Banter, Bollywood and Beyond

The Stranger (Agantuk) by Satyajit Ray is our first Bengali film on the podcast. Despite it being Ray's final film, it is a wonderful film on its own merits, as the great Utpal Dutt plays the charming visitor who, for reasons unknown, returns to a Bengali urban elite (or Bhadralok) family which may or may not be his own.  With amazing dialogue, camerawork and performances, the film casts a humane and complex gaze on how the bhadralok respond to the ever-changing world outside Calcutta. 

You can have it from us in writing, this is Raees!  Smytta chooses full-on modern Bollywood (2017), firstly because she just feels like it, and secondly because this literally and figuratively meaty movie has plenty to get stuck into: Muslim and Gujarati identity, Shah Rukh Khan's particular brand of Gandhian secular politics and meaty filmmaking, and what makes a film Indian or non-Indian.  So grab yourself a (legal) beer and dive in!  

Back to Bollywood banger territory! For those of us in lockdown, Chhoti Si Baat (1976) is wanderlust and nostalgia catnip. Mumbai-native Smytta enjoys reminiscing over the Mumbai landmarks with Alex. Samovar café! Gaylord's! Eros Cinema! Another café with view of the Gateway of India! Ahhh... This film is a light, fluffy comedy about Arun (Amol Palekar), a shy worker bee who fantasises, in charming Amélie style, about telling the beautiful (Vidya) about his love for her, but being able to do so, he reaches for help.  We also address the dodgy "stalker-with-a-crush" aspect of the film, which...hasn't aged well.  Either way, this is a charming comedy well worth a watch for the Mumbai nostalgia, the charm of its leads and the laughs. Get yourself a nice coffee, sit down in the sun by a picture of Mumbai and enjoy!

Sorry we haven't gone back to Bollywood just yet! Smytta needed some young energy, so she chose A Death in the Gunj, the remarkable 2016 debut of Konkona Sen Sharma, daughter of the legendary Aparna Sen. Set in 1979, the story centres around Shutu (Vikrant Massey), who tries to recover from a few setbacks in his personal life through a vacation with his cousin Nandu (Gulshan Devaiah) and Nandu's friends and family at an Anglo-Indian house away from the city. However, things don't exactly go as planned... Just like Monsoon Wedding, The Luncbox and The Lift Boy, this is a subtle and ultimately devastating character drama which demands but rewards close attention. Alex enjoys the scenery,  Om Puri, and the assured direction. Whilst initially disappointed by the lack of song-and-dance, Smytta admires the character direction and unpacks the nuanced social relations, especially between Shutu and the other male characters.  Intrigued? Then jump on your motorbike and join us in the foothills as we discuss A Death in the Gunj!

We're back! Sorry for the slight delay, but we were busy over the holidays.  Our first episode back isn't a Bollywood banger (coming soon, promise), but the beautiful Naseem, made in 1995 by Saeed Ahktar Mirza. This is the story of a young muslim girl growing up in Mumbai, whilst elsewhere, in the months leading up to the demolition of the Babri Masjid mosque in Ayodhya.   However, this film transcends its loaded context to become a beautifully observed story of innocence lost, as social relations around Naseem gradually become more fraught whilst her grandfather regales her with stories of simpler, pre-independence times.  There's a lot to get stuck into in this episode- the context of the event itself, the role of the grandfather (wonderfully played by lyricist Kaifa Azmi), national and religious identity, and the experience of growing up around Mumbai at the time the movie was set (which Smytta did). If all that sounds like a heady feast, dive in!

Happy New Year! How much can superstars and amazing music elevate a film? In the case of 1972's Amar Prem (translation: Immortal Love), the answer is "all the way to a classic." Superstars Rajesh Khanna and Sharmila Tagore, alongside Vinod Mehra, Om Prakash and a clutch of Bollywood bangers, alchemically transform what is, on paper, a typical prostitute-with-a-heart-of-gold story into something genuinely funny, charming and touching.  In this episode, as well as the tunes and the icons, we delve into a wider discussion of the Kishore Kumar/Rajesh Khanna combo, RJ's incredible charisma and the importance of relationships in a big city. Pop your headphones on and join us in a singalong: "Yeh Kya Hua..."

