Indian Cinema and Its Impact on Society

by Amrit Gangar

My comments

My class notes

Summary from the Program

Hindi cinema produced in Bombay, now superficially well known as Bollywood is
essentially a generic cinema that pervades India. But of late the products of
Mollywood (Madras) have quite markedly influenced its aesthetic strategies while
Tollywood (Tollygunge, Calcutta) has been constructing its popular idiom following
Bollywood. Hindi cinema is also considered as an "all-India formula film" [critic
Chidananda Das Gupta]. However, one has to be cautious not to generalize Hindi
cinema as such.

As it is well known India produces a massive number of feature films in many

different languages, including several dialects. In 1999, the total number of films
produced, in as many as 35 official languages and dialects, was 601 - up to October
but one could add about 30 - 40 feature films to this number up to end December,
1999. The production figure has been steadily declining since 1990 when India
produced little less than a thousand films a year. The debate, however, keeps going
whether it's cinema that influences society or vice versa.

Most of the dominant formula films get their narrative base, in one way or another,
from the two Indian epics Mahabharata and Ramayana. The dream merchants seem to
be knowing this fact well to extract an impact as wide as possible for a box-office
success. This holds true of the generic Bollywood, including television.

The reality that obtains in southern India (especially in Tamilnadu and Andhra
Pradesh) is substantially different from that in northern India. The cinema politics
nexus in Tamilnadu, for instance, is quite interesting. All five chief ministers who
have governed Tamilnadu since 1967 have been associated with cinema. "The
immense popularity of film as an entertainment form and its emergence in Tamilnadu
as a major cultural preoccupation underscores the significance of the role of audio-
visual communication in Tamil society." [S. Theodore Baskaran] Superstars MGR
and NTR - doyens of Tamil and Telugu cinema respectively - were quite active in
regional and national politics.

The social impact of the cinema in India is also seen in the nationwide popularity of
film-based programs on various television channels. It's mostly the young generation
that has been caught up by the film-song programs. Popular film song has gone very
deep into the Indian collective memory and conscience.

In a nutshell, my presentation will take up some concrete examples of what impact the
cinema has on Indian society by and large - including how the classical villain
eventually turned into a hero or how social values underwent a certain change.
Popular films have even been changing people's dress and hair styles; in Bombay, I
remember even shoes would be branded after a box-office hit film. The cinema's
social impact is reflected in the way censorship operates in India. In colonial India, the
local, police controlled, film censorship, was mainly political in nature, but in post-
colonial India it has acquired moralistic overtones; I'll touch upon some recent
examples in this realm. I think it's the state that constantly finds itself insecure vis-a-
vis society at large and artists in particular. All said and done, the cinema hasn't yet
shed its mystical hallow in India.

My Notes

Indian Cinema - Amrit Gangar

- in Gujarat cinemas are Ministry of Finance (usually culture)

- audiences "interact" with films, tell characters on screen what to do
President Pratibha Patil today said cinema was a very potent modium for conveying a message and
had bcome an important factor in influencing social norms.

"Cinema operates within the context of a socialscenario and, thus, has a stake in the stability,
prosperity and progress of society," she said after presenting the 57th National Film Awards here
this evening.

"Therefore, all involved in the film industry should consider themselves as social leaders and as
stakeholders in the welfare of people. Striking a balance between entertainment and social
relevance is an essential call for the industry and the response will define its role in society," she
said.

Veteran film producer D Ramanaidu received the prestigious Dada Saheb Phalke Award for his
lifetime conribution cinema at the ceremony, which also saw Bollywood megastar Amitabh
Bachchan being given a standing ovation as he received the Best Actor Award for his role in
the Hindi film Paa.

Bacchan played the role of a boy suffering from progeria, a rare congenital abnormality
characterised by premature and rapid aging in the highly acclaimed film.

Mr Ramanaidu was chosen for the Phalke Award for 2009 for his outstanding contribution to Indian
cinema during a long career of nearly half a century in which he has made scores of entertaining
films and been involved with all aspects of the industry.

Malayalam movie Kuttysrank, directed by Shaji N Karun and starring superstar Mammootty in the
lead role, has been chosen for the Best Feature Film Award.

Ananya Chatterjee got the Best Actress Award for Abohoman (Bengali) which also won for
Rituparno Ghosh the Best Direction Award.

The President said she was glad that films continued to generate interest and attract talent. She said
technologies like the digital format, being affordable, provided an opportunity for young and budding
filmmamers to experiment with the medium.

She appealed to the industry that, while experimenting with the format, they also needed to keep in
mind the content of the films they were producing. "This will take your work to a wider audience," she
said.

Minister of Information & Broadcasting Ambika Soni said 2013 would be celebrated as a centenary

milestone to showcase the cinematic heritage of the Indian film industry in the last 100 years. India's
firstfeature film "Raja Harshchandra" was released in 1913.

She said that, for this purpose, a national committee would be constituted consisting of eminent film
persons and other stakeholders to suggest a comprehensive plan for making it a truly memorable
event for cine lovers.

Ms Soni said the celebrations would also offer an opportunity to applaud the young iconic members
of the film industry for their contribution, while at the same time positioning India as a "soft power" at
the global level.
President Pratibha Patil presenting the Best Actor Award toAmitabh Bachchan at the 57th National Film Awards function in
New Delhi on October 22, 2010. Minister for Information andBroadcasting Ambika Soni is also seen.

