Gaja Gamini .
Mo
Ruchi Sharma
To call Maqbool Fida Husain's Gaja Gamini a mere film would be like
belittling all that the man's talent typifies and personifies.
For Gaja Gamini is more than a tribute to a woman -- it is eons of
time, all rolled in one.
In a film that has no story, no hero, no heroine and certainly no
plot, you find everything -- the actors, the stage, the plot, the art
and the form.
Gaja Gamini is the story of a woman -- all that she has been to man
through time. The mother, the beauty, the tease, the coquette, the
oppressed, the intellectual, the strong, the powerful, the muse...
All these faces have been portrayed in a state of timelessness -- in a
film that has two sections on screen, separated by a black wall.
One is Gyan (represented by Kalidas) and the other is Vigyan
(represented by a scientist). It is an irony how the two strongest
faces of truth (science and literature) keep bumping into each other
at all odd times -- on the ghats of the Benares Ganga, in a jungle of
modernity and in the forests where there are strange, leafless bamboo
trees, storms, and where the scents of seduction prevail -- and find
themselves reacquainting anew, with new wisdoms to impart.
The film, per se, has no beginning, no middle and no end.
For those better informed, hark back to a film called Insignificance,
where Marilyn Monroe, her ex-husband, Joe DiMaggio, Albert Einstein
and Senator Joe McCarthy all meeting in a sweaty hotel room in 1953.
In one bizarre occurrence, Monroe uses toys to explain the theory of
relativity to Einstein, and McCarthy has most unsatisfactory sex with
a Monroe impersonator...
And you are wondering what on earth is going on anyway.
Similarly, Gaja Gamini is like a series of miniature tablets of life
that keep intersecting and interconnecting at all the stages of life
that we have known and read about.
Strongly rooted in the principles of Hindutva, Gaja Gamini is the mast
that holds all of life aloft -- the elusive walk of the woman, an
enchantress, a mystical figure, who has no face, just various avatars.
And all the avatars -- Mona Lisa, the muse; Shakuntala, the
inspiration; Sangeeta, the enchantress; Munshi Premchand's Nirmala;
the rich, but oppressed, Monika; the friend who sees nothing but knows
all; Sindhu, the firebrand who is only engaged in destroying evil;
Phulwania, the lady who sells flowers, but nurses a gun beneath the
blossoms -- they all strike a chord of deep empathy in the heart of
the intelligent viewer.
Despite the beauty of the canvas that Husain has painted, the
excellent dances by Madhuri Dixit in every avatar, and the sheer
beauty of direction, Gaja Gamini, it is sad, will want for viewers.
At the premiere, held at Bombay's Regal cinema, the huge audience came
away feeling cheated.
One, because none of the stars turned up for the show. Another,
because they could not understand the inherent symbolism of the film.
Said Usha Shah, a dowager who came all decked out, "This is sheer
nonsense! What sense does this movie make? I was looking forward to
seeing Shah Rukh Khan. But he has such a small role! Besides, there is
absolutely no romance in the film."
Voices of assent were all around her, even as some felt that this was
nothing but Husain's way of making an art film in colour to simply
showcase his paintings. "There are nore of Husain's paintings of even
Madhuri in the film," said Meera Maheshwari, another viewer.
"No proper dances -- all the dance is too traditional, and nothing
like what one would expect from Madhuri Dixit's regular film," said
Prakash Dadlani, who had stood for hours in the hope of getting a
ticket.
The music, by Bhupen Hazarika, is composed and rendered in his own
unique style. Nothing unexpected there -- as a matter of fact, it's
good music.
What impresses most is Husain's strapping command over Hindu
mythology. It is arguable that even the best of them would be able to
stand up against his vast well of knowledge, which is applied
skillfully applied into every frame of the film.
The film ends on a very positive note -- which, once again, is
probably Husain's belief -- that of women leading mankind into the new
millennium, which is indicated with a humungous gate of mirrors.
