Nov 23rd : Do Bigha Zameen
Nov 24th, 25th & 26th : Nothing interesting in the Indian section except for Gulabi Talkies which clashes with work hours. Will check out the international fare.
Nov 27th : It's a holiday. Will watch atleast two movies. Thinking of Kancheevaram and Little Zizou back to back but might drop Kancheevaram in case there's something more interesting from the international fare. Kancheevaram has a repeat screening later...will watch it then in case I drop it on the 27th.
Nov 28th : Might be a holiday too...not sure though. Will catch the talk on Globalisation in Indian Cinema and pick up something from the international menu.
Nov 29th : Weekend!!!! Saturday's line-up is quite tempting. Will have to opt for either Bandini & Valu back to back or the repeat screening of Gulabi talkies. Haven't decided yet.
Nov 30th : Sunday = Fun day. Might catch the early morning repeat screening of Kancheevaram if not seen earlier. The rest of the day is open for the international fare.
Dec 1st : My birthday. :) And Chetan Anand's Neecha Nagar is the perfect birthday gift. Might be around half an hour late to work...but birthday hai to chalega.
Dec 2nd : Repeat screenings of Jodha Akbar & Valu. Wifey's been pertering me to watch JA with her for quite some time. Might give in...or else...will catch Valu. In which case, I'll drop out on Bandini earlier and watch Gulabi talkies instead on the 29th.
Looking forward to the screening schedule of international films. The screening schedule for the Indian programming is available on http://iffi.nic.in/scheduleip08.pdf
Friday, November 14, 2008
Portrait of a director - Manmohan Desai
Some time ago, I was discussing cricket with some friends and the talks veered off into what has probably been the most debated cricketing topic in recent times - Saurav Ganguly. Saurav was the original firebrand - the rebel who was known for his unconventional stances that went on to become cricketing folklore. Talk about removing his shirt in the balcony at Lords, keeping rival captains waiting for the toss and many other instances of gamesmanship, Saurav has etched his name as the enfante terrible of cricket. And then, he also went on to become the most successful test captain in Indian cricket history. The devil’s workshop that my mind usually is, it started thinking about a cinema parallel to Saurav Ganguly. And who better to don the garb than apna Manji (as he was fondly addressed). Manmohan Desai was the original firebrand of Indian cinema. He shook the foundations of what was regarded as right/wrong or good/bad in hindi filmdom and went on to create a legacy of his own that is so far untouched and doesn’t look like anyone would be able to touch it either. As a sidenote to doubters, Manji has also notched up a phenomenal success ratio of 65% with 13 of his 20 films going on to become major hits.
My first brush with MMD was from his inferior lot. Rachna was the name of the new theatre in Faridabad (a small town near Delhi where I spent a major part of my childhood). Megaphone equipped rickshaws used to roam the streets of Faridabad announcing the largest balcony in Asia (Don’t know how much of that was true…and never cared how much of that was relevant) but Rachna was one imposing piece of concrete. 900+ seats in the balcony was intimidating for sure but those were the days when cable had still not made an entry into the indian market and VCR’s/VCP’s were considered luxuries (they were available on rent but had to be booked at least a couple of days in advance for weekends and at least a week in advance during vacations). So theatres were the only option for impromptu movie programmes and the crowds were still there. Anyways, back to the topic on hand. Rachna had opened with the Big B starrer Mard. And we (mom, dad, my sister and myself) were there on the first weekend. And I completely fell in love with Raju Tangewala as well as his sidekicks. Did someone say that Raju didn’t have any sidekicks in Mard? Watch it again. Badal and Moti would give an inferiority complex to Phantom’s Hero and Devil anyday. So that was my baptism by the Manji fire. Next in line were Naseeb and the biggie AAA on a rented VCR. And I was converted to a hardcore member of the MMD fan club.
Thanks to cable, satellite television and VHS/VCD/DVD, I have watched MMD’s entire filmography and it amazes me no end as to how this man managed to come up with so many hits in spite of most of his films bearing the same basic formula. All said and done, he has regaled generations with his potboilers and will always be remembered as one of the greats in the business. This tribute of mine for one of my favourite directors focusses on the unique legacy that he left us as well as some highlights from his filmography. So, here goes…
Manji gave the lost and found formula to Bollywood. The formula was a base for almost half the films he made. The twists of fate that would lead to the breaking of families were surpassed in their outrageousness only by the twists that would get them back together. The trend started with his first movie, Chhalia; was absent for a few years and then resurfaced in Rampur Ka Lakshman. It went on till Mard, his penultimate movie as a director and piled on the moolah for the producers and pleasure for the viewers. There is no doubt that he is the master of the lost and found tale. A classic variation of the standard lost and found fare was used by him in Parvarish - the first movie where he worked with Amitabh. Instead of the normal family breaks up in the beginning to meet again during the climax - Parvarish had the son of a dacoit growing up in a police chief’s house. Diametrically opposite to Raj Kapoor’s Awaara. But while Awaara emphasised quite a bit on the emotional side of the angle, Parvarish was pure masala, meant only for sinful indulgence. Chacha Bhatija, another MMD movie that I’ve watched multiple times had a different take on the lost and found formula. Here, the protagonist (Dharmendra) leaves his house due to an altercation with his sister-in-law, only to form a tag team with his nephew (Randhir Kapoor) later on.