She said that it was her endeavour to complete three institutional mechanisms to mark the occasion.
These included the Museum of Indian Cinema in Mumbai, the National Centre of Excellence for
Animation, Gaming and Visual Effects in Pune and the National Archival Heritage Mission to cover
the country’s rich archival wealth by 2013. The National Archival Heritage Mission would not only
safeguard the rich archival wealth, it would also ensure accessibility to the people in digital format.

The winner of the Best Film Award, Kuttysrank, which means a boat captain in Malayalam, tells the
story of a mariner who operates a cargo vessel between the port towns of Kerala. It is told from
the perspectives of three women after the death of the protagonist, who each experience a different
Kuttysrank.

The Indira Gandhi Award for Best Debut Film of a Director went to Lahore (Hindi) directed by Sanjay
Puran Singh Chauhan and produced by Vivek Khatkar.

Bollywood blockbuster 3 Idiots, starring Aamir Khan, got the award for Best Popular Film Providing
Wholesome Entertainment.

The Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration was given to Delhi 6 produced
and directed by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra.

Another Hindi film, Well Done Abba, produced by Reliance Big Pictures and directed by Shyam
Benegal, was chosen the Best Film on Social Issues.

Putaani Party in Kannada and Keshu in Malayalam were chosen for the Best Children's Film Award.
Both were produced by the Children's Film Society of India. Putaani Party was directed by
Ramchandra P N and Keshu by Sivan.

Farooque Shaikh was chosen the Best Supporting Actor for Lahore and Arundhati Naag the Best
Supporting Actress for Paa.

Rupam Islam got the Best Male Playback Singer Award for Mahanagar@Kolkata (Bengali) and
Neelanjana Sarkar the Best Female Playback Singer Award for Houseful, another Bengali film.

Cameraperson Anjuli Shukla won the Best Cinematography Award for Kuttysrank.
The following are the other awards presented today:

Best Screenplay: Kuttysrank, Screenplaywriter original: P F Mathews and Harikrishna

: Kanasemba Kudureyaneri (Kannada): Screenplay writer (adapted)

: Pasanga (Tamil): Dialogues: Pandiraj

Best Audiography: Kaminey (Hindi): Location Sound Recordist: Subash Sahoo

: Kerala Varma Pazassi Raja (Malayalam): Sound Desinger: Resool Pookutty

: 3 Idiots: Re-recordist of the final mixed track: Anup Dev

Best Editing: Abohomaan, Arghyakamal Mitra

Best Production Design: Delhi 6, Samir Chanda

Best Costume Designer: Kuttysrank, Jayakumar

Best Make-up Artist: Paa, Christein Tinsley and Dominie Till

Best Music Direction: Dev D (Hindi): Music Director (Songs): Amit Trivedi

: Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja, Music Director (Background Score): Ilayaraja

Best Lyrics: 3 Idiots: Swanand Kirkire, "Behti Hawa Sa Tha Woh"

Special Jury Award: Kaminey (Hindi), Kuttysrank, Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja (both Malayalam)

Best Special Effects: Magadheera (Telugu), R Kamal Kannan

Best Choreography: Magadheera, K Siva Shankar

Best Feature Film in Languagues in Schedule VIII of the Constitution:

Assamese: Basundhara, Producer, Director: Hiren Bora

Bengali: Abohomaan: Producer: Reliance Big Pictures, Director: Rituparno Ghosh

Hindi: Paa, Producer: AB Corp Ltd, Director: R Balakrishnan

Kannada: Kanasemba Kudureyaneri, Producer: Basanta Kumar Patil, Director: Girish Kasaravalli

Konkani: Palatadcho Munis, Producer: National Film Development Corporation, Director: Laxmikant
Shetgaonkar

Malayalam: Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja, Producer: A M Gopalan, Director: T Hariharan

Marathi: Natarang, Producer: Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd., Director : Ravindra Harishchandra
Jadhav

Tamil: Pasanga, Producer: M. Sasikumar, Director: Pandiraj

Special Mention: Padmapriya (certificate only)

NON-FEATURE FILMS:

Best Film: The Postman, Producer: K Hariharan, Director: B Manohar and Bilal, Producer, Director:
Sourav Sarangi

Best Debut Film of a Director: Vaishnav Jan Toh, Producer: FTII, Director: Kaushal Oza, and
Rituparno Ghosh

Eti Kaktaliyo Golpo, Producer: FTII, Director: Tathagata Singha

Best Compilation Film: Pancham Unmixed, Producer, Director Brahmanand Singh

Best Environment Film, including Agriculture: In for Motion, Producer: Amlan Dutta Director: Anirban
Dutta

Best Film on Social Issues: Mr India, Producer, Director: Haobam Paban Kumar

Special Jury Award: Kelkkunnundo, Child artiste: Aasna Aslam

Short Fiction Film: Boond, Producer: Kumar Mangat, Director: Abhishek Pathak

Best Cinematography: Gaarud, Cameraman: Deepu S. Unni, Laboratory : Adlabs

Best Audiography: Gaarud, Re-recordist (final mixed track) : Lipika Singh Darai

Best Editing: In Camera, Editor: Tarun Bhartiya

Best Narration/Voiceover: In Camera, Best Voiceover : Ranjan Palit

Special Mention: Vilay: Cinematographer: Nitika Bhagat (certificate only)