For our last episode of the year- look! It's a Hindi film released in 1975 and starring Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra! Sadly, it's not Sholay, but rather Chupke Chupke (or Hush Hush in English), a time-capsuletastic comedy of manners which also stars Sharmila Tagore and Amitabh's actual wife Jaya Bachchan.  In this episode, we get stuck into why Sharmila Tagore is the original Elaine Benes, enjoy Om Prakesh getting bemused in as many ways as possible, and discuss the secret significance of whose name comes first in the credits.  Warning: The sound of snacks is quite loud on this one. Apologies. We'll deal with it for the next episode. 

After two forays into parallel cinema, we're back to Bollywood baby! This episode, we dive into Saaheb, a 1985 drama starring Anil Kapoor as a goalkeeper with Elvis hair and a permanent Tom Baker scarf. The film starts funny, goes romantic, has a spot of dishum-dishum, some sport, some marriage drama and ends with a kidney donation, all the while mixing in some stonking disco-funk dance numbers. If that sounds confusing- well, it is, but it's fun too. In this episode, we cover the hallmarks of Anil Kapoor films, what dowries are, and a discussion of Bappi Lahiri, whose amazing original music drives the film. If that sounds like your bag, put on your goalie gloves and dive in! 

On October 3rd, 1978, a child called "Durga" was born. This wouldn't have been unusual except for one small fact: she was the first Indian child, and the second child in the world, to be born via IVF, or In Vitro Fertilisation, thanks to the amazing work of one Dr. Subhash Mukhopadhyay. However, fewer than three years later, this pioneering doctor had committed suicide.  Ek Doctor Ki Maut, a 1990 film by Tapan Sinha and featuring  Prankaj Kapoor, Shabana Azmi and a (very young) Irrfan Khan, switches the focus from IVF to a leprosy vaccine, but keeps many of details of Dr. Mukhopadhyay's life otherwise intact, including a bitter struggle against bureaucracy very similar to Akira Kurosawa's Ikiru. Whilst that might sound like a slog, the wonderfully observant script, magnificent leads and engrossing story make for something very special and almost unique in Indian cinema.  In this episode, we don't simply dig into the film itself, but also the story of Dr. Mukhopadhyay's life, and Smytta's experience of studying Science in India. It does get a bit heated, but this is a very emotive subject, and we're both cool now, honestly.  If you're on the lookout for your next Parallel Cinema gem, come and have a listen! Episode picture: Wikicommons picture of a stamp depicting Tapan Sinha, the film's director.  Next episode: Saaheb (yup, Bollywood time again). 

Surprise! After our interview last episode, we return within a week's notice with Mandi, Shyam Benegal's 1983 surprisingly funny and touching story about brothel life and its political entanglements in Hyderabad.  Look at the names on this film! Naseeruddin Shah! Smita Patil! Shabana Azmi! Om Puri! Saeed Jaffrey! This film is so bright it should be its own constellation.  This wonderfully anthropological film poses many questions. What is the exact extent of the relations between brothel life and political life in India? How do the people in brothels actually live? And can we ever get enough Naseeruddin Shah? So, come on in, have a look and a dance, and if you like what you see, have a listen! Next episode: Ek Doctor Ki Maut Image Source: By Satyen K. Bordoloi - Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12201939

We don't just talk about classic Indian films in the Banter, Bollywood and Beyond household, oh no. As a result of Channel 4's Indian film season, we've had the pleasure of catching The Lift Boy late one night and getting spellbound by its easygoing, funny well-observed charm. So we thought: why not sit down for a chat with Jonathan Augustin, the film's director / writer / producer? Alex decided to focus on the influences and story of the film, whereas Smytta, a fellow Mumbaite, wanted to talk more about the city as seen in the film. All things considered, it was a pretty amazing discussion with a truly driven and talented young voice in Indian cinema.  The Lift Boy Details  On Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/gb/title/81278142 Website: www.theliftboy.com  FB: www.facebook.com/TheLiftBoy THE LIFT BOY Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGDDIT4pTKE&t=2s Twitter: @theliftboy Follow Jonathan Augustin  FB: https://www.facebook.com/jonathan.augustin2000 Twitter: @JonathanChats  _________________________________________ Next week, we will go back to our usual programming, and cover the amazing Mandi by Shyam Benegal.  In the meantime, enjoy the episode!

