Franciscan University COM 329 Cinema of India Exam 1

Gupta Age

(300-500 AD) Saw the spread of Buddhism, Hinduism, and non-violence philosophy.

Mauryan Age

(c400 BC-200 AD) Chandragupta Maurya, agrarian, Greek-influenced via Alexander (327 BC) Mahabharata (poet Vyasa) Epic tale of Pandavas (Arjun and Krishna) vs Kauravas (Kurus) for land (Sanskrit). Pandavas win with the help of chariot driver Lord Krishna, who gives advice to Arjun. Ramayana (poet Valkmi) In Sanskrit Epic tale of Prince Rama's efforts to retrieve wife Sita from the demon king Ravana, saved with help of monkey army, she's revealed to be an incarnation of Vishnu Ashoka (Maurya's grandson) 268 - 232 BC promotes Buddhism and nonviolence

Sultanates/Mughal Empire

1200 AD, Islamic invaders arrive from central asia 1206, established Delhi Sultanate (until 1526) tensions emerged between muslims and hindus (tax collectors)

Indian culture/languages

15 official languages Hindi - 40% speakers (animosity from speakers of Tamil) English (professional classes/social distinction) Music is a universalizing communication medium. (Transcends language barriers)

Vedic Age

1500 BC begins the Vedic age of agriculture, 4 Sanskrit Vedas and 4 Castes Brahmin - priests Kshatriya - warriors Vaishya - merchants/traders Shudra - agriculturalists Untouchables (emerged later) goal : moksha iron discovered in 1000 BC leads to philosophy and urbanization also in 600 - 500 BC philosophy and religion jainism (mahavira) - non-violence to all creatures buddha (buddhism) - focus on suffering, suffering frees self these religions challenge the caste system going on at the time

Major religions of India

81% Hinduism in population. (65 - 70% before partition) Muslims, Christians, Jews, and Parsis in the minority However, many filmmakers are Muslim (Mehboob, Nargis, Dilip Kumar, etc)

Dutt/ aestheticization of song-and-dance formula/social critique

Artist as tormented in a post-colonized India (aesthetic rebirth) Main mode of character's agency was to renounce, and destroy the illusory material world. Use devotional songs to transform love-longing from profane to sacred. Basically used the popular song-and-dance format but for higher purposes, as defiant consciousness-raising in post-colonial India.

6 Major Emperors

Babur Humayun Akbar Jahangir Shah Jahan Aurangzeb

4 modes of dance

Bharat Natyam Khatak Cabaret Modern

1913 - Phalke

D. G. Phalke is India's "Father of Cinema" and founder of the Hindustan Film Company. Between 1912 and 1914, Phalke released a mythological film called Raja Harischandra, India's first feature film at 50 mins.

6 Key influences on Indian cinema

Epic - Mahabharata and Ramayana Classical Indian Theater Stylized, episodic storylines (mythologicals) Sanskrit Theater (up to 10th century) Folk Theater Post 10th century (Mughal-era) song/dance/humor regional/peasant performers Parsi Theater 15th century travel/social/historical dramas songs, humor, mix of fantasy and reality Elphinstone Dramatic Company Hollywood MTV

5 Characteristics of Indian Cinema

Fantasy Secondary Realism Melodramatic Staging Artistic Mise-en-scene Moral stories

French critics

French critics in the 1940s and 1950s Central question: if film is simply a mechanical reproduction of reality, then why do some directors exhibit consistently stylistic features in all their films, while others do not? Truffaut's Politique des auteurs first published in Cahiers du Cinema journal. How a director becomes a controlling consciousness, and sort of stamps his personality on any film he directs for.

Pyaasa

Guru Dutt (1957) - "Thirsty One" Social critique/tragedy focusing on the pain of the artist as renouncer Inspired by Saratchandra's novel Srikanta The theme of the movie is the disintegration of the artist's role under industrialism/urbanization in post-colonial India. The female characters are complex, representing conflicting historical dynamics.

Kaagaz Ke Phool

Guru Dutt (1959) - "Paper Flowers" The theme is the conflict between spaces controlled by the director and those that constrain him. The artist can't control the world outside which ultimately destroys him. Dutt plays a director rumored to have had an affair with the actress he casts at Paro in Devdas. Leaves film at the request of his wife, but is then forgotten, and dies alone in his directors chair in an empty studio. Box office failure. Dutt stopped directing afterwards.

Guru Dutt

Guru Dutt was born in Bangalore, and studied dance as a child. He acted at Prabhat Studio in 1944. Started his own studio in 1952. He married playback singer Geeta. He directed a wide range of genres, but later preferred poetic realism, which is realism but with complex/stylized imagery. He often worked with cinematographer V. K. Murthy. Committed suicide in 1964.

Lumiere Brothers' Cinematographe

India discovered film in 1896 thanks to the French Lumiere Brothers. In 1894, the brothers started working on a better version of the Kinetograph. Although their invention, the Cinematographe, only ran at 16 FPS, as opposed to 48 FPS on Edison's device, it was able to project the picture to a screen so a bunch of people could see it, whereas the Kinetograph could only show the picture to one person. The Cinematographe was also quieter and lighter. The Lumiere Company premiered the Cinematographe in Bombay at Watson's Hotel on July 7, 1896.

Alam Ara

India entered the sound film era in 1931 with Imperial Film's Alam Ara, featuring song-and-dance routines, and never looked back.

4 Functions of music

Introduce characters Advance story Enhance drama Intensify emotions

Save Dada

Save Dada was India's first filmmaker. He bought a Cinematographe and in 1899 made a wrestling film at Bombay's Hanging Gardens.

Jahangir

Son of Akbar. Also called Salim. Buried with his father, Akbar. Kept the seat warm. Didn't add a lot to the dynasty

Humayun

Son of Babur. Humayun's tomb in Delhi is the basis of the Taj Mahal.

Akbar

Son of Humayun. Takes throne at age 13. Fierce warrior. Insatiable appetite for philosophy and religion. Tightened control over land Loved intellectual debates with leaders of all religions Akbarnama, his attempt to synthesize all religion, particularly Islam, Hinduism,Christianity, and others, and is an attempt at Universalism.

Shah Jahan

Son of Jahangir. Built the Taj Mahal for wife Mumtaz

Aurangzeb

Son of Shah Jahan. Not a nice guy. Imprisons his father, Shah Jahan, in the red fort, near the Taj Mahal Aurangzeb forced Shah Jahan to look at the Taj Mahal out his cell window (oof) Hates Hindus Goes into cities in his empire, and intentionally finds Hindu temples, and builds big mosques directly next to them that doesn't help with modern tensions in India between Hindu and Muslim

11 steps of the Indian filmmaking process

Story selected (director/producer) Casting - narration of story to major star Budget - controlled by executive producer Technical unit hired Shooting - 6 months to 3.5 years Editing - rough cut Re-editing to final cut after everyone has input Board of Film Censors - may request changes Background score composed/edited Re-recording of dialogue ("looping") Released - PR/publicity campaign (5 Indian release territories + overseas market)

Babur

Strong ruler. Ruthless, but not as much as Aurangzeb. Established the sultanates.

Family/primary social unit / dowry / arranged vs. love marriage

Traditional/Extended - children, parents, grandparents in one household Mother India (1957) mother as primary householder films often emphasize "love marriage" vs arranged marriage Dowry demands are outlawed, but somehow still a problem

4 stages life-stage concepts

learner (kama) householder (artha) detachment/renunciation (dharma) enlightenment/liberation (moksha)