BEST WRITING ON CINEMA:

Best Book on Cinema: Cinema Yaana (Kannada), Publisher Hasiru Prakashana Author: Dr. K.
Puttaswamy

Special Mention: Eka Studioche Atmavrutta, Prabhakar Pendharkar (Certificate)

Best Film Critic: C.S. Venkiteswaran (Malayalam)

NNN
 SOCIAL ROOTS OF INDIAN CINEMA –
Raghunath Raina
 September 24, 2010 5:28 pm
 
 Culture, Focus
 
  
no comments

The social reality gets invariably reflected in the

cracked mirror of Indian cinema, some times realistically and some times elliptically. But under the
glamour of realism, the harsh facts of life invariably peep out. This is so because however, escapist
or realistic cinema may be, it cannot remain unaffected by political and social mileu.

An overview of last thirty years shows how Indian cinema has come to terms with the fast changing
political-economic scene of India.

The decade of 1970 thus saw two distinct trends in Indian cinema, although both reflected directly or
otherwise, the growing disenchantment of the people with the prevailing system. This was
heightened by yet another war with Pakistan resulting in the birth of Bangladesh; declaration of
Emergency during which civil liberties and personal freedoms were extinguished; the electoral defeat
of the ruling Congress party at the Centre for the first time since Independence; and emergence of
the first coalition government in Delhi.

It was a period of unprecedented changes, a virtual breakdown of democratic institutions, systemic

rot, sharpening of disparities and rise of a non-ideological, self-serving political class.

All this got reflected in the parallel cinema and resulted in some outstanding films by Mrinal Sen and
Budhadeb Das Gupta in West Bengal; G. Arvindan and Adoor Gopalkrishnan in Kerala; B.V.
Karanth, Girish Karnand, Girish Kasarvalti in Karnataka; Shyam Benegal, Basu Chatterjee, Basu
Bhattacharya and Avtar Kaul in Mumbai. They were soon followed by M.S. Sathyu, Mani Kaul,
Kumar Sahni, Jabbar Patel, Govind Nihalani, Saeed Mirza, Biplab Roy Choudhury and Ketan Mehta.

These film makers departed from song and dance formula films, brought out the rich variety of Indian
experience and growing existential problems of the people. They exposed the exploitative power
structure and focussed on increasing bush fires of social discontent.

On the other side of the cinematic divide, popular films made the persona of Amitabh Bachchan the
vehicle for portraying a dysfunctional system. Film after film, the Bachchan movies held that the
solution to social maladies lay outside the democratic process. Bachchan represented the “angry
youngman” who single-handealy fought evils of the society. Expectedly, these and other films in this
genre glorified the cult of violence. They justified villainy; film time was devoted to extenuating
circumstances that cause the hero to embark upon the path of revenge. This was rationalised by
advocating that evil can be dispensed only with evil, thus trying to retain a sense of ‘justice’ in the
moral universe created.

The fall of Amitabh Bachchan in the 80’s coincided with a major shift in politico-economic agenda of
the country. The flickering fortunes of the Congress party put an end to an ideology, to an
organisation and to an ethos. Regional, communal and caste-based formations came to the fore.

This chaotic, direction-less phase aggravated the social and economic contradiction. This got
reflected in diverse ways mostly in the regional cinema. Mrinal Sen’sFamine, brought out the failure
of the developmental process by depicting the unchanged conditions of the peasantry. The
Malyalam film-maker Shaji Karan’s filmPiravi, became a modern classic by its cinematic values and
its theme echoing a real event during the Emergency when a young man disappeared after he was
picked up by the police. The film is about the agony of the father who tries to trace his son.

Such films made an impact in foreign film festivals. Mrinal Sen’s film figured in the competition
section of the Cannes International Film Festival. This was the first Indian film to contest for the
coveted awards. This gave a boost to Sen’s films which were taken by foreign film distributors. A
package of about 50 Indian films was shown in eight cities of the United States. These included a
historical section, a contemporary section and a complete retrospective of Ray’s films. Another first
was a retrospective of Ritwik Ghatak’s films at the London Film Festival.

In Mumbai, the 80s marked the dichotomy of Indian cinema. On the one hand it produced Govind
Nihalani’s film Ardh Satya about nexus between crime and politics. The protagonist, a conscientious
police officer, takes law into his own hands after being frustrated by politicians to nab a mafia don.
Mahesh Bhatt came on the scene by producing sophisticated commercial films. His Arth (1983)
proved a great success. Although it dealt with the perennial lover triangle, its cinematic values set it
apart. Even more importantly, the film ended by asserting the Indian woman’s independence, a
theme seldom attempted by Hindi films.

These films were exceptions because Bollywood now plumped for the techniques and ethos of
western television music channels. The dominant features of such films were dances with songs and
sensual body movements presented by a voyeuristic camera. The new sexuality of these films was
modelled upon the pattern perfected by Madonna. This was successfully emulated by young Indian
actresses.

