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A Vivid Potrayal of the Indian Middle Class: Through the Lens of Habib Faisal

Afifa Baig & Garima Srivastava

Abstract:

This research paper is an effort to study and analyze the creative expressions of a comparatively recent Hindi film director, Habib Faisal’s directorial breakthroughs, ‘’(2010, Hindi) and ‘Dawat-e-Ishq (2014, Hindi). The researcher has used a descriptive type of research by undertaking a case study and content analysis of these films. The objective of the study is to explore the characteristics and intrinsic appeal in Faisal’s signature style and to pay attention to the underlying theme of the film. Faisal follows the path carved by renowned filmmaker Hrishikesh Mukherjee. He has taken a middle path between mainstream cinema and the harsh realism of art cinema. He has toned down the entire pitch of the movies, keeping the narrative low-key, even as the story moves down a path of conflict between crass commercial interests and social responsibility with happy ending with reservations. Faisal has addressed myriad of issues simultaneously in one cinematic experience i.e. film. He has created a real, wholesome world within his microcosmic outline of stories, adding gems to the lineage of middle-class films in Indian Cinema.

Key Words: Direction, Middle Cinema, Symbolism, Characterization, Cinematic experience.

A gentleman from Delhi who is basically a writer, Habib Faisal mostly portrays the narrow lanes of B town, local dialect and day-to-day challenges in a common man’s life. Faisal 2

continues the journey with his characters whether it is appreciated or not. Most of his films are not in the 100 crore clubs but he is still known for his interesting and incredible dialogues.

He obtained a degree in Mass communication from Jamia Millia Islamia University. Before graduation, he got involved in theatre with Kirori Mal College’s (KMC) Society, Delhi. Faisal, in an interview, said that just like any urban middle class background where everyone wants to become a doctor or an engineer, he was also moving on the same path. Although, he was interested in medical stream but could not clear the medical entrance. While pursuing Mass Communication course at Jamia Millia Islamia, he got a chance to assist in a film ‘Electric Moon’ directed by Pradip Kishen and written by Arundhati Roy, which was released in 1992 (Vishwamohan and John, Behind the Scenes: Contemporary Bollywood Directors and their Cinema 347). To follow his dream of becoming a writer, he shifted to USA to pursue masters in fine arts in cinema and photography (Likhar, Habib Faisal para 2). After returning from the USA, he started working as a cameraman in NDTV and this is how the journey of passion started. Faisal has written many films like Salam Namaste, Tara Rum Pum, , all three films under the Yash Raj Films banner, but the film Do Dooni Chaar, his directorial debut, gained the highest popularity among all his films as it received Filmfare award for the best dialogues. Faisal garnered praises in the field of screenplays and dialogues. His authorship signalled through the presence of strong female characters and an attention to nuances of locations, characters, language and class. Vishwamohan and John also explain that, “Faisal’s oeuvre emerges at a period of key shifts in the Mumbai film industry. The impact of these changes is visible in the production and distribution strategies of Yash Raj films, the company under which Faisal has generated nearly all his filmic work. The changes that occurred in last decade or so include: hiring new directors, writers, marketing executives, production crew, introducing new stars, creating a new brand” (Behind the Scenes: Contemporary Bollywood Directors and their Cinema, 348). Faisal believes presenting true stories on screen rather than 3

reconstructing and moulding an actual script. In an interview he answers that true stories attracts him as he finds them perfect “Instead of finding a story in something that is created by a novelist or writer, which is screened through the prism of that writer here is a reality for me to apply my own filters and my own observations and life experiences” (Rosario, Residential Societies are a microcosm of Indian Polity para 3).

The present paper explores the cinematic treatment of the middle class which constitutes a major part of Indian society but there are only a few directors who have taken the characters from this class as their subjects. Lack of glamour and no scope for show off are the apparent reasons for not considering life of a middle class man as themes of feature films in India. The paper aims to study the middle-of-the-road cinema of Habib Faisal with heart breaking irony and erudite sensibilities. It also examines the impact of tough competition and growing ambitions on the middle class value system. The paper further investigates the use of symbolism in creative visual portrayal of the theme of the film. Prasad in his book titled Ideology of the Hindi Film-A Historical Construction) analyses film-making as one of the greatest forms of art in the modern times. He examines various features or forms of narratives practiced in Indian Cinema. He also says that a film that showcases middle class scripts dominates the emergence of nuclear families. Middle-class mirrors the national identity and the core values of a society. Prasad elaborates on the detailed picture of Indian cinema rooted in our society as well as provides description about middle-class cinema, theoretical and actual portrayal of scripts and narratives styles (78-81). Ray in Our Films Their Films) expresses that creating a true film which actually touches the heart of audiences, it is necessary for film-maker to guide inconsistencies and presents most basic aspects of Indian life that are habit, speech, dress, manners, background and foreground in true sense. He feels that Indian film industry lacks its own unique style and misses the identity recognized as truly Indian. He analyses locations, sets, setting and costumes, as all these play a pivotal role in the films. As all these things attract audiences and create a deeper impact on their 4