This episode Alex scratches a long held itch, which is that of watching a film featuring the late and legendary Sridevi. After consulting with Smytta, he went for this 1983 amnesiac classic by Balu Mahendra, which is itself a remake of his own Tamil film, Moondram Pirai.  Srivdevi plays Reshmi, who regresses back to childhood after a pretty horrible accident. She makes the acquaintance of teacher Somu (Kamal Haasan, also a Pretty Big Deal) who rescues her from a pretty dismal future and takes her up to a set of mountains which Alex can't pronounce (Ooty) to try and find a cure and look after her. This sets up all matter of things: the funkiest music ever to grace the sight of someone greeting a puppy, a weird romantic subplot with a student, some quite shocking violence and an iconic ending.  But is the central relationship all a bit dodgy? And how come it looks like most of it was filmed in a picturesque Swiss village? And does the ending really hit the spot anymore? All these questions, paraphrased at least, will be answered in this episode.  Content warning: as a result of themes brought up in this movie, we do discuss some quite shocking details about everyday sexual harassment in this episode. If that sounds too much for you, give this episode a miss.  Next week: Mandi.  Image attribution: Originally from the source below, as seen on Wiki Commons.  https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/parties-and-events/celebs-grace-the-red-carpet-of-zee-cine-awards-2018/celebs-grace-the-red-carpet-of-zee-cine-awards-2017-more-image-3/  

We promised we wouldn't stay away from Bollywood for very long, and after last episode's minimalist experimental ghost story we go for something a lot more crowd pleasing. It's also our most modern, being released in 2000. Aren't we cheating though? Was  that released long ago enough to consider it a classic? Well, seeing as it's a cult film with an 8.0 rating on imdb and was voted funniest film of all time by the Indian Express, we're going to say: yes.  So join us as we navigate our way through the spiritual sequel to Gol Maal. Along the way, we'll see Seinfeld-style phone book hijinks, arguments about who gets what job because their dad died first, people eating paper to escape contracts and an actual kidnapping.  We also tackle all of the most important questions, such as: "Who was Smytta's childhood Baburao?" "What the hell was the deal with that item number?" and most importantly, "as much as we love Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty and Tabu, which is Paresh Rawal not on the poster despite being the funniest thing here"? If that doesn't sound like too much, strap yourself in for some bullet-train speed Bollywood chaos.  

If you're a bit knackered after successive historical epics, why not try Duvidha (Dilemma)?. Coming at a sprightly 82 minutes, the film springs from neither Bollywood nor its complimentary cousin, Parallel Cinema. Rather, it is that rarest of beasts- an Indian avant-garde ghost film, made by the singular Mani Kaul.   The film adapts a Rajasthani folk tale about a ghost falling in love with a bride-to-be into an austere study of time, identity and love, with a cinematic language heavily influenced by Chris Marker and Robert Bresson.  If you hadn't already guessed, this was Alex's choice, but if that doesn't sound like your cup of tea, Smytta is bringing back the Bollywood next episode, so don't worry. Episode-wise, Alex's passion for unique cinema leads into a discussion about the culture and music Rajasthan, real supernatural tales from Indian villages where Smytta has researched, and the exact semantics of different kinds of apparitions. We also debate the tricky question of who exactly the film is for.  Enjoy! Next Episode: Hera Pheri.  

This episode, we're once more shifting both place and time to Calcutta (now Kolkata) and the turn of the 19th-20th Century respectively. However, we remain fully in epic Bollywood mode, albeit of a very different tone, with Abrar Alvi's (or should that be partially Guru Dutt's?) 1962 masterpiece, Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam.  This film has an heady, leisurely pace with plenty to unpack- Faded glamour, alcoholism and cat weddings all feature. Join us as we make our way through a mesmerising Meena Kumari performance, splendid cinematography, a savage critique of morally bankrupt tax collectors under the British Raj, and more. Content Warning: The central character's agency in this film is represented almost entirely through her relationship with her husband. Whilst the film does contextualise this, if that doesn't sound like your kind of thing, we would be totally fine if you skipped this episode and film. 

