A good way to test our humanness is by checking out if we still love a flower, a child’s smile, cheer up while listening to music or when we hear or share a story: whether real or imaginary. There was a time, it seems a long time ago, when one’s childhood began with fascinating stories told by one’s elders. But slowly, that privilege of children is fading away. We, as parents, are at fault since we don’t have time. We have passed on our responsibility to technology, which means the television and the Internet. Should watching films inside halls become obsolete very soon, one should not be surprised. Yet, no cinematic experience can be more enjoyable than sitting inside a hall, soaking in its atmosphere, watching larger-than-life images move and talk as a story unfolds, with popcorn and soda in hand.
Life’s mundane experiences are transferred from one generation to the other naturally and automatically via our genes. However, the cultural and civilizational transfer of experience happens through personal storytelling. Spoken words make a big impact, and so do written words. But visual storytelling, whether via drawings, puppetry, drama or films leave a deeper mark within. Stories that travel through time enrich our civilization. This includes both stories from the past and also our sharing of common present-day experiences and feelings. These are capable of stirring the conscience, and touching the soul.
When William Shakespeare’s own theater was discovered in London recently, we reveled in celebrations. However, most of the world and even many Indians don’t know that India gave the book of drama, the Natyashastra, to the world millennia back. Bharat Muni’s treatise is still followed in both Indian classical dance and drama. The idea of rasa is a highly evolved one, so much so that the modern world is yet to fully appreciate some of its unique ideas in human expressions.
India took part in the journey of filmmaking soon after the medium was born. Although the nation makes nearly 1000 films a year, it primarily caters to about one-and-a-half billion people within the Indian sub-continent. Indian cinema doesn’t get as much international recognition as it should unless something distinctive gets made, such as Slumdog Millionaire or Salaam Bombay. Why? I’m not getting into the punditry of it, but one thing that is sure is that true professionalism is absent in the making of the majority of films. The passion for chasing quick bucks at the expense of attention to quality is easily visible in such films. Yes, funding is a concern, although India has started making films whose budgets are pretty close to what Hollywood spends to create a medium-budget film. But a maestro like Satyajit Ray has shown that it is not the pocket, but skills, perseverance and dedication that go into the making of a qualitatively brilliant film.
Some might fall back on the good old justification echoed by Vidya Balan’s character in The Dirty Picture: that is, a film works because of three reasons, ‘entertainment, entertainment, entertainment’. Yes, that is true, but quality filmmaking is beyond mere entertainment. It is a craft that must reflect human emotions, connect with hearts and finally awaken our humanness, helping us transcend our daily experiences. Quality cinema must conquer linguistic, cultural and geographical barriers, reaching that point where mankind in its purest form comes together. Nevertheless, it is not just people of Indian subcontinent or only of Indian origin who love Indian films. Because of their sheer entertainment value, Indian films have their share of viewers in many countries, including Russia, the Middle East, Far East, Africa, and now, in the West. That is a great thing, in fact, the best soft power India has. Just like the West is experienced by the world via Hollywood, India connects with the world with its films.
Indian cinema has its weaknesses. During this centenary celebration, however, one must appreciate the hard work of those producers, directors, actors and others who have pursued their artistic goals with genuineness and intellectual honesty. We must salute those who lived and who live today to give us the basic gift of life – telling us stories we love. We must especially thank those creators, who may have changed many lives through their films. After all, movies mirror our societies, institutions, homes and individual selves. It helps us see how and what we are.
