[Sarai Newsletter] JUNE 2003

[The Sarai Programme]

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
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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. 

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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