A review and close look at established practices yields unexpected perspectives as shown by the short film, “A Rough Guide To Wholesome Entertainment”, researched, scripted and directed by Vijay S. Jodha. It was screened on Doodarshan 1 last week. “My film looks at a strange and archaic concept of wholesome entertainment in Indian cinema. We are the only country in the world that has a prestigious National Award given out by the President for the most popular film with wholesome entertainment. Now what could be wholesome in a country of India’s cultural diversity and sometimes clashing value systems?, ” he explains.
The idea germinated about 16 years ago when Ameen Sayani, the radio announcer, mentioned to Vijay, about the ban of film music from airwaves in 1950s, deemed as the golden age of Hindi film music, by the government. No less shocking to Vijay was that some of the greatest leaders were at the helm of affairs during that period. “From then on, I wanted to do a book or film exploring this little known but completely unsavoury episode of our society,” comments the director. His proposal was accepted by the Public Service Broadcasting Trust and Prasar Bharati last year.
The centenary celebrations of Indian cinema examined all its facets but the National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment, got missed out. Finding the concept ambiguous in a country of such diverse cultures and sometimes clashing value systems, Vijay setout to the three other corners of the country to find out and meet directors, Adoor Gopalakrishnan, Mahesh Bhatt, Quashiq Mukherjee (Q) and Lal Jose apart from Ameen Sayani and Supran Sen of Film Federation of India to elicit their views on the subject.
Ironically, the award was instituted after the film producers represented to the government. “Sounds a bit strange as it implies that films awarded in other categories lack a wholesome quality to them. The fact that not one film by some of our finest filmmakers including Satyajit Ray, never once received this award may seem puzzling or infuriating. But it most certainly reveals a facet of Indian officialdom that is partly bureaucratic, partly puritanical and partly authoritarian,” says the director.
Adoor Gopalakrishnan, a recipient of Dadasaheb Phalke award, who has never won the aforementioned award, remarks, “The idea of wholesome entertainment is itself a compromise. That means I have not compromised. Simple.There is only entertainment. There is no wholesome entertainment. Either it can entertain you or it cannot entertain you. That's all. The ultimate aim of the arts is to entertain you. But at what level, that is important thing.” Strangely neither Lal Jose nor Quashiq were aware of this award. “I just now came to know about this. I am in the industry for the last 14 years. I did 18 films. My films never got a National Award,” says Lal Jose.
The film also highlights the divergent views of the directors on national awards instituted to appreciate movies and filmmakers for their contribution to the development of cinematic art form. “Obviously those working with a run-of-the-mill approach or purely commercial considerations were less likely to get these honours. As my film shows, even leading lights of the so-called commercial cinema such as Raj Kapoor resented their films being overlooked for national awards. On the other hand, the so called arthouse filmmakers got most of the awards but most could not find matching traction with film distributors or exhibitors. So there was a mutual dislike that has thankfully come down in the last some years,” comments Vijay.
