4.

Films and Theatre

A. Reading:

Rendezvous with Ray

It was a unique friendship that developed between a French-Canadian priest
and one of the world's greatest film directors, and had a singular impact on
Bengali films both academically and practically. It was en route to India
in1961, at a stopover in New York, that 26-year-old Fr. Gaston Roberge was
acquainted with the works of Satyajit Ray through the Apu Trilogy. He found
the world of Apu so fascinating that he saw all three films in one sitting; and
there began his longstanding love affair with the people ofIndia and Bengali
cinema and culture, which led to path-breaking work in those fields. In his
latest book, Satyajit Ray, Essays:1970-2005, a compilation of his essays as the
name suggests, being published by Manohar Publishers, New Delhi, Roberge
provides a scholarly, original analysis of Ray's works, giving an insight into the
greatness of Ray both as a person and as an artist.

Roberge does not endorse the accusation of Ray's detractors that the master
director made his reputation selling India's poverty to the West. "What struck
me most was not the material poverty depicted in the films, but the enormous
spiritual poverty of some rich people is much more deplorable than material
poverty," he said. Roberge does not speak with the arrogance of the West. " I
was here on a quest to know the world and in the process know myself. I did
not come here to convert. In fact, I am the one who got converted," he said.

But it took him nine years after reaching Calcutta (now Kolkata) and joining St.
Xavier's College, to muster up the confidence to meet Ray in person. "Although
I wanted to meet him right away, I didn't want to just go and see him like he
was a living museum piece. I wanted to prepare myself, get to know his works
more, so that when we met, there could be a worthwhile dialogue," he said.
When they finally met, it was the beginning of a close friendship that lasted 22
years- until Ray's death in 1992.

It was a very quiet friendship that developed over the years. Manikda [as Ray
was affectionately called by his friends] was a shy person and always very
discreet about displaying his emotions," said Roberge. Though to outsiders,
Ray's massive stature- physical and intellectual- might have made him come
across as cold, aloof and even intimidating, he was in reality a very simple and
unassuming man with a subtle sense of humour. It was an unspoken
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arrangement between the two of them to meet on Sundays at 9 a.m. at Ray's
residence on Bishop Lefroy Road, Kolkata. Ray would invite Roberge over for
private screenings of his latest films and welcomed comments on them. But
this happened only after the friendship had cemented, for in the early days of
their dialogue Ray's shyness prevented him from talking about his own films.

"He was even shy of receiving compliments," said Roberge. To Roberge, the
greatest mark of Ray's appreciation for him was that he often addressed the
French-speaking priest in Bengali, "in spite of my lack of elegance in that
language, and the fact that Ray knew both English and Bengali so well."

"Ray's screenplay manuscripts were an art by themselves," Roberge says,

"hand-written in Bengali, with notes in English for his set-designer, with
sketches here and there, and occasional staff notation of fragments of music".
One Sunday morning, Roberge found Ray in a disturbed mood. A few well
-known personalities of the city had visited him earlier to go through some of
his manuscripts. After they left Ray found the Charulatha screenplay missing.
Ray was almost sure who the culprit was. "I asked him whether he was
planning to take any action, and he said no, and explained to me that he did
not want to hurt the reputation of the person. I was absolutely stunned by his
humane concern," said Roberge.

Like Rabindranath Tagore, Ray strode his time like a colossus. Roberge writes,
"It is as if all Bengal was in Manikda: the rich and the poor, the powerful and
the humble, the peasants and the city persons, children, teenagers, adults and
old people, men and women."

Philosophically too, Roberge feels, Ray took off where Tagore signed out. If one
compares the last major prose piece by Tagore, " Shabhyatar Sankat" ( Crisis of
Civilisation), which he wrote at the beginning of the Second World War, which
contains his immortal dictum that in spite of what was happening it would be a
sin to lose faith in Man, and the last three films of Ray- Ganashatru, Shakha
Prashakha, and Agantuk- the analogy becomes clear.

