165 EXPLAINING REALITY: ODIA PARALLEL FILMS Ranjan Kumar Rath Except 'Bollywoodisation' (imitating the office, but cut a new path in filmography. His making of Bombay Entertainment Films) 1, Odia cinematic language shook the audience with its films around 1970s were also influenced by the bluntness and originality. Both Mrinal Sen and growth of 'new wave cinema' movement, which Shyam Benegal inspired many young film was also known as 'Parallel Cinema'. Some makers of the 1970s and 1980s, particularly people believe that there has been no separate graduates of the FTII, Pune to follow their concept of 'mainstream' or 'parallel' cinema. footsteps. This new generation of film makers Both are inseparable from each other and cannot adopted social themes, used new techniques be seen as two distinct and altogether separate and evolved a new cinematic language. They entities. Some films are more artistic and some are all known for their originality, subversion of are less. Shyam Benegal says, “Meaningful films conventions and firm belief in the 'auteur' are ludicrously called 'parallel' cinema'." 2 theory (Director's Film) of the film. 4 Before the coming of the so-called masala3 films, Directors like Ritwik Ghatak, Satyajit one cannot distinguish which were masala or Ray, Mrinal Sen etc. of the early phase and later which were parallel or art films. But, it is a fact Shyam Benegal (Mandi,1983), Bhumika, Ketan that a new trend was originated in mid 70s of the Mehta (Mirch Masala,1987), Basu Chatterjee (Ek last century, where some people realised that Ruka Hua Faisla, 1986, TV Movie), Saeed Akhtar mainstream films were not adequate to project Mirza (Mohan Joshi Hazir Ho! ,1984), Nabendu the real day-to- day life of the people. Their Ghosh (Trishagni,1988), Chandrakant Joshi sufferings and feelings needed more scope to be (Sutradhar,1987), Mahesh Bhatt (Saaransh,1984, projected. So, exclusively some meaningful Arth,1982), Mira Nair (Salaam Bombay! ,1988) etc. down to earth cinemas were made to show belong to the group. Actors like Nasiruddin audience their real life which was far away from Shah, Nana Patekar, Amrish Puri, Smita Patil, those reflected in the mainstream masala films. Anupam Kher, Om Puri, Sadhu Meher, Sabana These cinemas gave movie-goers something Azmi, Girish Kannad etc. were the products of more than meaningless entertainment. It also this movement. Most of them were qualified affected Odia film industry. trained artists. They also acted in commercial Indian Parallel Cinema: Origin and Masala movies and supported the parallel Development movement; because it was not easy for them to Mrinal Sen is considered as the pioneer work in parallel movies as full time workers of the new genre called 'New Wave' cinema. In where payments were very meagre. 5 the early 1970s, he was its main proponent and Origin of Parallel Films in Odisha he had to do a lot of explaining soon after the One can see this new experimentation in release of his Bhuban Shome (1969). Without Odia films. During the 1970s and the 1980s, imitating the superficial projections of parallel cinema entered into the limelight of commercially successful movies, which were Odia cinema to a much wider extent. A group of usually mixtures of rapid actions, exuberant young people like of the 'parallel films' of and irrational dramas, violence, erotic dancing Bombay and other regional fields, produced and singings, Mrinal Sen could produce a film realistic cinemas in Odia also. It is also a fact that that was not only a financial success at the box – Lecturer in History, U.N. (Auto.) College of SC. & Tech., Adaspur, Cuttack, Odisha, 754011. E-mail : [email protected] SANSHODHAN ISSN 2249-8567 166 many previous Odia films were artistically very National Film Award festival (1978).7 superb and they also tried to project the actual Manmohan Mohapatra and his Films life of the Odias in real sense. One can see the Manmohan Mahapatra, a former Odia films of previous years like Bhai Bhai (1956) students of Film and Television Institute, Pune, of Gour Ghosh, Matira Manisha (1966) of Mrinal brought significant recognition to Odia film Sen etc. These were excellent films which industry at the national and international levels projected the inhuman practices of casteism, through his productions of Sitarati (Winter untouchbility and the impact of Gandhian Night) (1982), Niraba Jhada (Silent Storm) (1983), national movements on peasantry in very lively Klanta Apararnha(Tired Afternoon) (1984), Majhi manners. In those days, movies were heavily Pahacha (The Middle Stair) (1986) and Nisidhha inspired by Odia literature. But with the coming Swapna(Forbidden Dream) (1987). Sitarati was of the so-called masala films, the tastes of the made on the story of eminent novelist of Odisha, audiences were shifted to unreal and