Jhansi Ki Rani Background Music

[Claribel Szwaja]

MAINSTREAMHINDI FILMS are more concerned about striving for emotional accuracy than the aesthetics of realism. A Hindi film has to engage the audience not just mentally but physically, so that they are stirred to weep, laugh and be angry by stars embodying emotions or values, their feelings intensified in close-up shots, delivering moving dialogues in a meaningful mise-en-scne where emotions are transferred onto inanimate objects, with spirited background music and, most famously, with songs which condense dialogue to lyrics. One of the feelings that films can arouse in the audience is patriotism, as a heroic star, perhaps in uniform, uses powerful oratory associated with the nation (Maa, Bharat, Shaheed, Kurbaan), set against stirring music, declaring undying enmity to those who dare to insult India.

Since Independence, the Hindi film itself has tried to forge a national culture, largely avoiding controversy in favour of a consensus on Indian values and traditions. Most genres created an all-Indian hero, tall, fair and vaguely north Indian, largely avoiding mentions of caste.

Overtly nationalist films have focused on patriotism, often biopics showing heroes of the freedom struggle, including Bhagat Singh, overlapping with the historical film which has ranged across themes drawn from ancient India to the Mughals to the colonial period. The Indo-British film Gandhi (directed by Richard Attenborough, 1982) has been one of the most celebrated of them all.

There have been fewer overtly political films, perhaps because of censorship issues, although remarkable films have been made, including the 1975 Aandhi (Mrs G-Aandhi) and the 1997 Tamil Iruvar (MGR and Karunanidhi), while Raajneeti (2010) amalgamated the Mahabharata and The Godfather with performances that showed identifiable political figures.

However, in 2019, the election year, several films have had a more overt political slant, not least as they feature figures active in current politics. There is a film and a web series about Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose releases have been postponed, while an earlier film, The Accidental Prime Minister, concerned Manmohan Singh and the Congress.

Raazi (2018) is a spy drama based on the true story of an Indian Muslim RAW agent, who marries into a Pakistani military family to spy on them before the 1971 war. It shows Pakistanis as mostly kind, normal people but the heroine betrays her husband for her country, only to realise her country puts itself before her, thus deflating any patriotic sentiment.

The films this year help to narrate the nationalist struggle, said to begin with 1857, formerly reaching to 1947, but now extended to the present struggle for a new Hindu nationalism. The films build on an idea of nationalism centred around devotion to Mother India, cow protection, the use of Hindi and portray, through the lens of contemporary Indian new middle-class values, feudal and royal devotion to great leaders, advancement of women in the public sphere, all wrapped up in the persuasive form of mass entertainment.

The patriotism manifested in these recent films is linked to ideas of a specifically Hindu nationalism. Yet they are made by a Mumbai-based film industry, made up of mostly family-run businesses, with its high proportion of Muslim personnel (stars, musicians and directors), and its roots in a syncretic Islamicate culture. Moreover, many filmmakers strive to be apolitical with some notable exceptions.

In these elections, the future of India is at stake. Both sides may claim to own nationalism but patriotism knows no party. The rhetoric of anti-nationalism is used against those who query the government rather than the nation. Others claim India herself is under attack. The audience is sensitive to propaganda and being bludgeoned by films carrying too overt a political message, seeking entertainment and emotional realism. Just as the politician must woo the electorate, so must the filmmaker find his/her audiences for the entertainment film. The josh is high but the battle is far from over.

Sometimes, I start watching a film for lack of a better option. There are zero expectations, hardly any excitement and just a tingle of curiosity on seeing a familiar face. Merry Christmas is one of those films for me. The curiosity grew just a tiny bit when I started wondering about the unusual pairing of glam-doll Katrina Kaif with Tamil superstar Vijay Sethupathi. I decided to nibble on this for a bit.

I was in for a huge surprise. This 2024 Indian neo-noir mystery thriller film directed by Sriram Raghavan [Andhadhun 2018] and produced by Ramesh Taurani, Jaya Taurani, Sanjay Routray and Kewal Garg turned out to be an unforgettable watch, a film that will stay with me for-almost-ever.

If noir is your poison, and you get hooked to a European vibe, rich art, cynical characters, stark lighting effects, flashbacks and complex plots with an existentialist philosophy running in the backdrop, this is your film.

