Kaleidoscope of culture

Edwin Ariyadasa

I cannot help but start my observations on a note of highly deserved felicitation. National Film Corporation has taken a salutary,and an eminently praiseworthy step to enhance the cinema - literacy of the people of this country.

As part of this very welcome policy, the NFC has initiated a series of film festivals, with the specific intention of making the local filmgoers, aware of other cinematics traditions. In recent months they presented a festival of European films, a season of Chinese films and, an Iranian cinema festival.

Their latest move is an Indian Film Festival, that show-cases a selection of perennial film classics from Bollywood.

While felicitating the National Film Corporation for this on-going, sumptuous cinematic treat, we must express our deep gratitude to those countries, that collaborate in this effort.

Over the long sweep of history, spanning more than 25 centuries, India as inspired us in a vast variety of arenas - culture, art, literature and religion.

In recent years, Indian films have been the staple of mass entertainment in this country. They are theatrically presented extensively.

Our TV gives them ample time and space. They are present in formats of domestic and private entertainment.

Indian cinematic traditions touch us so intimately, that, when we decided to set up our own indigenous brand of film-making, we sought Indian studios and Indian directorial talent.

The spell of Indian cinema, has enthralled, men and women of many countries. There is something startlingly right about the Bollywood formula of mass entertainment. The Bollywood "mystique", has a way of overwhelming you.

The initial offering in the menu of the Indian Film Festival, is "The Three Idiots." Unabashedly I can confess, that is one of my most favourite Indian films. To all intents and purposes, currently, Bollywood seems to have launched a blitzkrieg, to try and expand the limits of the possible for Indian cinema. This may not have been deliberately planned. But, this, in effect, is exactly what is taking place in the world of Bollywood film-making.

Landing with a soul-shaking thud, on the minds of the movie-going masses, "The Three Idiots", unambiguously and hilariously makes the stunning declaration that, Indian film comedy, is just not what it has been all along.

Delivering fun on a mass-production scale and amassing Box-office revenues at a record-breaking rate, "The Three Idiots" administers sly but painful knocks on the heads of academic obstinacy and on obscene pecuniary ostentation.

'3 Idiots' is outrageously funny and in the same breath, it is didactic in its own peculiar manner.

Its appeal has been immediate and trans-cultural.

Some of the more recent Bollywood productions, display an unorthodox streak.

'My name is Khan', for instance, demolishes some assumed film - norms and human mores. It is a cinematic parable about the malaise, that affects a wide swath of humanity, in our day.

'My name is Khan', is not included in the current film festival. But, I made a reference to it as it is a significant landmark in the evolution of Bollywood. In the wake of "My name is Khan," Bollywood will perhaps be preoccupied with the production of dramatic works, that will prove the potentiality of the film-medium as an instrument that can challenge, undaunted, the mass prejudices, that sour human relations everywhere.

"The Three Idiots", is the only film in the festival, that is fairly recent. All the other cinematic works, represent an earlier era of Indian film-making.

To the young film-goers of Sri Lanka, these classics may seem strange. But, those were the rage in their own day.

The fan-frenzy evoked by such films as Awaara, Sangam and Abhiman, is beyond the imagination of today's film-goers.

Their compelling grip was so potent, that there are stories of frenzied local enthusiasts, crossing over to India, at considerable risk to their lives, to catch a glimpse of their favourite Indian film stars.

At this festival one would miss a film created by Director Satyajit Ray, who is a legendary figure for some hard-core film-lovers of Sri Lanka.

The Indian Film Festival will resoundingly establish, that Bollywood is quite hale and hearty.

To borrow a tag-line from "The Three Idiots", the festival will proclaim, loud and clear that, "Aall is well" with Indian cinema.

Showcasing the best of Bollywood

Ruwini Jayawardana

Hot on the heels of the Iranian film Week comes the Indian Film Festival.

A mixture of old hits as well some of the latest top grossing movies will be screened at the National Film Corporation (NFC) auditorium from February 18 to 24.

Put together by the Indian High Commission and NFC, the event will open with the screening of Rajkumar Hirani’s 2009 hit 3 Idiots starring Aamir Khan, Madavan, sharman Joshi, Kareena Kapoor and Boman Irani.

Mass Media and Information Minister Keheliya Rambukwella and Indian Hight Commissioner Ashok K Kantha will grace the reception which is for invitees only. 3 Idiots too will be screened to a selected crowd.

Eight films will be screened at the festival. They are:

February 19 - Muqaddar Ka Sikandar

(2.30 pm) and Awaara (6 pm)

February 20 - Abhimaan (2.30 pm) and Aag (6 pm)

February 21 - Sangam (5.30 pm)

February 22 - Jis Desh Men Ganga Behti Hai (5.30 pm)

February 23 - Parineeta (5.30 pm)

February 24 - Hum Saath Saath Hain (5.30 pm)

“We are holding an Indian film Festival after none years. We hope to develop the freindship between the countries through this medium. More international films will be screened at festivals this year,” NFC Chairman Kumar Abeysinghe said.

The Indian Film Festival was organized to commemorate India’s 64th Independence Day.

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