The Indian film industry

The Indian film industry is the oldest and the largest in the world with over 1200 movies released annually. The majority of films are made in the South Indian languages mostly Telugu, Tamil and Malayalam, but Hindi films take the largest box office share. Mumbai (Bombay), Chennai (Madras), Kolkata (Calcutta), Bangalore and Hyderabad are the main film production centers. With more than 12000 cinema halls, the Indian film industry turn out more than 1000 films a year to hugely appreciative audiences around the world. Movie tickets in India are among the cheapest in the world. India accounts for 73% of movie admissions in the Asia-Pacific region, and earnings are currently estimated at US$2.9 billion. The industry is mainly supported by the vast cinema-going Indian public. The Central Board of Film Certification of India cites on its website that every three months an audience as large as India's billion-strong population visits cinema halls. Indian films are popular in various parts of the world, esp ecially in countries with significant Indian communities.

Cinema was introduced to India on July 7, 1896. It began with the Lumire Brothers' Cinematography, unveiling six silent short films at the Watson Hotel in Bombay, namely Entry of Cinematographe, The Sea Bath, Arrival of a Train, A Demolition, Ladies & Soldiers on Wheels and Leaving the Factory. The Times of India carried details of the "Living Photographic Pictures in Life-Size Reproductions by Mssrs. Lumire Brothers". In the same year, the Madras Photographic Store advertised "animated photographs". Daily screenings of films commenced in Bombay in 1897 by Clifton and Co.'s Meadows Street Photography Studio. In 1898, Hiralal Sen started filming scenes of theatre productions at the Classic Theatre in Calcutta, inspired by Professor Stevenson (who had brought to India the country's first bioscope)'s, film presentation alongside the stage production of The Flower Of Persia; his debut was a contribution to this presentation. He continued making similar films to complement theatrical productions, which were shown as added attractions during intermission, in private screenings for high society households or taken to distant venues where the stage performers could not reach. The possibility of reaching a large audience through recorded images which could be projected several times through mechanical gadgets caught the fancy of people in the performing arts and the stage and entertainment business. The first decade of the 20th century saw live and recorded performances being clubbed together in the same programme.

The strong influence of its traditional arts, music, dance and popular theatre on the cinema movement in India in its early days is probably responsible for its characteristic enthusiasm for inserting song and dance sequences in Indian cinema, even till today. Dhundiraj Govind Phalke (1870 - 1944) affectionately called Dadasaheb Phalke is considered as the 'father of Indian Cinema'. Central in Phalke's career as a filmmaker was his fervent belief in the nationalistic philosophy of swadeshi, which advocated that Indians should take charge of their own economy in the perspective of future Independence. Phalke, with his imported camera, exposed single frames of a seed sprouting to a growing plant, shot once a day, over a month-thus inadvertently introducing the concept of 'time-lapse photography', which resulted in the first indigenous 'instructional film'- The Birth of a Pea Plant (1912) - a capsule history of the growth of a pea into a pea-laden plant. This film came very handy in getting financial backing for his first film venture. Inspired from an imported film - Life of Christ - Phalke started mentally visualising the images of Indian gods and goddesses. What really obsessed him was the desire to see Indian images on the screen in a purely Swadeshi ven ture. He fixed up a studio in Dadar Main Road, wrote the scenario, erected the set and started shooting for his first venture Raja Harishchandra in 1912. The first full-length story film of Phalke was completed in 1912 and released at the Coronation cinema on April 21, 1913, for special invitees and members of the Press. The film was widely acclaimed by one and all and proved to be a great success.