Manji also gave us Nirupa Roy. Although she had started donning the Maa garb long before she started working for the MMD camp, she used to be in a completely different element while acting as Maa in one of MMD’s movies. Her journey with MMD started with Roti, and she went on to become more popular as Amitabh’s mother than even the late Teji Bachchan herself. All credit for that to Manmohan Desai.
Secularist iconography was a hallmark of Manji’s movies. Who can forget the backdrop of a temple, mosque and church outside the hospital room where Vinod Khanna, Amitabh and Rishi Kapoor donate blood in sync to Nirupa Roy in AAA? Or the John Jaani Janardhan of Naseeb? If there was a director who wore his secular credentials on his sleeve, it was MMD. And he did it in characteristic style. His movies showed the religious minorities as the younger brothers (the pampered ones) to an all-encompassing maryada purushottam elder brother (invariably hindu); thus outlining the demographic breakup of India in light of the 3 major religions followed in the country.
One of the greatest facets of Manji’s legacies was Amitabh Bachchan. I’ve always felt that Bachchan gave his best when working for either of four directors - Hrishida, Yash Chopra, Prakash Mehra and Manmohan Desai. While he was the guy next door in Hrishida’s movies, Prakash Mehra gave him his career defining Angry Young Man tag. In Yash Chopra’s movies though, Amitabh’s characters were never bigger than the subject or the plot. But it was MMD who gave Amit some of his most larger than life characters as well as his most endearing ones. Anthony in AAA, Raju Tangewala in Mard, Iqbal coolie in Coolie and Amit in Suhaag are prime examples of the earthy texture that MMD gave to Amitabh’s persona. And not just Amitabh. Manmohan Desai directed some of hindi moviedom’s best loved stars right from Raj Kapoor and Shammi Kapoor to Rajesh Khanna to Dharmendra and these combinations resulted in some of the biggest hits in hindi cinema like Roti with Rajesh Khanna and Dharamveer with Dharmendra.
To appreciate his career as a filmmaker, I’ve outlined a few of his milestone films. This is not my pick among his best films. Rather, it shows his progression as a filmmaker.
Chhalia (1960) - Manji’s brother, Subhash Desai was a mid-rung producer in Mumbai. He got Manji his first break as a director with an ageing Raj Kapoor in the lead role. This movie can be called the rightful precursor to the stock formula of his later movies - lost and found. Although pathbreaking in many ways, it is just remembered as Manmohan Desai’s debut venture today. It explored the issue of women separated from their families during partition and how, after being united with their families, they were shunned by their own people. It also bore a strong secular hallmark which is best exemplified by the title song - Chhalia mera naam, Chhalna mera kaam. Hindu muslim sikh isaai, sabko mera salaam.
Kismat (1968) - This was one of the biggest hits of those times. Though not a lost and found tale, it did carry quite a few elements that were a necessary ingredient of the formula later. Paramount among them was the intervention of fate (as the title suggests). The movie is best remembered for the evergreen Kajra Mohabbatwala number.
Rampur Ka Laxman (1972) - This was the first movie based completely on the lost and found theme. It also heralded the arrival of Rekha on the big stage (RKL was Rekha’s first hit). Starring Randhir Kapoor, Rekha and Shatrughan Sinha, it was a thoroughly entertaining masala offering.Parvarish (1977) - 1977 was a watershed year for MMD. He had 4 releases that year, all big hits and 2 of them with Amitabh. Parvarish was the least successful of the 4, but was one of MMD’s most intense movies. Except for Parvarish, all his other movies had a light and easy feel to them. But this one, a lost and found movie with a twist, was chock-a-block with intense emotions. And the feel was ably carried off by rivetting performances from Amitabh, Shammi Kapoor and Vinod Khanna.
