A lesson to be learnt

FINALLY, THE madness has ended. After a round of public accusations, Manisha blaming Anupam, Anupam blaming the channel, and the channel blaming lack of working relationship between the two anchors failed to meet up with market expectations. Zee TV scrapped what they claim as the world's largest to-be entertainment show. The argument is not that ``Sawaal Dus Crore Ka'' is a sub-standard production and fails in comparison with STAR Plus' sleekly produced ``KBC'' show. Or that Anupam Kher has lesser star appeal than Amitabh Bachchan, but is more focussed than his co-anchor Manisha Koirala.

The argument is not about trust either. Showbiz is full of stories of power abuse and breach of contract. Time and again, rules of creativity have been violated, some silently, some with the beating of drums. Sometimes by front runners, sometimes by insignificant names. All that changes, perhaps, is the defaulter and the plaintiff.

The argument most certainly is not about credibility. Nobody attributed such virtue to the channel. It is a graceless ending to a graceless show that started with a wrong motive in the first place. Still, there are lessons to be learnt. And more for the actors than the channel. Had Anupam, Manisha and Ashutosh combined force, they could have exposed a common defaulter. But by dividing interests, they made it too easy for their opponent.

* * *

Everytime the film industry is faced with a new crisis, they encounter it with a knee-jerk reaction, usually a strike.

The tradition of closing down theatres in protest was established some years ago and despite results not always being positive, the trend has continued. Come December 20 and the Hindi film industry will go on strike. This time to protest against video piracy.

For too long filmdom has been affected by the inaction of law enforcing agencies to check illegal telecast of films through the cable network. But even revised Copyright Acts entailing stringent punishment for the defaulter has not been able to resolve the problem.

About six months ago, over 140 theatres went on a wildcat strike to protest against the State Government's decision to impose four per cent sales tax, but the decision was postponed temporarily as big budget films like ``Refugee'' and ``Josh'' were due for release.

The momentum was never regained, for every forthcoming week, there was yet another important release and depending on the magnitude of the banner, the priorities kept shifting. Like always, film makers were more keen on getting on with their business rather than on seeking long- term solutions to the problem. Consequently, the licence fee was hiked confirming earlier signals of dissection within the film industry.

If only cinema hall owners would mobilise energies to work closely with the police and the legal system, the danger could be conquered. What is alarming is that the menace is spreading into the music market as well. Time Music has reported random piracy of their popular charts and Maharashtra State has registered its first jail sentence in a case of Copyright violation. It is time for serious contemplation and the answer is certainly not a strike!

***

Kalpana Lajmi's new film ``Daman'' (domination) deals with violence in marriage. Starring Raveena Tandon and Sayaji Shinde in outstanding performances, the film tells of the degradation of women through marital and social relationships. A schizophrenic middle-aged man marries a young, lower caste girl and repeatedly abuses her, until the tormented wife flees. It's a disturbing subject and though one has seen flashes of the trauma in past films, this is the first instance when the victim reverses roles to strike her oppressor. The earlier films dwelt on the topic in a more indirect way, as a result ``Sahib Biwi Aur Ghulam'' was more about neglect in marriage and ``Patita'' or ``Lajwanti'' about emotional abuse, the theme gained dramatic proportions in the coming decades. Suchitra Sen forced into prostitution by her wastrel husband in ``Mamta'' and years later, Deepti Naval forced to fend for her in-laws in the absence of her cowardly husband in ``Main Zinda Hoon'' and Rekha thrown to the alligators in ``Khoon Bhari Maang'' are expressions of the same evil. Hindi cinema has followed a repetitive pattern in portrayal of the victim.

In Shyam Benegal's ``Ankur'' and Sukhwant Dadda's ``Ek Chaadar Maili Si,'' the husband habitually beats up the wife after consuming alcohol. On the other hand, ``Faasle'', ``Dance Dance'', ``Daraar'' and ``Agni Saakshi'' were chilling portrayals of women living in constant terror of their next attack.

Interestingly, Mahesh Bhatt was the first to depict domestic violence without pretensions in his film ``Kaash'' about a superstar fallen into bad times. His wife's surrender to his angry outbursts, her disillusionment with him and her eventual return with revived faith is a long journey of torment and triumph.

The danger emerged in the 1990s, when actors in their quest of complex roles and enthusiasm to take a gender stand, made a few moral mistakes.

Nana Patekar playing the assaulter in ``Agni Saakshi'' and Madhuri Dixit playing the victim trapped in an abusive relationship outside marriage were wrong role models for the evolving audience.

Just as sexual harassment is not about sex but about power, domestic violence is not about domination but degradation. In that respect at least, ``Daman'' has its agenda clearly defined. The victim conquers fear and strikes and does not withdraw.

Quote of the week: ``If the junior artiste is playing friend of the heroine, she must look like she comes from the same background. That is the necessity of our new found realism. The Junior Film Artistes Association should have moved with the times, evolved with our films. The association heads should have appointed a selection committee to screen newcomers before enrolling them as members.'' - Rakesh Roshan

BHAWANA SOMAAYA

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