Mistresses of CROSSOVER CINEMA By Randeep Wadehra

These three Punjabi women have done cinema proud. They have taken Bollywood to the world and brought the West to Bollywood. Their films, exploring human mindscape and relationships in a variety of socio-cultural settings, are a hit with both western and Indian audiences.
Randeep Wadehra reels off the acclaimed contribution of film-makers Mira Nair, Gurinder Chadha and Deepa Mehta to cross-cultural cinema

THESE three women have managed to straddle the cultural twain: Amritsar-born Deepa Mehta, Bhubaneshwar-born Mira Nair and Nairobi-born Gurinder Chadha are highly talented film directors, producers, writers and actors. What sets these three apart from their peers is the fact that they are Punjabi women who have successfully spanned the East-West civilisational fault – as far as cinematic sensibility and creativity are concerned. Their works are watched, understood and critically acclaimed as much in India as in the West.

One can have some idea of their calibre if one takes a look at the awards they have won. Mira Nair’s works, apart from nominations to BAFTA and Oscars, have won Golden Camera (1998), Silver Ribbon (1992), New Generation and Lilian Gish Awards (1998), as well as Golden Lion (2001). Deepa Mehta bagged the 2006 Genie Award for outstanding achievement in cinematography, Golden Kinnaree Award at Bangkok International Film Festival (2006), The Silver Mirror (2006) etc, along with the recent nomination to the Academy Awards for Water. In addition to being nominated for Writers Guild of America’s best original screenplay award in 2003 (Bend it like Beckham), Gurinder Chadha’s contribution to cinema was recognised with the OBE decoration by the British government in June 2006.

The trio is equally comfortable while making movies, telefilms and documentaries for Indian as well as western audiences. Nair has made flicks like Salaam Bombay, Mississippi Masala, The Perez Family, My Own Country, Hysterical Blindness, Kama Sutra, Monsoon Wedding, Vanity Fair and The Namesake to name a few. Mehta’s better known movies include At 99: A Portrait of Louise Tandy Murch, Sam & Me, Camilla, The Republic of Love, Bollywood Hollywood, Earth, Fire and Water. Some of the better known productions from Gurinder Chadha’s oeuvre comprise The Mistress of Spices, Bride and Prejudice, Bend it like Beckham, What’s Cooking?, A Nice Arrangement, What Do You Call An Indian Woman Who’s Funny?, Bhaji on the Beach and Acting Our Age.

The three film-makers have explored human mindscapes and relationships in a variety of socio-cultural environments, which are generally alien or oppressive or both. You get a rather detailed look into the world of the marginalised or the outsider in movies like Salaam Bombay (street children), Earth (Lenny, the Parsi girl) and Water (the exploited widows). You get a glimpse of inter-racial relationships in movies like The Mistress of Spices, The Namesake and Mississippi Masala. Quite a few of the movies are about adaptation and adjustent to alien cultures or individuals from different backgrounds.

In Bend it like Beckham, Jasminder Bhamra feels more British than Indian and wants to play football like her peers such as Juliette. But her mother forbids her. In the ensuing struggle between the subcontinental orthodox mindset and western liberal values, the latter win as her parents give in to her wishes. Simiarly, in The Namesake you find Ashok and Ashima – married according to Bengali traditions – trying to adjust to their children’s lifestyle, especially son Gogol’s American way of living. In turn Gogol too has to come to terms with the relative frailty of love relationships in the western milieu — be it his affair with the American Maxine or marriage with the Indian Moushumi.

But, the movies are not just about families caught in the vortex of cultural differences. There are individuals outside families too who adapt to ‘the other’ in order to minimise the effect of cultural clash. For example Sam & Me focuses on the equation between a Muslim boy and an elderly Jew living in Canada.

Another striking feature of the trio’s works is predominance of female protagonists and their strong characterisations. Whether it is the neglected Sita and the abandoned Radha coming together in quest of love (Fire), the domineering Madhumati, the innocent imp Chuiya, the yearning-for-freedom Kalyani (Water) or Tilo, who is torn between her love for Doug and the call of the spices, all these characters leave more than a lingering impression on one’s mind. Moreover, humour, mischief and joy do make an appearance in most of their movies.

However, there are differences in the manner in which the three film-makers treat their subjects. Chadha uses lots of colour that exudes energy. If you remember the rather vigorous dance sequence in the bazaar in Bride and Prejudice you will recall the frisson it triggered off in your entire being. Even in The Mistress of Spices or Bend it like Beckham you hardly find any gloomy ambience although colours are relatively muted in the former.

