Sudhirendar Sharma*
Like literature, cinema also holds a mirror on society. Whilst entertaining the viewers, it rarely misses a chance to reflect views from the margins as ‘objectively’ as possible. It also draws ‘lessons’ for its viewers, to fight daily ordeals of life and relationships. However, there have been aberrations wherein filmmakers have toed a particular ideology (to please the powers-that-be) but such films become irrelevant over time. What counts is how pure, honest and enduring are such cinematic reflections. Only such reflections stay in popular memory for long.
Cinema has captured all hues of our civic life. It has exposed the sinister side of politics, as also sought reforms in the systems to better our lives. But it has remained a ‘work in progress’ ever since, with public at the receiving end all through. Common man may have been rendered quite helpless, but not when elections are round the corner. During such times, s/he holds all the aces and keeps the politician guessing and on the tenterhooks. Anand Bakshi did caution politicians (and others) not to take the ‘public’ for granted, because ये जो पब्लिक है सब जानती है; अजी अंदर क्या है, अजी बाहर क्या है ये सब कुछ पहचानती है This Kishore Kumar sung popular number (Film: Roti) has hit the bull’s eyes.
But politicians are incorrigible characters, and in some sense most ‘optimistic’. Not without reason, they are known to build bridges where there are no rivers. Consequently, the politicians create illusions or भ्रम of promises and assurances through their active life as they are hardcore optimists. If the notion of अच्छे दिन loses steam, how about taking a new resolve or संकल्प to create a new भ्रम.
The idea is to keep the public भ्रमित (illusioned) as long as it remains politically convenient. Come elections, and it is the ‘public’ that has the last laugh! But politics is such a trap that more the public tries to wriggle out of it, the more it gets trapped. The chants of घपला है, घपला है, घपला है भाई is true reflection (Film: ‘Hu Tu Tu’) on how illusion of अच्छे दिन was created. It is, however, another matter that at the end public only found that सरकार बदली लेकिन नहीं बदले हालात.
Such is the power of democracy that the powers-that-be seek return to power by wooing electorate every five years, from the very public that they had fooled in the past. Politicians create new idioms to fool people yet again – keeping the public भ्रमित! They go back to the public with folded hands, carrying their exaggerated report card of performance, best captured by Gulzar as सलाम कीजिये आली जनाब आये है, ये पाँच सालों का देने हिसाब आये हैं. This song from a film on a political theme (Film: Aandhi) had the most painful expression in हमारे वोट खरीदेंगे हमको अन्न दे कर, ये नंगे जिस्म छुपा देते हैं क़फ़न दे कर. But much like politicians, public too continues to remain optimistic – seeking न्याय (NYAY – pun intended) during each elections.
One wonders if public ends up voting for status quo – the more it seeks to change the more it remains the same. Poverty, unemployment and inflation become a way of life, and one is left to draw satisfaction by saying हाल चाल ठीक-ठाक है, सब कुछ ठीक-ठाक है despite hardly anything having changed.
*Sudhirendar Sharma is a environmental journalist and a development professional. His interest in music is related to his childhood that lay immersed in musical memories.
Are there similar instances of recent years about public suffering in the hands of the political class, being made into song theme? In regional cinema if not in Bollywood cinema?
The song ‘mahangai mara gayi’ also is relevant, isn’t it?
Are there similar instances of recent years about public suffering in the hands of the political class, being made into song theme? In regional cinema if not in Bollywood cinema?
The song ‘mahangai mar gayi’ also is relevant, isn’t it?