Since mirrors do not lie -- only the fittest shall survive and pass
through. Mallika (Shabana Azmi), who leads the rest into the new
millennium, was Nirmala in another time-span. She is now head of the
planning commission for the new world order.
Beyond a point, one cannot figure out who is leading whom where -- is
Monika (yet another Madhuri Dixit in scintillating blue) taking
everyone there? Or is it the elusive Gaja Gamini, dressed in a
graceful kashta?
Beyond a point, all the women are one, and each woman has all of the
others in her.
Watching Gaja Gamini is like being caught in the middle of a Samuel
Beckett play: Instinctively and intuitively, one knows exactly what is
happening here.
But on the sad surface -- how many care?
CREDITS
Cast: Madhuri Dixit, Shabana Azmi, Naseeruddin Shah, Mohan Agashe,
Farida Jalal, Ashish Vidyarthi, Shilpa Shirodkar, Inder Kumar, Kalpana
Pandit
Special appearance: Shah Rukh Khan
Director: M F Husain
Producer: Rakesh Nath
Music: Bhupen Hazarika
Mirza Ghalib
seem worth spending any money on.
(On second thought, if it comes in a discount theatre
with a two for one ticket deal, might consider it.)
Mo
Unfazed, Husain says he followed his heart in 'Gajagamini'
MUMBAI: It took M. F. Husain 60 years to realize his dream of making
his "first and last feature film". But in less than 60 hours,
"Gajagamini" was dismissed by many as an oblique and convoluted piece
of abstract art.
Unfazed by criticism, however, Husain says he followed his heart. "I
have done what I had set out to. Whether the film is criticized or
appreciated I have done my job," he told IANS.
At the International Film Festival in Mumbai many critics and
delegates were seen leaving the theater long before the film -- with
Madhuri Dixit in the lead role -- was over. Yash Chopra, who
distributed the film in Mumbai, is expected to incur losses.
Even though the film was co-produced by Dixit's secretary Rakesh Nath,
neither he nor Dixit attended the premiere of the film, even though
Dixit was in Mumbai shooting for Sanjay Bhansali's "Devdas."
Not that the film lacks big names. Everyone from Naseeruddin Shah and
Shabana Azmi to Shah Rukh Khan and Indra Kumar had agreed to be part
of Husain's dream project that he wanted as a "painting on celluloid."
The non-linear narrative of "Gajagamini" features Dixit as four
different women who encounter characters from history and literature.
Speaking of Madhuri Dixit, the painter says her body language is
"phenomenal."
"I think 'Gajagamini' needs to be pushed. I don't agree with you if
you say it's meant only for international audiences. But it isn't a
commercial Hindi film either. At the same time it isn't an out-and-out
art house product. It falls somewhere in between," Dixit told IANS.
Dixit said she found the film interesting. "It is abstract with lots
of metaphorical meanings, quite like Husain Saab's paintings.
'Gajagamini' is a collage of images. Each frame looks like a painting.
Every frame is complete in itself. In other films the frames are
interlinked. But in 'Gajagamini' you can take any shot and hang it on
the wall. Every shot tells its own story. The film has many
mythological references. It's a collection of Husain Saab's
experiences over 83 years."
The painter turned filmmaker says the film is his most creatively
satisfying experience that even transcended painting. He described the
film as a tribute to Indian womanhood, drawing inspiration from "the
woman who gave me birth, the woman who lives with me and the woman who
lives in my works."
Dismissing time as meaningless, Husain's cinema brings together images
that aren't always linked or even coherent. There are references to
Shakespeare and Kalidasa. Leonardo da Vinci, played by Naseeruddin
Shah, also appears in the film.
Criticism on other aspects notwithstanding, "Gajagamini's"
cinematography and musical score - by Bhupen Hazarika - have been
unanimously appreciated. (IANS)
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Mo
This comes with the attitude to life born out of extremes
that exist in Indian history and society.<
Only the Hindus section and liberal Muslims living in a free Hindu
country have this attitude . The true Muslims have a cant do this and
cant do that orders from non existent Allah which paralyses them into
inaction..