You can say the same about Nair. She, too, prefers bright ambience for her movies. This is not to say that the two are unmindful of the narrative’s tenor or that they lend artificial hues to the general mood and texture. The end product of their efforts is eminently authentic. Mehta, in contrast, has not hesitated while employing sombre colour and complexion — you notice this especially in the ‘elements trilogy’ Earth, Fire and Water. Then there is the matter of cinematic metaphor — rains, for example.

Ever since its inception, the Indian cinema has been using rains to portray sensuality, joy, celebration and rejuvenation. However, in Monsoon Wedding Nair uses this device to depict something more than joy and celebration. Rain also becomes the symbol of the coming together of different classes, as the well-off mingle with their minions in a communal rain-drenched dance. More importantly, it is a happy aftermath to Shefali Shah’s angst-ridden outburst against her paedophile ‘Tej Uncle’.

In Water, on the other hand, rains bring in transitory, nay illusionary, joy in the lives of Kalyani and Chuiya. When the two dance in the room as it drizzles outside, you are filled with sympathy for them, for you instinctively know that their fate has already been sealed by society. Here, the rainfall is more a symbol of hope-amidst-hopelessness than an expression of sensuality.

Mehta also employs light and shade to effectively communicate with the viewers. For example, in the climactic scene in Water Shakuntala places Chuiya into Narayan’s hands as the train moves from the rather dark platform towards the sunlit world beyond. You realise that at least the widowed child has escaped further molestation at the hands of upper-caste landlords for whom widows are nothing more than sex objects.

Come to think of it, things haven’t changed much since 1938 if one takes a look at the plight of abandoned widows in Varanasi and Vrindavan — the legend at the end of the movie is a stark reminder of this enduring blot on our society. Contrast this with the movie’s beginning — Chuiya travelling with her husband and in-laws amidst verdant greenery. The grey colours suddenly obliterate all brightness when she becomes a widow. Dark shadows play on her expressionless face as her locks are shorn off.

While watching their movies, you tend to forget the language in which these are made – Hindi, English or Hinglish, and ignore the nationality, ethnicity or cultural identity of the characters. The imagery is so powerful and lucid that you tend to get involved with the flow of the narrative. Truly, Mehta, Nair and Chadha are the MNC of transcultural cinema.

THE TRIBUNE

In search of a bigger role By Randeep Wadehra

Buxom beauties, brave heroes, crass villains, loud dialogues, wild fights and boisterous music have been the staple of Punjabi cinema for long. Now, slowly, the industry is showing signs of change with top producers and NRIs pumping in money for serious productions like Waris Shah and Rustam-e-Hind. Randeep Wadehra looks at the record of Punjabi cinema, which has seen more downs than ups

There’s an old joke about Punjabis. Family A invites Family B and treats it to a sumptuous meal of rajma-chawal. The guests praise the hosts’ culinary skills. Then Family B invites Family A and serves rajma-chawal to similar compliments. All this simply implies lack of imagination and taste in Punjabi cuisine. Similar is the perception about Punjabi cinema – a hotchpotch of rustic violence, vendetta and vulgarity. Of course all this can be shrugged off as insinuations of the uninitiated as both Punjabi food as well as cinema have rich history and range – sweet, sour and spicy but seldom bland. Movies like Satluj De Kande, Madhi Da Diva and Waris Shah prove the point.

It is true that for a rather longish phase inertia in creativity had set in. As a result, one saw rank bad productions spew violence and double entendre. But all this has changed in recent times with movies like Dil Apna Punjabi (Director Manmohan Singh; starring Harbhajan Mann, Neeru Bajwa, Mehak Chahal and Kanwaljeet), Mannat (Director Gurbir Grewal; starring Jimmy Shergiill and Kulraj Randhawa), Rustam-e-Hind (Directors JS Cheema & Sarabjit Beniwal; starring Parminder Doomshedi, Jagdish Bhola, Shivendra Mahal, Dr. Ranjit, Donny Kapoor) and Waris Shah (Director Manoj Punj; starring Gurdas Mann and Juhi Chawla) earning popular acclaim as well as critical appreciation. If the two Manns and Jimmy Shergill are the current poster boys then Donny, Kulraj, Mehak and Neeru are heart-throbs of GenNow both in India and abroad.

Overall the industry is showing signs of rejuvenation. In fact we are witnessing a trend wherein established producers like T-Series, Shemaroo and Tips have entered the Punjabi film industry in a big way. And with Bollywood directors like Manmohan Singh contributing their mite, things can only look up. Movies like Jee Aayan Nu, Asa Nu Maan Watna Da and Yaaran Naal Baharan have established Manmohan Singh as the industry’s Renaissance man. However, to put things in perspective, the current upsurge in the cinema’s fortunes is but a continuation of its impressive track record that has taken the dismal interregnum in its stride.

