From dak at sarai.net Tue Jun 3 12:22:34 2003 From: dak at sarai.net (The Sarai Programme) Date: Tue, 3 Jun 2003 12:22:34 +0530 Subject: [Sarai Newsletter] JUNE 2003 Message-ID: <200306031222.34276.dak@sarai.net> CONTENTS: JUNE 2003 Film at Sarai - Amitabh Bachchan: Hai Tera Aashique Zamaana June 6 Kaala Patthar June 13 Silsila June 20 Namak Halaal June 27 Namak Haraam ‘Introduction to Film Studies’ Lecture Series - Report ------------------------------------------------------------------ FILM @ SARAI: Ek Fan Bolta Hai…. All screenings are on Fridays at 4:30 pm at the Seminar Room, Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, 29 Rajpur Road, Delhi -110054. The films are listed in the order of screening. All popular cinemas have their stars. In India we have superstars. And superstars do not exist without a fan following. Prabhat Jha, a die-hard Amitabh Bachchan fan, curates this month's film series at Sarai and shares his thoughts on the Bachchan phenomenon... “Let me first start with a distinction between a Spectator, a Fan and a Bhakt or devotee. The first category is of the people who go to the cinema hall with an open mind, with no expectations and is prepared to get disappointed or happy. The Fan, on the other hand, knows what he wants from a film, what he is looking for and what he will get. Logically even he should be disappointed or unhappy with a particular film – its narrative, treatment of the theme, direction, cinematography, etc.- but the fact is that he loves the star and these things do not make much impact on him. For a Fan, what Amitabh Bachchan does on screen can be done by God only, or mostly, not even by Him. Anyway, before we enter the realm of the Holy, let’s concentrate on this curious creature called the ‘Fan’. He is the person who watches his star’s film first-day- first-show, wears the same hairstyle, in short tries to mirror his star's image in his own life. Now consider the Bhakt: he does not have the option of imitating his favourite God; people would laugh at him the moment he starts wearing snakes a la Shiv, or carry a bow and arrow like Ram or a flute or ‘Sudarshan’ like Krishna. So, inspite of what the Tamil fans have done in terms of iconizing their heroes and heroines, a Fan is a secular modern, category. You may still find parallels between a Bhakt and a Fan in the sense that both operate with the notion of ‘Astha’ or ‘Belief’ that is beyond question. Both fight heroically when their idols are vandalized or are in danger – but remember, there is a crucial difference between the ‘Fan’ and the ‘fanatic’. Granted, a Fan is an irrational creature but can we, seriously speaking, understand Cinema rationally? Some of these films, I am sure you have seen once or twice or many times over, but come and see them from a different vantage point. And remember ‘Agar ek fan bolega to ek fan sunega aur agar ek critic bolega to….?’” AMITABH BACHCHAN: HAI TERA AASHIQUE ZAMAANA Friday June 6, 2003 Angry Young Amitabh Kaala Patthar (1979), 176 minutes Directed by Yash Chopra When disaster strikes in a doomed coal mine there are 3 men that stand up to fight for minors who take death as part and parcel of their existence. Vijay (Amitabh Bachchan) an ex-naval officer who is court-martialled and dismissed from the navy, is now working at the coal mine. He welcomes every sign of danger and adversity in an attempt to combat the demons within and to atone for an act of cowardliness as the captain of a sinking ship. Ravi (Shashi Kapoor) is an engineer in charge of this project, which is doomed due to the negligence and the greed of its owners. Ravi tries to alert both the management and the workers. Ravi joins forces with the labourers and Vijay in order to save the lives of his fellow workers and fight the establishment. Mangal (Shatrughan Sinha) is runaway convict who finds shelter from the hands of the law at the coal mine. A boisterous and egoistic man, Mangal discovers compassion within him and ends up joining the quest for justice. 'Kaala Patthar' is a film about how different people from different walks of life and backgrounds come together and show courage and character, to fight social exploitation and forces of nature in a loosing battle. Friday June 13, 2003 Rumani Amitabh Silsila (1981), 160 minutes Directed by Yash Chopra Amit’s (Amitabh Bachchan) life is turned upside down when his brother Shekhar (Shashi Kapoor) dies in a plane crash leaving behind his pregnant fiancée Shobha (Jaya Bachchan). Amit visits Shobha to mourn the death of his brother, but ends up sacrificing his love for Chandni (Rekha) and plunges into a loveless marriage with Shobha in an attempt to give her a new lease of life. When chance brings Amit and Chandni face to face again, both are married to different people - but neither can ignore their feelings for each other. 