Offbeat Hindi films make a hit at Australian fest
SYDNEY: Indian films are known for their florid romances and
song-and-dance routines, but the movies that were shown here recently
were not the usual over-the-top productions from Bollywood, as the
Indian film industry is more popularly known.
Instead, moviegoers who trooped to the Goat Island film festival that
ended early this month were treated to films signalling a new wave of
Indian cinema that focuses on contemporary India and had little of the
gratuitous songs, dances or foreign locations that are staples in
Bollywood productions.
The annual festival, which is just in its second year, showcases films
from non-English-speaking countries. According to organisers, it aims
to offer moviegoers alternatives to Hollywood films that dominate the
local cinemas, as well as raise awareness of the other cultures in
this multi-cultural city.
Last year, the Goat Island festival put the spotlight on Italian
films. For this year's ten-day filmfest, the organisers chose to
highlight the products of the Indian movie industry, which is one of
the largest and most vibrant in the world.
Said Sydney mayor Frank Sartor: ''The rich and diverse culture of
India is becoming more and more a part of our lives in cosmopolitan
Sydney.
The festival brings you a slice of one of the world's largest film
industries as people across the world become more aware of the
Bollywood style.''
Festival artistic director Peter Castaldi also pointed out: ''The
Indian film is savagely independent. The incredible value and
influence of this unique production culture is being felt throughout
the world cinema. They have kept Hollywood at bay, reaffirming that
they know and understand how to entertain not only Indians, but people
the world over.''
Bollywood actually cranks out as many as 900 movies a year in 25
different languages. Its films attract a daily audience estimated
around 15 million, who seem addicted to the predictable story-lines
that almost always have the hero and heroine, along with what seems to
be a whole village of back-ups, singing and dancing every 20 minutes
or so.
As Sydney-based actor-director Anupam Sharma noted, ''the song is the
most visible and heard feature that gives the Indian film its strong
identity. Each film has seven to eight songs. Much of the action in
Bollywood hinges on the $64.7 million Hindi film music industry.''
Castaldi himself admitted Indian movies being filmed in Australia
probably fall into the ''traditional'' category that features grand
production numbers.
He said: ''From group dances on the steps of the opera house and
romancing duets on Darling Harbour, to lovers claiming their love from
the Centrepoint Tower, filmmakers are looking for sets here for their
new ventures.''
But Castaldi said the Goat Island film festival made it a point to
avoid fielding such films, convinced that the traditional Bollywood
romances would drive Australian audiences ''insane with boredom''.
Instead, they decided to show movies made under the banner of filmi
fundas, and opened the festival with Kaizad Gustad's 'Bombay Boys'.
The film is a refreshing and energetic look at Mumbai, as seen through
the eyes of three expatriate 20-something boys from New York, London
and Sydney. But one scene in particular had the local audience howling
in delight - when Ricardo (Rahul Bose), the boy from Sydney, rendered
'Waltzing Matunga', a playful take on Australia's ''unofficial''
anthem 'Waltzing Matilda'.
The audience also loved the other filmi fundas offerings, which
included Dev Benegal's 'English August' and Nagesh Kukunoor's
'Hyderabad Blues'.
Castaldi did not hide his admiration for India's more progressive
filmmakers who are going beyond the tried and tested formulas.
Then again, he said, India is a ''can do country. This comes with the
attitude to life born out of extremes that exist in Indian history and
society. Deepa Mehta's 'Fire' and Mira Nair's 'Salaam Bombay' have
pushed the accepted artistic boundaries and gained Indian film makers
an international profile''.
To complement the showing of the Indian movies, organisers also had
seminars that tackled topics such as 'history of Indian cinema and new
wave of Indian film-making: filmi fundas' and 'music, verse and poetry
in Indian films'.