In the early thirties, the silent Indian cinema began to talk, sing and dance. Alam Ara produced by Ardeshir Irani (Imperial Film Company), released on March 14, 1931 was the first Indian cinema with a sound track. Mumbai became the hub of the Indian film industry having a number of self-contained production units. The thirties saw hits like Madhuri (1932), Indira M.A (1934), Anarkali (1935), Miss Frontier Mail (1936) and Punjab Mail (1939). India is a large country where many languages are spoken. Indian film producers have made films in thirty of the largest languages. However, only the very largest language groups support major regional industries. These are Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, Marathi, Kannada, Odiya, Malayalam. Official statistics categorize Indian films according to the languages in which they are distributed

Balu Mahendra's son to assist him

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After directing Adhu Oru Kanaa Kaalam with Dhanush and Priyamani in the lead, legendary director Balu Mahendra was on a long rest due to his ill health. Our Camera Kavingar is known for his love towards film industry and his thirst to learn more and more till the end. Ask him anything on the subject of the industry and he will have the answer; one can call him the Mobile Film School. Now that the director has regained his heath, he is ready to make his next project. The director is keen to do this project with fresh faces in the lead. The film will be producer by an NRI and we hear that the shoot will start by 2010 January. The director who adapts himself to the latest techniques so easily has decided to make use of a hottest digital camera called ARRIFLEX D-21 for this untitled flick, say the sources. It's worthy to mention that ARRIFLEX D-21 is the only digital camera that looks, feels, and runs like a 35mm film camera. Moreover, Balu Mahendra's son Sangi Mahendra will be assisting his dad for the first time ever. Sources further add that the ace director has decided to pick 5 students from his film school as his assistant directors of this project. We are waiting for you Balu Sir, Welcome back!

Shriya got the dress code from Sarath!

We may recall the incident when Shriya turned-up for a public function in a skimpy attire and stirred the air. It's notable that our CM Kalaignar M Karunanidhi and other bigwigs of the state were present for the occasion.

Now it's said that our CM will grace the audio launch function of Sarath Kumar's most awaited film Jaggubhai. The film is directed by K S Ravikumar in which Shriya plays Sarath's daughter and debutante Sreesha plays his wife.

The audio and trailer launch of the film is scheduled to happen on September 27 (Tomorrow) in Anna Arivalayam.

It seems that Sarath Kumar wanted to avoid any trouble during the function and advised Shriya to dress in a sari or any respectable clothing. Recently when Shriya attended a public event with politician MK. Stalin, the government had sent her a notice regarding the dress code, time in advance.

Jaggubhai is about a gangster turning into a good-hearted man. This mass entertainer is said to have highlighted more on father-daughter relationship.

Surely a fatherly advice to the actress

Priyanka Chopra is my competitor: Namitha

Guess what could be the reason behind Namitha entering filmdom and making it to the top? The reason was her defeat at a qualifying round for Miss World that held years ago.

When I went to the qualifying round of Miss World, I was not selected by the juries just because I didn't know English. Finally, Priyanka Chopra emerged the winner and became Miss World, the actress says.

She adds: I vowed on that day to master English and to make it big in filmdom. Now, I know the language very well and I am there in the hearts of millions of fans. This is all thanks to the challenge I took on that day.

Saying that she has shed six kilos following advice from her friends and well-wishers, Namitha adds, at present I am acting in a Telugu film opposite Balakrishna. Talks are on to sign on the dotted lines for a Kannada movie. I would like to make it big in Sandalwood too.

Jeevithanouka

Jeevithanouka - 1951

 

Jeevithanouka was a turning point for Malayalam cinema. This highly dramatic musical film, which narrated the story of ego clashes in a joint family, was mainly directed towards the women audience. Jeevithanouka was a huge success, and can be considered as the first 'super hit' of Malayalam cinema. Thikkurishi Sukumaran Nair, an actor from the stage, became the first 'superstar' of Malayalam cinema after the success of the film. But this success had also an adverse effect on Malayalam cinema. Films that were produced after Jeevithanouka were made according to this success formula, and nothing creative was seen for a long time. Superstars took over the driver's seat and directors were forced to the background.

