something genuine in Indian society". Hindu mystery placed man as a perfect female fan mulling over the Divine, and this bisexuality was deciphered as per Victorian standards as undermining. Before the end of the nineteenth century, the idea of Oriental effeminacy and subsequent mental and good mediocrity turned into the standard, and Indian men looked to reshape themselves in the picture of the unrivaled colonialist who was hearty, virile and military. The credo of combative manliness, subsequently, emerged as an issue story to the pilgrim talk that disdained the local as exhausted, sub-par and uninvolved. Violent anti-colonial struggle derives from the “appropriation of the colonial rhetoric of emasculation, whereby the native needs to reclaim his power by reclaiming his manhood...” (Nandi, 2012, p. 14), furthermore one method for affirming masculinity was by ensuring his lady/country. The hegemonic story of India spread by the patriots amid the Freedom Movement was that of

18

the country as Divine Mother/Goddess. The national tune "Vande Mataram" (Hail, Divine Mother) hypostatized India as Durga, the warrior Goddess, who massacres the evil swarms that the divine beings were weak against. Among the activist progressives of the Indian Freedom development, the image spoke to the Holy Land/ Mother, and the Freedom battle, accordingly, turned into an admonishment to male valor to free the National Goddess whose "goodness and immaculateness must be forcefully guarded against outsider men who are not children of the dirt" (Alter, 2011, p. 114). The gendered philosophy of the Freedom Struggle was determined by the feeling of subordination and absence of organization of the colonized male who tried to reshape himself in the picture of the royal perfect of husky masculinity. With the approach of Gandhian non-viciousness, which contributed enduring, disrespect toward oneself and benevolence with prudence, the warrior imagery was omitted and the ladylike nature of uninvolved safety celebrated. Both Gandhi and Tagore despised the tight thought process powers of Western patriotism which propelled the "religion of patriotism" (Tagore, p. 450) and called for universalism as an issue for world ills. Gandhi's patriot governmental issues, his worship of poise, turning and Satyagraha ("soul energy") went against obvious manliness and undermined the rationality of forceful virility of the progressive powers. His philosophy – his accentuation on the remedial estimation of ahimsa, requests to God and fasts – "lead to the development of what may be called a hermaphroditic governmental issues" (Alter, 2011, p. 50)

19

Chapter 4 ANALYSIS

The researcher has made a choice of 3 Malayalam movies in order to analyse the treatment of facts in Biopics which are adapted from books. This study will help in understanding the ways by which the directors adapt facts into their movies. The movies which will be analysed are: 1. Veeraputhran 2. Celluloid 3. Swathi Thirunal

4.1 Veeraputhran

Figure 1: Poster of the movie Veeraputhran

Veeraputhran is a 2011 Malayalam historical film directed by P. T. Kunju Muhammed focused around the story composed by N. P. Mohammed, which is focused around the life of Indian Freedom figheter and anti colonial activist Mohammed Abdul

Rahiman (1898 – 1945). The film concentrates on the opposition to Colonial developments in present day Kerala amid British raj. The film has Narain as Mohammed Abdul Rahiman and Raima Sen as Rahiman's wife Kunhi Beevathu. The cast likewise incorporates Lakshmi Gopalaswamy, Siddique, Kalabhavan Mani, Sai Kumar, Devan, Valsala Menon, and Sajitha Madathil.

Figure 2: Mohammed Abdul Rahiman

Figure 3: Narain as Mohammed Abdul Rahiman

Plot: The film is about the momentous history of Malabar amid India's autonomy battle. The film essentially focusses on the life of Mohammed Abdul Rahiman, an opportunity warrior and Congress pioneer, known for heading the Khilafat Movement. It covers the period in Malabar history beginning with the landing of Abdul Rahiman in Kerala at