Amar Akbar Anthony (1977) - The biggest of them all. This was the movie that catapulted MMD to eternity. Its IMO, hindi filmdom’s most loved movie ever. I don’t know of a single person who didn’t enjoy this mad caper. Lost and found at its peak, twists in the tale more crooked than Hurricane Katrina, larger than life characters in Akbar, Anthony, Kishenlal and the uniquitous Maarupa Roy, rocking action, over the top emotions, comedy ranging from the not-so-subtle to completely over the top, a starcast reading like the who’s who of bollywood, a magnum opus plot transcending two generations, miracles, gold smugglers, zany costume shows and perenially hummable songs (Humko tumse Ho Gaya Hai Pyaar and Parda Hai are personal favourites) - you name it, this movie had it.
Naseeb (1981) - Possibly Manji’s most ambitious project ever. It had everything that Amar Akbar Anthony did, and in patiala doses. It even referenced AAA quite a few times, most notably in the song Rang Jamaake. However, this one didn’t really send the cash registers ringing and maybe that lead to quite a large disappointment for him. For his movies that followed, lacked somewhere in terms of vigour when compared to his films prior to Naseeb. And although Coolie (1983) and Mard (1985) were huge hits, they came nowhere close to an amar Akbar Anthony or a Rampur Ka Lakshman or even a Suhaag with respect to their entertainment quotient.
Sadly, he ended his life in dubious circumstances and not much was made public about it. But Manmohan Desai was, is and will remain one of the most loved name among hindi film audiences. May his soul rest in peace.
Originally published here
My first brush with MMD was from his inferior lot. Rachna was the name of the new theatre in Faridabad (a small town near Delhi where I spent a major part of my childhood). Megaphone equipped rickshaws used to roam the streets of Faridabad announcing the largest balcony in Asia (Don’t know how much of that was true…and never cared how much of that was relevant) but Rachna was one imposing piece of concrete. 900+ seats in the balcony was intimidating for sure but those were the days when cable had still not made an entry into the indian market and VCR’s/VCP’s were considered luxuries (they were available on rent but had to be booked at least a couple of days in advance for weekends and at least a week in advance during vacations). So theatres were the only option for impromptu movie programmes and the crowds were still there. Anyways, back to the topic on hand. Rachna had opened with the Big B starrer Mard. And we (mom, dad, my sister and myself) were there on the first weekend. And I completely fell in love with Raju Tangewala as well as his sidekicks. Did someone say that Raju didn’t have any sidekicks in Mard? Watch it again. Badal and Moti would give an inferiority complex to Phantom’s Hero and Devil anyday. So that was my baptism by the Manji fire. Next in line were Naseeb and the biggie AAA on a rented VCR. And I was converted to a hardcore member of the MMD fan club.
Thanks to cable, satellite television and VHS/VCD/DVD, I have watched MMD’s entire filmography and it amazes me no end as to how this man managed to come up with so many hits in spite of most of his films bearing the same basic formula. All said and done, he has regaled generations with his potboilers and will always be remembered as one of the greats in the business. This tribute of mine for one of my favourite directors focusses on the unique legacy that he left us as well as some highlights from his filmography. So, here goes…
Manji gave the lost and found formula to Bollywood. The formula was a base for almost half the films he made. The twists of fate that would lead to the breaking of families were surpassed in their outrageousness only by the twists that would get them back together. The trend started with his first movie, Chhalia; was absent for a few years and then resurfaced in Rampur Ka Lakshman. It went on till Mard, his penultimate movie as a director and piled on the moolah for the producers and pleasure for the viewers. There is no doubt that he is the master of the lost and found tale. A classic variation of the standard lost and found fare was used by him in Parvarish - the first movie where he worked with Amitabh. Instead of the normal family breaks up in the beginning to meet again during the climax - Parvarish had the son of a dacoit growing up in a police chief’s house. Diametrically opposite to Raj Kapoor’s Awaara. But while Awaara emphasised quite a bit on the emotional side of the angle, Parvarish was pure masala, meant only for sinful indulgence. Chacha Bhatija, another MMD movie that I’ve watched multiple times had a different take on the lost and found formula. Here, the protagonist (Dharmendra) leaves his house due to an altercation with his sister-in-law, only to form a tag team with his nephew (Randhir Kapoor) later on.
Manji also gave us Nirupa Roy. Although she had started donning the Maa garb long before she started working for the MMD camp, she used to be in a completely different element while acting as Maa in one of MMD’s movies. Her journey with MMD started with Roti, and she went on to become more popular as Amitabh’s mother than even the late Teji Bachchan herself. All credit for that to Manmohan Desai.