With the process of globalisation in the 90s the whole scenario changed, including that of Indian
cinema. The new wave films resorted to sharper critique of commodification of culture while the
popular ones escaped into traditionalism, family values, sanctity of relationship – in fact all those
aspects of social life which came under threat as a result of marketisation, foreign television
channels and displacement of indigenous industries under the onslaught of multinational companies.

These films gave the audiences a false sense of security and, as a result,became highly popular.
The trend was set by Sooraj Barjatia’s Hum Apke Hain Kaunwhich, with the help of 14 engrossing
songs, created the illusion of happy joint families by glorifying wedding rituals. Ironically, in Barjatia’s
celluloid family, modernity is permissible but only in material terms- expanding business, sprawling
bungalows and opulent interiors.

Other films like Dil Wale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, Dil To Pagal Hai and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai also
pleaded for a behavioural code sanctified by tradition and custom like obedience to the patriarchal
law, respect for elders and an overwhelming desire to belong to the fold, clan or community. Or, they
celebrated love, friendship and commitment and the need to internalise conflicts.

But is it hazardous to make generalisations about Hindi cinema. During the same period, film makers
like Mani Ratnam (Roja), Gulzar (Maachis), Kaazad Gustad (Bombay Boys) Nagesh Kukynoor
(Hyderabad Blues) and Deepa Mehta (Fire), made films which had individuality, explored new
themes and imparted freshness to the film scene.

All this shows the vigour and vibrancy of the Indian cinema and its tremendous capacity to keep
abreast of changes. It is these qualities which have made Indian cinema a dominant urban culture
influencing all other art forms : television, theatre, advertising, music, new modes of information
technology, journalism, architecture, fashion and even the profiles of goddesses on calenders and in
Puja pandals.

Its influence has spilled into practical politics also. Tamil Nadu has been ruled by film personalities
for decades and film clubs have become vote banks. In Andhra, it was again left to a film actor to
restore “self pride” to the Telugus. Elsewhere, film actors, on the basis of their popularity, have
entered into legislature, both in States and at the Centre.

In the new millennium globalisation of information technology has changed the whole scene.
Previously, the mass media convinced us that the imaginary was real, now they are convincing us
that the real is imaginary. This poses a tremendous challenge to Indian cinema. But going by its
record it is bound to surmount the challenge. .(PIB FEATURES)
"Movie with a social message is important for the young generation" : Priya Dutt

Monday, April 10, 2006

 
Being blessed in the family of Late Sunil Dutt and Nargis Dutt, Priya Dutt didn’t chose her carrier in the Bollywood
Industry. Priya Dutt was recently seen in the launch party of music release of "UNNS" which was released under the
banner of "Buneesha Films". Though she is least interested in Bollywood but still she was seen in launch party as she
says that "mere papa ki bhaut yaadein jhudi hain is film ke saath".
 
Sunil Dutt was present in the mahurat of the movie and also the first shot was
done by Sunil Dutt. The movie UNNS is dedicated to Sunil Dutt. Priya Dutt a
proud Daughter of Sunil Dutt and also the chief guest of the event was there in
the party to compensate the presence of Sunil Dutt. Priya Dutt shares very
good relations with director Bhupinder Gupta and had personal obligations
which made her presence in the party.

Rarely is it seen that stars from the Bollywood and Politicians had come
together. Busy Bee of politics Priya Dutt says that though she is not interested
in getting into Bollywood movies but still she loves to be a part of glamour
world.

Priya Dutt appreciated Bhupinder Gupta for making a film like UNNS which
deals with the sanctity of marriage and said "the importance of a healthy
marriage life seems to fade away and it is necessary to come out with
message of social importance in the movies." Priya Dutt being a part of
Parliament assured the director to raise an issue against piracy in the
parliament.

Talking about Sanjay Dutt case she said that "It has been 13yrs to Sanjay’s issue and if we really wanted to use our
power to stop this case my father would have done earlier : but we don’t use power like this". Priya Dutt is proud to
be a part of Sunil Dutt’s family and was not ready to answer any personal question. Being a part of parliament she
really wants to work for the children rights and child education.
Mr. Rajangam said that cinema was not the same as it was some two decades back. It had entered an era of
mediated images, being circulated widely, and had become an inevitable part of everyday life. He also
mentioned about the easy availability of DVDs and CDs of cinemas across the globe and how it turned to be
the raw material for most of the films.

Highlighting Mr. Kaali's article on Vadivel's comedy, which has been put forward for an intensive reading, he
explained how certain idioms and social markers of caste supremacy got inverted in his genre of comedy. He
also talked about the significance of looking at caste and cinema from a different perspective and questioned
why most of the films highlighted or portrayed a particular dominant caste and its practices to a state of
normalisation by relating it with an identity, be it martial or south. Do market forces have any influences?
This needs to be studied, he said.

Rajan Krishnan stated that cinema was a theoretically challenging subject, a very complex area of study
which needed to be explored more. “There is a crisis of academic criticism as we do not have separate
disciplines such as cultural studies or film studies as in the West, and even if it is there, it is in a nascent
stage.”

Citing an example of the West's contribution to film theory and literature, he talked about how Italian neo-
realism films, which though hardly about a dozen could generate close to 400 books dealing about the
various theoretical and technical aspects. “We have produced more than 5,000 films but there has been a
lack of proper criticism of those films.” Ideological content of the films needed to be analysed and the
journal would fill the gap, he said.