minds (25-38). The observations of Ray may be seen in the creative outputs of Habib Faisal. Guneratne, in Rethinking Third Cinema describes ideas about third cinema theory and stresses cinema practicing in developing nations (like India). Indian films that highlight the issues of race, religion and discrimination are diminishing with high speed. But at the same time cinema of India is proving its own unique style of narration. However, he also says that narrative structure adopted in Indian cinema is influenced by Hollywood but still it has that potential that it depicts the Indian essence and has own unique characteristics (3-8). Somaaya, in Fragmented Frames–Reflections of a Film Critic after analysing different shades of Indian cinema finds out that change in the perception or in the perspective has taken place in this film industry. Her book showcases various aspects or reflections ranging like mythological, horror, theatre and many more and also discusses the real issues. She also says that in earlier times, writing on cinema was considered as ‘yellow journalism’ but now it is highly respectable and one of the most crucial professions in this industry (10-40). Monaco (How to Read a Film-Movies, Media and Beyond) explains film from different points of view such as an art, craft, science, tradition and technology. He says that all these facets are necessary to understand various perspectives or meaning a film conveys to its audiences. He closely examines the film’s narrative structure in comparison to other art and crafts like novel, painting, music, photography and many more (1- 25). This examination resulted in developing a view to know the ways a film communicates with its audience in such a manner that it should be clearly understood. Both Do Dooni Chaar (2010, Hindi) and Dawat-e- Ishq (2014, Hindi) have been analysed to understand the craft of the filmmaker on the selected parameters.

The present research paper follows the qualitative research method. The two films undertaken for the study have been analysed using descriptive method. Two films of director Habib Faisal in which he has expressed powerful characters depicting typical middle class on the silver screen have been selected. The analysis takes Auteur theory of cinema as a base to 5

critically judge the narrative in the films chosen for this paper. Auteur is a French word which means ‘author. It is one of the film theories that describe the person who directs the movie is the author and the direction reflects his point of view. A French film director, Francois Truffaut, who was also a film critic and one of the founders of the French New Wave, said, “There are no good or bad movies, only good and bad directors.” He wrote an essay ‘A Certain Tendency in French Cinema’ in 1954 where he argued that film is a great platform for any director to showcase one’s personal ideas and hence, he could easily be regarded as an auteur (qtd.in Kidwai, Representation of Women in Hindi Cinema: A Comparative Study of Commercial and Parallel Cinema, 131). This film theory helps researchers to understand that representing a character on screen, viewpoint of the filmmaker is very significant. Researcher aims to ascertain a few parameters necessary to analyse these two films. The parameters chosen are: Characterization, Symbolism and Social Concern. The analysis of the films is based on connotative and denotative meaning of the image, vision, symbolism, themes, mise-en-scène, and narrative structure and technique of the film. The secondary sources of the study include books, journals, published studies conducted earlier by researchers in the field, and internet. The key terms used in discussion are-

Middle-class Cinema- This term defines the films based on the stories of common people or the middle class section of the society. This class is also known as the class that works from 10am to7pm for six days a week to earn their livelihood.

Symbolism: The sub text, expressed as metamorphic content that leaves a deeper impact on the minds of the audience. It carries more meaning than what it sees. Not only in films but it is also used in poetry, literature and screenwriting. Symbolism expresses the invisible or hidden meaning behind the thought or idea presented on screen. 6

Characterization: It is a process of representation of a person’s character, behaviour or nature in such a way that it can be understood by the audience and Cinematic Expression: The director’s point of view to direct the film and put it on screen. It also includes the various cinematic techniques a director uses to make a film.