"In these three films Ray was at his most personal and when some critics saw
the films as didactic and verbose, he felt deeply hurt. For, in these last films,
Satyajit was directly talking to us, conveying his personal message on society
and civilization. If the impulse that motivated his earlier films was aesthetics,
in the last three it was self-expression. And there we were denying him his
right to speak. As the saying goes, no one is a prophet in one's own country,"
said Roberge. An agnostic throughout his life, it is possible, Roberge feels, that
in the face of death Ray was searching for an answer. This was suggested by
some of the music that he used in Shakha Prashakha.

The last time the two friends met, Ray was in hospital, on his deathbed. It was
a Sunday and Roberge, true to habit, arrived on the dot at 9 a.m. "He had
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grown so weak that he looked frail as a child. I did not stay long, and as I was
leaving, Manikda said, 'Bhalo lago [it was nice]. Those were his last words to
me," said Roberge.

One important fallout of this friendship was the establishment of Chitrabani, a

communication and film institute, the first of its kind in West Bengal, which
Roberge founded in 1970 and to which Ray, as a token of friendship, lent his
name as co-founder. Ray was in the first governing body and after a few terms
readily agreed to be the institute's adviser. Roberge arranged most of the initial
funding from Canadian agencies. "I had no reservations applying for them, for I
feel richer countries in the West are indebted to countries like India," he said.

For 26 years Roberge was the director of Chitrabani and under him the
institute not only produced important documentary features, but also became
breeding ground for local talent for film-making...

B. Reading
Maya Bazaar
K. V. Reddy's 'Maya Bazaar' has been voted as the 'Greatest Indian Film' in an
online poll conducted by a television news channel. The poll was conducted to
find out India's greatest film till date, on the occasion of 100 Years of Indian
Cinema and people chose 'Maya Bazaar' over other Indian classics. The film is
considered one of the enduring classics of Indian cinema and was christened a
landmark achievement in Indian film's cinematography, art direction and VFX
with the available technology during that time. The following is a review on the
film when it celebrated the Golden Jubilee in 2007.

'Maya Bazaar' forever!

Fifty years ago, director K.V. Reddy or for that matter, producers Nagireddy
and Chakrapani, would not have imagined what they were unleashing when
they decided to make Maya Bazaar- a bilingual in Telugu and Tamil.

The finished product hit the screen in 1957 to become a landmark movie in the
Telugu film industry. It became a hit not only for the sterling performances of
the star-ensemble that it had right from S.V. Ranga Rao, Savitri, NTR, ANR,
and Gummadi, but also because K.V. Reddy was in full control over every
frame of it.

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There is little else one could expect when all time greats like Marcus Bartley
(cinematography), Ghantasala (music), M.L.Vasantha Kumari, Leela, Suseela
and Madhavapeddi (playback), Gokhale (art), Pasumarthy(choreography) and
Pitambaram(make- up) got together to weave magic around an episode from
Mahabharatha, Sasirekha Parinayam.

However, the greatness of Maya Bazaar, about which much is said and written,
is not just because of these facets alone.

It is a tribute to Telugu culture, language and customs of the land. The film
was watched repeatedly soon after its release because people identified every
character of the film with someone they knew in their immediate vicinity and
the audience still do the same now.

The dialogues written by Pingali Nagendra Rao (as well the lyrics) were the
same that the people were hearing or using in their conversations every day - if
not, those became a part of Telugu life thereafter. Sasirekha's, nay
Ghatothkacha's Manadi Sodara Prema... became immortalized as much as
Suryakantam’s antha alamalame kada which has become a way of life in
greeting people.

As for songs, Aha naa pelli anta still reverberates in marriages and Vivaaha
bhojanambu is yet another must.