fantastic Bibhuti Pattnaik. Surya Deo, an eminent cinema domains of imaginations. These films were critic of Odisha says that Sitarati made it meant for pure entertainment and capitalist distinguished from other for its approach to the profit. But, a time came when some young basic realities of life. 8 directors in Odisha wanted to draw the All these films were exhibited at attentions of audience to the realities of their life. International Festival of Indian Panorama. Low budget films were made as parallel Niraba Jhada was shown in Pesaro festival in cinemas did not require huge capital. These Italy and Cork Festival, Ireland, and Film films re-established the importance and Festival of America. In 1985, Klanta Aparanha necessity of meaningful films in Odisha. (The Tired Afternoon) was released. All his films Biplab Ray Choudhury was the first were awarded with best regional films at film-maker of this genre who made Chilika Tire National Film Award ceremonies. It is a fact (On the Bank of Chilka Lake, 1977). It was the story that these films were not commercially of the struggle of an oppressed, illiterate-fisher- blockbusters, but these succeeded in analysing folk, being swindled and kept in check by the the modern value conflicts and social business sharks and how they revolted back. behaviours taking place in Odisha. 9 Nearby Chilka Lake, there are cluster of villages In the film Sitarati, the hero and the inhabited by the fishermen. They have been heroine Pranab and Aruna loved each other exploited by the large fishing companies. during their childhood. But when the father of Raghu, a revolutionary village youth, led the Aruna died all the responsibility of the family village to confront the private fishing company. were bestowed upon her. She got a job of a The Manager of a fishing company tried to teacher in a school by the help of the father of demoralise and divide the unity of fisher-men Pranab. But Pranab's father Akhilbabu had the who were no longer ready to be exploited by the secret desire to grab the landed property of middlemen. The movement started following Aruna. He conspired to put Aruna in different the method of non-violence. But due to the problems by which she would be forced to sale inhuman oppression of the exploiters the her properties at throughway price. Aruna movement turned violent. The miserable life of faced lots of difficulties when she was unable to the fisher-men of Chilika Lake was very vividly meet the growing expenditure of her family. 6 reflected in the film. Bijaya Mohanty, an Many came forward to help her with immoral alumnus of National School of Drama, Delhi, intentions. But she withstood all the problems debuted as the leading protagonist of the film. single-handedly without caring all these His performance was superb for which he problems keeping faith in her love. Meanwhile became a household name in Odisha. He made Pranab returned to village after completing his his arrival creating awe in Odia filmgoers. The education in a city. The relation between Aruna film received the Certificate of Merit and Rajat and Pranab became intense. Aruna and Pranab Kamal as the best Odia film of the year at decided to marry each other. But Akhilababu SANSHODHAN ISSN 2249-8567 167 wanted heavy dowry. Aruna was incapable to snatched away. 11 fulfil the demand of Akhilababu. The relation Klanta Apararnha (The Tyring Afternoon) between Aruna and Pranab became strained was made on the life of three retired Govt and eventually their marriage could not be service holders, their individual problems, the materialised. Pranab married the daughter of a life of their children and their role in the family rich man who could give dowry of big amount. after retirement. Hemanta Das was brilliant in Difficulties made Aruna strong enough to this film. His ability as one of the greatest actors sacrifice her love for the cause of her family. of contemporary India was proved in this film. Surya Deo says that the theme of the film Majhi Pahacha (Middle Staircases) was was not a new one. One can find such stories in made in the year 1986. This cinema was totally other mainstream films. The approach of the based on the problems of a middle class family director to make the film very realistic and and its earthly burdens. It highlighted how In thought-provoking was the mile-stone of the the face of realism the ideology could break film. Unlike the masala stereotypes, Sitarati has down. This film shows how an employed young portrayed the human relations with its subtle man of middle class rural Odisha, who once bondings. The most important highlight of the upon a time promised not to take dowry and film was how Sita Rati indicates a woman could writes poems against dowry system, finally become strong and powerful to withstand all breaks his vow and takes dowry.