Vijay Tandon, noted actor-writer-producer, points out: "Punjabi cinema has had its moments of glory. Much before the Partition, Lahore was the main centre of the Indian film industry. Music, drama and comedy used to be the salient points of Punjabi cinema. Over a period of time movies belonging to different genres like comedy, romance, devotional, socials and serious or art cinema were produced. And don’t forget that Punjabis have played a pivotal role in making Bollywood a respected international brand name."

Tandon makes a valid point. Before the Partition, comedies with excellent music used to be very popular in the region. For example, Posti was a superhit and its hero Majnu a household name. Post-Partition, the trend continued. One of the hit comedies was Mulkh Raj Bhakhri’s Bhangra (1958), starring Sundar and Nishi. It was remade by Mohan Bhakhri as Jatti in 1980 with Mehar Mittal and Aparna Chowdhry, and once again it was a great commercial success. In fact Bhangra’s music (Hansraj Behl, who introduced Asha Bhonsle) and lyrics (Verma Malik) became immensely popular. Songs sung by Shamshad and Rafi like Batti balkay banere utte rakhdi han, rah bhul na jave chann mera and Chitte dand hasnon nayion rehnde were on everybody’s lips. Similarly, Johnny Walker-starrer Wilayati Babu was a hit and was remade with the same name featuring Mehar Mittal in stellar role and Amitabh Bachchan in guest appearance.

The comedy phase continued well into the 1980s with such popular productions as Yamla Jatt with IS Johar and Helen, Mamaji with Gopal Sehgal, and Jija Saali as well as Do Madari with Mehar Mittal.

But already movies belonging to other genres were becoming successful at the box office. In 1969, the devotional movie Nanak Naam Jahaaz Hai with Prithviraj Kapoor, Nishi and IS Johar started a trend that saw such flicks as Nanak Dukhiya Sab Sansaar (Prithviraj Kapoor, Dara Singh, Balraj Sahni, Achla Sachdev and Pran), Dukh Bhanjan Tera Naam (Radha Saluja, Shaminder, with Rajinder Kumar, Dharmendra and Om Prakash as guest artistes), Man Jeetey Jag Jeet (Sunil Dutt, Radha Saluja, Gursharan Singh and Ranjit), Sawa Lakh Se Ek Ladaoon (Dara Singh, Navin Nishchol, Varinder and Mehar Mittal with Rajesh Khanna and Neetu Singh as guests), Bhagat Dhanna Jatt (Dara, Yogita Bali, Komilla Virk and Randhir Kapoor), Mittar Pyare Nun (BS Shaad, Meena Rai and Vijay Tandon) as well as Uchcha Dar Baba Nanak Da (Gurdas Mann, Preeti Sapru, Tanuja and Kulbhushan Kharbanda).

If the above two genres were popular with the family audiences then dacoit and action movies regaled the rural youth. Of these, Jatt Jeeona Maur enjoys the same status among Punjabi audiences as Sholay and its hero Guggu Gill became a superstar – the only genuine one so far. The only other cult-status flick is Putt Jattan De (Baldev Khosa, Daljit Kaur, Dharmendra, Shatrughan Sinha, Parkash Gill and Mehar Mittal). Another successful one was actor-producer-director Preeti Sapru’s Qurbani Jatt Di with Dharmendra, Raj Babbar, Gurdas Mann, Guggu Gill and Yograj Singh. Recently, Rustam-e-Hind had been doing roaring business. However, barring such exceptions, most of the productions belonging to this genre portrayed senseless violence essayed by the likes of Varinder-Yograj duo.

Romantic movies held sway over young hearts in small towns, although big-town audiences in Amritsar, Ludhiana, etc, too flocked to the theatres. In 1974 came the superhit Teri Meri Ikk Jindari with Meena Rai, in which Varinder, Mehar Mittal and Vijay Tandon made their debuts. This flick was Dharmendra’s second guest appearance after the black and white Kankaan De Olhey, which had Johnny Walker, Jeevan, Mehmood Jr and Rajinder Kumar in the cast.

Rano is credited with setting a box-office record in Punjabi moviedom. It had stars like Satish Kaul, Bhavna Bhatt, Varinder and Shobhni Singh. Other superhit movies were Sarpanch (Asha Parekh, Dara Singh, Yash Sharma in title role and Varinder), Laung Da Lashkara (Raj Babbar, Gurdas Mann, Nirmal Rishi and Om Puri), Saidan Jogan (Daljit Kaur) and Jatt Punjabi (Satish Kaul, Bhavna Bhatt, Raza Murad, Mehar Mittal and Manoj Kumar).

