India needs to preserve its cultural heroes

It is said proverbially that a prophet is not welcome in his own country. One may not like to christen the legendary artist M F Husain as a prophet. But that an ardent lover of India, a true nationalist in his own way had to die an alien death in a foreign land does not augur well for a secular democratic country like India. It is indeed unfortunate that a country that recognised the contributions of M F Husain with several state honours such as Padma Shree, Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan, could not give him security when it mattered the most and let him down eventually leaving him with no choice but to leave the country that he loved. All this even after the Supreme Court had refused to initiate any criminal proceedings against him in 2008.

It is not for nothing that Mr Husain has been acclaimed as the Picasso of India. Picasso was perhaps one of the greatest artists who with George Barque and others introduced cubism in paintings. He was also known for his anti war paintings during both the World Wars. Husain, on the other hand, had a blend of cubism and modern art in his paintings. He was widely known as the artist who gave a definite shape to Indian modernism. There was a certain mysticism emerging out of his unique creations. His classic depictions of Mother Theresa and his painting on corruption are but a few masterpieces which set him apart as a genius who was able to put on canvas what otherwise could have been difficult to express. The legendary British engraver and antiquarian writer Frederick Fairholt once said, “Truth is the highest quality of art.” Many may have had problems with certain renderings of Husain, but none must dispute the sincerity of his work.

Mr Husain had to face unending troubles because he was a painter. The communal brigade in India found fault with almost everything that he painted. In 1996 a Hindi magazine created a controversy by digging up old paintings of Mr Husain, painted in 1970s. The paintings in question seem to have been nude representations of Hindu goddesses. As a result of this, his house in Mumbai and several of his artworks were vandalised. It is an irony that the same persons who were after his blood are now calling Mr Husain “an asset to the country”. Unfortunately, though, they made sure that this ‘asset’ did not spend his last days in India.

Indian Constitution, as we know, gives freedom of speech and expression as a fundamental right in article 19. Of course, there are certain reasonable restrictions under which a person can be restrained legally. In the case of Mr Husain it was very clear from the High Court ruling in 2004 and the Supreme Court’s refusal to initiate criminal proceedings against him in 2008, that he had not done anything unconstitutional through his artworks. The judiciary through such rulings affirmed the maestro’s worth in a multi cultural country like India. However, despite such cognizance by the courts, the successive governments at the Centre failed to give protection to its cultural hero. This indeed was a sad development.

Nudity in art

There is a great deal of difference between nudity and vulgarity. While nudity can be aesthetic, vulgarity can lead to prurience and malice. Nudity is a common factor in modern art. Mr Husain’s art was not an exception to this. However, he was accused of depicting Hindu deities in nude postures. But India has a tradition of nude temple paintings and sculptures. No one thinks they are vulgar. It is also very naive to consider Husain’s paintings as vulgar. What fringe groups lacked was an aesthetic sense to make meaning out his classic works.

There have been several instances in the recent past of both religious as well as cultural intolerance in India. Several literary as well as art works have borne the brunt of the fringe groups that claim to be the custodians of Indian culture. The vote bank politics that political parties bank on these days has only boosted the confidence of these hate mongers. The sluggishness of the government in dealing with intolerant groups will only dent the image of our cultural ethos. The international media has taken strong cognizance of the fact that Mr Husain had to die abroad as a result of unfortunate circumstances. It is important that India learns a lesson at least now and makes sure that its cultural heroes feel secure here. Freedom of speech and expression has meaning only when all citizens are safe to express themselves and not face the wrath of certain anti social elements.

Well, the game is almost over; or is it?

Sorry! For two days Indian news channels, practically all of them, discussed and debated round the clock with utmost seriousness the dynamics at work at the IPL auctions. The intensity with which tv anchors and the ‘experts’ shot their opinion, one felt if this was a General Election. (Who knows, time may just come when candidates may be auctioned for various parties.)

Yes! It is true that cricket is larger-than-life-sport in India. What our political leaders cannot do, a one day cricket match can achieve, namely, make forget differences and be united – at least for that day. But should an IPL auction get that much coverage, that too during prime time, is a big question. The whole exercise exposes further the unholy nexus between the corporates and the media. Most of the IPL franchises are owned by the top corporates of India. Several of them also own very many media organisations. However, getting a nation-wide coverage of the auction drama would only add to the sale-value of their respective team. It is not for nothing that Kolkatta Night Riders has bought Goutham Gambir for 2.4 million dollars, or Irfan Pathan by Delhi Dare Devils for 1.9 million dollars. The corporates are not so much interested in these players as the money they (cricketers) can amass for their respective franchise. Hence, the likes of Laras and Gnagulys are a spent force and do not have any re-sale value. It is a shame that cricketers are reduced to roadside consumables so that mammon can fill the coffers of the corporate.

Indian tv channels had gone hammer and tongs exposing the corruption of the then IPL chairman, Lalit Modi sometime ago. The channels described IPL as a haven for corrupt practices. The same channels are now in awe of the IPL. An ironic volte-face, that is.

The idea of the BCCI to develop IPL like that of English Premier League would have looked good, except for the fact that IPL matches turn out to be a mere spectacle of glamour and sensation. The real game is forgotten and what remains in the minds of the spectators at the end of the day is sleaze and glaze of it. Further, the matches are just a medium for the advertisers to splash their product messages somehow. There is no more the game anymore. What is left is only the advertising game. It is indeed shocking to what extent they can go on doing this. We thought at least the six deliveries of an over will be spared. It is not to be! Now you are made to see ads even when the bowler bowls – not just below the screen, but in the middle as well. One wonders why the Indian fans still tolerate all this and do not protest. In the mean time, cricketers are not complaining, what with them making a killing out of the auction.

