KAHIHI

Notwithstanding, my joy was double.

Having completed a day long hectic training, I made myself comfortable at the lounge of the hotel where I was accommodated. The lounge was aptly called “Unlock”.

A group of five young (younger than me) men occupied a table next to me. They were engaged in a conversation about movies, beers, girls, and politics, of course. No matter who they are and what we do, politics forms an inevitable part of our daily lives and discussions. You cannot ignore our politicians; you can simply hate them. With so much of dirt sprouting out from the numerous scams in the country the wrath is unavoidable.

Soon their discussion turned serious. Reality started to speak after few mugs of beer bloated their stomach. They expressed their anger, forms of punishment they would want to implement for the scamsters, the change they needed (Obamania perhaps), and that they would need to be a part of the system suddenly came like a revelation to them. Deep into their sub-conscious minds they might have remembered the appeals by the age old and young promotee politicians.

However, what I liked about the group was that they still remained intact to their topic of discussion, and now they were talking sense after they took several trips to the bathroom to empty. They had turned their attention to implement something that little easier than joining politics, possibly less expensive, and yet had a larger reach. “We will make movies, documentaries on political satire,” said one. The group seemed to be a movie enthusiast. So was I. And with their due permission, I joined them.

We discussed at length about the movies based on politics. Not many belonged to satirical genre. Most of them were serious – Hu Tu Tu, Gulaal, Rajneeti, Satta, Bombay, Aandhi, et al. None of them had a comical touchup. Nothing like “Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron” was ever made again. Serious movies often get restored on the superficial level of the memory while films like Jaane Bhi… go deep down into our memory – and that is one way to keep the political wrath kindled in us. Movies like Satta and Rajneeti tend to scare people making it look like an impossible preposition for people to enter politics.

While the whole day training may not have been that fruitful the evening session had lot many lessons to teach.

Back in my room, while browsing through the TV channels flooded with news about scams, I felt the strong urge to do something on political satire based movies. But are the satires seriously taken? A suspicion started piercining my brain. For a moment, I thought I should have been from Kerala or Bengal. Movies away from Bollywood and Tollywood are full of masala & make ups, Movies made in Kerala and Bengal have substance. It is because of the high literacy rate keeping ethnicity in tact, I presume.

Awareness about the social issues exhibited throught their life had made the likes of T. S. Pillai, M.T. Vasudevan Nair, V. M. Basheer and many others all the time great writers and periodical like Malayalam Manorama that has been the highest circulating periodical in regional space.

This literature gave us the director like Adoor Gopalkrishnan. He made serious movies based on serious literature.

His two movies out of eleven, I can quote in this space. Swayamwaram (1972) a debut movie written and directed by him based on middle class angst and transition of middle class of Kerala into a modernist society. It was an attempt to come to terms with the disillusionment in ideologies.

Mathillukal (1988) based on a novel by V.M. Basheer depicting an unsuccessful love story due to parting by a jail wall. When freed from jail Basheer asks, 'who needs freedom? Outside is an even bigger jail.'

And as the young boys were talking about the documentaries let me tell you that AG has made more than twenty documentaries and two short fiction films.

And Bengal has the legacy of Satyajit Ray.

Movies manufactured in Mumbai are more about dreams while those from Kerala factory are about reality. Adoor Gopalkrishnan followed the tradition of Ray to base his movies based on classical literature with social motifs. Of all the movies made in India, Malayalam movies have highlighted politics the most in terms of making issue based movies. Tamil and Hindi movies take politics as a subject only to showcase the hero’s valour of one-man-army fighting the system.

When sinking into the bed with drowsy eyes, I had a sense of hope squirting around my lips in form a smile. There is someone, and a younger generation, which is thinking about fighting the political mess in the country, to take the politicians to task, and bring shame to them. There is a wave of change that slowly erupting under the sea wherein everyone is frustrated with the chaos that politicians and power brokers of this country have created.

Not everyone needs to go the Gandhiji and Bhagat Singh to bring about a change. Few can take up what Tilak tried – gathering people through art and culture.

Hopefully that was what that young lot was trying to do.

Lately, Robot has been in news for shrieking Ra. One. However, his rendezvous with the ShivSena Boss left everyone stirred, including me, indeed with glee. The demigod of South Indian cinema, not just Tamil, met Balasaheb Thackeray at the latter’s residence in Bandra. And what a cherished fulfillment it was.