Waris Shah, released last year, has all the features of a classic, viz., authentic ambience, great acting, beautiful photography and impeccable direction. It, sadly, has turned out to be director Manoj Punj’s unintended swan song as he died an untimely death last year. This Oscar entry, starring Gurdas Mann, Juhi Chawla, Divya Dutta, Gurkirtan and Vijay Tandon, may well trigger off an era of romantic period films.

Recently, a new trend of family sagas and urban-cross-cultural movies has become rather strong. Jee Ayan Nun, Asan Nun Maan Watana Da, Des Hoya Pardes, Dil Apna Punjabi, etc, have ushered in an era of sophisticated and clean movies that are popular both in India and abroad. Then there are socials like Mehndi Wale Hath that highlight burning social issues. Another popular flick of this genre was Main Ma Punjab Di, starring Shivendra Mahal and Manjit Kular. Such introspective movies indicate sensitivity and new awareness among our filmmakers.

But why does Punjabi cinema have such a poor image?

Vijay Tandon and actor-director-anchor Shivendra Mahal maintain that this is probably because of a lack of awareness the cinema’s achievements (see box – National Awards) and pedigree. If one looks at the National Award-winning movies, one realises the range of genres in which Punjabi movies have made an impact.

Can one safely presume that Punjabi film industry’s dark days are over? It would be premature to say so. Although one notices the growing number of film directors (see box – Big bosses) making excellent movies, some of the leading lights interviewed for this piece say that the industry is facing so many problems that one cannot be too optimistic about its future (see box – Cinemascope). However there’s a silver lining. The NRI factor may prove to be a life-saver for the industry, and stepping in of big production houses like Tips as well as the upcoming film city in the region may well catapult it to the forefront of regional cinema.

More hype, less profit According to Shamsher Sandhu, a lyricist who has penned many successful lyrics for music videos and films, an A class Punjabi movie such as Waris Shah, which had Gurdas Mann and Juhi Chawla, cost around Rs 8 crore. While Harbhajan Mann’s Jee Aayan Nu and Asan Nu Maan Watana Da was in the range of Rs 5 crore. The budget of Pind Di Kudi, Rustam-e-Hind, produced by Dalvinder Lidhar and directed by Iqbal Dhillon with Sarabjeet Cheema in the cast, was about Rs 80 lakh. Punjabi films do not make much money because the territory is small and the cost cannot be recovered. Now that Punjabi films are being screened in Canada, America and the UK, some money might flow in. Gurdas Mann’s movies are backed financially because his shows are big grossers abroad. Even if the movie does not do well, the financier can get money through his shows. There is not much moolah in Punjabi cinema because only eight to 10 prints are released in big towns such as Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Amritsar and Chandigarh, while on an average about 250 to 500 prints of a Hindi film are released. Almost all Punjab’s cultural festivals and sports tournaments are NRI-sponsored so it is natural for them to actively plug for Punjabi cinema as a taking-pride-in-Punjab exercise. But no ‘successful’ team has made another movie with the same set of producer-financiers. If it was so lucrative, why have the makers not done a repeat? Earlier movies such as Putt Jattan De, Sarpanch, Lambardarin and Jatti made money because the cost of making a film would be about Rs 10 lakh and it would fetch around Rs 25 lakh. There is escalation in costs due to more elaborate sets and overheads. As a result there is more hype, talk and discussion but no profit at all. The viewers do not lack entertainment what with many Punjabi channels filling that slot.

National Award winners Nanak Naam Jahaaz Hai and Satluj De Kande bagged the national award given as certificate of merit. Best feature film awards were won by Chann Pardesi, Madhi Da Diva, Kachehari, Main Ma Punjab Di, Shaheed-E-Mohabbat, Shaheed Udham Singh and Des Hoya Pardes. Big bosses Manmohan Singh — Jee Aayan Nun, Yaraan Naal Baharaan, Mitti Awajaan Mardi (under production) Iqbal Dhillon — Mehndi Wale Hath, Tabahi. Krishan Sahni — Rustam-e-Hind, Door Nahin Nankana Ravinder Ravi — Lalkara Jatti Da, Truck Driver Darshan Bagga — Rabb Ne Banayian Jodian, Jatti Pandraan Murabbeyan Wali Ravinder Peepat — Kachehari, Chann Pardesi. Manoj Punj — Des Hoya Pardes, Shaheed-e-Mohabbat Buta Singh Jaspal Bhatti — Mahaul Theek Hai Mukesh Gautam — Surkhaab (under production)