Secularist iconography was a hallmark of Manji’s movies. Who can forget the backdrop of a temple, mosque and church outside the hospital room where Vinod Khanna, Amitabh and Rishi Kapoor donate blood in sync to Nirupa Roy in AAA? Or the John Jaani Janardhan of Naseeb? If there was a director who wore his secular credentials on his sleeve, it was MMD. And he did it in characteristic style. His movies showed the religious minorities as the younger brothers (the pampered ones) to an all-encompassing maryada purushottam elder brother (invariably hindu); thus outlining the demographic breakup of India in light of the 3 major religions followed in the country.
One of the greatest facets of Manji’s legacies was Amitabh Bachchan. I’ve always felt that Bachchan gave his best when working for either of four directors - Hrishida, Yash Chopra, Prakash Mehra and Manmohan Desai. While he was the guy next door in Hrishida’s movies, Prakash Mehra gave him his career defining Angry Young Man tag. In Yash Chopra’s movies though, Amitabh’s characters were never bigger than the subject or the plot. But it was MMD who gave Amit some of his most larger than life characters as well as his most endearing ones. Anthony in AAA, Raju Tangewala in Mard, Iqbal coolie in Coolie and Amit in Suhaag are prime examples of the earthy texture that MMD gave to Amitabh’s persona. And not just Amitabh. Manmohan Desai directed some of hindi moviedom’s best loved stars right from Raj Kapoor and Shammi Kapoor to Rajesh Khanna to Dharmendra and these combinations resulted in some of the biggest hits in hindi cinema like Roti with Rajesh Khanna and Dharamveer with Dharmendra.
To appreciate his career as a filmmaker, I’ve outlined a few of his milestone films. This is not my pick among his best films. Rather, it shows his progression as a filmmaker.
Chhalia (1960) - Manji’s brother, Subhash Desai was a mid-rung producer in Mumbai. He got Manji his first break as a director with an ageing Raj Kapoor in the lead role. This movie can be called the rightful precursor to the stock formula of his later movies - lost and found. Although pathbreaking in many ways, it is just remembered as Manmohan Desai’s debut venture today. It explored the issue of women separated from their families during partition and how, after being united with their families, they were shunned by their own people. It also bore a strong secular hallmark which is best exemplified by the title song - Chhalia mera naam, Chhalna mera kaam. Hindu muslim sikh isaai, sabko mera salaam.
Kismat (1968) - This was one of the biggest hits of those times. Though not a lost and found tale, it did carry quite a few elements that were a necessary ingredient of the formula later. Paramount among them was the intervention of fate (as the title suggests). The movie is best remembered for the evergreen Kajra Mohabbatwala number.
Rampur Ka Laxman (1972) - This was the first movie based completely on the lost and found theme. It also heralded the arrival of Rekha on the big stage (RKL was Rekha’s first hit). Starring Randhir Kapoor, Rekha and Shatrughan Sinha, it was a thoroughly entertaining masala offering.Parvarish (1977) - 1977 was a watershed year for MMD. He had 4 releases that year, all big hits and 2 of them with Amitabh. Parvarish was the least successful of the 4, but was one of MMD’s most intense movies. Except for Parvarish, all his other movies had a light and easy feel to them. But this one, a lost and found movie with a twist, was chock-a-block with intense emotions. And the feel was ably carried off by rivetting performances from Amitabh, Shammi Kapoor and Vinod Khanna.
Amar Akbar Anthony (1977) - The biggest of them all. This was the movie that catapulted MMD to eternity. Its IMO, hindi filmdom’s most loved movie ever. I don’t know of a single person who didn’t enjoy this mad caper. Lost and found at its peak, twists in the tale more crooked than Hurricane Katrina, larger than life characters in Akbar, Anthony, Kishenlal and the uniquitous Maarupa Roy, rocking action, over the top emotions, comedy ranging from the not-so-subtle to completely over the top, a starcast reading like the who’s who of bollywood, a magnum opus plot transcending two generations, miracles, gold smugglers, zany costume shows and perenially hummable songs (Humko tumse Ho Gaya Hai Pyaar and Parda Hai are personal favourites) - you name it, this movie had it.
Naseeb (1981) - Possibly Manji’s most ambitious project ever. It had everything that Amar Akbar Anthony did, and in patiala doses. It even referenced AAA quite a few times, most notably in the song Rang Jamaake. However, this one didn’t really send the cash registers ringing and maybe that lead to quite a large disappointment for him. For his movies that followed, lacked somewhere in terms of vigour when compared to his films prior to Naseeb. And although Coolie (1983) and Mard (1985) were huge hits, they came nowhere close to an amar Akbar Anthony or a Rampur Ka Lakshman or even a Suhaag with respect to their entertainment quotient.
Sadly, he ended his life in dubious circumstances and not much was made public about it. But Manmohan Desai was, is and will remain one of the most loved name among hindi film audiences. May his soul rest in peace.
Originally published here
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