Bombay Talkies begins with a young man pushing his father against a wall and angrily declaring that he is gay. From that very moment, it is clear that this is not going to be your regular Hindi movie. The anthology of four short films by Karan Johar, Dibakar Banerjee, Anurag Kashyap and Zoya Akhtar, the movie is a celebration of hundred years of Indian cinema. Unlike a traditional celebration though, this is not a vacuous song-and-dance party, but is instead a reflection of the widespread impact of bollywood on India and beyond. This is a commentary on the degree to which movies have permeated our lives and society. Each of the four short movies portray the director's perception or vision of bollywood. In this paper, I will discuss their vision as evident from their short films, while also commenting on the effectiveness of this unique structure of the movie.
Karan Johar’s Ajeeb Dastaan Hai Yeh sets the tone for the rest of the movie with its bold and snappy banter as the mood turns from light to dark in no time. The story explores the difficulties of living a lie, coming to terms with one's own sexuality and the emotions involved. It is a story where an Entertainment Editor, her husband and News TV anchor and an intern are entangled in their own web of lies and emotions, finding it difficult to accept their true identity. I found the last scene of the film to be particularly interesting. When Dev goes to meet the young girl and tells her that he has no money to give her, she questions if he is lying. He replies that he isn't, and lying is bad, mirroring her words from earlier. This is ironical, as it suggests that his whole marriage and life was a lie. This scene, in my view, sums up the message of the short film-the need to accept oneself and one's reality. Linking it to the industry, Johar seems to suggest that it is perhaps now the time that people stop thinking of Bollywood as mere dance and music or as a medium to escape, but instead, as a platform to discuss and introspect about the reality, i.e. serious social issues.
Dibakar Banerjee’s adaptation of Satyajit Ray’s short story Patol Babu, the film Star, beautifully captures the life of a struggling actor. But, the film is much more than that. A comparison of the short story and the film reveals a lot about the intent of the director. For instance, in the story, Patol Babu is described to be well-known, while such is not the case in the movie. The fact that he is shown from a very humble background points to the modest backgrounds of several successful superstars, suggesting that "anyone" talented has a fair shot in the industry. With the increasing realization in India that only influential people can make it to the top (as depicted in the movie as well), however, an equal opportunity for everyone is perhaps Banerjee's vision of the industry. Moreover, Siddiqui's satisfaction as an understudy, and a comment highlighting the importance of every worker involved in the shooting process, points to the need for celebrating the entire film crew, particularly those whose efforts go unnoticed.
Zoya Akhtar’s Sheila Ki Jawani is a strong story that is all about courage to pursue one's passions and dreams, even if it means defying the existing conventions. The courage that Naman exemplifies by expressing interest in dance, a rather unusual profession for most parents in India, is something that Akhtar hopes to see in Bollywood in the form of directors and producers experimenting with new and different genres and ideas. The film also showcases the indelible impact that movie stars can have on the youth, to the extent that they might shape one's interests and career choices.
The final film Murabba is somewhat similar to Sheila Ki Jawani in that it highlights the widespread fan-following of bollywood stars in India. In fact, it goes a step further and shows how several people worship these stars as Gods, reinforcing the important position that the industry occupies in the lives of ordinary people. Bollywood, which started as a mere source of entertainment, has now permeated every aspect of our life. This film, thus, acts as a great reminder of how far the industry has come along in the past century.
One of the first movies of its kind, I really enjoyed the collaborative structure of Bombay Talkies. In particular, it suited its objective very well. Rather than focusing on one director's perception of the industry, this allowed the audience to look at it from four different lenses, thereby helping it to appreciate much more. Besides the excellent stories, the final song was truly a celebration of the wonderful journey the industry has traversed, with several familiar old singers joining in-Abhijeet, Kumar Sanu, Udit Narayan, Alka Yagnik, Sunidhi Chauhan, Sukhvinder Singh, Sonu Nigam, to name a few. All in all, it was a pure delight to watch this movie.
Karan Johar’s Ajeeb Dastaan Hai Yeh sets the tone for the rest of the movie with its bold and snappy banter as the mood turns from light to dark in no time. The story explores the difficulties of living a lie, coming to terms with one's own sexuality and the emotions involved. It is a story where an Entertainment Editor, her husband and News TV anchor and an intern are entangled in their own web of lies and emotions, finding it difficult to accept their true identity. I found the last scene of the film to be particularly interesting. When Dev goes to meet the young girl and tells her that he has no money to give her, she questions if he is lying. He replies that he isn't, and lying is bad, mirroring her words from earlier. This is ironical, as it suggests that his whole marriage and life was a lie. This scene, in my view, sums up the message of the short film-the need to accept oneself and one's reality. Linking it to the industry, Johar seems to suggest that it is perhaps now the time that people stop thinking of Bollywood as mere dance and music or as a medium to escape, but instead, as a platform to discuss and introspect about the reality, i.e. serious social issues.
Dibakar Banerjee’s adaptation of Satyajit Ray’s short story Patol Babu, the film Star, beautifully captures the life of a struggling actor. But, the film is much more than that. A comparison of the short story and the film reveals a lot about the intent of the director. For instance, in the story, Patol Babu is described to be well-known, while such is not the case in the movie. The fact that he is shown from a very humble background points to the modest backgrounds of several successful superstars, suggesting that "anyone" talented has a fair shot in the industry. With the increasing realization in India that only influential people can make it to the top (as depicted in the movie as well), however, an equal opportunity for everyone is perhaps Banerjee's vision of the industry. Moreover, Siddiqui's satisfaction as an understudy, and a comment highlighting the importance of every worker involved in the shooting process, points to the need for celebrating the entire film crew, particularly those whose efforts go unnoticed.
Zoya Akhtar’s Sheila Ki Jawani is a strong story that is all about courage to pursue one's passions and dreams, even if it means defying the existing conventions. The courage that Naman exemplifies by expressing interest in dance, a rather unusual profession for most parents in India, is something that Akhtar hopes to see in Bollywood in the form of directors and producers experimenting with new and different genres and ideas. The film also showcases the indelible impact that movie stars can have on the youth, to the extent that they might shape one's interests and career choices.
The final film Murabba is somewhat similar to Sheila Ki Jawani in that it highlights the widespread fan-following of bollywood stars in India. In fact, it goes a step further and shows how several people worship these stars as Gods, reinforcing the important position that the industry occupies in the lives of ordinary people. Bollywood, which started as a mere source of entertainment, has now permeated every aspect of our life. This film, thus, acts as a great reminder of how far the industry has come along in the past century.
One of the first movies of its kind, I really enjoyed the collaborative structure of Bombay Talkies. In particular, it suited its objective very well. Rather than focusing on one director's perception of the industry, this allowed the audience to look at it from four different lenses, thereby helping it to appreciate much more. Besides the excellent stories, the final song was truly a celebration of the wonderful journey the industry has traversed, with several familiar old singers joining in-Abhijeet, Kumar Sanu, Udit Narayan, Alka Yagnik, Sunidhi Chauhan, Sukhvinder Singh, Sonu Nigam, to name a few. All in all, it was a pure delight to watch this movie.
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