The destiny of Banaras the movie
Banaras the movie is an intent. It had to happen. And so it did.
The idea chose me rather than the other way around.
It implanted in me, a lot of passion and the right amount of madness so I could ignore the "rational" commercial aspects while undertaking the venture. I trust thats how these things happen. I know that a lot of people must be laughing at my "madness" and even ridiculing my efforts but the thrill of being a medium of something like Banaras is a blessing that a few would comprehend.
I remember, one day, Pankuj Parashar, who could obviosly see the risks of making such a movie more than I, being a friend told me to consider the idea to abandon making Banaras in favour of an "erotic thriller". This, according to him, would be a far sensible commercial proposition. I think, I took less than a second to tell him that I was not making a movie for the love of Bollywood or money but through me Banaras wanted to be reborn and thats what I was going to do.
For years I was consumed with Banaras. I have kept awake at nights thinking about the plight of Shwetambari. I lived with every character to know, to understand and to empathise with it. Notice, that every character in the movie, evolves; be it Soham, Shwetambari , Gayatri, Mahendranath, Mahamaya or Gunjan.
The movie is about individul evolution. It's about having flaws and overcoming them. It's about making the right choices; e.g. reacting to other's actions or responding in compassion.
I learnt screenplay writing that taught to create drama and pull for the next scene, in every scene. ( I was aware why Sanjay Leela Bansali chose to make Devdas so loud!). I debated a lot in my mind. I knew the risk of depending upon the drama of mind which demands attention and was also aware that the average moviegoer of today goes to theatre for recreation and not to apply brain, but something in me remained admant not to compromise the simlicity and purity of narration. What could that be?
This movie could not be anything but what it is because it was created to look like this and not like anything else. Whatever may have been its fate on the box office it was born with its own destiny.
The destiny, that is its own.
posted by Unknown @ Thursday, May 11, 2006
19 Comments:
Dear Sir,
You're absolutely right...! This movie was just meant to be... viewers or not... believers or not... i'm myself into creative field so i can totally connect to your feelings about this movie... it's one of those magical creations that had to come into existence & had to find it's sources to bring it upfront... when you have an idea like that, it will attract the medium to become a physical reality... i guess i answered a part of my own question about creation here... :)
also, i heard it once... an artist is an instrument thru' which the universe reveals itself... how true...!
Dearsir,
would you like to elaborate how each character was born??
Singh Saab,
It's admirable that you didn't succumb to the pressures of commercial Hindi cinema and stuck to your conviction when it came to plot, characterisation and theme.
But I would beg to differ from you at the point or the way the characters and chemistry of Shwetambhari and Soham finally shaped up. It could be my thinking, but at some point I do feel if you could isolate yourself from being a part of Banaras and think as a third person, you will realise the chemistry wasn't strong enough. The pain, the anguish that Shwetambhari undergoes isn't felt by the person watching it. Somewhere down the line I think something was missing. For the kind of unspoken, divine association that you have tried to project between Shweta and Soham doesn't come out that strongly. Maybe that's why Soham sudden exit doesn't leave the audience spellbound.
The element of mysticism and spirituality was commendable and that is why I was expecting a much seasoned relationship between the protagonists.
As I said, it is my personal view and I could be wrong in it.
It would be really nice if you could enlighten me more on this.
Dear Illusion( feels like addressing the whole creation!)
Your point of view is much appreciated for when two young people are in love, it shows in everything; the way they look to others and the way they look at each other. I guess what you saw in the movie didn't meet with your experice and perceptions.
Now, let us look at the dilemma of Soham. He has not been brought up as a "normal" boy but as a mystic and artiste. He has been told to look at the whole creation as part himself and express his emotions and feeling through his art.
On the other hand he sees a world where he is looked down and seen as an outsider. ..And then oll of a sudden when he is trying to come to terms with this world, walks in this beautiful, carefree and bubbly girl who is able to feel and recognise his art. She is also sympathetic and unrestrained in sretching her hand of friendship. Do keep in mind that she is used to having her way all the time till now.
There comes the dilemma of Soham. On one hand he is able to connect with her, on the other, she knows who she was.
Therefore we portrayed Shwetambari to be free, confident and moving with deliberation. On the other hand Soham to be restained and at crossroad.
Soham's attraction to Shwetambari is not physical but spiritual.
Shwetambari makes advances but Soham doesn't respond. That signal confuses Shwetambari and she begins to restrain. And when Babaji reminds him to live the moment and not to keep digging into future, he comes to Shwetambari to embrace her but by then she is confused and hence that hesitation..
At a certain time, however, when they both were coming to terms with each other's relationship, we see good chemistry between them at the holi function.
The other thing was that we had to be realistic about love story happening in Banaras.
In short we were aware that there was not "enough" romance as people might have expected in a love story but then, wasn't it a "mystical" love story?
hey illusion, its really how one likes to see it u know.
if its eternal love then it can do withouth superficial things like nakhra n roothna manaana ,teasing each other....etc...
sir,
"soham had always been aware of shwetambari n she serveed as inspiration to him " what was the idea behind this?
