Of the four South Indian languages, Malayalam can rightly boost about the number of their off-mainstream movie initiatives. The triumvirate Aravindan – Adoor – Padmarajan is no more there, true. But others are filling the places left vacant with the exit of Aravindan and Padmarajan.
Next in the line comes Kannada. We had BV Karanth, Girish Karnad and Kasaravalli operating busy from there. Though it is mostly Kasaravalli now (and Jayamala to a small extent – Gulabi theatre etc), they too have a healthy count of good cinema.
Next comes Tamil and you know more than me. Definitely we have more experiments with themes, narrative style and more important with fresh faces in front of and at the back of the camera. Let their tribe increase.
That brings us to the fourth South indian language – Telugu. The public and the movie makers were for ages satisfied with pure masala or tear jerker attempts which set the cash registers ringing and the producers laughing all the way to the bank. Nonetheless, they too have their parallel cinema.
B.S.Narayana’s Nimajjanam starring Sarada, Mrinal Sen’s Oka Oori Kadha, B.Narasinga Rao’s Daasi (a powerful performance by Archana) and Rangula Kala.
They all are available on Youtube. Any other Telugu parallel cinema initiatives I missed naming here?
********************************
Gautham Ghose’s ‘Paar’ (the crossing) based on Samarendra Basu’s short story is a gripping tale of exploitation of the rural poor. The climax has the protagonists Naseeruddin Shah and Shabana Azmi taking a group – herd of pigs across a river for a paltry fee, which remains etched in mind 30 years after watching the movie. Shah and Shabana had to do this not just for a few close up shots and then go for panning and zoom outs.. the camera travels with them and they really toiled with the pigs..
Paar is available in Youtube. Please watch when you find time.
*********************
Enge Nimmadhi (Pudhiya Paravai – Tamil 1960s) This song is an orchestration marvel of 1960s which is still not excelled.
Viswanathan and Ramamurthi create a spell binding mini symphony here and the visualization for the first time in Tamil (may be this too is not excelled yet) has a grandiose opera style movements. The opening piano piece, following chorus and the group of violins raising to a crescendo in flat 10 seconds .. amazing.
Balaji and Saravanan writing in dhool.com about this song mention –
//This spell binding song appears at the most appropriate moment of the movie . So what the song is all about :
1.Total duration – 6 minutes !
2. Length of prelude – 34 seconds !
3. The prelude includes 10 second Piano work WHICH WAS EDITED BY ALL INDIA RADIO DUE TO THE TIME FACTOR
4. This song has anupallavi also ( Enge manidhan thaan illayo part )
5. The first interludes last for 50 seconds !
6. The second interludes last for 38 seconds !
& its a breathtaking song ! amazing even today considering the fact that in the 60s, the technical developments were not that much advanced ! Listen to the song in stereophonic effect and you will feel the difference.
The chorus interludes & the manner in which The piano, violin, jalataragam , guitar, trumphets were used – ITS A PRECIOUS GEM !
This song forms part of MSV/ TKR’s ALL TIME WONDERS
//
Very true.
Here is the song –
http://www.youtube.com/
*************************************
Have you watched Sathyajit Ray’s Gopi and Baga films? They belong to a completely different genre compared to Ray’s famous repertoire (Apu trilogy et al).
Gupi Gayen Bagha Bayen and Hirak Rajar Desh are available on youtube. Please watch for a totally diffrerent movie experience – fantasy with a purpose, meant for children but indirectly targeted at all adults. Great actors like Utpal Dutta don cartoonistic characters and perform their best in these films.
I was speaking to Bharati Mani sir about sawal – jawab (thani avarthanam) and he immediately mentioned Gupi Gayen Bagha Bayen has one scene in which Ray has brilliantly used this – a wordly duel between two characters. Mridangam and Ghatam provided background score for each character in Thani Avarthanam style.
*****************************
what was the third story in JK’s ‘Pudhu Cheruppu’? The title piece was about a couple played by Srikanth and Saradha (if I remember right). The second one was ‘Raja varappoorar’ about an old woman doing odd jobs and waiting at Madras harbour hoping her husband who went overseas long ago will return one day (Raja Varapporar). It had a brilliant solo performance by Manorama for which she would have won a national award, had the movie been released. And the third story? (Jeeva Nanthan Jeeva may be knowing, I guess).
*************************