Mr. Jeyamohan talked about the anxieties of being a dialogue writer and how commercial aspects influenced
a writer irrespective of whether the film was a big budget one or even a documentary. He also talked about
the various aspects of filmmaking of yesteryears and how certain descriptions were pre-eminently present
like that of a huge dining table and a dressing table scene where the protagonist would be having food or
the heroine chooses her sari from a wardrobe. Images depicting luxurious bungalows, luscious surroundings
and sumptuous meals formed the part of the films because the theatres were the only space where the
subaltern could view those extravaganzas.

Mr. Kaali also talked about the evolution of Indian film research scenario and reminded about the
contributions of major social scientists such as Ashis Nandy, Ravi Vasudevan, Karthigesu Sivathamby,
Theodore Baskaran, MSS Pandian and Venkatesh Chakravarthy and promised that the journal would be
looking at various aspects of cinema using major tools of criticism from popular culture and social sciences.

V.M.S. Subagunarajan is the editor of the journal and Venkatesh Chakravarthy, MSS Pandian and Stephen
Hughes are on the editorial board.
Art & Culture

Cinema

Cinema is the popular art form which has been a good entertainer and a strong means of mass
communication in Kerala from the previous century itself. It has the elements of different art forms including
architecture and sculpture in it.

The viewers in Kerala enjoy the films comprehending the reality in it. The possess high insight in
distinguishing reality from fiction in the themes of experimentalism. Malayalam Cinema has contributed
much to the creative and critical analysis sectors of Malayalam literature.

Kerala has a very rich art and cultural background. Its films are unique in several aspects. Unlike the other
linguistic films which have started off taking themes from the Puranas, Malayalam films have taken relevant
social issues as its theme from the beginning.

The all time geniuses like Aravindan, Adoor Gopalakrishnan, John Abraham, Ramu Karriat, P A Bakkar,
K.G.George, M.T.Vasudevan Nair, Padmarajan, Bharathan, T.V. Chandran, P.N. Menon, Shaji.N. Karun, K. P.
Kumaran, K.R.Mohanan, Jayaraj... are the contributors of Malayalam to the world Cinema. Despite these
facts now one can make a novel study of current cinema only in connection with the social life here.

The first silent movie in Malayalam "Vigatha Kumaran" was screened in 1930, when movies abroad has
already begun to 'talk' and by 1931 sound films were also made in India.

That year, the second Malayalam film, "Marthanda Varma", based on a well-known historical novel by
C.V.Raman Pillai, was made. Although sound films were produced in Hindi and Tamil regularly, Malayalam
cinema had to wait till 1938 to present its first sound film, "Balan". In the first few years, Malayalam films
were virtually dominated by Tamil producers. Whenever they suffered loss in Tamil films, they ventured into
Malayalam Cinema, as the investment requirements were comparatively lower. In 1947, the first major film
studio, Udaya was established in Kerala and by the early 50s, more Keralites entered this field.

When Hindi and Tamil cinema started off with mythological themes, Malayalam films showed an interest in
dealing with social issues right from the very first film itself (Balan).

One of the biggest box office hits of the 50s was "Jeevitha Nauka" (Boat of Life, 1951). The film contained
all the ingredients that were to form the basis for future commercial productions. The film owed its structure
more to the village festivals of Kerala than anything else. Cinema was seen as a mixture of various
traditional art forms like music, dance, dance-drama, mimicry and so on. Connecting these various disparate
elements was a storyline which often showed the triumph of the good over the evil.

It was in 1954 that Malayalam cinema got national attention by winning the President's silver medal for
Neelakuyil. Scripted by a well-known novelist, Uroob, produced by T.K.Pareekutty, directed by P.Bhaskaran
- who also played the key role, casted by the then leading artists like Sathyan and Miss Kumari, this film
deals with the subject of untouchability. Melodramatic in style and filled with songs and dances, the film was
a big hit with the public. It was the teamwork of a number of film enthusiasts who took time off their
professions to live near the banks of the Periyar river in Central Kerala discussing the script and other
details of the film. There was difficulty in location shooting at that time. Also, studio facility was limited in
Kerala. In spite of these limitations, they were bent on recreating authentic Kerala setting for the story.
Props, household articles, costumes and other cultural artifacts were made and sent to Madras for the studio
work. Most of the actors hailed from Kerala (at that time a novelty) and they performed in front of
authentically constructed sets with all the manners and mannerisms of Malayali characters. Even the lyrics
were derived from local folk traditions. This was at a time when Malayalam cinema had not established its
cultural identity and was hardly distinguishable from the Tamil films of the time except for the spoken
language.

Another significant effort was Newspaper Boy (1955) made by a group of college students lead by
enthusiastic N.Ramdas. It made use of new actors and tried to portray realistically the travails of an
orphaned boy. This film stands out from the rest, because for the first time it dispensed with all the
elements of the so called box office formula.

