NEW DELHI: In a unique festival, ten films related to music and musicians, is to be held over the coming weekend in Mumbai, in the presence of many filmmakers.
The Festival ‘When Film begins to listen to Music’ has been put together by the Films Division in collaboration with the National Film Archives of India and will be screened on 5 and 6 April at the Films Division complex in Peddar Road in Mumbai.
The films on the first day starting from 2pm are: ‘Nilamadhaba’ (Directed by Dilip Patnaik -2010); ‘Forever Young’ by Ranjan Palit (2008); ‘Partners in Crime’ by Paromita Vohra (2011); ‘Saa’ (by Ramani R.V. – 1991); and ‘Songlines’ by Vasudha Joshi (2011).
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The second day from 10.00 am will feature: ‘Khayal Gatha’ (by the eminent Kumar Shahani – 1989 – in 35mm print); ‘Koyil Nagaswaram’ by Soudhamini (2013) which marks the Indian premiere of the film; ‘Sabad Nirantar’ by Rajula Shah (2007); ‘Rasayatra’ by Nandan Kudiyadi (1994); and ’11 Miles’ by Ruchir Joshi (1992).
Filmmakers Paromita Vohra and Nandan Kudiyadi will be there to participate in a discussion about their films.
Kumar Shahani’s ‘Khaya Gatha’ is a seminal film to contemplate musical structure through film form. This film is an abstract exploration of the Khayal form of singing within Hindustani classical music. The film attempts to mirror the improvisatory nature of the music.
‘Nilamadhaba’ by Dilip Patnaik and ‘Rasayatra’ by Nandan Kudiyadi create biographies of Sunanda Patnaik and Mallikarjun Mansoor. Rather than dwell on biographical details, the films use the music of the two musicians to paint a picture of their lives.
Musical cultures are embedded in the landscape where they belong. Rajula Shah’s ‘Sabad Nirantar’ centres on the songs of Kabir. Ruchir Joshi’s 11 Miles follows the music sung by the Bauls of Bengal. This has remained an important film because of the expansive canvas it rests on and within which the filmmaker tracks the music and musicians. The 2 hour 30 minute film undertakes a personal journey, but one with rigour and a critical search for the meanings and resonances of the music within the landscape that the filmmaker and the musicians share.
Ranjan Palit’s ‘Forever Young’ follows Lou Majaw who has a huge fan following in the hills of Shillong. The annual event that marks Shillong’s cultural calendar is Lou Majaw’s concert on Bob Dylan’s birthday when he renders Dylon’s songs. Palit tracks the music and singer, but is also able to shift focus ever so lightly to allow the audience to get a sense of the political reality of Shillong. Ramani R.V.’s Saa tracks different rhythms and movements in the city and away from it. The short film creates a series of abstract moments of musicality.
Paromita Vohra’s ‘Partners in Crime’ contends with the technology and industry around the circulation of music. The film is structured like an essay that takes on board issues of piracy, copyright, plagiarism, originality, and to think about the shifts in the consumption of culture.
Vasudha Joshi’s ‘Songlines’ weaves a seamless soundscape between the blues and the folk songs about work and migration spread across the many regions of India.
Soudhamini’s ‘Koyil Nagaswaram’ (The Temple Nagaswaram), journeys through the temples of Tamil Nadu tracking the wind instrument Nagaswaram. The film weaves together a rich archive of the Nagaswaram by tracing the thin line between performance and ritual, the lives of the performers that are deeply connected to the temples where they perform and the myths and rituals surrounding the making of this reed and wood instrument. This is the India premiere of this film produced by Films Division.