21

23years old, in the wake of ending his training in Aligarh, up to his death in 1945. The storygoes through Rahiman Sahib's urgent disappointment in the decision of 1934, the exciting win that recovers his position in the race of 1937, and the death of his perfect partner,whose closet he takes with him as an un-separable recognition. Veera Puthran recounts the story of prestigious opportunity warrior Mohammed Abdul Rahiman, and his battle against the British Empire. Rahiman (1898 - 1945) in Kunhi Mohammed's film, is indicated pursuing a war of his own in Malabar for the flexibility of his nation, with the real developments of the day remade as an issue - the KPCC Convention, Khilafat Movement and the Salt Sathyagraha and so on. The film is focused around a story by NP Mohammed, and its an astonish that Rahiman's bravery is sort of limited to the title. Since in the film, we get to see him all the more as an issue, who was head over heels in adoration with his wife Kunhi Beevathu (Raima Sen). Rahiman is delineated as being crushed by her inconvenient death, and is actually disturbed by her memories. The film starts with the educator Dr. Vimal Menon (Sharath Kumar) approaching his students to strive for an undertaking which will bail them scrape out the concealed aspects of the broad-minded men, about who the popular writers have expounded on. The edges of the lavish class with portable computer fielded students all of a sudden hops to the toned casings of Khilafat development at Ottappalam where Muhammad Abdulrahiman develops as a pioneer and asks his friends to keep up congruity and not to follow up on poor savage senses against the brutal British domain. Likewise indicated in the adjoining edges are his ever living adoration for his wife, Kunhi Beevathu (Raima Sen) who while pregnant strives for an unexpected passing because of assault of small pox. Sahib is demonstrated to take one her clothing in his baggage as her constant eerie memory and declines to remarry. He runs a newspaper named 'Al Ameen' to battle the British, figures out how to keep it drifting for a considerable length of time yet steadily ran into substantial troubles. The film likewise manages his endeavours in his fights and the common attitude which had reactions with in his own particular group men. Though the film neglects to uncover the puzzle encompassing his demise, with shots suggesting a certain radical gatherings taking part in a plot to execute him by wounding. Rahiman is additionally indicated to have an extraordinary liking towards creatures, with a deer chasing after him like a puppy. That it’s a vivified one does hose things down a bit, yet the fact of the matter is determined home by and by.

22

The Al-Ameen daily paper distributed by Rahiman is portrayed as having had a huge effect on the socio-political situation of the times. There isn't precisely a conclusion in the film in respect to how Rahiman passed away, and it’s through obscure recommendations that Kunhi Mohammed focuses at the conceivable reasons. Veera Puthran's script toward the end of everything, introduces an extremely cloudy portrayal of Rahiman, the man, and the brave credits are found to have turned up lost as it were. It's a mellowed down rendition of the flexibility contender's story maybe, and fluctuating between the individual and political lives of the incredible saint, the film does equity to not one or the other. Narein in the title part, does full equity to the character, however his voice is a bit excessively smooth to acquire the blaze and flares connected with the lively identity. Kunhi Mohammed's Veera Puthran does not fulfill either as an issue reenactment or as an issue piece. Controversies: Veeraputhran was blamed for giving signs that Mohammed Abdul Rahiman was harmed to death while official history expresses that he had a regular passing. Essayist Hameed Chennamangalur, from whose familial family house Rahman Sahib had his last supper and later given way at a close-by business, said the suggestion in the film that his nourishment was harmed "bends history as well as maligns my progenitors." Asked about the column, executive P. T. Kunju Muhammed advised that he had not attempted to twist history in the film. "History is not a syndication of anybody and there can be diverse elucidations. I have led an examination in my style by inspiring perspectives of prominent history specialists and the neighborhood individuals," he said.

4.1.1 Findings from the movie Veeraputhran Kunhi Mohammed makes it clear toward the start of the film Veera Puthran, that the film isn't a careful replication of history, yet rather an innovative piece in which creative ability has been mixed with reality. The safeguard does give the film creator the freedom to receive a stand that need not so much fit in with the compunctions of making an authentic. The director of the film has just made the film Veeraputhran focused around the story of N P Mohammed. The director, who has likewise composed the script focused around the story by N P Mohammed, neglects to foundation the incidents to the degree that individuals with some sound thought regarding the historical backdrop of Kerala can just appreciate the film. Additionally, P T discourages from a realistic presentation of numerous occasions and

23

"courageous" deeds of the focal character, which now and again simply is by all accounts confined to the title. The dreary treatment of an incoherent account is the enormous let- down of the motion picture, whose bringing about a significant improvement than numerous other comparative biopics. Narain tries his absolute best to look persuading as Mohammed Abdu Rahman Sahib, however his dialog conveyance and gentler voice appears a jumble for a speaker of such a stature. The executive appears to have concentrated more on the focal character than the rest in the cast including Saikumar, Sadiq, Ashokan, and Siddhique who don't have enough screen space, however Kalabhavan Mani gets an alternate amazing part as 'Undakakka'. The specialized side of the film is topnotch, with Pattanam Rasheed's cosmetics, outfits and Boban's craft course giving the practical feel to the chronicled. MJ Radhakrishnan's visuals are fabulous and altering by Don Max structure the film to have more pace than what was truly required of the class. The 3d movement of Sahib's deer "Bacchu" which appears to have brimming with life. "Veeraputhran" neglects to artistically revive the legend of Mohammad Abdu Rahman Sahib that it can scarcely move the future eras to comprehend the intensity of the extraordinary pioneer who seriously contradicted segment of the nation and made his devotees to go the non-savage way. It additionally neglects to make any of the feelings joined to a film that arrangements with such an energetic topic.