When one looks at these early developments, one finds that Malayalam cinema had time to evolve on its
own from its silent days. Much of the visual expression in international cinema was possible because silent
film had enough time to germinate and mature by itself. But in the case of Malayalam film, sound arrived
rather suddenly, and there was no need for Malayalam film makers to think of communicating through visual
means. Everything could be spelt out through dialogues. Another aspect that needs to be mentioned here is
the lack of exposure to international cinema. No matter, how sincere and competent the script writer and
director were, the ultimate product ended up as photographed dramas staged within studio sets. In the
early sound films, there used to be less number of cuts and less number of camera movements. Storyline
did not seem to be important. Different episodes were self-contained and they made social comments,
sometimes directly, sometimes obliquely, while attempting to entertain.

There were parallel streams of storyline going on. All these traits could be found in Neelakuyil. It appears
that there was not much pressure from the audience for a tight narrative. An unhurried, leisurely pace was
acceptable for the viewers who enjoyed individual moments of the film more than a satisfying whole,
although story was of primary importance. This was understandable especially when cinema was seeking to
displace the pastimes of an agrarian society and the best way to do it was by maintaining a close equation
to village fairs and festivals.

The literary connections

The practice of utilizing literary materials of repute as raw material for film scripts became more frequent in
1960s. When well-known stories and novels, mostly serialized in literary journals, were made into film, it
automatically introduced lot of cultural elements which were absent in the Malayalam films of the 50s.

Novels were preferred to other literary sources. The tendency to borrow literary material for film making
was at its peak in the later sixties and early seventies. The combined effort of writers and directors had its
impact on Malayalam film. The general standard of production went up. Since many of the literary materials
were area-specific, films had to be shot on actual locations. This was something that was unheard of at least
in Malayalam Cinema a decade before. Much of the difficulty in providing a realistic touch in a film like
Neelakuyil arose from its studio-bound interior shots.

Sixties: Collective cinema

1965 marked the entry of short story writer and novelist, M.T. Vasudevan Nair (affectionately called MT in
Kerala) whose writings by nature had a visual orientation. MT was exposed to cinema when he began
scripting. Films based on his screenplays had a visual quality unmatched in the rest of the Malayalam films
of the time.

MT collaborated with cameraman-turned director, A.Vincent in making 'Murappennu' (Cousin/fiancee) in

1965. Though still theatrical and melodramatic, 'Murappennu' had the advantage of being shot extensively
on location and had a strong visual quality. When actors were placed in real locations like river banks,
matriarchal family-abodes, gravel paths and paddy fields, they came out with an acting style freed from the
theatricality inherent in studio-filming.

The ultimate in collaborative work happened in 'Chemmeen' (Prawn) in 1966 which won the President's gold
medal for the first time for a South Indian film. Based on Thakazhy Sivasankara Pillai's well-known novel of
the same name, the film had screenplay by S.L.Puram, camera work by Marcus Bartely, editing by
Hrishikesh Mukherji and music by Salil Chaudhury, all established names in the Indian film industry. All
these contributed immensely to the overall technical quality of the film. Its high caliber publicity greatly
aided by the gold medal secured before its commercial release and its technical flourish made a great impact
on the audience. Its director, Ramu Kariat who had a few memorable films to his credit, got national
attention with this effort.

A major landmark in Malayalam cinema was to come in the next year with 'Iruttinde Atmavu' (Soul of
Darkness, 1967). With a screenplay by MT, P.Bhaskaran could make one of the best films of his career and
also provide Malayalam cinema with a new direction; that of the low budget film. This happened strangely
after the success of Chemmeen, the big budget multi star-cast film that got technical assistance from an all
-India crew!

1967 also witnessed the first Malayalam film of a graduate of the film Institute, Pune: P.M.Abdul Aseez's
'Aval' (She). Two years later, another graduate, John Sankaramangalam made 'Janmabhoomi' (Home land)
with financial support from the Film Finance Corporation. Shot in Wayanad on the Western Ghats, a pristine
location for film making, the film won a Presidential award for its theme of religious co-existence.

By the end of the sixties, the traditional Malayalam cinema had produced a number of good works, most of
them based on reputed literary works by authors like Vaikom Muhammed Basheer, Parappurath,
K.T.Muhammed, Thakazhy, Malayattoor Ramakrishnan, P.Kesava Dev and Thoppil Bhasi. The films include
Odayil Ninnu, Yakshi, Kadalpalam and Ara Nazhika Neram (all directed by K.S. Sethumadhavan):
Mudiyanaya Puthran and Chemmeen (by Ramu Kariat): Iruttinde Atmavu (by P.Bhaskaran): and Bhargavi
Nilayam, Thulabharam, Asuravithu and Nagarame Nandi (all by A. Vincent).

Towards more visual expression

Reminiscent of the Italian neo-realist films in its stark realism, the film told with immense visual appeal the
story of an innocent Muslim girl of Malabar.

Reminiscent of the Italian neo-realist films in its stark realism, the film told with immense visual appeal the
story of an innocent Muslim girl of Malabar.

That was also the first authentic statement of the way of life of Malabar Muslims. It was remarkable for its
accuracy of Muslim dialect, choice of location and art direction. However, the film's reluctance to part with
conventions like songs and melodrama made it miss the mark of excellence. 'Olavum Theeravum', however,
serves as an important link to the new decade in Malayalam cinema. Another significant effort was
C.Radhakrishnan's "Agni".

