Movie Classics in Marathi

Marathi films have had great pioneers like Dadasaheb Phalke and V. Shantaram. Recently, there was a festival of films, of which we saw two. Saamna starring Nilu Phule and Dr. Shreeram Lagoo was a classic about a duel between a powerful local businessman and a principled man who hunts him down for his misdeed. The story is by Vijay Tendulkar. Directed well by Jabbar Patel.

The second was a comedy based on two couples (actually four men, two disguised as women) who are tenants in an old woman's house. Their shenanigans to keep up the pretense, and love stories developing which add to the confusion, is the plot. Hrishikesh Mukherjee had used this plot in his movie called Biwi aur Makaan, in a film earlier. It is hilarious, with good acting and direction by Sachin. Ashok Saraf (who starred in the Hum Paanch serial on TV) and Laxmikant Berde steal the show. Supriya Pilgaonkar and Ashwini Bhave play the love interests. Name of the film is Ashi hi Banva Banvi.

What You Do and How You Do It

 We are always talking about what we do-and ask questions around it, one way or another, to those we keep meeting. But whatever you may be doing, it's more important whether you like it, and if you are able to contribute meaningfully, and whether it gives you satisfaction at the end of the day, week or month.

I think Hoe you do something is as important as what you do. Are you bringing in new ways of thinking? Are you helping a colleague do better than he/she would have? Are you spreading cheer around? A movie called Bawarchi directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee comes to mind. A dystopian household with a lot of problems hires a cook- a bawarchi- who brings sunshine into the house. He helps each one in the house to achieve what they only dreamt of till then. More importantly, he teaches everyone to love and respect one another! In another film of his, Anand, the hero knows he's dying from a rare cancer. But while those around him are grieving, he spreads joy among them till his last breath, because he wants to enjoy whatever is left of his life- looking at the positives.

It is possible, in most cases, to be able to do more than the minimum, whether it's a job or your own enterprise, or something else. The joy of doing it- anything at all- is infectious, and can help you and others to enjoy it to the fullest. Many jobs are dull and repetitive, but you can inject some fun into them if you try.

Try it.

Book Review of Amol Palekar's Memoirs

 It's called Viewfinder in English. I read the Marathi version.

It has a lot of content that I was not aware of. I liked it for its personal tone and insights into how theatre works in Marathi and Hindi at least. Both mainstream and parallel categories. He also interacted with Bengali playwrights, and directed Badal Sircar's plays like Juloos. 

He has a soft corner for Jaidev, who scored music for Gharonda and Ankahee (he also co-produced this with Jayant Dharmadhikari, my BIL). 

His attempts to get out of the boy next door characters in Hindi films, and attempts to make films about taboo topics including LGBT starring subjects gets a mention. Also how Nana Patekar got after him for that role in Thoda Sa Roomani Ho Jaayen. And did it so well!

Hrishikesh Mukherjee (Gol Maal, Naram Garam) and he shared a bond. And of course, Basu Chatterjee, who gave him 3 hits in a row- Rajnigandha, Chhoti si Baat and Chitchor.

Those who like theatre, and his kind of films will enjoy this memoir.

Hrishikesh Mukherjee- Birth Anniversary Tribute

He was, in my view, one of the finest directors of films. His sense of what worked on screen was impeccable. Watch any of his classics, and you might agree. Anand, for instance, is forever etched in my mind, though I first saw it in the early 70s when it was released. Every scene is a lesson in film-making. The dialogue, the acting, and everything else seems perfect. He was minimalistic, and no scene stretched beyond what was needed.

It is no joke to make a comedy. It was not one, but many that he made, in a fashion I have not seen since then. Gol Maal with Amol Palekar in a "double character" (and a manic Utpal Dutt) can make you roll on the floor. So can Chupke Chupke. He was also good in serious cinema, like Namak Haraam, or Abhimaan.

His early films, like Biwi aur Makaan were good, though not as popular as his other films. Satyakaam was one about a man who never gave up his principles in life-played very convincingly by Dharmendra. Bawarchi was a later film about a warring joint family brought together by a jolly cook who works for them, brilliantly played by Rajesh Khanna.

