IIPM Marches Ahead in B-School Rankings...
'Indian cinema will have a lot less to qualify itself. At the recently concluded Imaging Asia: The Netpac Festival, where his 1993 film 'Vidheyan' (The Servile) was screened, the avant-garde auteur, Adoor Gopalakrishnan, shared his experiences and learning with other filmmakers. The Padma Vibhushan and Dadasaheb Phalke award winner also took some time off to share with Anu Gulmohar his opinion on cinema, his films, and his method of creating masterpieces with every single take...
What, according to you, is the purpose of cinema?
The purpose of cinema is the same as any other art form. It serves the same purpose as music, theatre, painting, literature etc. All of them entertain the audience. The difference is, when we talk about music, we do not mean cheap music and likewise, theatre and painting do not refer to bad theatre and bad painting. We mean their best examples. Unfortunately, any reference to cinema is automatically taken to mean the commercial one. Cinema being one art form that subsists on the patronage of the audience at large for its very survival, keeps making concessions to common audience tastes. That is why its purpose is in question.
The best of cinema should entertain an audience deeply, not superficially.
Do you look at a filmmaker as an entertainer, teacher, reformer or as an artist?
The filmmaker, ideally, should be an artist: one who is a professional and one who has a high degree of artistic integrity. The film that can be termed a work of art will naturally offer the viewer a rich experience of life and teach him inter alia many a lesson in very many spheres of human enterprise.
Eleven films in 40 years: how do you explain that? What do you do between making two films?
I take a long time to make a film because it takes long before I settle on a subject. And then the process of preparation (developing the plot, writing a script) and finally the execution, takes its own time. When I am not making a film, I am thinking about it or some times I'm planning one. I see myself as a professional filmmaker and I practice no other profession. I, of course, read a lot in between films and also write occasionally about cinema. I have already published three books and the fourth is underway.
'Indian cinema will have a lot less to qualify itself. At the recently concluded Imaging Asia: The Netpac Festival, where his 1993 film 'Vidheyan' (The Servile) was screened, the avant-garde auteur, Adoor Gopalakrishnan, shared his experiences and learning with other filmmakers. The Padma Vibhushan and Dadasaheb Phalke award winner also took some time off to share with Anu Gulmohar his opinion on cinema, his films, and his method of creating masterpieces with every single take...
What, according to you, is the purpose of cinema?
The purpose of cinema is the same as any other art form. It serves the same purpose as music, theatre, painting, literature etc. All of them entertain the audience. The difference is, when we talk about music, we do not mean cheap music and likewise, theatre and painting do not refer to bad theatre and bad painting. We mean their best examples. Unfortunately, any reference to cinema is automatically taken to mean the commercial one. Cinema being one art form that subsists on the patronage of the audience at large for its very survival, keeps making concessions to common audience tastes. That is why its purpose is in question.
The best of cinema should entertain an audience deeply, not superficially.
Do you look at a filmmaker as an entertainer, teacher, reformer or as an artist?
The filmmaker, ideally, should be an artist: one who is a professional and one who has a high degree of artistic integrity. The film that can be termed a work of art will naturally offer the viewer a rich experience of life and teach him inter alia many a lesson in very many spheres of human enterprise.
Eleven films in 40 years: how do you explain that? What do you do between making two films?
I take a long time to make a film because it takes long before I settle on a subject. And then the process of preparation (developing the plot, writing a script) and finally the execution, takes its own time. When I am not making a film, I am thinking about it or some times I'm planning one. I see myself as a professional filmmaker and I practice no other profession. I, of course, read a lot in between films and also write occasionally about cinema. I have already published three books and the fourth is underway.
You are a regular on the international festival circuit. How well or not well is world cinema doing?
Even after a century, cinema is not showing any sign of fatigue. It is a great medium, which keeps discovering itself with the growth of technology and human development. There are some countries which have kept up high standards through decades like France, Italy, Russia, Japan etc. Recent years have witnessed the entry of China, Taiwan, Hongkong, Iran, South Korea etc.
While hobnobbing with the film fraternity from around the world, we assume conversations often veer to Bollywood. What do you have to say about it to those interested?