In the 70s efforts were to create conditions conducive to the survival of artistic cinema in Kerala. A group of
film enthusiasts had already formed a film society in Trivandrum, the first of its kind in the State. It
conducted seminars and discussions on films apart from screening international classics. It encouraged the
formation of other film societies throughout the state. As an offshoot of this society came the Chitralekha
Film Co-operative, the first of its kind in the country formed by a group of trained technicians with the
intention of making artistic films. After a period of practice through documentary film making, the
Cooperative attempted their first feature, 'Swayamvaram' (One's own choice) in 1972 with Kulathoor
Bhaskaran Nair as Executive Producer and Adoor Gopalakrishnan as Director. Technically superb, the film
dispensed with the clichè of traditional cinema particularly with songs till then considered an essential
ingredient in feature film. Although build on a weak narrative, the film was much ahead of all Malayalam
films in its cinematic qualities. It launched a major film maker in Malayalam.

The next year MT Vasudevan Nair came up with his own directorial venture, 'Nirmalyam' (Remains, 1973).
M.T. was hesitant to shed all the existing conventions but all the same produced a brilliant first work.
Although still coming to grips with the medium, he was sure of his characters and their relationships. Much
of his pre-occupation with family relationships found earlier in his screenplays was evident here too.
In 1974, G.Aravindan who had established himself as the most intellectual cartoonist working in Malayalam
them with his serial, "Cheriyamanushyanum valiya lokavum" ("Small Men and Big World") in a Weekly,
made his first film, 'Utharayanam' (Throne of Capricon). Aravindan had no formal training in film making but
his cartoon serial would have given him an opportunity to play with composition. His cartoon serial looked
more like a story-board for a film! Aravindan demonstrated an extraordinary sense of visual expression and
composition like his predecessor, Adoor Gopalakrishnan. He was greatly aided by contributions from
cameraman M.Ravi Varma and the art director, Namboodiri.

During the last decade, Adoor Gopalakrishnan and Aravindan consolidated their positions in not only
Malayalam Cinema but in Indian Cinema as well. Adoor made significant films like 'Swaymvaram',
'Kodiyettom', 'Elippathayam', 'Mukhamukham', 'Anantharam', 'Mathilukal', 'Vidheyan' and 'Kadhapurushan'.
'Elippathayam' won the British Film Institute Award for the year 1982. Aravindan made films like
'Utharayanam', 'Kanchana Sita', 'Thampu', 'Kummatty', 'Esthappan', 'Pokkuveyil', 'Chidambaram', 'Oridath',
'Vasthuhara' and 'Marattom', films which dealt with diverse themes in a variety of styles.

Along with Adoor and Aravindan, Shaji Karun also could enjoy international acclaim with the help of his
haunting films-Piravi, Swam and Vanaprastham. Piravi is the first Malayalam film which got entry in the
Canne Film Festival.

Other prominent film makers who made promising films include John Abraham. K.G.George, K.R.Mohanan
and G.S.Panicker, all alumni of the Film and TV Institute of India, Pune and other like Bharathan,
K.P.Kumaran, P.A.Backer, Padmarajan, Mankada Ravi Varma and Pavithran. John Abraham who set himself
the untouched path of subversive cinema in his first Tamil Film, Argaharthil Kazhuthai, continued in the
same vein in his Malayalam Films. Abraham could be credited with demystifying cinema's long evolved
conventions and he succeeded really well in blending the theme and form with a dry humour
(Cheriyachantae krurakrithhyangal and Ammayariyan). His unexpected demise in 87 caused a setback to
the kind of film making that John propounded. Some of the noted Malayalam works of T.V.Chandran in his
directing career are 'Alicinte Anweshanam', 'Ponthenmada', 'Mankamma', 'Susanna' and 'Danny'.

Lenin Rajendran has created some remarkable film like 'Venal', 'Chillu' and 'Meenamasathile Sooryan'.
'Janani' is considered to be one of the best films of Rajivnath who has been adjudged as the Best Director in
the national level. Lohitha Das is considered to be one of best screenplay writers of Malayalam Cinema. But
he has also proved his mettle directing some excellent films like 'Bhoothakkannadi'. Jayaraj started his
career directing mainstream films and later slipped consciously or unconsciously into the arena of art films.
Jayaraj whose films have got entry in many International Film Festivals, has directed some immortal films
like 'Desadanam', 'Karunam' and 'Santham'. M.P.Sukumaran Nair also could prove his directorial excellence
in his film like 'Aparahnam', 'Kazhakam' and 'Sayanam'. Sarath, promising director, whose first film
'Sayahnam' has got seven State Awards.

Right from the early days, the traditional Malayalam Cinema had different genres like socials, mythological,
historical, comedies, wild life adventure and so on but the most favoured one was socials. In the 60s a
number of films dealing with the labour movements were made absorbing the political ferment of the time.
The 70s saw the sprouting of many film societies spread across the state in moffusil towns and district
headquarters which showed international film classics to a semi-urban audience. The state today boasts of
the highest number of film societies in any state (about 75). Late seventies witnessed an emphasis on sex in
Malayalam Film. Sex encouraged begun to be treated a more open way which encouraged distributors to
promote such films outside the state as soft-porn films.