Stills of the movie:

Figure 4: Mohammed Abdul Rahiman at a meeting

24

Figure 5: Mohammed Abdul Rahiman being beaten up by the police

Figure 6: Mohammed Abdul Rahiman being interrogated by the police

25

4.2 Celluloid

Figure 7: Prithviraj as J C Daniel

Figure 8: Portrait picture of J C Daniel

26

Celluloid is a 2013 Malayalam film composed and directed by Kamal, features Prithviraj, Sreenivasan, Mamta Mohandas and Chandni. The film is focused around the biography of J.C. Daniel, known as the father of Malayalam silver screen, for the making of his film Vigathakumaran and the story of Vigathakumaran's courageous woman P. K. Rosie. The film is based around the novel Nashta Naayika written by Vinu Abraham and Life of J. C. Daniel, a biography of J. C. Daniel composed by Chelangatt Gopalakrishnan. Plot: Celluloid tells the story of J. C. Daniel (Prithviraj) and his adoration for film. He puts everything on the line to get the gear needed to make a film, composition various letters, going by spots and gathering Dada Saheb Phalke-the man who brought silver screen to India. Getting a female artiste to act in his motion picture was an extreme errand. It is chosen that Rosamma, rechristened later as P K Rosy (Chandini), will exposition the lead part in J. C. Daniel's progressive 'movie' wander, Vigathakumaran, the story of which J. C. Daniel himself imagined. He offers everything to make his fantasy a reality, further acquiring cash to meet the costs. At the point when at last Vigathakumaran is screened at Capitol Theater, a 'cinemapura', the upper station parts of the group of onlookers makes a ruckus over a lower position young lady going about as an issue woman. Rosie, chased by the Madambis leaves town never to be seen again. A long time later, the withered, destitution ridden Daniel, with just his wife Janet (Mamta Mohandas) by his side, is heading a life far expelled from what he had conceived. Chelangatt Gopalakrishnan's (Sreenivasan) enthusiasm toward Daniel's life, his exertions to provide for him his due and the flashbacks to the episodes throughout Daniel's life after Vigathakumaran structure whatever is left of the motion picture. The heartbreaking story of the father of Malayalam film, J C Daniel, has been described by Director Kamal in Celluloid. J C Daniel (Prithviraj) was conceived in Nagercoil and he succeeded in making the first film in Malayalam, Vigathakumaran or The Lost Child in 1928. He had learnt the systems in filmmaking from the fanciful filmmaker and the father of Indian films, Dada Saheb Phalke. He made Vigathakumaran, a social dramatization, which had a standard specialist named P K Rosy (Chandni) as its champion. Be that as it may the standard society didn't sanction of all these and the demonstrating of Daniel's film were upset. Blushing needed to escape from the spot and later nobody realized what befell her. In spite of the fact that Daniel recuperated from the monetary emergency that emulated by turning into a dental practitioner, he lost all that he had at the end of the day,

27

when he endeavored to make an alternate film. He passed on in destitution, without being recognized by any. His wife Janet (Mamta Mohandas) was the main individual who remained by him, from the beginning, in the same way as a mainstay of backing. There is an inalienable honorability in making a film on this virtuoso. In view of author Chelangad Gopalakrishnan's (played in the film by Sreenivasan) deliberations that brought the story of Daniel to the world furthermore on Vinu Abraham's book titled 'Nashta naayika' on Rosy, Kamal has put in genuine exertions to remind this brilliant lesson to all motion picture buffs. Because of the way that Daniel's life has maybe been more fascinating than a riddle thriller, the entire story has been described like a traditional narrative. Likewise there is the inquiry of genuineness of truths too. There has been a push to put the entire fault of not giving the due for Daniel amid his lifetime, on an official. At the same time then the inquiry emerges that even the film business neglected to recognize Daniel despite the fact that he passed on just in 1975. There are some cool says about a percentage of the prominent names however all that needs enough clarity or importance. The nonappearance of fitting examination and a sluggish account style is apparent on occasion. At the point when Daniel's child is alive even now it is not clear why he has not been incorporated in this biopic (the part has additionally been carried out by Prithviraj). The capacity where Daniel's child has been displayed excessively is not by any stretch of the imagination persuading and it is not clear whether a percentage of the big names who are indicated there were really present amid the first occasion. In a period when breathtaking biopics like "Lincoln" are consistently made, "Celluloid" is a "marketed and shabby" endeavor, best case scenario. Malayalam film has seen a fantastic film like Lekhayude Maranam Oru Flashback made three decades back, taking into account the questionable life of a performer. Celluloid is no place close, in its splendor as an issue. Celluloid needs to be acknowledged for bringing the life of a legend on screen, which was staggeringly disastrous. Controversies: The film professedly contains defamatory comments on famous author and common servant Malayatoor Ramakrishnan and previous Kerala Chief Minister K. Karunakaran which started off a discussion in Kerala. Karunakaran is not transparently specified yet Malayattoor is consistently depicted as an issue who never needed a Nadar to be given the title as the father of Malayalam film. This was trailed by a disputable question

28

by Kamal in which he expressed that Karunakaran and Malayatoor Ramakrishnan had parts in denying equity to J. C. Daniel by not remembering him as the father of Malayalam film. Kamal had called attention to in the question that performing artist Siddique's character in the film attempted Malayatoor Ramakrishnan and he deliberately abstained from saying the names of Karunakaran and Malayatoor to dodge debates.