Hard guy to follow..he set very high standards. 

The World of Hrishikesh Mukherjee- Book Review

I thought I knew everything about him. But this book was revealing, to say the least. Many of his movies I have seen, but many others I came to know about. Musafir, Biwi aur Makaan (delightful comedy available on Youtube), Anuradha (starred Leela Naidu and Balraj Sahni), Anupama (this has my favourite song- Dheere dheere machal aye dil-e-beqaraar), and many more.

Dharmendra plays hero in his Satyakam, a story of an idealistic man who will not compromise on his values, and suffers in a world of corruption and compromise. The same Dharmendra plays a comic role (role of his life?) in Chupke Chupke, an all-time favourite film of mine.

Hrishikesh Mukherjee appeals to me for one more reason. He was a GREAT editor. His movies have an economy of shots that you rarely see in Hindi films. Many films are classics, and can be watched multiple times, such as Bawarchi, Gol Maal, Naram Garam, Khubsoorat.

The author brings out many little things about his films and working style- David playing sutradhaar (narrator/link-man) in many films, smaller characters getting prominence along with lead actors (Lalita Pawar or Johny Walker in Anand), his discipline on the sets.

Anari (typical Raj Kapoor) was directed by him, and so was Buddha Mil Gaya, a muder mystery! He used Deven Varma well in many films. He also used many different music directors in his films, and was modern in his thoughts about relationships (In Khubsoorat, Rekha calls the elderly Ashok Kumar 'boyfriend'). His characters had an everyday feel, you find them believable, and sometimes outrageously funny. He never had villains in his films-didn't need them. People with quirks were good enough (Utpal Dutt the moustache-worshipper in Gol Maal).

A superb read!

The Comedians

I mean the directors, not the actors, though some of them were both.

In Hollywood, the first guy that comes to mind is Woody Allen. He made several good films, one as recently as a couple of years ago. Most of these had wonderful humour, mostly about human relationships, but also a lot of other things. Sometimes dark humour, but very witty. And delivered with deadpan expressions. A genius.

A very different kind of humour (in your face, slaspstick) is to be found in Mel Brooks' films. Usually spoofs on something (Silent Movie was about Hollywood itself), I still remembers scenes from films of his I watched many years ago-Blazing Saddles (spoof on Western Cowboy movies), History of the World (about major events in history), To Be Or Not To Be (on Hitler), and a Star Wars spoof called Spaceballs. I remembered the last again while watching The Martian recently.

Closer home in India, directors of good comedy were Basu Chatterjee and Hrishikesh Mukherjee. Both masters of situational humour, they made between them, great films like Chupke Chupke, Chhoti Si Baat, Shaukeen, Gol Maal and Naram Garam. Angoor by Gulzar was another great comedy. Though not known for comedy, Satyen Bose's Chalti ka Naam Gaadi with Kishore Kumar was an excellent romantic comedy. So was Padosan, directed by Jyoti Swaroop. Mehmood's role in it was immortal, on of the best ever.

Anand Revisited in Air India

I was in for a triple surprise on the Pune Delhi flight, Air India. It had an entertainment system, it worked, and they screened Anand- one of my favourite films. I was lost in the movie, with great acting, editing and direction- and story!

But this is about the bit actors, more than the hero, who of course was fabulous with his message of don't worry, be happy. From Johnny Walker playing the mythical 'Murarilal' whom Anand is always looking for, to Ramesh Deo (the doc treating him) and Seema (his wife), Lalita Pawar the matron, Durga Khote, Sumita Sanyal, Dara Singh the friendly pehelwan, they are all sewn together into a seamless whole, with an anchor in Amitabh Bachchan's supporting character of Dr. Banerjee, the strong, silent, helpless spectator of Anand's impending demise. The dialogue is impeccable, and the songs are a treat, after all these years.

One can only marvel at this brilliantly philosophical film by Hrishikesh Mukherjee, which delivers a knockout message, one which we struggle to imbibe.