The film that didn’t get made

The BIFFES which kicked off on February 21 will screen two films of Mrinal Sen. Nagesh Baba recalls his efforts to get Mrinal Sen to make a Kannada film

22bgfrNageshBaba_01

Iconic filmmaker Mrinal Sen who left this mortal world in December, leaving behind ‘reels’ of celluloid memories behind, through classics such as Neel Akasher Neechey, Baishey Sravan, Bhuvan Shome, Akaler Sandhane, Chorus, Parasuram, was supposed to direct a Kannada film in the early 70s.

In 1970 an attempt was made to bring Mrinal Da as (he was fondly addressed by film fraternity) to Kannada to direct Chirasmarane , magnum opus of Niranjana. It was Nagesh Baba, who tried his best to introduce Mrinal Da to Kannada. But Chirasmarane could not be made just because of financial constraints. Had film industry supported Nagesh Baba, Chirasmarane , would have been a reality in the seventies itself. The 87-year old Nagesh Baba has vivid memories of his meetings with Mrinal Da. He graciously parted with the letters written by Mrinal Sen in response to his request to direct a Kannada film Chirasmarane .

Why Mrinal Da? “

Chirasmarane caught my imagination in the first reading. This work is based on the historic Kayyur incident of the 1940s in Kasargod district, where peasants rose against landlords. As I had watched

Akash Kusum and

Neel Akasher Neeche , I thought none other than Mrinal Da could do justice to

Chirasmarane ,” he said.

22bgfrNageshBaba

Baba wrote a letter to Mrinal Sen on July 23, 1970, expressing his desire to get directed a Kannada film, despite the fact that, his previous film Anireekshita failed to get returns. Mrinal Sen in his letter to Nagesh Baba (July 26, 1970) said: “It is heartening to note that in spite of the financial loss you have incurred, you have refused to check and double check your inspirations.” However, Mrinal Da welcomed Baba’s idea and invited him for discussion either to Bombay or to Calcutta after July 15.

But for some reason, Baba could not meet Mrinal Sen. Nagesh Baba wrote explaining his inability to meet Mrinal Da on July 31, 1970. As directed by Mrinal Sen, Arun Kaul, who worked closely with Mrinal Sen wrote another letter to Nagesh Baba seeking details about information about the film, including detailed synopsis of the story, writer of the story and writer’s place in Kannada literature, approximate budget for the film till the first print cost, whether he had needed funds or else, how he could arrange for the funds, film making equipment available to shoot the film among other things. Kaul also hinted the Mrinal Sen will be available in late November or early December 1970 to take up this assignment.

It was really unfortunate Nagesh Baba could not arrange for Rs.1 lakh in the 70s needed to produce Chirasmarane . Baba who still repents for his inability to get finance for the project said: “Just a week after receiving Mrinal Sen’s letter, his Bhuvan Shome got the Gold Medal at the 17th National Awards as the Best Feature Film. I approached Bhaktavatsala of Sharada Pictures, whom I knew from my school days. But he was stuck in some other project. With no other option, I spoke to Vijaya Pictures, who distributed my Anireekshita and got the subsidy of Rs. 50,000. I was disappointed by the response. As I could not arrange for funds, I was forced to drop the idea of producing the film directed by Mrinal Sen,” says an emotionally charged Baba.

In his long film career, Nagesh Baba directed three films -- Anireekshita based on Krishnamurthy Puranika’s novel Vasundhara , Koti Chennayya’s Tulu film and Prathima starring Vishnuvardhan, Bharati and Ambarish. He assisted R. Nagendra Rao for Premada Putri which bagged the silver medal at the Fifth National Award.

Besides Nagesh Baba, it was cinematographer B.S. Basavaraj, who was constantly in touch with Mrinal Sen. “We spent lot of time and discussed cinema during his visit to Bengaluru in 1977. I was really impressed with the simplicity of Mrinal Da,” he recalled.