4.2.1 Findings from the movie Celluloid The film takes after a genuinely basic structure and does not put on a show to sound or look urgent to be seen as an issue. While most filmmakers would have been enticed to make this a non-straight film today, Kamal keeps it basic and begins off the story in the 1920's when J.C.Daniel (Prithviraj) is demonstrated as an issue quick to put Kerala on the guide of Indian Cinema by making the first Malayalam film. The film, taking into account the life of JC Daniel moves, touches and pulls you closer to the characters. You begin relating to the torment of the heroes. Despite the fact that Celluloid is a passionate film, it doesn't go under the rundown of 'workmanship silver screen'. Kamal verifies that there is a lot of captivating minutes. The motion picture is the most befitting tribute to Jivanayakam Cyril Daniel. The executive has additionally radiantly kept up the look and feel of the 30s, 60s and 70s. Indeed the issues and embarrassments that a lady (particularly from the lower strata of the general public) in those days needed to face is delineated convincingly through the character of PK Rosie, Malayalam film industry's first ever courageous woman. The film starts with JC Daniel's (Prithviraj) passage in a Classic canvas of 1920's. Celluloid tries to tell the crowd the motivation behind why Daniel and Rosy were slighted and disengaged from both life and silver screen. The film is an endeavor to distinguish how and why Daniel and Rosy were dismissed and segregated from both life and film and subsequently pay compensation to the remorselessness allotted to them by the Malayalam film industry. "Celluloid" is a period film and Kamal has possessed the capacity to reproduce the atmosphere of the 1920s for the present day group of onlookers. The energy of the incipient film-producer , Daniel, , who is the maker, executive and the male lead of his film, as he goes about orchestrating the stores, securing the supplies, setting up the studio and getting together a team , is tangible and irresistible. One acknowledges how a great deal more fearlessness, trust, determination and creative ability goes into any sort of spearheading

29

work and how significantly more the expenses of disappointment encroaches on one's life , when everything one had was put into the endeavors to satisfy a fantasy . Daniel's film, the first movie made in malayalam (well not in malayalam , truly, as sound had not then yet been presented ), was bound from the earliest starting point , not in view of any imperfection that could've been credited to any of the parts of the film itself, but since some upper position agents of society esteemed it profane that the champion was from a lower rank. Daniel is compelled to auction his home and remaining property and leave for Madras with his family, where he figures out how to get his life and considerably succeed as an issue. That is, till the bug nibbles him again and he plunges himself into an unfortunate second endeavor at making a film. From that point on, it was a relentless downslide, took off alone to wait gradually into maturity and sightlessness, with simply his wife , who kept on being his backing , in spite of every last one of misfortunes and injuries that had tormented them. Daniel's story would've been left undiscovered had it not been for the tireless steadiness with which a film columnist followed him down and followed out the story from the discussions he had with Janet, Daniel's wife and later occupied with Daniel with a considerable measure of introductory surrendered hesitance from the recent's side . Chelangat Gopalakrishnan's part (played by Srinivasan) @ in restoring Daniel's legitimate place as the way breaker of malayalam silver screen is in fact excellent as is Kamal's exertion through "Celluloid". The film is delightfully made. Prithviraj as J.C. Daniel and Mamta Mohandas as his wife, Janet, have done strikingly well. Indeed the tunes were tuned in to the music of those times. The make-up , especially in the matter of Daniel's and Janet's maturing faces , is quietly executed and doesn't stick out , aside from the abnormality l of Janet's smooth hands, which did not demonstrate the same desolates of time that was portrayed all over and hair. On the off chance that that is nit-picking, well, these are the little subtleties that either weaken or upgrade generally splendidly made motion pictures. One felt the same anxiousness and disappointment at the self importance of the Bombay courageous woman whom Daniel had at first picked for his film, as he himself is indicated to have encountered. The feeling of delight after the filming of the first scene and the hurry of pride and contained rush when he takes a gander at the first lace of celluloid with the noticeable foods grown from the ground of his lady endeavors could be quickly exchanged. At the point when Rosy , the lower standing courageous woman is discovered squatting in a corner of the verandah outside, having her humble gruel from a little

30

transporter, as opposed to joining the others at the feasting table, one feels a twinge of that aggregate blame. It was lamentable to watch Rosy being pushed aside on the screening day, in light of the fact that the dignitaries, so to talk were scandalized to discover that they would need to watch the film in her region. Chandni, who performed the part of Rosamma(rosy) in the film, does take our sympathies and when she swallows down her feelings , remaining outside the theater , listening to her name being reported , however not able to watch herself on screen, one starts to stifle also. Also one was tore by anguish when she needed to escape far from the threatening gathering who had torched the cottage they existed in and was determined to murdering her. One felt astonished too at the sort of selectiveness that had damaged the social fabric of those days. There are a lot of people such touching minutes in the motion picture, in the same way as when Daniel puts some cash in the hands of the projector administrator, as an issue of his bliss, just before the film begins moving and the servile look's all over when she is informed that all her scenes had been finished. One could gage her feeling of misfortune , not only in light of the fact that the delight of acting had arrived at an end, additionally for the way that amid the short spell when she sanctioned the life of an upper standing champion , the truth of her.