Both these great men, creative in their own ways, made the appointment even more artistic with their smiles, handshakes, pats, and hugs. Rajnikant has been a great admirer of Balasaheb, and so has Balasaheb been an ardent follower of Rajnikant and his movies. Balasaheb has often praised the superstar in Saamna and so has Rajnikant obliged Thackeray by visiting him every time he was in Mumbai – issues about language and state have never made things bitter between them.

While Rajnikant has delivered electric performances on screen, Balasaheb Thackeray has expressed his dexterity on paper – through startling articles and cartoons; both these resolute supremos have gained expertise in expression of art and captivating the masses for over decades. While one has strived to keep the history alive and the other creating history with every attempt, the Sexagenarian-Octogenarian encounter of yesterday can certainly be penned as one historic event.

Quite interestingly, Thackeray fancied smoking chiruts and experimenting with various kinds of cigars, though necessarily he may not be an addict, and Rajnikant shot to fame because of his peculiar style to smoke cigarettes – toss a cigarette in the air and clutch it precisely between the lips; this may have enticed Balasaheb. Smoking is certainly injurious to health but perchance has proved to be harmless to gain publicity.

Originally, Shivajirao Gaekwad, who also just recently played a role in Sivaji – The Boss, could also be a reason for Thackeray likes towards Rajnikant. Rajni, perhaps epitomizes the role of an ideal ruler crusading the failures, who Thackeray has idolized over years – the Great Maratha Warrior, Shivaji.

However, even if, for a while, we keep away the analogies and memories of past, yesterday’s present was like a delightful gift for me – it was packed with amicability, respect, fondness, satisfaction, and smiles, a confluence, indeed a visual delight.

He’s an octogenarian! You won’t believe. His ecstasy could shy you away. He talks about futuristic plans. Always! Not about the achieved (archived) past. He has spelled his charm for four generations. And he is ready for the fifth. He has uncountable honours and awards to his credit. He doesn’t think much about them.

The cubs in journalism ask him about his past. They don’t know enough. The generations know him though. They loved him. He is pensive to face such cubs. He doesn’t decry. Next moment he regains. He talks about his next film.

He has tasted success. He has digested tantamount flops. He never grieves though. He never gives in either.

He projects himself as a lower middle class white-collared lover. He deviates from this image at times. Rarely though. Like a jewel thief or a doctor or a vagabond at times; a sober one or a cinema ticket black marketer. Yet at the end he is sober. Not a bit more than a gentleman. Not less.

He sings on screen. He doesn’t show his expertise. In fact, he doesn’t know how to dance. Doesn’t mind. He jumps in any manner. Again sober. He runs after the heroines. He orbits around them. He never jostles them, however. Earlier he did not touch them even. He loved them at a distance of five feet.

Audience of four generations loves his actions. The camera loves him too. It’s a gift. He doesn’t have a left side molar. The smile seeps through the gap. He knows that. Audience knows that. They like that. He knows that. He allows the smile to ooze abundantly.

He is at ultimate ease. Never differentiates among audiences. A tycoon, a ruler, an artist or a general cinema-goer; all are same for him. He behaves in a friendly manner with every one. He is a showman making no show of him. Whatsoever.

His younger brother Vijay Anand alias Goldie knew his brother’s magnetic strength. He defined role for him. He suited into them like a jewel in the throne.

He would not act in a movie without songs. He refuses flatly movies sans a song for a hero i.e. him. Without a pause. Goldie wrote song for him, apart from writing screenplays and directing. Movies for Navketan, his production house. Songs, he made immortal on screen. His screen presence was numero uno. Camera gave full justice to his image. Songs he portrayed on screen have visual perception par excellence.

Watching his song rendering has a recurring value. One can watch them a thousand times in a single go. A couple of music channels sustain on this repetitive value of his songs.

In Kala Pani, Nalini Jaywant is dancing the immortal Mujra – “Najar Lagi Raja Tore Bangley Par”. He shouts, like say an unintelligible hitherto, ‘yaak’. The public catches the moment and shouts with him.

In Jewel Thief the incidence repeats. Vaijayantimala dances her unique cobra dance – “Hothon Mein Aisi Baat Main Dabaake Chali Aayi”. He enters the floor playing a dhol (drum). ‘E..e..h..Shalooooo…’ – he calls her in between the dance. This is Goldie’s brainwork. His rendering. The full theatre breathes in. Catches the exact moment. Joins him.

