Hypocrisy of Art Films

on April 6, 2010

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Santa Singh

Well_Done_Abba_movie_x2x_in_3

One
Have a look at this lady [photo top: right]. She has acted in renowned and mostly-art-house filmmaker Shyam Benegal’s ‘Well Done Abba’. You would say that she is in the movie because she is pretty, graceful or beautiful. But then you learn that she has had a nose surgery done to rectify the nose that Mr. God gave her. While there may be something or nothing wrong in that (I find her pretty), it means that she does not consider herself as proper or even beautiful.

So you would imagine that she was chosen solely for her high powered acting skills. Oh, well…

Let’s face the truth. She may have been chosen because she is marketable, because that face is recognised and because she took little money. She represents the merger between ‘art films’ and ‘commercial films’. The producers wanted to add some sexiness to the film. So that the costs are recovered. So that—going by her earlier films where she wore almost nothing—people have something to look at. Something to imagine. So that even if she doesn’t wear bikinis and tube tops in this movie, people come to the theatre remembering her earlier… outfits.

minnisha 
(source)
“Hey look, it’s that girl from the earlier movie where she wore close to nothing. She is acting in a new movie. She won’t remove her clothes but do you want to check her out?”

This is better than people saying…”Who is this new girl? I have never seen her before. She won’t even remove her clothes in this movie. Do you really want to see this movie?”

So effectively, the ‘art’ filmmakers are drawing from the earlier underwear show of the heroine. This, my friends, is the power of the bikini. Do something sexy, anything, just get noticed and then do some art films to ‘complete’ your career.

I have written about Shyam Benegal in an earlier story. I quote from there…

“Why not theatre actors or some unknown ‘ugly’ chap who’d share the passion for cinema? Oh yeah! you want somewhat saleable actors for the market. But then, didn’t you make some low budget lovelies before?”

jahnu-b

Two
Jahnu Barua, winner of one, two, three, four… eight national awards is making a film, which, according to our friend Wikipedia features Preity Zinta, Shiney Ahuja, Isha Koppikar and Dharmendra. No, No… nothing against the actors. But do you have to work with commercial actors to make films in Hindi. What about the time when you made low budget films in Assamese? Can’t you do something similar here?

Here’s more from Wikipedia:
”Initially, Dipannita Sharma was supposed to play the supporting role of Zinta’s room mate, but was later replaced by Isha Koppikar.”
Don’t you feel blessed to read the multiple options available to our talented director? Do you feel the power of plenty?

The shocker doesn’t end here…
”Dino Morea makes a special appearance in a song composed by Pritam Chakraborty.”
I claim again that I have nothing against commercial actors. I even enjoy their work. They are good for a rainy day when you are homeless, foodless and need some acting skills to revive yourself.

I am not saying that the film won’t be good and that the actors won’t act brilliantly. It is all possible. But it shows that Jahnu has to bow down to the Hindi screen demigods. It should be the other way round. He should work with the best actors and the demigods should try to fit into his scheme of things.

Sadly. Aisa nahin hota.

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