Cinemascope Iqbal Dhillon, film-maker: Wrong claims of success by some filmmakers lure innocents and destroy their lives. The previous regime did nothing for the industry. Local producers and film personalities agitated in vain. There are no studios for indoor shooting. The new government must help the Punjabi film industry by providing facilities and establish a film city that would be run by genuine Punjabi producers only and not pseudo Punjabis from Mumbai. Not many Punjabis from Bollywood have helped the local industry barring Raj Babbar and a non-Punjabi like Shatrughan Sinha. They both have worked free for local productions. Dharmendra too has helped but only to a little extent. Jaspal Bhatti, actor-satirist-director: Before the 1960s, the budget used to be a few lakhs, today one requires a minimum of Rs 1 crore to make a decent movie. Plagiarism and poor marketing channels may kill Punjabi cinema. Vijay Tandon, actor-writer-producer: Unless the scenario changes drastically, Punjabi cinema doesn’t have a bright future. Plagiarism has dealt fatal blows to all meaningful attempts to rejuvenate it. Home videos have far better chances as the gestation period between shooting and releasing a video movie is very short. Investment required is comparatively affordable and distribution is not a problem. Mukesh Gautam, director: Investments by Bollywood producers in the film city will help local talent upgrade skills by exposure to top-class professionals. Outdoor shooting is not a problem but studios are sorely needed. Right now we look up to Mumbai for everything. Dalvinder Lidhar, NRI producer: I would like to warn the new entrants who get taken in by this hype and balle balle about the profitability of financing Punjabi movies. Instead, they should make low-budget movies and control the cost of production. As the producer of Jee Aayan Nu and Asan Nu Maan..., I have lost Rs 4 crore. I want to warn wannabe producers, Soch samajh ke paisa lao.

THE TRIBUNE

A star on the make

He loves to display his six-pack abs and jackets – not simultaneously though. He has a collection of 150 jackets from all around the world including Australia where he had gone for the Singh is King shoot. Son of a much awarded academic, Dr. Saroj Sood from Moga, Sonu Sood is himself an electronics engineer making his mark as actor in Bollywood. He is an ex-fashion model who loves doing daring stunts, like jumping from high-rise buildings. He is a tough looking hunk who is politeness personified. You will find these contrasts even in his acting career. Born and brought up in Punjab he debuted in a Telugu movie! Then he did a series of South Indian flicks – including comedies – before he got a break in a Hindi movie.

If you have seen Jodha Akbar you cannot forget the character of Sujamal. Yes, the same aggrieved Rajput prince who eventually sacrifices his life for the sake of his sister Jodha and her husband. Sonu Sood, our munda from Moga, impresses in the role. When complimented, he modestly shrugs it off. No wonder. He has impressed in movies like Yuva, Aashiq banaya aap ne etc and has done lead/meaty roles in Ek vivah aisa bhi, Shahid-e-Aazam Bhagat Singh, Mission Mumbai, Sirf and several others. Currently he is working with such prominent directors as Aashutosh Gowarikar, Mani Ratnam and Shyam Benegal. You can also enjoy his portrayal of ‘King’ opposite Akshaye in the comedy Singh is King. In fact after a few initial hiccups, Sonu is fast gaining reputation in the industry as a talented actor with the potential for becoming a superstar. When that happens he would be emulating Dharmendra who is the only superstar who was actually born and brought up in Punjab.

For a handful of stardust by Randeep Wadehra

Some earn love, adulation and respect of the masses as well as the classes and thus bask in stardust’s tinsel glory for life, while others, treated with amnesiac indifference, fade into oblivion. If one looks at the routes to success taken by different actors, one discovers that there really is no cut and dry formula for success. Physical attributes, screen presence, pedigree, connections, luck and sheer talent contribute in varying degrees. For example, Chunky Pandey and Smita Patil came from powerful political families; while the former remained an also-ran, the latter had acquired the status of an actress of substance.

And, now it is part of the Bollywood lore that superstar Amitabh Bachchan perhaps would still be selling paints in Calcutta or elsewhere if his mother Teji Bachchan were not a friend of Indira Gandhi, who in turn was close to Nargis Dutt – a connection that fetched him the role of a mute in Reshma Aur Shera. The rest is a still unfolding history.

So, what makes an actor tick?

Among female artistes, the ‘wow’ factor works with a telling impact. Of course, this can be both an expression and an acronym. As expression it can be used to appreciate all things beautiful, including hour-glass figures of the tinsel town’s bewitching belles like Sushmita, Aishwarya, Priyanka et al.

Earlier, Simi Garewal in Siddharth, Rehana in Dastak and Chetna, Mumtaz in Aparadh and Zeenat in Hare Rama Hare Krishna had wowed the audiences with various degrees of skin exposure, although by today’s standards they, barring Simi in Sidharth perhaps, look definitely overdressed. As an acronym, WOW stands for westernised oriental women as epitomised by Zeenat Aman, Simi Garewal and Parveen Babi. None of the three can be ever regarded as great actresses but they survived because of their exotic looks. Today’s WOW like Sushmita Sen, Priyanka Chopra or Aishwarya Rai are capable of emoting better than them.

