Since the first Indian silent film, Raja Harishchandra, direc-ted by Dadasaheb Phalke in 1913, and the first talkie movie Alam Ara made in 1931, which had a four-minute-long kissing scenes (it would give Emraan Hashmi an inferiority complex) up to adorable deaf and dumb Barfi (already India’s official entry to the Oscars) the Indian film Industry has come of age. With annual approximate turnover worth $3 billion, offering direct and indirect employment to over 6 million people and churning over 800 films each year in half a dozen languages, the Indian film industry is one of the largest in the world. In 2002, around 1.3 billion cinema tickets were sold in India. On an average, 43 millions film buffs flock cinema halls across the country every day.
Nowhere film actors exercise such a hold on the national psyche: College and university students and the youth in general try to emulate their favourite heroes and heroines in their dresses, hair style, mannerism and body language. Manufacturers lap up reigning filmstars for endorsement of their brands — Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan, Salman Khan, Shahrukh Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Akshay Kumar, Hrithik Roshan, Ranbir Kapoor, Katrina Kaif, Kareena Kapoor, Anoushka Sharma and Sonakshi Sinha are ruling the roost.
Fading actors endorse Shaktibhog atta, Annapoorna biscuit, Lux cosy underwear etc. Political parties woo actors, tired and retired, to attract audience, add a dose of glamour and get vote, especially in a hotly contested election.
But doesn’t this technology-driven reach and enormous influence on account of larger-than-life filmy persona also put some moral responsibility on the shoulders of film artists? At the dawn of Independence, filmmakers made films that raised social issues of their time. Chetan Anand’s Neecha Nagar (Grand Prix Cannes 1946) and Bimal Rai’s Do Bigha Zamin (winner at Cannes & Karlovy 1953) were pioneers in this trend. Sayajit Ray’s trilogy, Raj Kapoor’s Awara, Sri 420 and Jagte Raho and Guru Dutt’s Pyasa, Kagaz Ke Phool and Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam were examples of neo-realist cinema: believable, authentic and contemporary. They stressed Nehruvian idealism and raised social issues; many relevant even today. Mother India was a timeless Classic on rural India (the first Indian film to be nominated for an Oscar) whose soul-searching dilemma between one’s duty and personal relationship has influenced films like Ganga Jamuna, Deewar and Shakti.
K. Asif’s magnum opus Mughal-e-Azam wasn’t just a royal drama of a prince’s affairs with a nautch girl but a sharp-edged clash of values, human relationships and a ruler’s duty epitomised in its memorable dialogues. Presenting opulence of an era gone by, the heart-wrenching story and haunting music of Pakeezah and Umrao Jaan touch upon customs, traditions and social norms of a decaying era.
Sadhna and Mausam raised the issue of prostitution, Dhool ka Phool of surrogate mother, Ganga Jamuna, Jis Desh Mein Ganga Bahti hai and Mujhe Jino Do of poverty, exploitation and dacoits and their rehabilitation. With different stories/treatment, Sant Gyaneshwar, Dosti, Sarda, Naya Daur, Char dil Char Rahein, Phir Suvah Hogi, Bandini, Sujata, Hum Dono, Parakh and Kanoon underlined morals, ethics, social values and one’s call of conscience. Sholay, a mega-hit, touches them all.
Sharat Babu’s Devdas (remade so many times) is not only an endearing love story but also a commentary on the Bengali Society of its time. Love triangle and extra marital affairs have been eternal favourite of directors and given high-voltage dramas like Andaz, Gumraah, Sangam, Arth and Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna.
Earlier, the hero represented the good and the villain the evil and films ended with the triumph of the good over evil. Raj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar and Dev Anand, Dharmendra, Amitabh Bachchan have portrayed characters, at least once, which had shades of grey. But none tasted success and mass adulation by enacting negative characters as did Shahrukh. In films like Darr and Baazigar, he made negative characters menacing but adorable and saleable.
The Indian Cinema is not all Bollywood; more films are made in Chennai and Hyderabad than in Mumbai. Ray’s Charulata, Aranyer Din Ratri, Shatranj Ke Khilari, Arvindan’s Chidambaram, Vasthuhara and Uttarayan, Ritwik Ghatak’s Meghe Dhaka Tara, Komal Gandhar, Subarna Rekha, Mrinal Sen’s Bhuvan Shome, Khandhar, Parashuram, Ratha Kanneer, Guna, Iruvar, Moondram Pirai, Nayakan and Gauravam in Tamil are milestones of Indian cinema.
Jitendra, Anil Kapoor and Salman Khan have thrived on Tamil remakes. Ghajini, Wanted, Dabangg, Singham, Rowdy Rathore prove action still sells. Shirtless Salman with his eight packs and bulging muscles has inspired new entrants who show off chiselled physique. However, the success of Three Idiots, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara and Barfi shows that films can touch millions’ heart without action.
Many viewers feel that films like Haqeeqat, Shaheed, Border and Gadar: Ek Prem Kahani promote national fervour and depict extreme violence, use of abusive, profane and vulgar language; exposure of flesh and lewd double-meaning dialogues/songs in films impact young and impressionable minds negatively. But who should judge?
Unkind, ruthless, selfish, greedy, corrupt, exploitative society has been exposed in films of Mehboob Khan, Raj Kapoor and Guru Dutt. Shyam Benegal’s films Ankur, Manthan, Bhumika, Mandi, Sardari Begum, Maqbool, Well Done Abba have strong social content.
Films like Aakrosh, Chakra, Paar, Ardh Satya, Garam Hawa, Bawandar raise inconvenient questions. Prakash Jha’s films — Damul, Ganga Jal, Mrityudand, Apharan, Rajneeti and Aarakshan dissect society with all its ugliness. Films like Ghayal, Satya, Shool, Chandni Bar, Page 3, Once Upon A Time in Bombay unfold seamy underbelly of mega cities.
The middle path, where the commercial and art cinema merge best, are represented by Hrishikesh Mukherjee (Anand, Satyakaam and Chupke Chupke); Basu Chatterjee (Rajnigandha) and Basu Bhattacharya (Teesri Kasam), Gulzar (Parichay, Koshish, Namkeen) gave meaningful and socially relevant and entertaining films.
Raj Kapoor used to say there are only two kinds of films; good films and bad films. Of late, however, the thin line dividing the art cinema and commercial cinema is blurring. Amitabh does Black and Paa and Vidya Balan doesn’t mind doing a Dirty Picture and Ranbir Kapoor is game for new characters. Shahrukh Khan, who became Badshah Khan with films like Dil to Pagal Hai, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, does Swadesh, Chak De India and My Name is Khan. Aamir Khan will always be remembered for his Lagaan, Rang De Basanti, Taare Zameen Par. Yet, Salman Khan, with the success of Dabangg, Ready, Bodyguard and Ek Tha Tiger, collecting crores, romancing heroines half his age, rules the Box Office.
Can films be a catalyst for action to fight the evils of our society? We see films, they get talked about; some even get rave reviews and award and then forgotten. They don’t spur social change. But who is to blame? Hasn’t the society become insensitive, corrupt and callous beyond redemption? Films like A Wednesday, Iqbal, Ragini MMS, Vicky Donor, Kahaani, Paan Singh Tomar, Gangs of Wasseypur show real slices of lives but can’t match 100 crore grosser which offer action, Jhandu Balm and Sheila ki Jawani.
Even if films can’t be an agent of change, they can serve the society constructively by drawing attention, instigating discussion and debate and hopefully encouraging viewers to initiate action; not a mean achievement by any standard.
Surendra Kumar is an avid film buff