Stills from the film:

Firure 9: J C Daniel and family watching a cinema togerher

31

Figure 10: J C Daniel’s movie being announced

Figure 11: J C Daniel looking through the film negative

Figure 12: Rosy and her friend not allowed in the theatre

32

4.3 Swathithirunal

Figure 13: Poster of the movie Swathithirunal

Figure 14: Portrait of Swathithirunal

33

Swathi Thirunal is a 1987 Malayalam biographical film co-written and directed by Lenin Rajendran. It stars Anant Nag in the title role, and Srividya, Nedumudi Venu and Murali in other important roles. The film is based on the life of Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma, the Maharaja of the state of Travancore. Plot: The story begins with Gowri Lakshmi Bayi entrusting the four month old Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma to the care of the English East India Company whose representative was Col. Munro. Then it cuts to when Swathi Thirunal is sixteen and takes over the reins of Travancore from his aunt Gowri Parvati Bayi. Swathi Thirunal's biography is then shown against the backdrop of the music that he himself has composed. The movie ends with his death in 1846.

4.3.1 Swathi Thirunal as Arts Patron Swathi Thirunal's notoriety for being a supporter of social exercises pulled in a few musical performers, lovers of the dance floor and authors from different parts of the country to his court. Eraimman Thampi, who was the court writer, was also an excellent musical arranger. A large number of the melodies of Thampi have ended up colossally well known by virtue of their satisfying song and their attractive dialect. Among the musical artists who were in his court there were four siblings Vadivelu, .Sivanandam, Chinnaiah and Ponniah, who were masters and types in a few extensions of music and move. Vadivelu was the best artists and dance specialists of that time. He was an expert in playing the violin, and the Raja Swathi Thirunal gifted him with an instrument which was of ivory. However some individuals as of late quality a portion of the musical works of Maharaja to these siblings. Noted Veena player Balachander was the man who spearheaded this hypothesis. This is completely outlandish, Maharaja's composition duplicates are found, and all his organizations contain the stamp of dedication to Sree Padmanabha. Among the masters in instrumental music in Swathithirunal's court was Ananthapadmanabha Goaswami, prevalently known as Meruswami. Meruswami was a VIP in the court of the Tanjore Raja, and he was an incredible example of Harikatha and Hindustani Music. The Maharaja authorized an attractive annuity for him and authorization for the free utilization of a palanquin. The Maharaja's energy about the Hindustani music was in charge of arranging a troupe of Hindustani artistes in the royal residence. There were in that troupe, three dance experts and a Hindustani musical example, Allaudin from Mysore. An alternate artist from

34

the North as Syed Sulaiman, a Pathan, whose unique capacity was in playing Swarabath, a musical instrument. Sarangi players additionally got his consolation . Chintamony of Tanjore was an extraordinary type of this. The Maharaja's adoration for music was not bound to unadulterated music, yet it likewise grasped the nearly partnered craftsmanship, move. He had incredible enthusiasm toward Bharathanattyam and Mohiniyattam. Bharathanattyam pulled in the uncommon consideration of the Maharaja even from his adolescence. Extraordinary examples of that craftsmanship like Nagaratnam of Srirangam, Pichu Bhagavather from Tanjore were welcome to Thiruvananthapuaram for exhibitions and they were liberally remunerated. Vadivelu, whom we said prior, was the expert of Bharathanattyam troupe and he is famously known as Nattuvan Vadivelu – Nattuvan implies dance specialist. Under the amiable support and consolation of the Maharaja, Bharathanattayam won tremendous prominence among the populace of Travancore. A few lovers of the dance floor originated from Tanjore in those days and settled down in Trivandrum getting due consolation from the royal residence. Vadivelu, Meruswami and others about whom notice has been made, were the imperative musical performers joined to the court of the Maharaja. At the same time there were an assemblage of minor figures who likewise appreciated the support of Maharaja. The royal residence records of the times outfit smooth proof of the prizes and presents granted by the Maharaja to artists and masters in instruments. Among them may be said, Anantharaman and Mukundaraman of mysore, Sivarama Sastrikal of Kalahasti, Lakshmana Das of Gwalior, Vellabarayar of Tanjore, Halavati a master of Mohiniyattam fromtanjore and Parameshwara Bhagavathar of Palakkad. There were a few talented performers in Travancore who were peers of the Maharaja. The premier among them was, undoubtedly, Govinda Marar, who has won notoriety as Shadkala Govinda Marar. He is viewed as the best performer conceived in Kerala, who had the capacity win the support of his incredible contemporary Sri Thyagaraja, the praised musical artist and arranger of South India. Be that as it may there were a few different performers who were connected to the court of the Maharaja. It uncovers a surprising certainty that in those days, there were countless performers in Kerala, noted for their extraordinary abilities, both in vocal and also instrumental music. The antiquated musical convention of Kerala proceeds practically