• Ramu Karyat
Acclaimed as an innovator of Malayalam cinema of the 1950s to the 1970s, Ramu Karyat (1927-79), is one of the protagonists of Kerals People's Art Club in the domain of the communist IPTA. After Neelakuyi in 1954, he shot Minnaminungu (The Firefly) in 1957, a path breaking film of Malayalam cinema. Thoppil Bhasi's famous play Mudiyanaya Puthran (The Prodigal Son) was filmed by Ramu Karyat in 1961. This film featured Satyan, a specialist in 'macho' roles, which is a convincing melodrama about the irresponsibility of a self-centered young man who deliberately sinks into anti-social behaviour before being reconciled with life by the love of a young 'untouchable' girl and by the warmth of a group of workers. After Moodupadam (1963), a social film about the relationship between three major religious faiths of the State, Hindu, Christian and Muslims, Ramu Karyat made Chemmeen a definite turning point in Malayalam cinema.

• P Bhaskaran
P Bhaskaran started as a lyricist for the film Chandrika and made his directorial debut with Ramu Karyat as a co-director and an actor in Neelakuyil. He attempted hard-hitting realism in his earlier films but later works were mainly love stories and melodramas with social concerns. Some of his memorable films are Rarichan Enna Pauran (1956), set in the neo-realistic vein of Newspaper Boy, Anveshichu Kandethiyilla (1967) and Irutinte Atmavu (1967).

• A Vincent

Actress with a difference: Vedhika

Here is an actress who is not uncomfortable in the homely tag. Vedhika, the new cute heroine on the block, prefers to be a girl-next-door image; rather than being bold and beautiful. The charming actress had last appeared opposite to debut Shanthanu in Sakkarakatti. Now with her 5th movie Malai Malai, Vedhika will grace the screen again opposite Arun Vijay.

The actress is really much obliged with the audience's immense support and encouragement all these years. And with Malai Malai she is hoping that she lives up to their expectations. In this she plays the role of Anjali, a very bubbly, cute character. Anjali is a radio jockey and Vedhika is very glad to receive this role as she feels it is one-of-its-kind character.

The Muni heroine is willing to do more films in Tamil and other south Indian languages. Unlike other actresses she is not comfortable to shed her clothes and do sensual roles. She said, I am married to my career. I will not wear a bikini as I want to be an actress with a homely image. I like the professionalism of south Indian film industry and want to do more film with all top actors.

Hmm, now lets see if this pretty lass sticks to her words. For, there are many who have initially stepped into the homely attire and gradually shed the innocent tag.

Film Society Movement in Kerala

 

 

The Film Society Movement, which started in 1960s and gained momentum during the 1970s, brought in a new consciousness about cinema as an art form and stood for a different kind of cinema, which was termed as 'parallel', 'newwave' or 'art' cinema. Contrary to other parts of India, this movement was never an urban phenomenon, but something that cut across all terrains and sections of society. At a point of time, the great classics of World Cinema reached even the rural Kerala and discussions on them were held at the layman's level.

The 'Chitralekha Film Society' formed under the leadership of Adoor Gopalakrishnan and Kulathoor Bhaskaran Nair in 1965 at Trivandrum, was the first Film Society in Kerala, though even before this there was an attempt at Trissur to form a Film Club, namely the Trissur Film Club in 1955. 'Chitralekha' also did work towards formation of Film Societies in Schools and Colleges and also succeed in setting up a film studio of its own. Soon Film Societies were formed at other parts of Kerala.

The Naxalbari agitations, student revolt in Paris, Vietnam war and the hippie movement formed the general ambience of the 1970s. This agitated environment combined with Malayalam literary scene, which was already vibrant with the new 'modernist' ideas became the foundation for the spread of Film Societies all over Kerala during the 1970s. More that a hundred Film Societies sprouted all over Kerala, of which some of them have completed more than 25 year now. Even today, Kerala has the largest number of Film Societies in India and still trying to create awareness about cinema as a serious art form.

Among the Film Societies of Kerala, the 'Odessa' experiment, started by John Abraham, stands apart from all the experiments in various ways. It never had a formal legal structure or any political backing. Its attempt was to attack the problem comprehensively at all levels - exhibition, distribution and production, by ensuring people's participation in all its activities. But with the untimely demise of John Abraham, 'Odessa' movement started waning.