A clichéd shot of Charminar, a cursory mention of biryani, a mandatory fight sequence at Golconda Fort and a romantic song against Qutb Shahi Tombs. A number of films have stuck to this format while depicting Hyderabad. Some have gone a little further and shown small-time thugs from Old City. That’s as far as stereotypes go in Telugu and Hindi cinema. However, a few films have gone beyond these facades to actually explore the city and its people.
In the recent past, director Samar Shaikh’s Bobby Jasoos and Habib Faisal’s Daawat-e-Ishq were set in Hyderabad. These films were neither box office delights nor earned critical acclaim, yet had something to cheer about for their portrayal of our city.
One of the most memorable sequences from Bobby Jasoos (2014) has to be Vidya Balan, with Tanvi Azmi and Supriya Pathak in tow, biryani hopping across Old City. The hunt for a good biryani becomes a clever plot point. Writer Sanyukta Shaikh Chawla, along with the film’s costume designer and makeup artist, spent weeks studying people in and around Moghulpura. Sanyukta revealed to us how the team bought used clothes and jewellery off people for the actors. The dakhni dialect spoken by Tanvi Azmi, Supriya Pathak and others, and the discussions at home that unfold against loud television serials were spot on in mirroring life in the little pockets of the city.
Yash Raj Films’ Daawat-e-Ishq , which arrived a few months later, told a story between two cities that have much in common — Hyderabad and Lucknow. Habib Faisal shared with us his fascination for dakhni dialect and Urdu ever since he had observed his wife and her family in conversation. Talking about his choice of Hyderabad as the city of the film’s leading lady, Parineeti, Faisal told us, “She is a girl who lives in the Old City and goes to work at a new mall in Cyberabad. When a youngster commutes from a traditional household to the modern part of the city to pursue aspirations, there is more than a physical journey that takes place. I needed a strong cultural background to show her stance against dowry system.” The Hyderabad portions of Daawat-e-Ishq were shot in areas around Lad Bazaar, Charminar and High Court.
These two films had its women characters emerging out of Old City. Rewind some more and there were films by Nagesh Kukunoor and Sekhar Kammula showing the city at the cusp of change. These films turned their focus on software engineers, American dreams and youngsters trying to step out of rigid societal norms. Nagesh Kukunoor’s Hyderabad Blues (1998) and Sekhar Kammula’s Dollar Dreams (2000) came at a time when the country hadn’t yet embraced the multiplex phenomenon. Having made his mark with Hyderabad Blues , Kukunoor played a Hyderabadi character spouting dakhni dialect in 3 Deewarein (2003).
In the same year, director Gunasekhar’s racy entertainer Okkadu had Mahesh Babu and Bhoomika Chawla seeking refuge in Charminar (a film set), using the iconic landmark and the Friday namaz as an integral part of the storyline.
The only filmmaker, perhaps, who keeps returning to the city showcasing its intricacies through over the years is Shyam Benegal. Ankur (1974) and Mandi (1983) were filmed in areas of Cantonment, particularly where Sainikpuri stands today. As recent as 2009, Benegal’s political satire Well Done Abba had Boman Irani, speaking the Hyderabadi dialect.
Then, there were a bunch of films made with smaller budgets and releasing without the hype associated with mainstream Hindi and Telugu cinema, and managing to find its audience. The notable among them are The Angrez and Hyderabadi Nawabs .
Back in time
‘ Bandenaka bandi katti ’ from Telugu film Maa Bhoomi
‘Rimjim rimjim Hyderabad’ from Telugu film Mattilo Maanikyam
Ketan Mehta’s Hero Hiralal had Naseeruddin Shah as a Hyderabadi auto driver.
Above all, who can forget Mehmood’s Hyderabadi accent?
