When some of the prominent names from Asian cinema sit together to talk about the art of filmmaking, the experience can be liberating. Screenwriter Anjum Rajabali was in the city, moderating a panel discussion on the topic: Is cinema only for entertainment? The programme, which was part of the Asian Cine Experience — organised by Phoenix MarketCity and Palladium to celebrate Asian cinema — saw filmmakers Rajiv Menon (Tamil), Vasanth (Tamil), Mehdi Rahmani (Iran) and Yosuke Fujita (Japan), who spoke at length about the purpose of the artform and censorship.
What is entertainment?
Anjum Rajabali observed that popular cinema — be it a Pyaasa or Mother India — despite using elements of melodrama, song and dance, and stars, reflected a strong social issue from reality. But today, Rajabali believes that mainstream cinema — for instance, a Rang De Basanti or Munna Bhai MBBS — dissolves the issue altogether. This, perhaps, is defined as ‘entertainment’, since it makes the audience happy.
“People love to cry as much as they love to smile,” said Rajiv Menon, “It’s a question of whether people are willing to explore certain themes. Self-censorship and marketing pressure are the reasons why we celebrate mediocre films.”
Aren’t films a medium to tell stories by formulating life experiences into sequences? This is a question audiences often ponder over. Iranian filmmaker Mehdi Rahmani commented, “If cinema is able to involve or engage an audience throughout its duration, then it’s entertainment.”
Should filmmakers take a stand?
Closer home, there’s an emergence of a new political voice in Tamil cinema. Quoting the recently-released Pariyerum Perumal as an example, Vasanth felt that the word ‘entertainment’ cannot be defined, and stated that Tamil cinema was becoming increasingly political. “ Pariyerum Perumal , which talks about the oppressed community, is a recent example of a shift in Tamil cinema. Despite clashing with Mani Ratnam’s Chekka Chivantha Vaanam, the film has been getting unanimous praise from all quarters.”
Japanese filmmaker Yosuke Fujita, on the other hand, said he’s not political, because he’s concerned more about people’s issues. Fujita, whose dark comedy Fuku Chan was screened at the festival, prefers telling stories through comedy. “If you look at Charlie Chaplin’s comedies, you realise that there’s sadness too in them,” added Fujita.
On censorship
Globally, film censorship continues to be a major concern ailing the growth of cinema. Rajiv Menon commented, “The most practical approach to censorship is by appealing to the revising committee. But, I think there’s a lack of awareness amongst filmmakers, who aren’t willing to put up a fight. If you take Iranian or Eastern-European cinema, great films have always come from oppressive regimes. Since you’re not allowed to say what you want, you’re forced to use indigenous ways to communicate.” Citing examples of the Charlie Hebdo cartoon and fatwa against Salman Rushdie, Rajiv added, “As filmmakers, all we want to do is raise questions and not provoke violent reaction.”