Theatre of delight! Any Indian orchestra’s most favourite song. Audience of hundreds in a closed hall or thousands on open ground. They chorus – ‘E..e..h..Shalooooo…’

Tere Mere Sapne. He and Mumtaj on bicycle. Double-seat. “Eh Maine Kasam Lee, Eh Tune Kasam Lee…” – song. His face covered under the hair spread of Mumtaj, in a daffodil field. Recreating a wish to watch thousand times. They sit on bicycle again. This time, Mumtaj on backside carrier. He sings a line, looks back, sings a line, looks back, sings a line…You gaze. What else.

‘Only Indian Face with International Features’ – is his introduction around world. All kind of spectators is another introduction.

Prakash alias Pakya is a hawaldar (police) in Lalbaag. Old SSC passed. Hawaldar because he never got a job. Not even through employment exchange. Jaihind talkies in Kalachowki near Lalbaag. Pakya is on duty there. Guide is the movie.

To cope the rush owner of Jaihind talkies adds one more show in the morning at seven. Pakya buys few tickets and distributes them to his friends. Often he does so for other movies of him. The public in the morning show come putting on striped lenga, brushing their teeth.

Radio talkies near Manish market around Crawford market. The owner loves him. So he shows only his movies. A movie is started. You are late. A group of four or so. You have missed the start. The operator notices the late comers. He stops the running reels. Reverses them. The movie is restarted. The early birds get a bonus. Title song once more.

Khodad Circe of Dadar. Starting point of the road to Tilak bridge passing over Dadar station. A boy stands every evening near the signal. Looks ditto him. Smiles too. Calls himself Sevanand. He removes his molar. Tries to transude smile through the gap. People appreciate. They waive hands to him. Sheer delightful scene.

Such a hero, such fans.

He is Dev Anand. Who else.

God’s own delight!

History of mankind in short is war between good and evil. Even our Indian mythologies believe and prove it’s always ‘truth that triumphs’. But is the truth always the truth? Isn’t it’s definition incomplete without a lie? What is good without evil? These ever-puzzling questions have been marvelously raised in an intriguing Japanese anime–series, “Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion”.

Produced by Sunrise, it is undoubtedly the best so far, showing almost every human emotion, and justifying the fact that ‘Good might do good unto somebody, but it’s still bad for another’.

Set in post world-war period in 2017 a.t.b, it’s a story about two superpowers, the tyrannical Britannia and The Nationalist Chinese Federation. The Holy Britannian Empire is a symbol of absolute tyranny for the Japanese, as they have stripped the Japanese of their rights, their freedom, and their name. The Japanese are addressed as “Numbers”, the residents of Area 11(the new name of Japan), for example.

The Britannians torture, harass, and indiscriminate the Japanese people. The Emperor of this kingdom, Charles VI Britannia, proclaims that “All Men are not Born Equal. Inequality is not Evil”. A kingdom whose ruler is that wretched is sure to be the same. There are rebellions among the Japanese to overthrow the regime. However, they are crushed mercilessly using a Humanoid powered armor called the ‘Knightmares’, a scientific innovation of unimaginable power, which constantly evolves throughout the series to become a formidable weapon for our scientists to ponder upon.

Lelouch Lamperouge, the hero of the movie, is a young Britannian student and vice-president of the student council at Ashford Academy, a carefree school with a carefree student council. Leading a simple life with his blind and physically disabled sister Nanally, of whom he is very fond of, he secretly harbors a ambition to overthrow the Britannian Empire. He never tries anything rebellious until destiny meets him on his track. That meeting sets off a series of marvelous and enthralling events that go on to change the history of world, and probably the perspective of the viewer about the true facet of truth. Lelouch though an ordinary Britannian, has an extraordinarily troubled past. The series is itself a revelation for him about his past; what he has believed and what actually has happened.  Often, a quiet and obnoxious boy, he has a brilliant strategic mind, owed to his exception chess playing quality, and a heart-rending love for his sister Nanally. He gets what he wants and doesn’t care who stands in his way.

Geass is a power of the kings. A mind power, which accustoms to whom it has been bestowed. This Geass is a binding contract between an immortal and a human that implies the fulfillment of a wish of the immortal by the human. It is an unparalleled power beyond the science humans have achieved. In an interesting meeting, a witch called C.C, gave this power to Lelouch. This C.C. then becomes an integral part of the rebellion that Lelouch leads and in knowing his past and the answers he is finding. Lelouch has an ability to turn the will of the people he sees, and make them do things he wants them to. As there is limitation to every power, he can cast his Geass only once on a given person. Though the Geass has an everlasting effect, the tests that he carries out for testing his only weapon are also amusing enough.