Oh boy. Following last episode’s low-key character study, we decide to go full-on rural epic Bollywood mode and our longest episode to date.  Mother India is enormous in every sense. The film centres on an iconic performance by Nargis as Radha, who selflessly overcomes endless obstacles, such as farming accidents, snakes, floods, and Sukhilala, an especially villainous moneylender. In fact, it was too a bit TOO enormous for Alex, who, poor soul, had to split the film over two nights. Trying to understand this film's impact on Indian cinema and culture is a bit like trying to understand the impact of Elvis Presley on rock 'n' roll. Mother India was a huge box-office success which defiantly tackled the difficult themes of a newly independent country- family, development and corruption- and pointed a new way forward. Nonetheless, we give it a shot, and Smytta gets stuck into our most in-depth cultural discussions so far, featuring rural life, politics, a submission for Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars, and more.  So join us on a technicolour tour through moustache-twirling moneylenders, pantomime comedy and uplifting songs which, much to Alex’s chagrin, have not been subtitled in English. Bah! No matter: this is a wonderfully indulgent film meriting a wonderfully indulgent episode. Enjoy!  Next episode: Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam. 

For this episode, we go off the beaten Bollywood track a little- don't worry, we'll be back there again shortly- and look at Vijaya Mehta's 1988 drama, Pestonjee.  The film is set in the Parsi community, a group which is frequently underrepresented in popular culture (although there was this guy you might know called Freddie Mercury who was of Parsi-Indian descent). Having grown up in Mumbai, which has a large Parsi community, Smytta takes this opportunity to explain their history, character and identity, and how the film reflects this.  Despite its Mumbai setting, this is definitely not a Bollywood film. Pestonjee is made in the mould of Indian Parallel Cinema, a movement which shunned the excesses of mainstream Indian cinema. This means no singing and dancing, and a focus on realism.  The result does create a difference in opinion between Alex and Smytta. While Alex is bowled over by the performances and character development, Smytta's patience is tested by the lack of youthful energy, even though she enjoys a star turn from Naseeruddin Shah. However, if you like understated character drama, strap in for an exploration of this beautiful film.  Note 1: Apologies for a smoke alarm beeping you may hear in this episode. It has since been fixed, and will not be a feature of future broadcasts, you'll be delighted to hear.   Note 2: Smytta mentioned, as a slip of the tongue, that the characters were not Parsees. She of course meant the main actors are not Parsees.  Next Week's Episode: Mother India

In Episode 2, we go a bit lighter and discuss Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s 1979 smash comedy Gol Maal (meaning “Messed Up” in English), a comedy where a sports-and-film obsessed chartered accountant switches between dual identities to keep his job and woo his boss’s daughter, Urmila. If you’re feeling, like us, that one of the best remedies for these trying times is a good comedy, then this might just be for you. Fake identity hijinks! Mocking Bollywood superstar cameos! An obsession with moustaches (so many moustaches)! It may not quite match the comic insanity of Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro (which we will definitely cover one day) but this movie is pretty close in its dedication to making you laugh yourself silly. In this episode, we also attempt to unravel some of the context of late 70s India which influenced the film. Much of the humour is actually a gentle and good-natured poke at the conflict between traditional Hindu values of the older generation (such as having the right kind of moustache) and the increasingly Westernised values of the younger one (such as not even having a moustache). The film also contains a smattering of gender and workplace politics, all done in good fun. So, moustache or not, take your seat and get ready for kick-off as we dive into Gol Maal.   NB: The episode Thumbnail is the Poster for Gol Maal, as found on Wikipedia. The poster art copyright is believed to belong to the distributor of the film, the publisher of the film or the graphic artist.

For our inaugural episode, we discuss Raj Kapoor's 1951 Hindi classic, which covers the trials and tribulations of a young Mumbai thief.  We discuss exactly how many generations of the Kapoor family are present in the film, how empty Mumbai looked back in those days, family names, and a bit of Dickens and Chaplin. Alex also starts his (probably long-lasting) tradition of struggling to pronounce Indian names, and Smytta starts her (also probably long-lasting) tradition of correcting his pronunciation while eating Indian snacks.  This film is currently available (in the UK) via the Mubi Catalogue, with English subtitles. (Subscription to Mubi.com required).  https://mubi.com/films/the-vagabond-1951 NB: This is our first episode, so apologies if the sound quality is a bit dodgy. We're working on it. We might also have said a few bad words. Episode thumbnail from Wikimedia commons. Music: www.bensound.com.