Voyage to the Moon

Watch the early trick cinema of Milies "The Voyage to the Moon"

http://www.sendspace.com/file/n6w3jn

Bhopal verdict and media activism

June 7, 2010 will go down in history as one of the saddest days ever. For, it was on that day that the famous (or infamous) judgement of a Bhopal sessions court came out, after as many as 26 years. In fact, that decision was so disappointing that media all over India came out in the open to raise crucial issues relating to the tragic 1984 Bhopal gas leak and developments thereafter. Perhaps, never before in the history

of India have the media institutions were so united, taking a clear stand against the judgement. Even as one is happy at such developments, one, nevertheless, is dismayed by such boisterous media activism.

There may be many facets to these developments. It is a known factor that if media suffer from dearth of ‘big’ news, anything big has to be made bigger. Something similar is the case with the media activism following Bh

opal verdict. Secondly, media in the recent past have come under severe attack for being highly elitist and not giving adequate concentration for the common man. It looks as though media, especially the electronic media, want to redeem themselves of such a ‘misconception’.

Whatever be the case, media are doing a commendable job in discussing and debating the Bhopal verdict. In fact, they seem to overdo it. In the bargain, the distinction between news and editorial comments seems to blur. Each TV anchor seems to have his/her strong opinion about the issue which he/she utters with a certain amount of sentimentalism.

Despite all such drama by media, it is because of media that even the Government seems to have woken up to the tragic reality. Recently the government announced a relief package of 180 crores, besides assuring that steps would be taken to bring Anderson back to India. Would that be enough? Government needs to do more. Union Carbide and its parent company Dow Jones must be made to pay compensation for all the victims, including those suffering to this day. Also, it is the responsibility of those companies to clean up the defunct Union Carbide factory. Steps must be taken to pressurise through international agencies to make sure that they own up the responsibility, at least now after 26 years.It is in this context that one must relook at the traditional functions given to the mass media, namely, informing, educating and entertaining

As regards bringing about social change, many scholars think that mass media must not be burdened with such responsibility; social change does take place through awareness created among masses. Mass media have been traditionally accused of agenda setting. However, the recent media activism and the agenda setting by the media seem to have worked very well. Generating public opinion is an important role that mass media must play. And mass media, especially the electronic media, played that role to best results, even though they gave too much of the same thing over and over again.

The role to the mass media is only to bring about awareness and perhaps play a bit of persuasion role. It is the Government which must take notice of the issues and concerns raised by the media and act immediately. In this case, the concerns have been well articulated. It is time the Government acted with a certain amount of urgency.

Who is greater? Author or the script writer?

‘3 idiots’ film has broken all box office records as regards collections and profits. Part of the reason, one might say, is the kind of negative (or positive?) publicity it got due to certain mis-understanding between Chetan Bhagat, the author of ‘Five Point Someone’ which, it is claimed, has been adapted for the ‘3 idiots’ script, and the film’s makers. There is no mention of Chetan Bhagat’s name at the beginning of the film. Only a small name tag appears during the credits at the end of the film.

Has it all been done for greater publicity, one cannot be sure. However, both the parties have a point to make. If the story has been taken from Mr Bhagat’s book, due credit with royalty has to be given to him, which the director, Rajkumar Hirani and the Producer, Vidhu Vinod Chopra say, has been given. But Mr Bhagat does not quite agree. According to him, the

film is 70 per cent faithful to his book and as much credit has not been given to him. In fact, he says he has been overlooked deliberately.

Amir Khan and the ‘3-idiots’makers have a different point to make. According to them, even though the film has been based on the story of Mr Bhagat’s book, the script writer Mr Abhijit Joshi spent over three years to adapt it to a film narrative and hence it is apt that Mr Joshi gets his due. Whether the fact that Abhijit spent three years to make a script justifies the gross neglect of Mr Bhgat, the author, is further debatable.

Amir Khan and his team at ‘3 idiots’ have a point to make. Film is indeed a different medium altogether. It is a visual medium and the style of a novel can never suit the film medium. What novel says in a page, the film may have to show in just about 20 seconds. That is indeed a challenge. Further, film does not give much of a scope for imaginati

on like the novel, as the audience sees everything unfolding in front of them. They may interpret the symbols, but even that may not give much scope for imagination. In such a situation, it is indeed a hard task for the script writer to adapt a story to a visual medium and make the audience involve into it so much that they relate their own life experiences with the film narrative. Indeed, ‘3 idots’ achieves this to a very great extent, simply because the script writer has been very imaginative in his treatment of the story.

All the same, can the original author be neglected? Is it not true that but for the idea, the script writer can do nothing? For every art, idea is the basic building block and in the case of 3 idiots, the idea has come from Mr Bhagat. By acknowledging the idea borrowed from someone can never take credit away from you, even as you have created a wonderful script. So one finds it very odd, why one must shy away from accepting the fact that one is only the creator of ‘methodology’ and not ‘idea’?

Both have a point; but the ‘3 idiots’ think tank would have not lost much (except of course a few more bucks they made due to the undue publicity) by adding that one extra name at the beginning of the film.