Tuesday, September 27, 2005
Why Paheli is a better Oscar choice than Black
………or why Black did well domestically whereas Paheli didn’t
I know I’m going to be in the minority here, Black being considered one of the greatest Indian films, and Paheli a debacle. And there's now going to be the usual hoo-haa that Black was the more deserving film to be sent for the Oscars and Paheli won out because of favoritism. While I thought Black was superb, I couldn’t see it as brilliant, especially because of its lack of originality, once I knew it was an adaptation of the classic The Miracle Worker. Paheli, however, I found amazingly original, especially because of its post-modern blending of truth and fiction, the real and the unreal.
Paheli was not without its failings. It may not have gone all the way that a tale (a statement) needs to go to be a story (an argument), and in that it felt somewhat flat in the end. It didn’t however fall flat, at least for me. Black ended on a higher note, a triumphant one for both of its tragic protagonists as well as for us in witnessing their symbiotic coupling. Yet, what in Black was Indian?
Let’s not forget that the category we are talking of is the foreign film one. Which means there must be something ethnic beyond location of the story itself to make for an indigenous entry. Paheli rooted firmly in rustic Rajasthan fits this criterion way more than Black does. Yet Paheli is more contemporary in its concern than is Black – it asks what is more important – an unreality that loves, or a reality that is absent? While Black asks – how much faith can we have of the feeble in body but strong in heart and mind – a laudable concern to be sure, but not a contemporary one.
A film that strikes a chord internationally must be both timeless and contemporary – and in this sense both Paheli and Black score. Yet I believe that Paheli will have more international appeal than Black just as Black had more domestic appeal than Paheli – because they fall on opposite ends of the spectrum. Black is way more contemporary on style than Paheli is, which is great domestically, but no competition internationally. Paheli on the other hand is way more contemporary on substance internationally (it overshoots the Indian audience’s comprehension), mirroring concerns of the twining of reality and unreality echoed in recently acclaimed films such as The Matrix, American Beauty, A Beautiful Mind, Vanilla Sky etc.
All I’m saying is…..I think Paheli is a better choice to be sent for the Oscars than Black……not that it matters all that much :-)
15:10 Posted in Film, Knews | Permalink | Comments (4) | Email this
Comments
Whatever happened to Swades?????
Posted by: Yaaro | Tuesday, September 27, 2005
You are absolutely right Gavin about your openion on Black and Paheli. Though I like Black very much I felt it Paheli will be qualified for Oscar for its originalty. It will represent India but it will not be able to take any award.
Posted by: sandeep | Friday, October 07, 2005
It doesn't matter which movie is sent. Neither of them will make it to the final cut.
I liked Black though it was overdone in places and a little melodramatic. But then I am brought up that way and find it acceptable (like our food habits, brought up on spicy food so can continue to digest it). So I am fine with it. From a purely strategic perspective, it is a poor candidate for Oscar nomination as pointed by Gavin, lack of originality in every thing.
I didn't feel good about Paheli though. For one it is too long and with too many unnecessary songs. Second we have to strain way too much to assign meaning to the story that probably has very little in the first place. Should I treat it as a parable where all the little things add up to a nice message, or a fairly tale with some broad message but the details don't matter (ala regular bollywood movie). To me it falls into the second category just that it is set in a literally fairly tale setting unlike the ususal bollywood fare that is usually in set in contemparory setting. I am sure there are better movies (with better stories) in other languages a la adoor gopalakrishnan & co that could have been sent.
Posted by: Pardha | Saturday, October 08, 2005
Pardha,
I think it does matter which movie is sent, even if the potential candidates do not stand a chance of winning, for in participating is a statement made of the state of our art today.
Imo, Black was theatrical and stylistic in a way that made it totally appeal to the Indian masses and as I originally argued irrelevant to the international audience.
Also imo, Paheli (as I said earlier) did not go all the way, yet is distinctly Indian, while being the first mainstream movie I know of with the post-modernist looping of story (what is real, what is unreal, and what ultimately matters?) that is so hot on the international scene.
Adoor if I am not mistaken hasn't made a movie in a long time. And purely art movies (which is what I suppose u meant, not regional) do not have the constraints of the commercial cinema, and in this I think that the one entry for the Oscar nomination that we send must be representative of Indian mainstream cinema, for that is what the world is curious about (not that we cannot show them other faces we have they don't even know of), and if we can play to that curiosity, we must.
Posted by: Gavin | Saturday, October 08, 2005
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