The first war that Lelouch fights with this Geass against the Empire is almost with no resources and a handful of rebels. However, it was enough to strike fear in enemy’s heart or that of Prince Clovis, the King of Area 11. Then he adorns the mask of Zero, a rebel with a cause, a dangerous enemy, a powerful leader and a fighter for the injustice against the unarmed. What Zero embarks on is a dangerous path of treachery against a powerfully armed and scientifically dangerous Empire. But the rebellion he leads is not for Japan but to create a world wherein Nanaly could live in peace and with love. His ambitions take him to form a group of rebels known as The Order of Black Knights. Leading this group he gets recruitment in many forms even from Britannians who are fed up of the regime. One such man is Diethard, a byte-hungry media-man. His involvement in the rebellion shows the power of media the way it can transform a terrorist into a hero. Diethard states an astonishing fact that ‘Journalism is not information but Human Creation’. What is stated about the power of media in here is also a present-day situation in our country.

Suzaku Kururugi, best friend of Lelouch and his worst enemy, is a flaw in all of Zero’s plans. Always in Zero’s path Suzaku wants to change the system of Britannia from within. Lelouch and Suzaku are on the opposite sides of justice each going for the same heading. Suzaku, also like his friend has a troubled past, which is slowly revealed throughout the story. CC, the witch is depicted as a heartless immortal but still very endearing in the end. Charles VI Britannia the Emperor is bestowed his power of Geass by C.C. and another V.V his brother. The short forms do sound odd but their names are not known even after the series ends. Another mystery. One of the more characters that strike the viewers is Euphemia, a really lovable and kind girl just like Nanally.

Having a varied cast as such it gets into action with the murder of Prince Clovis wherein the viewers get another hint as to who Lelouch is. Introduced as the successor of the Throne of Britannia the shroud of mystery begins to grow around Zero. Even the Black Knights do not know of his identity. For them, he is a man alone who will lead them to victory, who will liberate Japan an idol to follow. For him they are chess-pawns to checkmate the king. Based on such startling human nature it slowly enters the supernatural world of Geass.

What becomes of Zero and his rebellion the Black Knights and his passion to murder the Emperor Charles is too thrilling to watch. What Zero is, is a mixture of coldness, strategy, winning and an unmatched oratory, ironically all for the sake of his love for Nanally. The story has a serious tone; however, some of the most comical characters like Count Lloyd, nonetheless a genius, even it out.

The end is so superbly done that none could ever have predicted it. The simple end shown and the way Zero builds his Empire of Black Knights for the downtrodden just destroy the very basis of our foundation that ‘the good can never be bad’.  What are the reactions of every character in the series, their motives for the actions they take, the nature of the actions they take justify themselves slowly and gradually. There comes a point wherein you have no idea which side is good and which is bad. They are both the same. In the end even the truth can’t be justified without a lie. The whole point of the series being epic lies in the fact that it’s still a good versus evil battle but here the good takes a turn for the worse.

'Behind every Great man there is a Crime’ this is what the series tells in the end. That there cannot be only good and only bad, both coexist. There is no definition of good and evil it’s only a perspective. But in the end it’s still a human world where everything just cannot be perfect and it shouldn’t be.

Whenever I’m actually in a houseboat, say in Alleppy or in Malwan (only one houseboat so far owned by one city corporator, Rajan Sarmalkar), I can’t stop myself thinking about David Lean and his Ryan’s Daughter, a 1970 movie, shot on the sea shore of Ireland; why not in Alleppy and its backwaters, the nature’s extravaganza?

Ryan’s Daughter was a big flop in many countries, and consequently in India as well. Or at least it seemed so on the backdrop of unfathomable success of two of his earlier movies - Lawrence of Arabia (1962) and Dr. Zhivago (1965).
(image courtesy: Terryballard, Wikipedia)

David Lean was a strange amalgam of rough nature and a creative mind. The two extremes nurtured inside him quite comfortably.

He used to hate India, however, later married an Indian woman, Leena Velinkar, a high-brow lady moving in political circles of Delhi. He would choose a vast backdrop, like say, Sahara desert as in Lawrence of Arabia, and throw a lanky, fleshless Peter-O-Toole alone to act, or rather parch or burn there. Peter-O-Toole, when the shoot was over, complained to Leena Velinkar saying, “Your husband had decided to kill me in the deserts”. So merciless was Lean.

In Ryan’s Daughter, Lean chose a place called Dingle Peninsula on the Ireland coast. The distant village was one Killary. We too have one in the same name and famous for the earthquakes, but far away from the sea.