Singh Saab and Meeta,
Thanks for your guidance and elaboration. But what I was trying to convey could not come out as clearly. I wasn't trying to find roothna and manana in Banaras. In fact, when the movie started the kind of aura that it had created made me feel that I was actually watching a movie of different kind.
Mysticism had cast its spell and I guess I too was part of it. But beyond that I was waiting to be a part of that spiritual, unspoken bond of Soham and Shwetambhari...which I somehow felt wasn't explored to its maximum. Everytime my feeling was Aage kya? And it was the only point where I guess I was disappointed.
Let me put it this way That I wasn't expecting a regular filmy romance. I wasn't at all. But I didn't get the spiritual undercurrent from the lead couple.
That is where I feel more could have been done.
Finally as I had told earlier, purely my point of view... :)
Dear Sir,
I saw Banaras few days back, just accidentally, without knowing anything about it, I was completely frozen after seeing it, I don’t know why, but I felt there was a strange sort of calmness in me, I saw it twice again, to know what’s so magical about it. It just left me with a strange calmness. I am practicing vipassana meditation. I felt few dialogues of Babaji reflect the vipassana principles? Is it true that you had some sort of Buddhist ideas in mind or its spiritual flow towards the same simple truth?
Thanks for giving us this amazing spiritual experience.
Uma.
Dear Uma,
Let me admit that Banaras has purposefully kept away from the religions and any particular philosophy.However, all paths must ultimately be inspired by the same truth.
Our intention is to put the viewer of Banaras on a journey to discover his/her own path.
Affectionately.
Q...Meeta "soham had always been aware of shwetambari n she serveed as inspiration to him " what was the idea behind this?
A..
Soham falls in love with Shwetambari's delicate young voice and is inspired to learn music. And the irony is that Shwetambari begins learning music after she falls in love with his voice.
Therefore they both become each other's inspiration.
In this strange coincidence (or call it destiny)the subject and the object interchange and ultimately become one.
The seeker and the sought, it is said, have similar destiny.
This is a mail I received from my friend and classmate Vijai Singh, at BHU who lives in Washington DC.,
"Two weeks ago the DVD of BANARAS came in the market and we were able to see the movie finally. I don’t even know if it came to DC in theatres.
I just loved the movie and the theme; out of this world. Top quality movie (sorry, the movie may not be popular in RIKSHWALA community). But the music will be popular in every group. 3-4 songs are just too good, so melodious. My hats off to LC. I am so proud of you."
Sir,
I am sorry, but the tag 'Rikshawala Community' is condemnable and seem to coney a strong rudeness. Please do ask your friend not to assume things, there are high spritualist and people with divine consciousness in every community. The whole purpose of your Banaras seems to go astray with this one tagliner in this blog. Sorry
Dear Ash,
This was a private mail and I apologise for making it public.
Dear Jasmine,
It's like you became a vehicle for communicating what had to be. You have your own knowledge, training and inclinations though, but that all took a back seat.
One was merely aware of what was happening including its eventual effect on the audience, yet, us all including the director did what fitted into the grammar of the movie.
You are absolutely right Jasmine.
We just became the mediun.
Dear Sir,
I myself am from Banaras and feel proud to be a part of its rich heritage. And when I came to know that this movie was being made, I was ecstatic. I wanted the world to know about Banaras through its many a traditions and good culture. Spirituality is of course interweaved in Banaras. I myself have gone through profound mystical experiences and hence can understand real and abstract concepts clearly. I went to see the film enthusiastically the very first day it was released. I think it was very difficult to walk the tight-rope between spiritual and commercial aspects. The scene where child Shwetambari is singing the song "Purab se.." was very heart-warming. And so were some other scenes as well. But if you won't mind, I think the film was not gripping enough. I agree with Illusion's view that "For the kind of unspoken, divine association that you have tried to project between Shweta and Soham doesn't come out that strongly.". I think this is where the film faltered, love's mysticism is either difficult to project or was not projected well. I think some coincidences or strong divine interventions could have been projected in layers in the movie to have an element of truthfulness and grip. Nevertheless, I fully identify with your emotions and your feelings to portray to the world that approaching everything in life with an element of mysticism can make the world a better place to live. Since it has been made with complete honesty, the film will surely find a destiny and a place of its own, external factors and opinions notwithstanding.
Super color scheme, I like it! Keep up the good work. Thanks for sharing this wonderful site with us.
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i liked the movie very much...good theme, good direction, good music and good performances...God Bless...can i have punkaj's email contact pls.
I saw Banaras an year ago, and since then everytime I see it; I discover something in myself which I never knew. There is a profound peace which I never found before. An idea, a direction which adds meaning to the way I see love...and still leaves me with more to come...
nice work sir,truly appreciate your effort ...to make people think about themselves,and make them search for the true purpose of their existence.
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