Hema Malini got the Dream Girl tag for her flawless facial beauty but she has not been a great performer, although she impressed in such Gulzar movies as Khushboo, Kinara and Meera. Like beauty and brains, talent and good looks are a rare combination in Bollywood. Madhuri Dixit is an excellent example. Her vivacious-vulnerable persona has triggered off many a male fantasy — MF Husain’s Gajgamini for example. She is a versatile actress as indicated by her comic role in Khel, the exploited but defiant girl in Tezaab or as Chandramuki in Devdas. And, who can forget her portrayals in Dil, Beta, HAHK, and many others? Actually, she reminds one of Madhubala, who ruled over male hearts in the past. Famous for being Anarkali in Mughal-e-Azam, she was equally charming in comedies like Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi.

Sridevi fans will disagree but Rekha is perhaps the ultimate in sensuality and method acting. She carved out a niche as an all-time great actress, courtesy her role in Umrao Jaan. She has portrayed a wide range of characters in movies like Khoobsoorat, Muqaddar Ka Sikandar and Khoon Bhari Maang to name a few. This brings us to the moot point: does a woman’s physical attributes overshadow her acting talent? There are no easy answers but if one considers the success stories of Shabana Azmi in Arth, Fire, Ankur, etc and Smita Patil in Aakrosh, Arth etc, one would admit that histrionic prowess matters. In fact, Shabana has reached the rarefied peak meant only for all-time greats. Smita too was a class actress and would have matched or even surpassed Shabana’s achievements if she had not died young. Earlier, Nutan had gained popularity by the dint of her abilities despite her not-so-glamorous looks.

Among the present crop, there is no dearth of talent. Karishma has given award winning performance in Fiza and Raja Hindustani. One liked Aishwarya Rai’s role as Neerja in Raincoat. That she is much more than a pretty face is substantiated in flicks like Devdas and The Mistress of Spices. Preity Zinta exudes sophisticated charm onscreen be it in Veer Zara, Salaam Namaste or Kal Ho Na Ho. But the most exciting performers are Kajol and Rani Mukherjee. The former is making waves in Fanaa, while the latter has stamped her class in Black. There are other movies too in which the cousins have displayed great talent. Gupt saw Kajol play a negative role even as in DDLJ she excelled in soft romance. Rani, as lawyer in Veer Zara, held her own in scenes with Shahrukh, and excelled in movies like Calcutta Mail, Chalte Chalte and many others. Although neither of them have the features of a classic beauty, they have an indefinable charm. Juhi Chawla, in contrast, is charm personified. Her smile is her USP. QSQT brought her unprecedented acclaim. She too has displayed great versatility by playing romantic, serious as well as comic roles. Darr, Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani, Hum Hain Rahi Pyaar Ke, Eena Meena Deeka, etc are proof enough. Tabu had no particular USP. She has come up the hard way. After Prem flopped, she soldiered on until she gained recognition for her role in Maachis. Urmila Matondkar established her credentials as an actress of substance in Banaras and Pinjar, while Amisha Patel performed well in Gadar.

Suffice to say that talent among women actresses, whether beautiful, sexy or plain Janes, is proliferating. And successors to the likes of Meena Kumari, Waheeda Rehman, Nutan and Rakhi won’t be hard to find.

Among men, handsome hunks like Akshay Kumar, John Abraham and Hritik Roshan have been in the limelight along with the pint-sized heartthrobs like Aamir and Salman. But sheer talent too has made its presence felt. Today when one watches Om Puri, Naseeruddin Shah, Ashish Vidyarthi, Irrfan, Rahul Bose, Kay Kay Menon and others with unconventional looks play main protagonists on the big screen, it becomes difficult to imagine that there was a time when mostly tall and well-built men with Greek God looks like Dharmendra and Vinod Khanna, and before them Sohrab Modi, Prithviraj Kapoor etc, were preferred for lead roles. Talent wasn’t a priority, although the not so glamorous but highly talented Ashok Kumar and Dilip Kumar became cult figures during their lifetime. In those days, exceptional talent had to struggle for recognition.

Hindi cinema has always been home to the extraordinarily gifted as well as the absolutely mediocre. At different times fresh blood from small towns came to Bombay and set new benchmarks in histrionics. Dilip Kumar as tragic hero remains unequalled. Rajesh Khanna rewrote cinematic performance’s syntax, yet will be remembered as a peerless romantic hero. And since Big B’s arrival, Hindi cinema has never been the same.