About 25 Indian films, along with Australian classics such as
'Starstruck', 'Sunday Too Far Away' and 'The Chant of Jimmie
Blacksmith', as well as documentaries and commercial movies, were
screened during the festival.
There was also an exhibition of more than 100 Indian cartoons drawn by
three generations of India's most renowned cartoonists, including R K
Laxman, Abu Abraham, Mario Miranda, Ajit Ninan and Shankar. This
exhibition covered events of the last decade of India's
pre-independence era and its 50 years of freedom.
But there was more. Festival enthusiast Marie Lombard said: ''it is
not just viewing a film. The festival offers the added attraction of
traditional Indian cuisine, live entertainment and spectacular views
of the Harbour Bridge and the city skyline in the backdrop.''
What was interesting, though, was that while the festival attracted
members of Sydney's 25,500-strong ethnic Indian community, it played
host mostly to other Australians.
Australia, which has a total population of 19 million, has about
78,000 ethnic Indians, with a second-generation Indian population of
44,000. New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia in particular
have sizable Indian communities. (UNI)
Previous Article
Mo
Starring: Madhuri Dixit
Director: M F Husain
Music: Bhupen Hazarika
Released Gaja Gamini' is the story of the multi-dimensional woman --
the mother, the beauty, the tease, the coquette, the oppressed, the
intellectual, the strong, the powerful, the muse... All these faces
sections on screen, separated by a black wall.
(Madhuri Dixit), who is suspended in time and space along with a
spectrum of characters taken from art, history, music and poetry.
These characters, who voice the aesthetics of feminine beauty, act as
points of reference and are in constant dialogue with each other on
the essence and identity of a woman. The characters range from
Noorbibi of Satara - a symbol of stability, Shakuntala -- the black
princess conceived in the poetry of the great Kalidaas, Monica -- the
boat woman, searching for existential love, Phoolwania -- the flower
girl with a red band tied across her forehead, a symbol of her slain
husband, and many more characters.
Along with these women she consolidates the power ('shakti') of
womankind in a man's world. The film is an operatic ballet, punctuated
with colours and music, which keeps oscillating between illusion and
reality. In short, a journey through the eyes of a painter, M F
Hussain.
Expectedly, the film does not follow the norms of the conventional
sort of cinema to which we are so accustomed. It was Hussain's fantasy
to make a film with Madhuri Dixit and he's made it!
Madhuri Dixit looks gorgeous in every frame and in every role. She
enacts all the different roles with required amount of oomph and
grace. Her dances and expressions are magnificent. One cannot think of
any actress doing these various roles with so much of dignity. No
doubt she is one of the finest actresses in the Hindi film industry
who has the perfect combination of talent, grace and beauty. Another
is Shah Rukh Khan (who plays himself) which brings some relief in the
film. His song with Madhuri Do Saddiyon... is visually appealing and
good to listen. Other big star casts fail to impress and are
uncomfortable in their costumes.
The sets are colourful and look like beautiful paintings.
Rating: Fair
Mo
this is going to be a classic like 2001 , even though most wont
understand it the first time.
photos on rediff.com
Two unusual movies were released last week. Both, inscrutible. Both,
impossibly self indulgent. Madhuri Fida Husain's Gajagamini and Sunhil
Sippy's Snip.
Gajagamini is actually all about the Dixit's gorgeous derriere, now
alas somewhat more substantial than it used to be in its heyday. Yet
stunning enough to launch an entire armada if not a squadron of
Sukhois as well. However, to give the film its artistic pretensions,
Husain has brought in Kalidasa, Leonardo da Vinci and Mirza Ghalib. As
well as Naseeruddin Shah, Shabana Azmi and Mohan Agashe. While
Shahrukh Khan and a literally larger than life Shilpa Shirodkar try to
add desperately to its commercial potential.
