Behind The Scenes

Yash Raj Films is opening its own studio later this year which could have amajor impact on the way films are made in India and Aditya Chopra looks set tobecome the most important producer in Indian film history because of hisdetermination to control all aspects of film making and film marketing. KaranJohar is emerging as the major spokesperson of the industry and its mostarticulate voice, while Yash Chopra, recently awarded the Padma Bhushan, is nowthe undisputed figurehead of the industry at home and abroad.

Ram Gopal Verma and his Factory are experimenting with form and genre ofHindi cinema, notably with action and thrillers, although they have not producedmany great films to date. However, Satya is a modern masterpiece, perhaps one ofthe best films of the last decade and one that surely deserved properinternational distribution. Unlike earlier attempts at film noir, Satyathoroughly domesticates the gangster genre to show the city of Bombay as fewfilms have done before. It depicts the ambivalence of the city as a place ofthreat and terror, yet also one of hope and with locations that afford momentsof love and friendship. The script is taut, the clearly defined characters ofthe gangsters are gripping and Manoj Bajpai as Bhikhu Mhatre turns in one of themost powerful performances of recent years.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali seems to be slowly working his way aroundIndia's different communities (Goan, Gujarati, Bengali,Anglo-Indian) with each film he makes. His movies contain an abundance of detailin every aspect of the mise en scène, notably in the exquisite costumesand sets that saturated every part of his frame. Each moment shows beauty andgrace yet somehow the sum is less than the parts. Although much-hyped, his Devdas does not live up to the Bimal Roy version in which the tragedy of thecouple that were soulmates who ended up living lives where they could not loveanyone else. This version is more heartbreaking than even the New Theatresversion with the great KL Saigal, and which surpasses the novel itself (at leastin the English translation I read). Black is certainly important in the changingform of Hindi cinema but not in world terms as it is too familiar from earlierHollywood films although its performances and its look are wonderful, despitethe many faults with the representation of Christians and the historical period(though nothing compares to putting Budapest in Italy!).

One of the films that made me most excited about the changing face of theHindi film industry was Farhan Akhtar's debut, Dil Chahta Hai. Thiswas the film that showed me people I knew and felt close to in Bombay.Itsstrong story line concerns well off but real young men trying to find fulfilmentand to negotiate their romances and plan their futures.The problems ofrelationships were highlighted in moments such as the cruel taunts of one friendfor another young man's love for an older woman and the subsequentbreak in their friendship. The song also had glorious moments such as the songthat affectionately parodies the Hindi film song while the holiday in Goa showedthe last summer of irresponsible youth before they embarked on their lifechanges. The style and the look of this film and its strong story made this oneanother film that may have succeeded on the international circuit if had beengiven a chance.

Ashutosh Gowariker's Lagaan, celebrated mostly for itsOscar-nomination, looked likely to herald the revival of the historical genrewhich had faded in the early 1960s. Although the genre was experiencing arevival in other cinemas, and several other historicals appeared at this time,there have been few successes and the fate of The Rising is not yet known.

Although he is part of the Tamil cinema, Mani Ratnam has had an enormousimpact on the Hindi cinema through dubbed versions of his films, his two Hindifilms and the remake of his film by his former assistant, Shaad Ali Sehgal, inthe lovely Saathiya. Although neither of his Hindi films (Dil Se andYuva) isflawless, they both have moments which remind us that we are watching the workof one of the world's great most accomplished directors. Theperformances he extracts, his music, his overall aesthetic which is seen in theshots, the exquisite clothes and the use of locations are extraordinary. Hisfilms, which are simultaneously strongly local and yet completely global, shouldbe released on proper international basis and the Tamil versions made moreaccessible in order for him to receive the acclaim he so strongly deserves.

The last ten years have also seen the reappearance of the lyricist as a majorfigure, notably through the work of Javed Akhtar. Once again poetry has comeback to cinema and perhaps cinema is even leading the younger generation topoetry. While Gulzar has continued his small but highly acclaimed output, Javedhas been one of the more productive writers of this decade. Promising new talentsuch as that of Prasun Joshi has also emerged, this time in the more Hindiworld. 

The language of dialogues has changed too, as a move towards a lessstylised, realistic language has spread. The language created by Abbas Tyrewalain Munnabhai MBBS became something of a craze, with "bole to" becoming a catchphase, while Anurag Kashyapbecame noted for his strong, earthy dialogues in films such as Yuva . Apart from Tyrewala, the others are all fromthe north and have kept Hindi and Urdu very much alive not only in Bombay butalso for South Asians overseas who learn these languages from watching thefilms.

The 1990s began with a return to more tuneful music, notably withNadeem-Shravan but the last ten years have seen some wonderful music inparticular that of AR Rahman. An acclaimed figure in world music, his film songsand scores are unparalleled in their tunes, arrangements and the drama heprovides whether in the songs or in its use as background scores. More recently,Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy have emerged as a major talent who can vary their styles in aseemingly infinite number of ways to the requirements of the film form.

I make no predictions for the future, yet I imagine we are likely to see arevolution in all aspects of the Hindi film, from making to its distribution, aswell as its content.

Dr Rachel Dwyer is Reader in Indian Studies and Cinema,Department of South Asia, SOAS, University of London, Russell Square, London WC1H 0XG