Predictable perceptions that need change

COME FESTIVALS like Easter and it is time for serious reflection on why Hindi cinema projects the Catholic community as a stereotype. Invariably all the characters, irrespective of their history, speak in the same dialect - Bombaiya Hindi. Their homes have Victorian furniture and their every second gesture is marked with the sign of the cross. The men are loud and boorish, usually fishermen, and dress in lungis (Premnath in `Bobby'). Some drink to create a racket (Pran in `Majboor' singing `Michael daaru peeke dange karta hai') and others to have a blast (Amrish Puri in `Doli Saja Ke Rakhna').

The women dress in revealing clothes (`Bobby' and `Julie') and wear a cross. The working woman, usually a bootlegger (`Khuddar'), is foul- mouthed and callous till reformed by the hero. In `Saagar' though she didn't need reforming since Dimple Kapadia played an honest, hardworking bar owner. Putting her in such an ambience helped because it made it easier for her to sing and dance with her heroes, Rishi Kapoor and Kamal Haasan. The educated Catholic girl was usually a stenographer in an office (Helen in `Gumnaam' and Shabana Azmi in `Albert Pinto Ko Gussa Kyon Aata Hain).' Someone the boss assumes, he can take for granted.

In the olden days, she was also the indispensable club dancer. From `China Town' to `Teesri Manzil,' from Sheila Ramani and Cuckoo to Helen, she was the eternal seducer and paradoxically, also the easily seduced! What a pity that `Julie' that had the potential to work as a significant statement on communal harmony, was reduced to elaborating the evils of pre-marital sex or worse, an unwed mother's saga.

The lonely wife of the self-centered archaeologist researching caves in Vijay Anand's `Guide' and walking out on her impotent husband to live openly with her admirer Raju, had to be Rosie, not Radha or Rehana. In author R.K. Narayan's book and in her depiction in the film, a shadow looms over the heroine's background leaving her religious identity vague and undefined.

Rosie does not wear a cross around her neck, but she does not adorn her forehead with bindi either, until much later, when she is ready to rebel. The chilling line, `Marco main jeena chahti hoon,' echoes from the caves and even after all these years gives you goose bumps! As an audience we should have applauded Rosie's courage and spirit, but in our characteristic cowardly reaction, we confused progressive for immoral and preferred to wait for the tide to ebb away rather than take a stand.

It was easier when the subject was less controversial. Manmohan Desai's portrayal of Anthony Gonsalves immortalised by Amitabh Bachchan, is a testimony to goodness in humanity. A Hindu boy is brought up by a priest and reared to be a good Christian. He attends the weekly mass and whenever mischievous, is quick to go for confessions. There's no mistaking that his conscience is ticking.

The only other wholesome and non-judgemental portrayal of the Catholic and my favourite is Miss Stoneham in ``36 Chowringhee Lane.'' She is reminiscent of Mrs. D`Sa in `Anari' and the matron in `Anand', both essayed by Lalita Pawar. But while these Catholic women projected by Hrishikesh Mukherjee were cheerful and popular characters, Aparna Sen's poetry teacher led a lonely existence bereft of love and manipulated by her dear ones. Despite being an inspiration to a generation of students, at the end of the day, Miss Stoneham is alone and unable to subdue her demons.

In the past few years, the Catholic community has become more vocal about how it is being projected. There have been strong protests from the community to some objectionable scenes. Director Aditya Chopra had to delete a scene from ``Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge'' which depicted Shah Rukh Khan being funny inside a church. A few years later, Sanjay Leela Bhansali was pulled up for a scene between Salman Khan and Manisha Koirala in `Khamoshi' - The Musical where they turn the priest into a mediator for their romance.

Double standards are the hallmarks of Indian cinema. If a more thinking audience however comes forward and articulates its feelings, perceptions will alter in the coming years.

A hit at last

It was an eventful week. Ramesh Sippy celebrated 25 years of `Sholay' and combined the event to launch this year's National Award-winning book ``Making of Sholay'' by Anupama Chopra. Second generation, Abhishek Bachchan, Shahdaab Amjad Khan and Rohan Sippy read out passages from the book relating to their parents encounters during the film.

A day later, in a grand mahurat, Sanjay Gupta launched his six- hero mega project ``Kaante'' at Hotel Leela. HMV felicitated Lata Mangeshkar for winning the Bharat Ratna. And Subhash Ghai announced Mukta Arts' new film to be directed by David Dhawan. David Dhawan proved the saviour of the film industry once again, giving the first hit of year 2001 after more than a dozen crashing disasters at the box office. `Jodi No. 1' has proved the lucky mascot of the year which has the audience back in the theatres and the film exhibitors heaving a sigh of relief.

On the personal front, Javed Akhtar got ready for his new avtaar as a TV anchor in a Star Gold's new serial ``Rahe Na Rahe Hum'' about the golden era in Hindi films. Band Stand residents in Mumbai saluted Shabana Azmi for her extraordinary effort in beautifying the parapet. And finally, Sunil Shetty, along with five other partners, launched a water sports complex called H2O at Girgaum, Chowpatty.

Divided into a section for joy rides for the faint hearted and another for the dare-devil adventures, H2O will provide entertainment for all age groups, on the beach and on the water side.

BHAWANA SOMAAYA

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