In 2012, Indian cinema will become 100 years old that began with Pandalik in 1912. A year later came Raja Harishchandra. Those were the days of silent movies. With talking movie ‘Alam Ara’ began the age of real cinema in 1931. Since then Indian cinema has made incredible progress to emerge today as the world’s largest film industry.
Every year hundreds of movies are made in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Bangla, Malayalam, Kannada, Bhojpuri and other regional languages. The annual turn-over will cross 1000 films soon. Indian movie stars are the most recognised faces of the country. The money involved in the industry is astronomical. The film industry employs tens of thousands of workers, technicians, actors, singers, directors, producers, dancers, musicians, dialogue and script writes, editors and theatre/multiplex staff. Hindi feature films dominate the scene. Tamil and Telugu films have passionate following of star fans. Bangla movies serve serious and artistic fare. Bhojpuri films have rural flavour. Hindi movie factories of Mumbai are better known as ‘Bollywood’ in imitation to Hollywood.
The mass appeal of films to Indian is just incredible. They provide a nice retreat from the harsh realities of practical life. The people feel a kind of consolation in seeing the film hero and heroine realise the dreams they see themselves which in real life are impossible. Cinema is the most convenient entertainment everyone has within reach because every city and town is sure to have cinema halls if nothing else. At most towns and cities it is the only form of entertainment everyone has within reach because every city and town is sure to have cinema halls if nothing else.
The impact of this audio-visual medium of entertainment is tremendous. It has an abiding influence. The young persons try to initiate what they see on the screen. They copy the mannerisms, styles, hair, dress, expressions and accents of their favourite hero/heroine. Video and Cable TV has further fired the movie craze of the people. Multiplexes are now the haunts of stylish young boys and girls with money. Small screen (TV) in India is an extension of cinema. It thrives on movie related programmes. The fans now get to see Hollywood movies dubbed in Hindi and other Indian languages.
Indian cinema has produced many outstanding feature films. Old movies were all musicals without exception. They gave us a golden period of songs. Those songs became part of our lives and even today their popularity has not diminished. Baiju Bawra, Aan, Aag, Mahal, Mother India, Devdas, Naya Daur, Pyaasa, Dhool Ka Phool, Jagriti, Jaagte Raho, Barsaat Ki Raat, Kaagaz Ke Phool, Amarpaali, Kashmir Ki
Kali, Professor, Junglee, Ek Musafir Ek Hasina, Ganga Jamuna, Jis Dish Main Ganga Bahti Hai, Pardes, Musafir, Mera Naam Joker, Teesri Manzil, Howrah Bridge, Paying Guest, Aaradhana, Tumsaa Nahi Dekha, Shrikant etc. gave us immortal lyrics and tunes. Regional cinema has also produced trail blazing movies. Old generation movies were social and contained love conflicts and dilemmas. There was little sex and violence.
The trend shifted in mid-seventies when the country’s youth was in angry mood due to frustration, Old values reeked of hypocrisy. He was cynical. Then came the flood of formula movies based on a mix of sex, violence and songs. They made quick profits. The only aim was box-office success. Sholay was the biggest hit of that era. Even its dialogues became legends. The popularity of its villain character Gabbar was unprecedented. Formula films were full of stock stereotype situations, vulgarity, melodrama and fast music. The decade of eighties, on musical score belonged to disco genre. The disco tunes were mainly lifted from the west and dances imaginatively choreographed. This trend saw the choreographers coming to the fore and becoming famous names. The formula movies are shallow in plot and content. They utterly fail to reflect our profound social concerns and changes. They do not mirror the conflict between tradition and modernism.
However some directors in the meanwhile came up with meaningful cinema popularly termed as ‘art films’. Satyajit Ray did pioneering work in this respect and put Indian films on world cinema map. His Pather Panchali, Gopi Gayene Bagha Baine, Mahanagar (All Bangla) etc. earned big acclaim abroad. He also directed Hindi movies Shatranj Ke Khilari and Godaan. Among Hindi films of ‘art’ genre, some exceptionally good ones were namely—Akrosh, Ardhsatya, Sparsh, Garam Hawa, Vijeta, Bhoomika, Grihpravesh.
National Films Development Corporation (NFDC) established in 1980, helps in producing quality films. Gandhi and Salaam Bombay were the best products of its efforts. NFDC also arranges to expose the Indian audience to high quality foreign films by arranging film festivals for interaction and promotion of Indian films. India exports its films to 100 countries. It is an irony that Indian song-dance-drama films are gaining ever increasing popularity abroad. The foreign viewers are beginning to like the colour, splendour, song and dance spectacles of commercial Hindi and Tamil cinema. Hindi movies have ready markets abroad wherever there are sizeable populations of Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi emigrants. And today there are many. We have reached a stage where only thing that matters in how a commercial films is received by Indians living abroad. If it is hit with them, then, all the costs are covered and profits earned. Even if it bombs at home it does not matter. Now the favourite locations abroad are must. The stories weave around characters settled abroad and their equations with left-back Indians to involve the NRIs emotionally for sure success. And it works. Then, it does not matter if the films fails at home. The money is where the NRIs are settled in.
For exhibition a film requires certification from Central Board of Film Certification better known as Censor Board. It consists of eminent personalities in the field. It is always in the line of fire. Film makers say it is too conservative and outdated. Moral brigade thinks it is blind and can’t see the vulgarity the films cater. But there is no doubt that formula or masaala movies full of sex, crime, violence, rape and contrived situations are doing no good except providing cheap entertainment. Some of the movies have inspired youngsters to commit crimes and into abnormal behaviour towards opposite sex. The nexus between underworld and film world is another matter of worry. It takes a huge sum to make a modern movie and the underworld has loads of ill earned money to dump somewhere. The authorities need to keep an eye on this factor.
We can’t expect movie makers to be social reformers or paragons of virtues. They are in the business to make money but they should know their limits. They should give some consideration to our own values, aesthetic sense, sensibilities and the fact that as citizens they have duty to the society and the nation. At the same time, the off-beat movie makers, bold and artistic minds must give us thought provoking films. There also is a need for clean, decent, cultural, social and technically balanced movies in commercial sector also. Some efforts are already there. Recently there were some films like Rang De Basanti, Fanaa, Page Three, Fire, Corporate, Lagaan, Parzania, Black Friday, Black, Omkara etc. that give us a hint that a hybrid genre of films are being made. They try off-beat themes on commercial format combining both types in one. These films offer something for every taste.
There is no shortage of scripting, directorial and acting talent in our country. The need is to create space for wide range of films and courage to take risks of experimenting. All the potentialities and possibilities must be explored to touch the masses through films as the expressions of art, culture, thoughts, real situations, social concerns and conditions. They can stimulate the national integrity, unity, communal harmony and scientific temperament.