35

unbroken. Sangitaratnakaram Sri Rama Sastrigal, Kavirajan Avanavanjcherry Krishnan Bhagavathar and others, merit extraordinary notice. The Maharaja had in his court, prominent writers like Kilimanur Vidwan Koyi Thampuran and Eraimman Thampi and extraordinary researchers like Simhadri sastri of Mysore, and Krishnappa Sastri of Hydrabad, Vasudeve Acharin of Kumbhakonam and Krishna Sastri of Tanjore. There were additionally extraordinary stargazers like sankaranantha, a local of North Malabar, who won incredible popularity as a consultant of Ranjit Singh, Lion of Punjab, lastly got to be as judge of the High Court of Travancore and a squire of the Maharaja. There were moreover, equestrians, entertainers, gymnasts, stone carvers, doctors and painters. Dasini, a painter from Tanjore, was utilized by the Maharaja for painting pictures in the Sree Padmanabha Swami Temple. Despite this all inclusiveness of his advantage, his inclination for music and writing was very well indeed known. From specific stories passed on by oral convention, it gives the idea that even writers had a grouse against the inclination indicated by the Maharaja, however the chaperons over and again let him know that the Maharaja was locked in with musical performers. One artist even created a verse communicating his inclination of frustrations and asking when artists like himself could have the benefit of a group of people with the Maharaja. The story need to be taken as an issue on the disposition of the Maharaja towards writing, for he was himself an extraordinary researcher in a few dialects Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Hindi, Persian, English, other than Malayalam, and a great artist. It is additionally paramount that two of his most noteworthy squires, Vidwan Koyi Thampuran of Kilimanoor and Eraimman Thampi were extraordinary literary gems. Koyi Thampuran is well known as the creator of a lovely Kathkali work 'RAVANA VIJAYAM', and Eraimman Thampi one of the best artists of Malayalam. Then again, it may not be right to say what Swathi Thirunal demonstrated an intemperate affection for music, and that was in charge of making an inclination of desire in the personalities of different artistes The support given by the Maharaja to music and the consolation given to the musical performers and artistes merit the most noteworthy commendation. The Maharaja's accomplishments are thankfully recollected, and his sample will ever serve to rouse the world in the advancement of learning and expressive arts. His, memory will always be esteemed as one of the best supporters of music and workmanship in South India.

36

4.3.2 Swathi Thirunal as an Able Administrator Maharaja Swathi Thirunal's rule was a time of move. The condition of Travancore was consistently losing its freedom to the becoming force of the British Empire. More of the managerial forces were repealed by the British Resident. To the Maharaja who inherited the pleased conventions of one of the most seasoned regal families in India, the British obstruction was just about terrible. His soul of flexibility battled futile before the hegemonic British force, till his passing in 1847.inspired by the most elevated goals of the Dharma Sastra and roused by the welfare of the individuals, his aspiration was to expand upon the establishments laid by his distinguished progenitors and upgrade the flourishing of the State in a way deserving of the customs and suited to the states of his time. An incredible researcher and etymologist blessed with uncommon imaginative endowments, he was enthusiastically committed to expressions and letters, yet he never forgot that his as a matter of first importance obligation as Sri Padmanabha Dasa was to take care of the issues of the State and advance the prosperity of his subjects. Amid the time of his mother Lakshmi Bai and his auntie Parvathi Bai, there was a change in the way of authoritative example, by which Colonel Munro consolidated in him the parts of the British Resident and the Dewan. That being said, the Administration under the capable Colonel was remarkable for its effectiveness. Saturated with Indian convention and in the meantime completely familiar with the beliefs and thoughts of the West, Swathi Thirunal needed to give the profits of the best peculiarities of both the frameworks to his kin and keep up proficient regulatory framework. The principal demonstration of the Maharaja as an overseer was to move the Huzur Cutcherry (Secretariat) and other open work places from Kollam to Thiruvananthapuram with a perspective to securing more successful control in the release of authority business. He likewise gave individual consideration in the transaction of extremely paramount undertakings of State and kept a vigilant watch over the advancement in the different offices. Redesign and modernization of legal by the foundation of Munsiff courts, Zillah courts and an Appeal court at the capital was one of the early measures acquainted by the Maharaja with enhance the proficiency of legal administration in the state. The proclamation of another code of regulations in 1835 on the British Indian model was an alternate venture in the same heading.

