“New Wave” in cinema of NE India
Manoj Barpujari | Feb 10
The north-eastern part of India has a distinct film identity as any other part of the country or the world outside. So if you coin the phrase “Northeast Cinema” it should point to the quality of the films produced that makes them distinguished from films produced in other parts of the country. There are meaningful films made over last four decades— except Assam where it all started four more decades earlier— in various indigenous languages, braving the onslaught of the Bollywood and, to a lesser extent, Hollywood and East Asian blockbusters…
… A 12 times national award winner Jahnu Barua once declared that he would not make a film in Assam. His outburst came following failure of his films at local box offices despite having won critical acclaims…
… Multiplexes are having their day with all-India releases of Hindi films, but not helping regional films in any way. Promises to help build mini cinema halls with government patronage are not translated into reality.
Cinematographic Consciousness
Devdutt Trivedi | Jan 26
The cinematograph provides us with a view of the world that is not a representation of the world outside, but is instead a space-time continuum representing an interiority that captures the internal state of the audience.
Gandhi through films — one man, so many portraits!
Ratnottama Sengupta | Feb 10
Gandhi did not leave a sect behind him. He did not approve of ‘Gandhism’ for he did not claim to have originated any new principle or doctrine. “I have simply tried to apply in my own way the eternal truth of our daily life and problems…” So it is up to you and me to change this narrative.
Cinema in Uttar Pradesh
Gautam Kaul | Jan 26
Few would know that once upon a time Lucknow also featured on the map of India as a centre of film production… It was Dilip Kumar who felt that Uttar Pradesh should have a film production centre and he applied for a piece of agricultural land in 1961, to develop a film studio… Uttar Pradesh is now threatening to provide more incentives of hassle free studio facilities and strike free environment to film production companies…
Anglo-Indian cinema
Gautam Kaul | Feb 10
We visualise Anglo Indian cinema in India essentially through the presence of actresses who ‘looked’ European. In isolation, there were some ladies who did enter Indian cinema and came to India under various circumstances. Helen Ann Robinson, Helen for all of us, entered India from Burma as a refugee. A few more of them were lucky. Nadia was a circus artist from Australia. Ermaliene came from Hungary. Then, there were the Baghdadi Jewish ladies (whose parents were long settled in India) who were sought after by Indian producers for their daring urban style and ‘Anglo’ looks. Ruby Myers (Sulochana senior) from Pune remained the Queen of the Silent Era for more than a decade and survived through the late 70s of Indian cinema as a poverty-affected artist. In between, ladies like Nadira Ezekiel, Rose (Rose Ezra), Lilian Ezra, Romila (Sofia Abraham), Rachel Sofer, Premila (Esther Victoria Abraham) and Pearl Padamsee filled the screen with their ‘Anglo’ presence…
… The first foreign look in Indian cinema came as early as 1919 when an American lady, Dorothy Kingdom, entered India as a love-struck young lass attached to a wealthy businessman who stayed in South India for about six months and financed the silent era film ‘Shakuntala’ .
Jyotiprasad Agarwala and his film Joymoti (1935): A moving tale of struggle and sacrifice
Parthajit Baruah | Jan 26
The legacy Jyotiprasad Agarwala has left in Assam has been carried forward by Padum Barua, Dr. Bhabendra Nath Saikia, Jahnu Barua and a recent group of promising filmmakers such as Rima Das, Deep Choudhury, Reema Bora, Jaicheng Dohutia, Suraj Dowarah, Kangkan Deka, Khnajan Kishor Nath, and Nava Kumar Nath. But he who among others pioneered the growth of Indian cinema still remains ignored in the national narrative.
Good Job guys. Hope this journal becomes a platform of diverse views on cinema. Sharing a perspective with your peers and the coming generation is always a rewarding experience .The art form of film needs to redefine its boundaries even as it discovers the still hidden layers of its complexity
Here’s wishing to more stimulating writing and debate in this journal. Best
Amit Khanna
Is it a printed magazine?
Perhaps some time in the long run, KJ Thomas. Thanks for the query. Presently, the focus is purely online.