The story of ‘Do Dooni Chaar’ revolves around a middle-class Punjabi Duggal family who lives in Lajpat Nagar, Delhi. Santosh Duggal is a Maths teacher in a private school. He also works in a coaching centre after school time for additional income. His wife Kusum Duggal is a housewife. Two children Sandeep and Payal have their ambitions and desire to come out of middle class living standards. They want to purchase a car due to social pressures and envious neighbours. Since it is out of their pocket, they try lottery, chit fund and other options. Finally a lucrative bribe option seizes the honest and simple maths teacher in its clutches. Duggal sir fights it back and somehow his values are saved. Faisal represents a story of every common man who wants to raise his standard of living and status in society. “Do Dooni Chaar is considered as one of the most important films of the current times in the changing scenario of Indian film-making. It is described as the celebration of the great Indian middle-class and its values and traditions,” says (Kamath, Fantastic Four-Do Dooni Chaar para 1),

The Plot of ‘Dawat-e-Ishq’ tells a story of struggle of a middle class Muslim girl Gulrez of Hyderabad who is in search of a suitable groom for herself, but in every meeting with the proposed groom and his family, she only faces disappointment as none of the would-be groom’s family values her intelligence and talent. She encounters only the greedy families who want dowry in the name of marriage. (Kumar, in Dawat-e-Ishq:A Potent Recipe at The Hindu) states, “Director Habib Faisal who has knack for documenting social churning, updates us with the forms of human greed that have come up in the society in the times of Facebook and 498A.Yes, the section of Indian Penal Code which empowers women to strike back in dowry cases. Can this provision be misused also? The film certainly raises this question. These are some of the 7

concerns that Faisal puts across in an appealing film that impresses with its progressive approach without turning into a lesson of moral science” (para 2). Gulrez makes a plan to steal enough money from a greedy family using section 498 to fulfil her dreams. She changes the identity of her father and herself. In order to find a voracious groom, she finds a genuine person who is less educated but is as genuine as his delicious, mouth-watering preparations. Fragrance of honest efforts and tasty food spreads and touches the hearts of father and daughter duo. Now Faisal again succeeds to create the famous dilemma of the middle class and the duo returns to their original pure value system.

The protagonist Santosh Duggal, (played by ) belongs to a middle-class family living in Lajpat Nagar of Delhi. He is a typical father who always remains serious as a part of his duty. He is a caring and a protective father of his children but not easily approachable. Duggal sir is a mathematics teacher in a school bound to spend a simple life adhering to high moral values of honesty and integrity. He is a very disciplined and punctual teacher who takes classes on time despite any occasion or problem in his family. Do Dooni Chaar is an ode to the teachers who have taught all of us the lessons of life that stay with us in all ups and downs. Faisal’s character looks real and fits in the plot of the film. Kusum Duggal (Duggal’s wife) is a former librarian who left her job on her husband's insistence. She is a housewife and takes care of her family’s every need from preparing tiffin to selling bangles to save the dignity of family. She is a loving wife and a caring mother. She is the one who brings a smile on the face of every family member in any situation. She loves to watch TV serials. She is a Punjabi wife who is always happy. Payal Duggal (Duggal’s daughter) is an intelligent girl and loves to be like a tomboy. She has created a false image in her college that she belongs to a rich family. She loves to wear branded t-shirts and always blames her family for not being in a position to afford her requirements due to low income of her father. The whole thing she wants is that the daddy Duggal must buy a car to give a suitable reply to ever taunting neighbours. Duggal fights with the temptation to accept the bribe 8

to fulfil the dreams of his girl. The character showcases the high and unreal aspirations of the young generation. Sandeep Duggal (Duggal’s son) is the youngest person in the family. He is a sports and technology buff, having good knowledge of gadgets. In a dialogue when his father asks, “tujhe kaise pata I-pod kitne ka aata hai tune to kabhi nahin khareeda.” He replies, “khareedi to IPL ki team bhi nahi par pata hai Shahrukh ne 400 crore rupaye diye hain Knight Rider’s ke liye” depicts his wit and interest in sports and technology. He is very naughty who irritates his sister all the time. He lies to his family for every small thing which is normal in middle class families due to many restrictions on children.