An entire repertoire was added to the Telugu dictionary by the film. Take for
example Talpam used for denoting a cot or a bed. Were Telugus using Gilpam
as an antonym of it till the movie's advent? Nor did anyone tell so emphatically
until Ghatothkacha that Evaru puttinchakunte maatalela pudathayi and hence
if friends are to be called Asamadiyulu then enemies could be termed
Tasamadiyulu. Will anyone forget the expression veyandira veediko veeratadu?
No exception to hai hai sodara and hai hai naayaka.

The story itself is woven around the love of Sasirekha- Abhimanyu. With
Krishna and Balarama having difference of opinion over it, their wives too take
sides as is inevitable in any family. To introduce the theme , the director uses a
magic box, (an equivalent of a TV screen) which displays whatever is dear to
the viewer's heart.

Sasirekha naturally sees Abhimanyu and Balarama gets to see his sishya,
Duryodhana on it. His wife laps up the sight of an array of jewellery and the

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audience laughed heartily because they knew that someone back home was
equally attached to the riches.

When Balarama curtly tells his sister, " Subhadra! Aagadalu, aghaayityalu
naaku paniki raavu", when he was confronted with the latter's indignation at
his decision to separate Sasirekha and Abhimanyu , womenfolk among the
viewers sighed recalling their own tribulations in the hands of such brothers.

Frame after frame impacts viewers with similarities. The greatness of the
director lies here- he successfully reduces all characters to ordinary mortals
displaying all the follies of human beings except Ghatothkacha and Krishna.
And then he injects into the Yadava household a Telugu atmosphere, full with
its simile, imagery, adage, sarcasm and wit.

The result — a feast for the eyes and soul. That is Maya Bazaar for you. Mind
you, this is a story of Paandavas and Kauravas with the Yadavas pitching in.
But one never sees the Paandavas throughout the film. We only hear of them.

If any NRI asks you to suggest ways to teach Telugu culture just ask him or
her to introduce them to Maya Bazaar first. Further, if they seek to know about
their uncles, aunts and cousins back home, bring in their names , "look, this is
your Balarama..."

Any better way of doing it?

Then onwards it's all Laahiri, laahiri, laahirilo...

C. Reading
A Tribute
The Indian film industry has completed a hundred years in the year 2013. It is
a fitting tribute to the world of cinema to recollect our favourite films,
producers, directors, actors, and music and art directors.

Telugu audiences are proud of many great producers, directors and artistes.
Savitri is one such prestigious artiste. Ever since she was eight, she evinced
interest in learning dance. Later she associated herself with the theatre. She
formed a theatre organization as well. She had little difficulty in entering the

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film field. When Savitri was twelve, she was offered a role in the film,
Agnipareeksha, but was finally dropped as she looked too young for the role.

She was given a song sequence – Ranante rane ranu – in 'Pathala Bhairavi'.
Savitri's part in it was brief, but the effect of her performance was considerable.
Her expressions were beautiful. A lot of film makers recognized 'a potential
artiste' in her.

As a result, she was elevated to the role of a heroine by the noted director L. V.
Prasad in the film 'Samsaaram’ (1950). On the sets, she was nervous; she had
to repeat many takes and this proved a setback for her. The role was given to
someone else and she was given a small role of less import.

In the film 'Devadasu' (1953), [one of] the best picturisation[s] of Saratchandra
Chatterjee's novel ‘Devadas’, Parvathi comes alive in Savitri. The young
Parvathi with curly hair, a lock of hair straying to her forehead, the large round
black berry eyes looking out from an innocent face left an indelible imprint in
the minds of all cine lovers. She portrayed Devada's love and the role of a rich
man's wife marvellously. Savitri left her mark in this evergreen Telugu classic.

Savitri established her credentials with 'Ardhangi'(1955) . She gave an

exceptionally brilliant performance as a woman forced to marry a mentally
retarded person (ANR). She nurses him back to health. She also teaches a
lesson to her in-laws who conspire against her husband.

