Story of yore retold

Garm Hava, which is set for re-release, still stirs up the mind

June 30, 2010 09:40 am | Updated 11:22 am IST

Film Director, M.S. Sathyu in Bangalore. Photo: Bhagya Prakash K.

Film Director, M.S. Sathyu in Bangalore. Photo: Bhagya Prakash K.

“I am frustrated that I cannot feel as strongly as he did,” commented a young girl, at a recent screening of Garm Hava (1973) by the Smriti Nandan Cultural Centre. She tried desperately to explain the turmoil her mind went through while watching the film and Balraj Sahni's portrayal of Salim Mirza, a man who clung to his ideology in the ugly face of Partition. The film was made during a time when India was politically fertile. Left, right or the middle path, everyone believed with a fervour that inspired them to act.

Then our country went through a series of drastic policy changes.Suddenly we did not have to wait for foreign-returned relatives to bring us orange-flavoured Tang or bars of Camay. A side effect of this comfort was complacency. A generation of free thinking bred children who wore GAP and became BPO employees.

M.S. Sathyu sympathises with the situation now and fondly reminisces a time when films were made for the message the director wanted to convey to the masses.

“It cost Mani Ratnam Rs. 123 crore to make 'Raavan',” remarked the Sathyu who made “Garm Hava” with a modest 11 lakh, money that had been loaned to him by the Film Finance Corporation of India and his friends who believed like he did.

It took him 15 years to return the loan and clear his debt. In fact it was only a couple of years ago that he paid Farooq Shaikh, who played Sikander Mirza, his fee of Rs. 750 . Sathyu shot the film with a single camera and lens, on location with stage actors he hired from Delhi, Agra and Bombay.

“Garm Hava”'s problems did not end with their finances; the film faced a hitch with the Censor Board.

Sathyu, who at the time was well acquainted with Indira Gandhi, approached her and he was finally given a clearance certificate, but since it was the mid-term elections in Uttar Pradesh, the film was not released there.

“Garm Hava” was released in Sagar Talkies and Sangeet Cinemas in Bangalore. Despite its language and theme, the film did well and received great coverage. “As long as the story is universal, all other barriers are immaterial,” he says.

Sathyu himself has a very close link with north Indian Muslims. He is married to Shama Zaidi, who co-wrote the screenplay for this film with Kaifi Azmi. He also lived in Delhi for a long time and was aware of the discontent that festered in the minds of the people.

“As a filmmaker you can go beyond borders, you don't have to belong to a certain area, and if there can be a Russian production of Kalidasa why not this?”

This film has been honoured internationally at the Cannes, was India's official entry to the Oscars in 1974, and within the country was awarded the National Award for Best Screenplay and the Best Film on Integration. Balraj Sahni who passed away the day after the dubbing was completed, was denied the National Award for Best Actor because he was a card holding member of the Communist Party.

“Garm Hava” shows a politically sentient and sensible India, an India who by circumstance was forced to think and take a stand.

The film has been restored digitally, a tedious process, which took a team two years to restore two lakh frames and then sent to Los Angeles to restore the sound.

The film was screened privately as part of a promotional event as “Garm Hava” gears up for it's re-release all over the world.

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