37

The instructive strategy of the Maharaja reveals to him to be a far-located overseer. He established the framework of present day training in the State by securing English schools and by offering business to those having learning of that dialect. He understood that the success of a horticultural nation like Travancore relied on upon an effective area income strategy coupled with satisfactory offices for transport and watering system. The review of the paddy grounds of the state embraced by the Government in 1837 (1012 M.e.) was a standout amongst the most advantageous measures to enhance the loss of the occupants and cultivators. The area records readied amid that study are important archives in choosing debate and inquiries identifying with arrived properties even right up 'til the present time. The association of a building division with an extraordinary watering system segment at Nanjinad bears confirmation to the Maharaja's dedication to base building. He was similarly keen on advancing exchange as may be seen from the nullification of minor obligations on more than 160 articles. A few essential establishments started to be because of the individual enthusiasm of the Maharaja, and some of them like the Trivandrum Observatory, the Museum & Zoo, the Government Press, the State Library and so forth. These organizations in Thiruvananthapuram have formed into head foundations of the State. The philanthropy doctor's facility established by him at Thiruvananthapuram established the framework for the Allopathic arrangement of medicinal treatment in Travancore. These and also a few different measures embraced by him, demonstrate the distinct fascinations he took in the organization of the State with a perspective to advancing all-round success and progression of the individuals. The criticalness he appended to his part as an issue may be unmistakably seen from his disposition to the British Resident, General Cullen, who meddled with the organization, and additionally from his dealings with degenerate officers. His associations with General Cullen structure a sad scene in our history. Had the Maharaja been a frail ruler, substance to keep the bearings of the delegate of the magnificent force, his life would have been far more content. Anyhow he seems to have had such a high feeling of obligation and self esteem as not to respect unjustifiable mediation. A man of the most elevated standards and nature, he couldn't stream any form of wrongdoing or degenerate exercise. The release of Dewan Subha Rao from administration outfits a persuading sample. The Maharaja was mentored by Rao before he turned into the Dewan, yet it did not keep the Maharaja from expelling Roa from administration when he

38

was accused of dishonour were raised against him. It is especially to be paid attention to the fact that the Maharaja didn’t alter his opinion much after a board of trustees of investigation absolved the Dewan not being guilty of the crime he was accused of. A few different officers likewise had the same experience from Maharaja. He did not tolerate any sort of nepotism and preference, which could according to him ruin the organization. At the point when Dewan Reddy Rao delegated two of his children in his office against a particular cautioning given to him, the Maharaja released them. Reddy Rao himself was asked to render his renunciation or to submit himself to an open enquiry when he was blamed for having acknowledged pay off. These are a couple among the various occasions uncovering his high feeling of open profound quality and virtue of organization.

4.4 Finding from the movie Swathithirunal Swathi Thirunal is the best-known of the 19th C. Travancore kings. The British treaty (1795) established Travancore as an independent state figureheaded by its royalty. As with e.g. the Mysore state and other capitals of former rulers reduced to ceremonial function, this period saw a major revival of classical music and performing arts. However, Swathi Thirunal’s reign has received special attention, as a relatively uncomplicated era preceding Travancore’s decline into the 20th- C. rule of the despotic Diwan C.P. Ramaswamy Aiyer against whom the 1940s communist uprising was directed. The big- budget CinemaScope film, by a director noted for his CPI(M) sympathies, appropriates what it presents as a ‘golden age’ in Travancore history. Its resemblance to G.V. Iyer’s Hamsa Geethe (1975) in this regard is further heightened by the presence of leading man Anant Nag, whose naturalist underplaying of the king contrasts with the elaborate period decor. After establishing the king’s credentials as lover and patron of art and music, and as staunch antiimperialist, the film devolves into a love story with the Tanjore dancer Sugandhavalli (Srividya). The escalating political crisis is represented by the arrival of a new general, and ends with the king’s death. King Swathi’s talents as a musician and capabilities as an administrator are shown through the movie. He is normally perceived as a soft hearted king who loved music and a patron of musiicians despite his responsibilities as ruler. But as the movie progresses he is seen as a ruler with a different vision who fought against contemperory realities of state craft and at the same time an individual who had his own mental struggles and agonies.