'Silsila' tests established familial and societal norms by addressing issues of love and adultery. The film was recast with the lead trio of Amitabh-Rekha-Jaya to play on the popular public imagination of their real-life relationships, however it did not fare too well commercially on its release. Friday June 20, 2003 Comedy Amitabh Style Namak Halaal (1982), 165 minutes Directed by Prakash Mehra Savitri, (Waheeda Rehman) gave up her son, Arjun (Amitabh Bachchan) to keep a promise to her dying husband. Savitri brings up Raja (Shashi Kapoor), the heir to the business empire, while Arjun is raised by his grandfather (Om Prakash). Arjun is sent to the city by his grandfather in order to become a ‘real’ man. He finds a job in a hotel owned by Raja and there he meets and falls in love with a co-worker, Poonam (Smita Patil). Raja grows up believing Savitri is his mother but when attempts are made on his life, he is led to believe that she is the person behind the attacks. A heartbroken Raja returns to the hotel where he meets Arjun and they become friends. Arjun watches helplessly as mother and son face off on Raja's inheritance. When another attempt is made on Raja at the hotel, Arjun decides to find out who is behind the attacks. Is it Savitri who is trying to kill Raja, so she can inherit everything? Or is it Nisha (Parveen Babi), Raja's love interest and cabaret dancer, who will do almost anything for money? Friday June 27, 2003 Face Off: Star/Superstar Namak Haraam (1973), 140 minutes Directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee 'Namak Haraam', starred two of Hindi cinema's most famous names - seventies superstar Rajesh Khanna and the actor who turned out to be his successor, Amitabh Bachchan. Since Namak Haram was released in late 1973 after Amitabh had already achieved stardom courtesy 'Zanjeer' and 'Abhimaan', it was a momentous teaming up. Somu (Rajesh Khanna), a middle-class youth, and millionaire Vicky (Amitabh Bachchan) are the best of friends. The short-tempered Vicky insults Bipinlal (A K Hangal), the union leader in his father's factory, and triggers a strike. At his father's insistence, a seething Vicky reluctantly apologises to Bipinlal. A disturbed Somu hatches a plot to avenge Vicky's humiliation. He poses as a labourer, lives in the workers' basti, and starts working in Vicky's factory, to displace Bipinlal as the leader. Somu wins the workers' confidence and goes on to win the union elections defeating Bipinlal. An elated Vicky wants to celebrate but by now Somu's sympathies are with the workers. Vicky, subconsciously influenced by his father's views that the middle class is ambitious and unreliable, begins to see Somu as a “namak haram” or traitor. The film offers an early glimpse of Amitabh's intensity and his ability to play a role with authority. INTRODUCTION TO FILM STUDIES LECTURE SERIES held at Sarai-CSDS May 16 - May 26, 2003 The ten-day Introduction to Film Studies Lecture Series drew considerable interest from film enthusiasts in Delhi and other parts of the country. We received applications from undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral students, teachers, media professionals and others. Unfortunately, we could only accommodate a limited number of people and we had a tough time sorting through the applications and preparing a shortlist. Finally thirty participants attended the lectures, including eight from Sarai. Lecture themes included early film theory and practice (focus on Soviet montage), linguistic, psychoanalytical and feminist film theory, genre studies (including reflections on genre in the US, Japan and India), narrative theory, questions of spectatorship, formal and historical understandings of melodrama and realism. The lectures also addressed the categories of popular and art cinema, with special attention to India, and devoted special sessions to the documentary film. To capture the significance of media and film analysis for contemporary usages of the audio visual, special lectures and screenings were organised to examine the relationship between cinema, the history of imaging technologies, and representations of action, violence, and war. Nineteen films from Germany, USSR, France, Japan, Hong Kong, Iran, USA, Mexico, Cuba and India were screened and discussed during the course of the series. The lectures were illustrated with film clips and the involvement of participants facilitated through interactive formats. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- That's all we have this month. Cheers, Ranita The Sarai Programme Centre for the Study of Developing Societies 29 Rajpur Road, Delhi 110 054 Tel: (+91) 11 23960040 (+91) 11 23942199, ext 307 Fax: (+91) 11 23943450 www.sarai.net From dak at sarai.net Mon Jun 30 19:44:15 2003 From: dak at sarai.net (The Sarai Programme) Date: Mon, 30 Jun 2003 19:44:15 +0530 Subject: [Sarai Newsletter] JULY 2003 Message-ID: <200306301944.15278.dak@sarai.net> CONTENTS – JULY 2003 I Film @ Sarai – Govinda: Tera Jaadu Chal Gaya 4 Shola Aur Shabnam 11 Aankhen 18 Hero No. 1 25 Hadh Kar di Aapne II New @ Sarai Interface III Sarai @ 50th Venice Biennale IV Workshop Report - Web Site Designing and Hosting, INFLIBNET Centre, Ahmedabad ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear Friends, This month we continue the fan curations with one of Bollywood's most popular heroes – Govinda.... I FILM @ SARAI: Ek Fan Bolta Hai All screenings are on Fridays at 4:30 pm at the Seminar Room, Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, 29 Rajpur Road, Delhi -110054. The films are listed in the order of screening. GOVINDA: TERA JAADU CHAL GAYA Curated by Bhagwati Prasad “Bollywood has been witness to a bewildering array of stars and superstars. Each one of them has his own individual style and panache - one gets you to tap your feet when he dances, another makes you weep; you love one for his baritone voice and envy the other for his long locks or... his biceps. Every actor casts his own spell, has a special charisma. But Govinda is one star who can do all of these - he can make you laugh or cry with equal ease, he easily moves between action, emotion, comedy and tragedy. Govinda is adored and idolized by all. After watching a Govinda film the public comes out of the cinema hall with misty eyes and a smiling face. A happy-go-lucky persona, slightly stocky figure, with high energy levels, and a wide range of hairstyles, skin-tight pants with garish blue or yellow shirts, or at times simply in shorts and 'sando baniyan'. And, of course, a never-to-be-missed 100 watt smile. The guy can give inferiority complex to any dancing diva of the celluloid world. No two words about it - Govinda is A-1. Yeah! My Govinda - the Hero No -1!! ” Friday, July 4, 2003 Shola Aur Shabnam (1992), 176 minutes Directed by David Dhawan 'Shola Aur Shabnam' marked the beginning of a highly successful career for director David Dhawan and Govinda that was to unleash several hilarious flicks in the future. Govinda and his four friends are army cadets under general Anupam Kher's command. Here he meets Divya Bharti, daughter of a DCP, from the neighbouring girl's hostel and the two fall in love. This angers the local don, Gulshan Grover, whose brother, Mohnish Behl, is also in love with Bharti. Grover cooks up a rape charge against Govinda who is promptly kicked out of the army. When Kher discovers the truth, Behl is thrown out. Behl retaliates by humiliating Govinda's handicapped sister leading to a fight. Govinda is locked up and harassed by the police. When he flees, he kidnaps Bharti. Friday, July 11, 2003 Aankhen(1993), 177 minutes Directed by David Dhawan 'Aankhen' uses a classic comic element – mistaken identity – to generate comedy. Govinda, Kader Khan and Raj Babbar are all in double roles along with Chunky Pandey, Shilpa Shirodkar, Rageshwari and Ritu Shivpuri. Kader Khan, lives in the city and has two mischievous sons, Govinda and Chunky. Totally fed up with his sons, Khan throws them out of the house but they land up at Ritu and Rageshwari's place and fall in love with them. The two brothers come across an evil plan by Shakti Kapoor and Raj Babbar who has a resemblance to the chief minister (Raj Babbar in a double role) and wants to use this likeness to switch places with the chief minister and get all their dirty work done. The villain kidnaps Govinda and frames Chunky for his murder. Meanwhile, another father and son, Govinda and Kader Khan, live in a village. Trouble breaks loose when this Govinda travels to the city for a wedding and is mistaken as the city boy. The kidnapped Govinda escapes and meets the village boy's fiance. A laugh riot, Aankhen marked the revival of popular cinema in the 1990s. It stormed the box office with a record that challenged the earlier blockbuster, Sooraj Barjatya's 'Maine Pyar Kiya' (1989). Friday, July 18, 2003 Hero No 1(1997), 134 minutes Directed by David Dhawan Karisma Kapoor is an orphan who lives with her uncles and grandfather Paresh Rawal. While travelling abroad she meets and falls in love with Govinda. Unfortunately Govinda's father, Kader Khan, and Rawal are sworn enemies. In trying to be close to his girlfriend Govinda disguises himself as a servant and stays with Rawal's family eventually winning over everyone. The film was so popular that it led to a number of films titled “No.1”, kicking off a whole new series in