Hindi cinema completes a 100 luminous years the same week as the legendary international Bengali filmmaker Satyajit Ray turns 92. A post was obvious. In a country that eats, sleeps and breathes cinema, this is nothing short of auspicious. So here's a little ode on my tiny blog- my most loved Hindi and Bengali movies, in no particular alphabetical or preferential order.
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But before I begin, a humongous thank you is due to my Mother. If not for her, I'd be like any other 20 something in the 21st century- impatient and ignorant about the wonder that was cinema before it came to be a commonplace factory that mass produced Sheilas, Munnis and Jalebi Bais in hordes.
What the black and white era lacked in colour, it made up for in original stories, tight scripts, haunting music, stars that defined style and so many brilliant firsts. I'm glad I was made to watch these films before I entered my restless twenties.
Anyone who knows my Mother will agree that any movie watching experience with her is a two hour session replete with history, anecdotes and critical observation, interjected with songs. While I've often cribbed about how it interrupts the entire audio visual experience, somewhere I find that it has helped me forge a deeper connection with many films that till today remain my favourites despite having watched them only once. All credit to her.
A post on Hindi films would be totally incomplete without also mentioning my Nana, late Ajit Kumar Banerjee.
He worked as an independent Art Director in the Hindi film industry for nearly 50 films; picked up three Filmfare awards (that now sit proudly in my Grandmother's home) and also won a National Award nomination. Starting out as an editor in Calcutta, he moved to Mumbai where he first assisted and later began to work independently in several notable, superhit films that are considered landmarks of their time.
But being a minion of the internet age, it gives me greater thrill when I find that Google recognises him too. ;-)
What my mother and aunts have inherited directly from his knowledge of art and cinema, wends its way down to my generation in a tiny trickle but one that is heavily laden with stories that makes the whole movie watching experience a giant wonder. So for all the anecdotes, the explanations, the history and for helping me get to know my Nana, a seriously big thank you to Mummy.
And now, on to my picks!
Waiting for your picks.
ReplyDeleteSo many anecdotes, little snippets of information on the film industry - how a particular movie was scripted, the drawbacks and plus points of various artists, technicians etc. all go to make watching those films so much more interesting. So glad you are influenced rightly by your legacy. Shall move on to your picks now :)
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