39

Born as the son of Regent Queen Gowri Lakshmi Bhai and Raja Raja Varma Koyi Thampuran of Changanassery royal family on April 16, 1813, Swathi lived only 33 years. When he assumed the power at the age of 16, many princely states in India had been caught in a power struggle with the British rulers. The situation was no different in Travancore. But, despite the stresses and strains of the time, Swathi was keen to achieve excellence in every field he touched. The farsighted administrator who realised the potential of English language, Swathi Thirunal opened the first state-run English school in 1834. It was this school that later evolved into Travancore University and later renamed as Kerala University. He also initiated judicial reforms by establishing Munsiff courts, Zillah courts and appeal courts and reorganised his army "Nair brigade" on the lines of the British military. With an aim to providing advance medical care for his subjects, he opened a modern hospital in Thycaud in the city paving the way for promotion of modern medicine and allopathic treatment in the state. The setting up of irrigation and engineering departments and the launch of the survey of rice cultivation base also added to the long list of his achievements as a ruler. Several important establishments in Kerala like Trivandrum Observatory, Museum and Zoo, Government Press and state Public Library were also become a reality during his rule. Though the list of his achievements as a ruler could be longer, Swathis contributions to arts and music are always considered the greatest. Rajendran’s movie on Swathi Tirunal with Kannada actor Ananthnag in the title role is widely appreciated. According to him there was a trend among historians to depict the legendary king as as a "super human being" and that approach was nothing but total distortion of history. According to him "Swathi Thirunal was not super human as portrayed by many of our historians. He had to face many humiliations from the British administrators during his reign. By his time, the native rulers had begun to lose their powers and privileges. There were records that the British rulers nullified many of his orders. He could not even appoint a guard for his own without the permission of the British residents. The king had also had to face pressures from his own family members. These inner struggles made King Swathi an introvert and made him mostly confined to his chamber during his final days. Many of our historians have failed to unveil this aspect

40

and continue to portray him as a super human. Writing history without considering the realities of the period is sheer distortion of facts.

Stills of the movie:

Figure 15: Anant Nag as Swathithirunal

Figure 16: King and his wife interacting

41

Chapter 5 CONCLUSION

Films are hard to analyse and no director can always do full justice to any story being represented on the screen. The analysis of the films gives a clear picture of how there is a difference in how the director puts facts on to the screen. We see that at many points in the films there is a conflict between facts and human emotions where most of the time emotions are given priority than facts. The director even if has done good research of the person, he gives an emotional interpretation to the whole plot of the movie. Translation does not always mean adapting but translation can also be understood as a concept and in terms of films it gets reflected in the acting, dialogue and costume of the character. Films are mostly a director’s point of view which gets transulated to the screen with the help of the author, in this papers case the research material upon which the movies are written. Therefore it depends a lot on the understanding of the history which actually happened by the director and scriptwriter of the movie. This enables a proper understanding among the audience as well as translation of history in the right manner to the screen without any bias puts the film in good light. Therefore any film created requires a thorough understanding of what factors weave into creating story and this involves precision from the side of the director so that the audience accepts the right format.

WORKS CITED

Alter, J. (2011). Moral Materialism: Sex and Masculinity in Modern India. Penguin Books. Bastin, G. (2009). Filming the Ineffable: Biopics of the British Royal Family. Auto/Biography Studies. Bingham, D. (2010). Whose Lives Are They Anyway? The Biopic as Contemporary Film Genre. Rutgers University Press. Brown, B. V. (2014, April 14). The Biopic in Contemporary Film Culture. (E. G. Fuertes, Interviewer) Chopra-Gant, M. (2008). Cinema and History: The Telling of Stories. Custen, G. F. (1992). Bio/Pics: How Hollywood Constructed Public History. New York: Rutgers University Press. Dolan, J. (2009). Embodied reality: Contemporary biopics and the inflections of stardom. Pamplona, Spain: University of Navarra. Dwyer, R. (2014). The Biopic of the New Middle Classes in Contemporary Hindi. Brown, T., & B. Vidal, The Biopic in Contemporary Film Culture, 68. Gopalan, L. (1996). Indian Cinema in Nelmes, J., Introduction to Film Studies. Routledge. Hayward, S. (2000). Framing National Cinemas. Routledge, 81-94. Hjort, M., & MacKenzie, S. (2000). Introduction to their Cinema and Nation. Routledge. Jolly, M. (2001). Encyclopedia of life writing: Autobiographical and Biographical. Kangur, K. (2013). Knut Hamsun as a Literary and Film Character. INTERLITTERARIA, 382–396. Kongsgaard, L. M. (2012). Representing popular music stardom on screen: the popular music biopic. Routledge is a global publisher of quality academic books, journals & online reference. Kulkarni, M. (2014). Critical Masculine Studies in India in R.K. Dasgupta and K.M. Gokulsing, Masculinity and Its Challenges in India: Essays on Changing Perceptions. McFarland and Co. Mooney, W. (2007). Memoir and the Limits of Adaptation. The Literature/Film Reader: Issues of Adaptation. Nandi, S. (2012). Introduction: Violence, Cinema and the Postcolonial Masculine in Spectacles of Blood: A Study of Masculinity and Violence in Postcolonial Films. Renan, E. (1990). What Is a Nation? in Bhabha, H.K., Nation and Narration. Routledge. Tagore, R. (n.d.). Nationalism in Japan, Great Works of Tagore. 439-455. Vidal, B. (2014). The Biopic and Its Critical Contexts. Brown, T., & B. Vidal, The Biopic in Contemporary Film Culture, 9.