Bollywood. Friday, July 25, 2003 Hadh Kar di Aapne (2000), 134 minutes Directed by Manoj Agarwal 'Hadh Kar Di Aapne' casts Govinda in multiple roles including that of a peevish grandmother, a shaky grandfather and a young woman. This is also the first time that Govinda appears in a “chocolate hero” role. Ritu Shivpuri and Nirmal Pandey are married and each is convinced that the spouse is cheating on them. Both Shivpuri and Pandey plan to expose their spouse so that they can secure a divorce. The wife pretends that she is going to Europe but instead sends her namesake and friend, Rani Mukherjee, who she hopes will catch her husband red-handed. The husband decides to send a friend, Govinda, on the trip, to spy on his wife. Ironically, Govinda and Rani Mukherjee fall in love. II NEW @SARAI INTERFACE: 'INSIDE/OUTSIDE: Mannequins and Reflections on the City Street' A photo essay by Denis Vidal during his trip to Delhi for the City One Conference. These are pictures of mannequins and reflections on store windows. A way of looking, not just at the contents of the displays nor the play of reflections, but at a seamless integration of inside and outside, of object and reflection. Vulnerability is written into the allure of the mannequins. This is a visual journey through the streets of Delhi with photographs that capture the essence of everyday moments with the city and its people. III SARAI @ 50th VENICE BIENNALE: June 15 – November 2, 2003 The 50th Venice Biennale (www.labiennale.org) is titled “Dreams and Conflicts: The Dictatorship of the Viewer” and curated by Francesco Bonami. The Raqs Media Collective is showing two works, designed and co-produced at the Sarai Media Lab. i) In the section 'The Structure of Survival', curated by Carlos Basualdo: “5 Pieces of Evidence” Video + Sound Installation by Raqs Media Collective Editing: Parvati Sharma | Sound Design: Vipin Bhati | Coding: T. Meyarivan | Production: Ashish Mahajan | Renu Iyer | Mrityunjay Chatterjee "The invisible missing person, and the barely visible apparition that haunts the urban night, constitute two uncanny poles in a city's imagination of itself. People disappear, and mysterious assailants manifest themselves w= ith an uncanny regularity in spaces scarred by the assault of enumeration and planning, and the shadows of spontaneous disaffection, crime and routine state violence. Global cities are networked entities. The network excretes fear as a byproduct of the remaking of itself as a gleaming transmetropolitan fortress. People disappear or are sucked into the intricate mesh of the network, and the mystery assailant emerges from its vortex to forage for more." ii) In the section 'Utopia Station', curated by Hans Ulrich Obrist, Molly Nesbit, Rikrit Tiravanija "Utopia is a hearing aid" Poster, paper. 60" x 84" by Raqs Media Collective Design with Pradip Saha (http://www.e-flux.com/projects/utopia/art/094raqsmedia/index.html) "Retinas need rest, ears need sharpening, a change of register and a register of change. Sublimal, submerged sounds demand attention. Lucid dreams awaken dormant possibilities. Rarely asked questions surprise. New rhythms play on nascent frequencies. All signals transmit and receive. Utopia is a record of the conversations that the world has with itself, out of earshot. Utopia is a hearing aid. Use it." For all posters in the exhibition check out http://www.e-flux.com/projects/utopia/index.html IV WORKSHOP REPORT: Workshop on Web Site Designing and Hosting, INFLIBNET Centre, Ahmedabad June 16-20, 2003 Moslem Quraishy from Sarai attended a workshop on Web Site Designing and Hosting, organised by INFLIBNET (Information and Library Network) Centre, an autonomous Inter-University Centre (IUC) of the University Grants Commission, in Ahmedabad. It is a pioneering institution in the field of Library and Information Sciences working on database development software, online archiving, digital library systems and e-journal access. INFLIBNET also facilitates pooling, sharing and optimisation of Library/Information resources. Presentations included HTML tagging, stylesheets, creation of dynamic webpages, photoshop use etc. Each lecture was followed by hands-on sessions making it very useful for the 20 participants. Discussions centred around accessing e-journals, storage of digital documents and archive classification. Dr. Edward Proctol, Electronic Resources Librarian, Southwest Missouri State University, Missouri, and Swati Bhattacharya, Librarian, IIM Calcutta, shared their experience. ------------------------------------ Cheers, Ranita The Sarai Programme Centre for the Study of Developing Societies 29 Rajpur Road, Delhi 110 054 Tel: (+91) 11 23960040 (+91) 11 23942199, ext 307 Fax: (+91) 11 23943450 www.sarai.net