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Aakash |
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Hey Everyone,
So another art film released recently titled Dharm. Although I haven't seen it, the film is supposed to be absolutely phenomenal! It's already being touted as the should-be Oscar entry...and India's only good chance.
Has anyone seen this film? I'm just licking my chops at the site of seeing Pankaj Kapoor and K.K. Raima together on screen. Post your thoughts here!
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Dude, I'm intrigued. I'd love to see an actual world class movie come out of Bollywood -- I'm sorry, but their mainstream stuff makes me sick to my stomach. -- and this sounds pretty amazing. (Actually, based on what little of the movie I've read, I can't tell if it's technically Bollywood. Is it more of an Indian art film?) Anywho, I hope it's great and that it gets Oscar consideration. The first thing that has to happen though is that the politically sensitive (and, frankly, spineless), arts and culture ministry has to decide to submit the film. From the subject matter, Dharm sounds like a politically thorny film, and they may opt instead to play it safe (to avoid an uproar from the Hindu hardliners) and submit another brain-atrophying Bollywood movie as their nation's cinematic representative. It's no accident why India's never won a Foreign Film Oscar -- they simply do not submit world class product to the Academy committee. Consider that NONE of Satyajit Ray's were ever submitted as an official Oscar entry by the Indian arts and culture bureaucrats, because they considered his cinema disdainful of Indian society -- a sign of utter ignorance as the Indian government has ever shown. Anyway, I hope Dharm's good, and it makes it past the political hurdles.
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raywatcher, I agree with you completely. The Arts and Culture Ministry is so frightened by the hardiners that they are more times than not forced to pass on some extraordinary works, such as many great works of the man you have referenced, Satyajit Ray (please check out Jaman's SA space for some of Ray's great works).
There have been some atrocious entrees into the Academy in the past. I truly believe if that India's true gems were considered and sent, that India would have multiple awards in the Foreign Film Category to day. The people in charge of choosing the film that will represent India at the Oscars don't realize that they are brutally destroying the already weary image of Indian Cinema. Indian Cinema is so much more than the inane trash that some commercial directors put out - the fact that many of these so called 'films" gain "Hit" status only further encourages sub-par work, leading filmmakers to believe that whatever trash they put out will be lapped up by the audiences. Pathetic!
I mean, alright...so some of the fantastic art films don't get recognized by its own country (due to the flooding of commercial Bollywood masala junk), the least you can hope for is that the ministry may consider its genuine quality to represent the country. Unfortunately, this is not the case 9 times out of 10.
Yeah, Dharm would be considered a bollywood film, but at the same time, it belongs to the sub category of "art-house" cinema rather than commercial. But then again, this classification is purely subjective to the viewer. What's arty to you could be commercial to me.
The only thing in our own control is making an informed decision about the film, and judging it for ourselves.
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Maybe as Indian society evolves -- becomes more aware of media and movies from other cultures (thanks, frankly, to globalization), then minds will change with it. It's happening slowly. Unfortunately, what happens is that the government is often the last thing to change, it's most resistent to anything that will sway its leverage. Only when forced to by a more educated electorate, will the government change its attitude (and India will finally win a Foreign Film Oscar!)
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Hey rubinarubina,
Parzania is indeed a fantastic film. I saw it in LA at the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles. Where are you located?
I haven't seen Khamosh Pani yet, but would love to. Have you seen Khuda Ke Liya (In the Name of God?)
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