Dawat-e-Ishq is also a story representing a common woman Gulrez played by who is a middle-class Muslim girl and lives in Hyderabad with her widower father. She is an intelligent and wise girl suffering rejection from eligible boys as her father is unable to arrange enough dowries as per the demand from the groom's family. Faisal brilliantly portrays the humour and sadness of the situation. Gulrez dreams of becoming a shoe designer and works in a shoe store as a sales-woman. She is a foodie and lively girl who has solutions to every problem. She is passionate about studying or working abroad like any other common girl in India. Gulrez contrives a plan to avenge on the dowry-seeking grooms and realise her dreams to study in America. Booji’s moral dilemma, underlines the directorial style of Faisal. Abdul Qadir (Anupam Kher) is a humble, honest but helpless person who loves his daughter Gulrez the most. He works as a clerk in the court and is worried about his daughter’s marriage. The father- daughter relationship and the textures of their home, clothes, even the tiffin boxes blend exactly with their roles in the movie. The money the old man saved up diligently over the years for his daughter’s marriage was not enough to satiate the greed of the families that knock on the doors. Here, Faisal, the director of the film highlights the social evil. Tariq Haidar (Aditya) is a character of a Lucknawi cook and owner of the khandani restaurant ‘Haidari Kebabs’. Tariq represents a young self-dependent youth who doesn’t want any dowry and believes in gender 9

equality. He respects his parents so he accepts the dowry proposal but helps Gulrez by giving the money secretly. The characters in both the representative films of Habib Faisal are simple, next door common man/woman. Their wishes, aspiration and the ambition of life revolve around the day to day life. On the other hand, they think hypothetically, work on very unrealistic plans to get easy money in both the films. Faisal says that a diversion from the core values of middle class drives them to imperfect strategy where they themselves are proved to be the weakest element. A moral dilemma keeps striking them.

Habib Faisal’s style of storytelling includes subtext with the main text. And the subtext can often be observed as symbols used in his films. He starts his film with a dialogue, “Do dooni chaar kahani hamare do pahiye ke scooter se chaar pahiye ki car tak ki hai” depicting the wishes, dreams and desires of the middle class families that start with two-wheeler and ends in aspiration to buy a car. Here, it’s not only about a scooter or car but the dialogue renders the small dreams of a common man and his life which revolves around fulfilling these little wishes. One more aspect of scooter and car expresses that in our society, the scooter symbolizes middle- class families who want to raise their status to an upper middle class by owning at least a small car. However, a luxurious car gives the status of being rich. In a scene where Duggal’s sister insists him to come to her place in a car only. Frustrated Dugggal says that, “Keh dena Mercedes gaadi mein aarahe the, takkar ho gayi Mercedes khatam and family bhi full and final” symbolizes that how tough it is for a common man to buy a luxurious car. Daughter Duggal takes her father to a McDonald’s restaurant, to discuss the plan to take a bribe from a student and give him the question paper of mathematics. Here, Faisal brilliantly uses a fast food restaurant as a place to discuss the ways to get fast and quick money. Both fast food and quick money prove to be unhealthy in long terms.

As the opening credits surface, the names of the cast and crew flashes as printed on the menu card symbolizes the theme of the film i.e. the famous Hyderabadi food. In a scene where the 10

groom's family arrives to see Gulrez, her father brings a chair for all the guests and he himself sits on a small stool which depicts the status of a girl’s father in the society in comparison to a boy’s family. The house of Abdul Qadir is half cemented reveals a normal middle-class background. A single parent family with a marriageable daughter and a father who is honest keeping his core values high, obviously not having enough money to show off and decorate his house. In a scene Gulrez is driving a scooter to drop her father at his office. She discusses her dream saying that, “Booji, jab hamare paas bahut saare paise ho jayenge na to hum ek bada sa bangla kharidenge jubilee hills mein aur waha settle ho jayenge” simulating with the dreams of the family in ‘Do Dooni Chaar’. Faisal’s writing style perfectly presents middle-class living on screen, for what he is known for.

Faisal’s concerns are very comprehensible in both the films. He is successful in creating subtle messages and connects with his audience. He delicately handles the issues of fine line between the right and wrong, between being ambitious and hard working for it instead of manipulating circumstances to get quick success to fulfil the ambition. Fighting the social pressures is another important element in his films through which all middle class families undergo. Generating a subtle message to stick on the core value system is not easy in the era where no preaching is permissible. Still Faisal succeeds in establishing values in an acceptable manner. In a scene of ‘Do Dooni Chaar’ Duggal’s sister starts weeping and saying, “sabke maayke mein car hai ek bas mere hi maayke mein nahi hai” showcases the pressure implied by the relatives. But the protagonist survives this pressure. When Duggal sahab tries to call a student who offers him a bribe to get good marks suddenly gets scared by listening to a dialogue on TV, “bach kar rahe is laalchi pakhandi se”. He feels that the comment is pointed towards him and it becomes a burden on his conscience. Finally he could save his values and also get the car. Habib Faisal’s vision is clear in Dawat-e- Ishq also. He uses dialogues of the film to portray the lives of middle class families. He is not only making a comment on dowry but the whole struggle 11