Time and again Bollywood has proved that, as in any other profession, talent isn’t the only criterion for success. Luck and pedigree play their part too. For example, Abhishek Bachchan, Tushaar and Shahid Kapoor would have sunk without trace had their respective parents not been big names in the film industry. The likes of Karisma, Raveena, Kareena, Aamir and Salman too would have found it tough to get decent offers at least initially. Outsiders like Amitabh, Shahrukh, Om Puri, Kay Kay Menon, Aishwarya etc have invariably been more successful at the box office. True, Sunny Deol, Sanjay Dutt, Rani Mukherjee and Ajay Devgan are successful progeny of film families, but would they have got even a look-in had they been outsiders?

Since stardom and glamour go hand in hand, many good-looking actors with wooden expressions have thrived in the tinsel town. One can recall Anil Dhawan, Rakesh Roshan and Navin Nishchal who fall in this category. For example, Anil Dhawan had nothing much to do in BR Isharaa’s movies except play second fiddle to Rehana Sultan, while Rakesh Roshan has played in good comedies like Khatta Meetha but he is remembered more as Hema Malini’s fiance in Paraya Dhan. Navin Nishchal’s Sawan Bhadon did him little good. Jeetendra’s face has been his fortune. Variously named as Jumping Jack and Indian James Bond, he was lucky to make his debut when chocolate-kid looks were the norm. Wowing the audience as action hero in Farz, he soon became famous for his energetic dance style. Only Gulzar could extract some histrionic juice out of him. Before him, Rajinder Kumar was also one such lucky star. Barring Sangam, one can’t recall any other movie wherein he displayed much acting skills. Yet he became famous as Jubilee Kumar! Dharmendra, in contrast, acted within his limitations but saw to it that he never got typecast as action hero by portraying sensitive characters too. He was a revelation in comedy roles in movies like Chupke, Chupke.

Yet, there were many who were talented but depended heavily on style and looks, rather than substance, to succeed.

Dev Anand has been a style icon to generations of cine buffs. His puff, wardrobe and thousand-words-a-breath dialogues added to his good looks. But as an actor? Whether he’s romancing his onscreen beloved or breaking sad news to his mother, his face sports identical half-serious-half-mocking expressions. When he’s delivering or receiving a punch, he does it in style, taking care not to fall with a thud. His crying seldom evokes pathos. Yet, he gave memorable performances in films like Guide and Tere Mere Sapne.

Raj Kumar too depended substantially upon style to build an iconic image. His rugged looks, swagger and dialogue delivery, peppered with one liners, earned him a huge fan following. On the other hand, Rajesh Khanna – the original phenomenon – was a unique mix of style and substance. Successful both as a romantic hero and a serious actor, he ruled Bollywood like no one else before him. Anand, Aradhna, Amar Prem, etc got him a place of honour in the Indian cinema’s hall of fame.

At the other end of the spectrum was Dilip Kumar who epitomised the ‘Method’. His voice, eyes and facial expressions were backed with a well-rehearsed body language. If he made you weep as Devdas, he touched your heart as Salim in Mughal-e-Azam and entertained you in Ram Aur Sham. Even as an aged thespian, he held his own against the formidable Amitabh Bachchan in Shakti, and his performance in Mashaal was awesome. In fact, Shakti was touted as the clash of titans that would decide who was the greatest actor of all times. Dilip, as upright police officer shares laurels with Amitabh who plays his angry, rebellious son. It was the death scene on the runway that saw the duo display their best wares.

Sanjeev Kumar was another actor who got under the skin of the characters he portrayed. If he displayed great comic sense and timing in movies like Angoor, his portrayal of a deranged lover in Khilona has remained a benchmark for his successors. His deaf-mute role in Koshish is simply unforgettable. Like Dilip he too depended upon his voice, eyes and body language to make his mark. In contrast, Balraj Sahni was a mix of classic good looks and natural talent; who can forget Garam Hawa, Do Bigha Zamin and Seema among others?

Sunil Dutt gave memorable performances in Gumrah, Padosan, Mujhe Jeene Do and many others. Though obviously gifted, he could not be called a great actor as most of the time he featured in home-made dacoit movies that did him little credit. And, Guru Dutt, despite his limitations as an actor, came up with great roles in Pyasa, Kaghaz Ke Phool and Chaudhavin Ka Chand. Rank outsiders, both of them have left an enduring impact on Hindi cinema.

Amitabh Bachchan is still going strong. Dismissed as a no-hoper when he had arrived in Bollywood, he is now looked upon as the only complete actor Hindi cinema has ever had. Recently, he was voted as the sexiest male, and to think that there was a time when film critics used to call him horse-faced and compare his long legs with those of a camel’s: A case of the revenge of the ugly duckling!