Savitri captured the audiences with her charm and magnificent acting. She
was able to convey a wide range of feelings through her expressive eyes. Her
mischievous look - it captivates anyone; the look of fake anger provokes, the
look filled with real anger pierces the heart. The look of passion while waiting
for her lover; the pain filled look when her love fails; the confident look that
seems ready to face any situation, all these myriad emotions are hidden in her
eyes .The dimensions are endless and pages can be filled to describe the magic
spell of her eyes.

Savitri's amazing talent was in full form in 'Missamma', a hit comedy that
established Savitri's place firmly as a star. Mary in the film comes into an
agreement with a Hindu youth, M T Rao (NTR) to pretend as a couple in order
to get a job in a school. Mary was a Christian to the core, whereas Rao was a
tolerant Hindu. What results in is a three hour pure comedy for the audience!

Savitri was adored for the matchless ease in expression. Meena Kumari, the
heroine of Hindi films said, "when I watch Savitri's acting, I usually get doubts
about my own acting". Her strikingly expressive eyes and her superb sense of

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timing made her one of the greatest actresses. Amitabh Bacchan felt, 'Savitri
was one of the first actresses with unbelievable spontaneity'.

Maya Bazaar is another film that brought fame to Savitri. She played the role of
Sasirekha. Recollecting the 16-annas Telugu lass clad in parikini, in the song
'allibilli ammayiki...' reminds us of the rich Telugu culture of yesteryears. In the
final part of the film, Savitri plays the role of maya (not real) Sasirekha
(Ghatotkacha in disguise).She walks in a masculine manner imitating the
legendary SV Ranga Rao acting as Ghatotkacha in the film to perfection.

The theatre rocks with laughter when Lakshmana Kumara (Relangi) is teased
by maya Sasirekha. She switches from the feminine to the masculine in the
twinkling of an eye and needless to say, a female artiste displaying masculine
demon qualities with a club in hand has no parallel.

Savitri gets totally involved in whatever role she plays. ' Chivaraku Migiledi’ is
one such film. She played the role of a nurse in a psychiatry ward. In a
particular scene the nurse has a nervous breakdown and cries uncontrollably.
The shot was over. "CUT", the director said, but Savitri who played the role
could not stop crying! Everyone in the set had to run to her and pacify her. The
film became a milestone in her career!!

Savitri was awarded the title 'Mahanati’ (the Supreme artiste).She also received
the Presidential award for her performance in 'Chivaraku Migiledi’, the magnum
opus of Savitri. She was the recipient of ‘Kalaimamani’ and ‘Nadigayar Tilakam'
from Tamil film industry. Savitri had nearly 300 films to her credit. Her career
was nearly 30 year long. She was equally admired by Telugu and Tamil film
lovers. She also acted in a few Kannada and Hindi films. She had a lion's share
of films when she was at the zenith of her career. Her passion for films was so
strong that she directed and produced a few films, in spite of certain
adversities.

Savitri was a humane artiste. She was generous to the people who were in
need. Once, she donated all the jewellery she was wearing to the Prime
Minister's fund. Her rise as a star was like a meteor. She left the world in 1981
leaving an envied and unsurpassed legacy behind her.

Savitri is no more. But she is among us with her unforgettable roles. Her
versatility lives on and on and on.

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Paying tribute to her, the director and producer Dasari Narayana Rao said:

"... Many artistes are forgotten soon after the death. But, it is not so with
Savitri. SHE WILL BE REMEMBERED AS LONG AS CELLULOID LIVES ON.

'All her films would amount to an 'Album of life' due to their range of themes;
they encompass human lives and passions in their full diversity. What is
cinema? Is it a fiction or a reality? Many people say many things. But Savitri
gave a different definition. She said that cinema is ' Life'. Life is eternal. So is
cinema because life runs through it. AND SAVITRI IS ETERNAL SINCE SHE
GAVE THAT LIFE TO CINEMA."

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