Usually, in Bollywood, when mainstream actresses step above their song-dance-leading-lady routine and start eyeing a National Award, they are given meaty roles that have a huge margin to perform, and are supported by art, music, promotions, and big banners to be able to carve a niche for themselves as an actor who wants to show that she can do more than be someone to look pretty beside the almighty male lead.

For instance, Kareena Kapoor in Chameli, Alia Bhatt in Gangubai Kathiawadi and Kangana Ranaut in Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi. Often the roles are controversial or even outrageous and hence attract a lot of limelight.

From there onwards, things take a turn when he sees her fainting in a church and being helped by a pleasant gentleman Ronnie [Sanjay Kapoor] and decides to tag along. But this time the body in the apartment has disappeared. Albert is intrigued and some unpredictable and bizarre twists and turns follow.

The taut screenplay, the Christmasy feel and witty dialogue are a lethal combination. When Maria asks him what he wants to drink, Albert says anything fermented, except dosa batter, would be fine. The editing and camerawork, sound design, background score blend beautifully with visuals of the architecturally stunning Colaba, the Victorian Gothic and art deco buildings that enhance the rich art direction and elaborate detailing in the sets of the film.

Apart from the bird in the cage parable and the ingenious origami touch, there are some lovely nostalgic nuances with references to classic films and veterans. The cinema ticket with a photo of Rajesh Khanna, a cutout of Amitabh Bachchan from his angry young man days. The song Jab Andhera Hota Hai Aadhi Raat Ke Baad from the 1973 film Raja Rani, played in the background in an important scene.

Kathak was mainly practised as a solo form and experiments in thematic compositions and group choreography started only around the sixties. Kathak dancers, in those days, focussed on rhythmic interplay, speed and beauty of movements. The body was given very little importance. Even abhinaya, which was the origin of the dance and main communicative media, became secondary.

The general masses recognised Kathak as a dance of chakkars (spins) and tatkar (footwork) only, while some criticised it as a makkhi-maar (fly-batting) dance. The presentation of thematic compositions, beautiful choreographic lines and melodious accompanying music to enhance the mood had to be meticulously worked out. Dance-dramas, ballets and short items were composed; the masses liked it. During the sixties and seventies this was the most popular way of reaching out to the uninitiated audience.

Maharajji choreographed several successful dance-dramas during his tenure at Bharatiya Kala Kendra including Kumar Sambhav, Shan-e-Avadh, Malti Madhav, Dalia and Krishnayan. The first group compositions that he made were Govardhan Leela and Holi Leela. For Holi Leela Sitara Deviji was invited from Mumbai to play Radha (particularly to draw an audience, as she was quite popular in those days through her films) and Maharajji enacted the role of Krishna.

No one had much experience on presentation, choreography, costumes or stage décor. However, they were full of ambition and commitment and their technique was strong. Sitara Deviji arrived on the morning of the show, as she had been very busy with her stage performances and film shootings until then.

I was lucky to have seen the Govardhan Leela composition as a little girl, though I did not know Maharajji then. As a versatile artist, he was always inclined towards composing music. In some of the earlier dance- dramas the senior Dagar brothers (Fahimuddinji and Aminuddinji) composed the music, but later Maharajji did so himself. At times he also wrote the lyrics.

The first major ballet composition, with the guidance of Lacchu Maharajji, was Malti Madhav in 1959. Krishna Kumarji played Madhav, Kumudini Lakhiaji was Malti and Maharajji was Makarund. Though he was not in the lead role, he felt happy as there was a lot of dance for him in comparison to the hero, who only had to pine for his beloved.

Another interesting pastime that Maharajji indulged in was kathputli or puppeteering. Rehiji was a puppeteer at Bharatiya Kala Kendra and Maharajji composed the background music for many of his puppet shows. He also sang songs and spoke the dialogues for them. All the senior artists enjoyed working behind the scenes and Maharajji remembers some hilarious incidents during the recording of these productions.

Once they were recording music for the ballet Jhansi ki Rani and during the war scene they needed the sound of guns. Toy guns with cork and small fireworks were being used. While inspecting one of these toy guns, John Lobo got burnt; he had a big scar on his cheek. On another occasion, Dagar Sahib was requested to speak some dialogues in the background for the play Dhola Maru. As they were listening to the recording before the opening of the show, Dagar Sahib was very upset on hearing the voice of a junior artist, Batukda (Jyotirindra Moitra) in the role of the emperor, scolding him. Dagar Sahib commanded Rehiji to erase his voice. However, when everyone explained the situation, the matter got sorted out.

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