If one takes a close look at some of the major success stories, one realises that there was an assiduous attempt at creating a brand. So, Raj Kapoor was the loveable naïve vagabond of Shri 420 or the down-at-heel lover-boy of Sangam who dared to dream, and succeed too. His naivet was his USP as epitomised in Teesri Kasam, Jagte Raho and Mera Naam Joker, to cite some. And in case of Manoj Kumar, he purveyed patriotism to nurture his image as the supremely idealist Bharat Kumar in movies like Upkaar, Purab Aur Pashchim and Roti Kapda Aur Makaan etc. He even harangued his heroine on matters patriotic. Yet, he came up with a masterpiece in Shor. Anil Kapoor did start as an angry young tapori a la Bachchan, but shall be remembered for his role in Ishwar.

Today’s actors are better trained, fitter, excellent dancers and camera savvy. But can they measure up to the masters of yore? Hritik is one such, and has established his credentials as an actor in Koi Mil Gaya. But is that all one can expect from him?

Do the Akshay Kumars, Sunil Shettys and John Abrahams have it in them to impact the cinema for any length of time? Is the era of all-time great actors over? It’d be hasty to say so, what with Ajay Devgan, Aamir, Shahrukh and Anil Kapoor still around and Nana Patekar, Kay Kay Menon and Om Puri regularly breaking new ground in histrionics. Moreover, who knows, some lad from a vague place may storm Bollywood and redefine acting paradigms altogether.

Brown girls span the twain by Randeep Wadehra

Three brown girls have managed to straddle the cultural twain: Amritsar born Deepa Mehta, Bhubaneshwar born Mira Nair and Nairobi born Gurinder Chadha are highly talented film directors, producers, writers and actors. What sets these three apart from their peers is the fact that they are Punjabi women who have successfully spanned the East-West civilizational fault – as far as cinematic sensibility and creativity are concerned. Their works are watched, understood and critically acclaimed as much in India as in the West.

One can have some idea of their caliber if one takes a look at the awards they have won. Mira Nair’s works, apart from nominations to BAFTA and Oscars, have won Golden Camera (1998), Silver Ribbon (1992), New Generation and Lilian Gish Awards (1998), as well as Golden Lion (2001) etc. Deepa Mehta bagged the 2006 Genie Award for outstanding achievement in cinematography, Golden Kinnaree Award at Bangkok International Film Festival (2006), The Silver Mirror (2006) etc, along with the recent nomination to the Academy Awards for Water. In addition to being nominated for Writers Guild of America’s best original screenplay award in 2003 (Bend it like Beckham) Gurinder Chadha’s contribution to cinema was recognized with the OBE decoration by the British government in June 2006.

The trio is equally comfortable while making movies, tele-films and documentaries for Indian as well as western audiences. Nair has made flicks like Salaam Bombay, Mississippi Masala, The Perez Family, My Own Country, Hysterical Blindness, Kama Sutra, Monsoon Wedding, Vanity Fair and The Namesake to name a few. Mehta’s better known movies include At 99: A Portrait of Louise Tandy Murch, Sam & Me, Camilla, The Republic of Love, Bollywood Hollywood, Earth, Fire and Water. Some of the better known productions from Gurinder Chadha’s oeuvre comprise The Mistress of Spices, Bride and Prejudice, Bend it like Beckham, What’s Cooking?, A Nice Arrangement, What Do You Call An Indian Woman Who's Funny?, Bhaji on the Beach, Acting Our Age etc.

The three film makers have explored human mindscapes and relationships in a variety of socio-cultural environments, which are generally alien or oppressive or both. You get a rather detailed look into the world of the marginalised or the outsider in movies like Salaam Bombay (street children), Earth (Lenny, the Parsi girl) and Water (the exploited widows). You get a glimpse of inter-racial relationships in movies like The Mistress of Spices, The Namesake and Mississippi Masala. Quite a few of the movies are about adaptation and adjustent to alien cultures or individuals from different backgrounds.

In Bend it like Beckham Jasminder Bhamra feels more British than Indian and wants to play football like her peers such as Juliette. But her mother forbits her. In the ensuing struggle between the subcontinental orthodox mindset and western liberal values, the latter win as her parents give in to her wishes. Simiarly, in The Namesake you find Ashok and Ashima – married according to Hindu Bengali traditions – trying to adjust to their children’s especially son Gogol’s American way of living. In turn Gogol too has to come to terms with the relative frailty of love-relationships in the western milieu – be it his affair with the American Maxine or marriage with the Indian Moushumi. But, the movies are not just about families caught in the vortex of cultural differences. There are individuals outside families too who adapt to ‘the other’ in order to minimise the effect of cultural clash. For example Sam & Me focuses on the equation between a Muslim boy and an elderly Jew living in Canada.