of a woman’s life. Surviving after taking birth as a girl child, getting education at par with the boys, looking for dreams to come true, above all expecting a life with self-respect is not less than a crime in this society. The protagonist asks her father that she is committing this crime and he is also an equal partner as he is supporting her throughout. This is a depiction of being punished by the society. Habib Faisal belongs to a common middle-class family and probably this is the reason he successfully communicates his perspective of middle class. In a scene where Abdul Qadir is running to receive his boss then collects his things from the car juxtaposing with Gulrez working in a shoe shop and busy with a customer and managing her tantrums also. This visual expresses the struggle of a common man to reach his dreams.

Faisal as a director of middle class stories effectively exhibits the ideals, values, social norms and ironies as a part of the Indian middle class life. Indian middle class carries the whole burden of keeping social values on its shoulders. Having limited income sources, dreams and desires also have their limitations. Though the aspirations, to fly high and grab all that the so called rich people have in the society, exist strongly in the younger generation who don't want to compromise. The two major obstacles in getting the desirables are the value system and the limited income. The whole struggle of the middle class has been woven in these odd and even situations of life. Faisal has a grip and understanding of the famous irony of the middle class. All his stories originate, develop and culminate around these challenges of life. The reel characters represent the lives of real middle class people and their problems in such a genuine way on the silver screen that leaves deep long lasting effects on the minds of viewers. Kamath in (Fantastic Four-Do Dooni Chaar) concluded that, “The characters are as real as they get, be it the visiting aunt or the bitter neighbours or the bratty students who don’t feel the need to attend extra classes. Faisal crafts some truly beautiful moments as he lets these real people protect their personal pride fiercely every time it comes under attack” (para 9).

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Works Cited

Dawat-e- Ishq. Directed by Habib Faisal, performances by Aditya roy kapoor and parinati Chopra, Yash Raj Films, 2014.

Do Dooni Chaar. Directed by Habib Faisal, performances by Neetu Kapoor and Rishi Kapoor, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, 2010.

Guneratne, Anthony R. Rethinking Third Cinema. London: Routledge.2003.Print

Kamath, Sudhish. “Fantastic Four-Do Dooni Chaar”. The Hindu. 09 October, 2010. www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/Fantastic-four-Do-Dooni- Chaar/article11641285.ece?at_xt=4cb17ade631978f9,0&sms_ss=twitter,

Kidwai.Samien. Representation of Women in Hindi Cinema: A Comparative Study of Commercial and Parallel Cinema, Post 1980s. 2016. Aligarh: Aligarh Muslim University, PhD Thesis, Shodhganga, https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/handle/10603/206542.

Kumar, Anuj. “Dawat-e-Ishq:A Potent Recipe at The Hindu”. The Hindu.19 September, 2014.www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/cinema-reviews/daawat-e-ishq-a-potent- recipe/article6426869.ece.

Likhar, Jeetu. Habib Faisal. Cine Talkers.17 September, 2014. www.cinetalkers.com/habib- faisal/ Monaco, James. How to Read a Film- Movies, Media and Beyond. New York: Oxford University Press Inc.2009.Print.

Prasad, Madhava. M. Ideology of the Hindi Film-A Historical Construction. New Delhi: Oxford University Press.1998.Print. 13

Ray, Satyajit. Our Films Their Films. Kolkata: Orient Longman Limited. 1976. Print.

Rosario, Kennith. Residential Societies are a microcosm of Indian Polity. The Hindu. 27 August, 2018. www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/residential-societies-are-a-microcosm-of- indian-polity/article24793525.ece .

Somaaya, Bhawana. Fragmented Frames–Reflections of a Film Critic. Delhi: PustakMahal. 2008. Print.

Vishwamohan, Ayesha Iqbal., & John, Vimal Mohan. Behind the Scenes: Contemporary Bollywood Directors and their Cinema. Sage Publications. 2017. Print.