But the halls are bereft of audience and I do not, quite frankly,
blame those who have shunned what is undoubtedly the most mysterious
film to have ever emerged out of Bollywood. In fact, so mysterious is
the film that even Madhuri has stayed away from its public viewings
and premieres on specious pretexts. Perchance she be asked to explain
it.
There have been many occasions when I have defended Husain against
charges of gimmickry and pretentiousness. The Shwetambari show at the
Jehangir art gallery in the eighties was one of them, where he
littered the floor of the huge auditorium with torn newspapers and
hung long white sheets of mercerised cloth from the ceiling to convert
the entire gallery into an installation that one could walk through.
I found the show testing but stylish. It challenged the conservative
definitions of art and poked fun at the stiffnecks who review
exhibitions with the mindset of Torquemada's inquisitors. I also
enjoyed his first film. The quirky one with the black umbrella that
won him his first award in Berlin. A Golden Bear if I remember right,
in the late sixties.
But this? This is not an experimental film at all. In fact, it is a
compromise film if you ask me. Some very boring songs filmed in a very
filmi manner, stilted dialogues, choreography that would embarrass a
platipus with its feet tied to concrete, and a script that gets you
nowhere. Not even into the dark conundrum of your own psyche to search
for a few quick answers to life and creativity.
If this is an artistic film, my great grandmother was the Battleship
Potemkin. It is a pretentious nonstarter, badly thought through and
made with precisely the kind of love that a butcher has for his pet
heifer. It is bad art, attrocious cinema, rotten commerce. What
surprises me is that Yash Chopra, who is supposed to have an eye for
the beautiful, chose to release this film. Perhaps he wanted a tax
shelter for Mohabbatein.
Snip is equally quirky but has the definitive touch of a serious
film-maker. Sippy may not have made a great movie but you can see
through its despairingly whacked-out screenplay that here is a 29 year
old trying to be heard over the cacophony of commercial cinema. The
problem is Snip lacks a consistent screenplay. It lacks the all
embracing vision of a good director and, much as he tries, young
Sunhil does not exactly succeed in fitting the pieces of the jigsaw
together to complete the delightful film he set out to make. But you
see him struggling. You see him trying, trying very hard.
There is no intellectual smugness here. There is no pretentiousness.
He fails because he does not know how to put together his truly clever
ideas to make a film that works in its entirety. Yet look at his
choice of actors. Look at his choice of Sophiya Haque and Saurabh
Shukla and you can see the amount of risk he has taken. He was trying
to find his own voice and even though the film may not have set the
Arabian Sea on fire it does not diminish him.
Yes, he is self indulgent. He tries too hard at times. But that does
not make him look silly in the way Husain looks silly with Gajagamini.
Of course, he has youth on his side. The film exudes raw energy, fun,
delight. Even an outrageous sense of humour. It shows that Sunhil has
the makings of a fine director even though he may have turned up a
lemon in his first attempt.
The music is delightful. The camerawork is neat. The look of the film
is very stylish. Here is a young director who has come to stay. He is
not a dilettante. He is not stacking up stars to get an initial at the
cinema halls. He has no Golden Bear or Silver Bull to back him. He is
just a new kid on the block who knows that he wants to make a
different kind of fun film. Whether the film succeeds or not, he has
demonstrated his ability, his skill, his determination to challenge
the existing language of commercial cinema.
That is the difference between Gajagamini and Snip. Both may be
playing to empty halls. But one is a tired old man's vision of The
Great Bottom. Tantalising as it may be, The Great Bottom (even if it
happens to be Madhuri's) cannot hold your attention for all of two
hours in a dark auditorium. The other is a young man's attempt to find
his own creative landscape.
While the old man is weighed down by his fame and success and comes
through as tired and pretentious, the young man has nothing to lose
and therefore swashbuckles his way into your heart with a film that is
both gutsy and delightful. Both the films may have failed in the
marketplace but there is an essential difference between the two film
makers. One falls flat on his face. The other can get up, dust the
back of his jeans and try again.
Pritish Nandy