Bollywood is a negative, derogatory term. The serious filmmakers of Mumbai should reestablish and regain the past glory of Hindi cinema of the fifties. They were Indian and also Hindi films. A lot of audiences abroad naively think that Bollywood is Indian cinema. In our conversations we are compelled to remind them that there are Indian cinemas outside Bombay.
Is there no 'masala' film you ever liked?
You are already qualifying film with 'masala'. How can you appreciate something once its very essence is encroached upon?
Are you looking to explore a subject outside of or not related to Kerala?
I normally prefer to work within the milieu of Kerala because I feel comfortable and in full command of things when I deal with a Keralan subject. I am, of course, not averse to doing a film outside Kerala. It would mean more homework for me.
Adoor Gopalakrishnan school of cinema is a world away from the escapist entertainment offered by the Hindi/Malayalam film industries. Can the two ever meet?
I want to keep my audience face to face with reality. And those who have cared have relished it. The primary function of any art is to make you aware of the reality not negating or 'escaping' it. There isn't much of a chance for me to be making compromise with what I don't believe in.
All stars look forward to a call from you, never mind the extreme image makeover. Is there any kind of orientation you give them before the team gets to work?
I love and respect my artistes and they return it too. That is the only secret. My artistes are always aware that I make every effort to take the best out of them. There are several rehearsals and it is not unusual to go for many re-takes.
Does it bother you that though most Indians would know about you, very few non-Malayalees would've seen your films?
There will be more opportunities for non-Malayalees to see my films as DVDs of more films are brought out with sub-titles. Also, there needs to develop an alternative distribution for quality films in the country, starting with small cinemas in the big cities. I am looking forward to one or more imaginative and enterprising film lovers to do it, not the government (Look at Doordarshan, it is so happy and contented now after having stopped the screening of the Panorama films!)
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Even after a century, cinema is not showing any sign of fatigue. It is a great medium, which keeps discovering itself with the growth of technology and human development. There are some countries which have kept up high standards through decades like France, Italy, Russia, Japan etc. Recent years have witnessed the entry of China, Taiwan, Hongkong, Iran, South Korea etc.
While hobnobbing with the film fraternity from around the world, we assume conversations often veer to Bollywood. What do you have to say about it to those interested?
Bollywood is a negative, derogatory term. The serious filmmakers of Mumbai should reestablish and regain the past glory of Hindi cinema of the fifties. They were Indian and also Hindi films. A lot of audiences abroad naively think that Bollywood is Indian cinema. In our conversations we are compelled to remind them that there are Indian cinemas outside Bombay.
Is there no 'masala' film you ever liked?
You are already qualifying film with 'masala'. How can you appreciate something once its very essence is encroached upon?
Are you looking to explore a subject outside of or not related to Kerala?
I normally prefer to work within the milieu of Kerala because I feel comfortable and in full command of things when I deal with a Keralan subject. I am, of course, not averse to doing a film outside Kerala. It would mean more homework for me.
Adoor Gopalakrishnan school of cinema is a world away from the escapist entertainment offered by the Hindi/Malayalam film industries. Can the two ever meet?
I want to keep my audience face to face with reality. And those who have cared have relished it. The primary function of any art is to make you aware of the reality not negating or 'escaping' it. There isn't much of a chance for me to be making compromise with what I don't believe in.
All stars look forward to a call from you, never mind the extreme image makeover. Is there any kind of orientation you give them before the team gets to work?
I love and respect my artistes and they return it too. That is the only secret. My artistes are always aware that I make every effort to take the best out of them. There are several rehearsals and it is not unusual to go for many re-takes.
Does it bother you that though most Indians would know about you, very few non-Malayalees would've seen your films?
There will be more opportunities for non-Malayalees to see my films as DVDs of more films are brought out with sub-titles. Also, there needs to develop an alternative distribution for quality films in the country, starting with small cinemas in the big cities. I am looking forward to one or more imaginative and enterprising film lovers to do it, not the government (Look at Doordarshan, it is so happy and contented now after having stopped the screening of the Panorama films!)
For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
IIPM in sync with the best of the business world.....
IIPM BBA MBA Institute: Student Notice Board
An array of unconventional career options
Indian universities and higher education institutes seem to be caught in a time warp teaching things
Best Colleges for Vocational Courses in India
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