The Irish married woman had an affair with a British army officer at the time of First World War. She had to leave the village as the villagers do not approve the affair and the suspicion arisen due to the ammunition stock hidden.

Such a simple plot! But that reminds me of as many waves have reached the Killary village in Ireland.

Sarah Miles, her husband Robert Mitchum, and lover Christopher Jones in the movie wore the Lilliputian appearance, ditto like Peter-O-Toole in Lawrence of Arabia, opposite sea front defying the limits of skyline.

It is Lean’s favourite game. Juxtapose opposites, the ultimate opposites that the super panavision camera available in his times would cover.

Perhaps, Sarah Miles was chosen for the same reason.

Twice, the wife of Robert Bolt (The Man for all Seasons), Lean’s favourite screen playwright, spoke fetid mouthed language. Bolt had Madame Bovary, a novel by Gustav Flaubert, in his mind for screen but after discussion with Lean he loosely adapted it.

Ramesh Sippy directed Hindi movie, Sagar, was loosely adapted from the story of Ryan’s Daughter. As Ryan’s Daughter was a commercial disaster, many did not know the roots of Sagar. The village idiot (Liliput) whom the heroine of Sagar kisses in the end is a cut-and-paste shot from Ryan’s Daughter. Sagar retrieved image of Dimple Kapadia (30) having two daughters to a teenage heroine from where she had given up acting. It won 4 Filmfare awards including that for cinematography. The village idiot missed it and went to the parallel hero.

Hero worshipping!

The team of Ryan’s Daughter and also the director had to face every kind of difficulty.

Alec Guinness, Marlon Brando, Peter-O-Toole, George C. Scott, Anthony Hopkins, Richard Burton, Richard Harris and Paul Scofield were all considered for different roles but had to back out for different reasons. To add to further woes the selected star cast kept on fighting and abusing each other.

Robert Mitchum during the making of the film clashed with Lean and famously said, "Working with David Lean is like constructing the Taj Mahal out of toothpicks."

There were two silver linings about Ryan’s Daughter though. John Mills, for the role of village idiot, won a kiss planted on lips by Sarah Miles and Academy Award for best actor in a supporting role (our Liliput was privileged only with Dimple’s kiss) and Freddie Young for best cinematography, Sarah Miles being nominated for best actress in a leading role and a nomination for sound, inter alia.

MGM spent one million pounds in 70s to reconstruct the forlorn village of Killary to save it from storms. The poor villagers worked as extras. The face of the village changed since then and it has become famous as a tourist spot reviving the economy, and the township around, Dingle Peninsula.

When I feel or read about the earthquakes in Maharashtra, as it happens often, I remember Killari earthquake. Our Killari village in Maharashtra where the worst earthquake that hit India in last seventy years killing ten thousand people in Sept, 1993 which had been well nigh condemned, is waiting for redevelopment for more than one and half decade and for reviving economy after that.

Peepli Live from the perfectionist's production house, already rumoured to have recovered its production cost, has been the matter of discussion for cine-lovers. It certainly seems to be a good movie, and apart from the Aamir Khan brand, talented actors, the media has acted as a catalyst, enoughto make the movie a success.

The movie deals with farmer suicides and the media galore coupled with motives of political mileage. and is a good satire, something comparable to the satire of "Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron".

Suicides and media direct to a more thoughful point about how the suicides of struggling and/or successful models become news of the decade, thus cultivating a stale publicity to the model.

Models necessarily enter the field to get famous and rich. The time span to do so is miniscule. However, who knows them individually, except the small world in which they work. No one else! Given that innumerable media channels have sprouted in the recent time, exposure is showered on these models.

Couple of them commit suicide, thus attracting more popularity than they did during their budding or blossomed times.

Excessive mental and physical pressure may be the reason. No great thinking is required to understand the reason behind the act of suicide. It's very superficial. Any thinking man with average intelligence can construe it.

Notwithstanding, when media chases such topic it assumes a demonic shape. In fact, media contributes effectively in making it contagious. “A model committed suicide. She might be under great mental trouble...” Media blows it out of proportion using the model's beautiful images.

However, what is disheartening is the cases of farmers who concern is more genuine than just flamboyancy. They don’t covet fame or chase excessive wealth. They just fancy life, they just want to live. Their living conditions are severe. They, primarily have to depend on the whim of nature, and in present days on the whims of political decision makers, through the local goons, the hoarders apart. Their cause of suicide has wide dimensions. However, media and we all turn a blind eye to them. When neither the rulers (of our land) nor the media cares for them, who is supposed to absolve them of their sorrows?