In the 70s, infrastructure facilities for film making in the state were augmented with the establishment of
the state sponsored Chitranjali Studios. Aided by the subsidy scheme of the government and the inflow of
'gulf money' into film making, more films began to be made in Kerala. Location shooting became more
popular and the emphasis on realism even in commercial productions was evident. More local artists,
technicians and writers contributed to the distinct Malayali flavour of many films.
The presentation of every day life and its problems itself became the goal of many film makers. The
audience also seemed to be content with such banality, judging from the popularity of such films. Sex which
began to be treated more openly in the 70s came to be handled more indirectly, more at a subliminal level,
in many of these films with a realistic exterior. 80s saw a boom in pulp literature in the state and films made
out of serialized stories of these journals found a ready market. A number of such films set in the middle
class families which cleverly mixed melodrama and violence succeeded well at the box office. The money
accumulated in investment companies began to be diverted for film-making of this nature. Monopolistic
tendencies began to be felt in production and distribution and with huge investments without regard to
returns made the commercial viability of an average Malayalam film at stake. On the other side of the
commercial spectrum, film makers who were making sex and violence-oriented films in the 70s changed
their course by making family dramas often dealing with a distant past and most often based on screenplays
by Padmarajan and M.T. The duo of Padmarajan and Bharathan seem to be the most decisive during
eighties in the commercial success of Malayalam film. Both are prolific in their output. Films based on their
screenplays and direction they maintained a certain standard which is well above that of the commercial
productions in the rest of the country. Although a sizeable majority of films deal with predictable themes, a
few of them have explored alternative subjects like tribal life, pollution, gulf migration, performing arts,
biography, women's issues and film making itself.

The State Government with the limited resources at its disposal introduced a few well meaning schemes like
the annual film awards, tax exemption, subsidy and package scheme, all of which have contributed to the
growth of film making in the State. With the absorption of more and more trained technicians, mainly from
the FTII, Pune, the technical quality of the average Malayalam film also improved considerably. National
recognition has been achieved in areas like cinematography and sound. Enterprising producers have
attempted wide screen and three dimension processes with tremendous success.

Although very few commendable efforts have been made in the area of children's film documentaries have
received increasing attention from both established film makes and new comers. Chitralekha's early efforts
have been followed up by people like Adoor and Aravindan in their personal capacities and also by others.
The spurt in the area of documentaries have been facilitated by the subsidy scheme. Biographical seem to
be a favourite pre-occupation of the documentary film makers.

A novel and somewhat idealistic method of film making and distribution was attempted in 1986 by a
collective of young film enthusiasts, Odessa movies under the leadership of John Abraham. Their first
feature 'Amma Ariyan' (86) was made with contributions from the general public and the film screened on a
non-commercial basis through out the State. Odessa also screens film classics and arranges discussions in
unexplored areas like fishermen's colonies, mental hospital and the like. But such idealist efforts have to co-
exist and even compete with an industry financed, controlled and manipulated by businessmen with no
interest in the art and craft of film except for the money that it brings. A film maker like Ravi of General
Pictures who financed a number of Aravindan's early film and continues to make Adoor's films is an
exceptional a group movement like Odessa. Unlike the Kannada cinema of the 70s and the Bengali cinema
of the eighties, Malayalam Cinema does not seem to be very favourable to younger generation of film
makers. While the commercial producers are surprisingly willing to take chances by financing younger and
inexperienced directors, finance for the emerging film makers with some competence seems unavailable.
The National Film Development Corporation engaged in financing and promoting films of promise does not
fully sponsor regional film although it produces a number of Hindi films which are more expensive to make
and tougher to exhibit. Only recently the corporation started supporting a few projects in Malayalam, that
too on language basis. Telecasting of Malayalam film on the national television network also suffers due to
the discriminatory policies towards regional films.

In the exhibition sector, permanent and semi permanent cinema houses have mushroomed throughout the
length and breadth of the State, thanks to the Gulf remittance. Movie going has become more frequent due
to the increased wages prevailing in villages and the proximity of theaters, even though television and video
have made inroads into urban and rural areas.

The growing recognition that Malayalam film is getting in recent years is evident from the number of
Malayalam film featuring in the Indian Panorama section of our International Film Festivals. Every year
Malayalam films win national awards and occasionally international awards too. Retrospectives of Malayalam
film makers have been held at India's International film festivals and abroad. In taking Indian film to the
international front the contributions of P.K.Nair is worth mentioning. He single handedly build up the
prestigious Pune Film Archive of India.

Although efforts to imbibe regional cultural in Malayalam film were there right from the 50s, attempts to
evolve indigenous narration and expression became more vigorous in the seventies and eighties. Coming to
terms with a technological medium imported from the West by continuous practice and by absorbing the rich
performing art tradition of the State, film makers have become more at ease in creating native forms of
cinema. Narrative methods of Kathakali have been skillfully adapted in 'Kodiyettam', for example. Films like
'Kodiyettam' and Thumb point to the possibility of a native visual language for Malayalam Cinema.
'Kodiyettam' has proved that such films, if made absorbingly and true to the soil, can gain wide acceptance
by the public even if they are bombarded with crude Hollywood imitations and cheap melodrama churned
out from popular serial stores. With the reassurance of such acceptance, one may hope that the energies of
our film makers will be directed at uncovering local truths and thus universal truth in the manner of a Ray.