As the cab pulls over to the kerb on one of the typically narrow leafy lanes in the heart of the city, a French same-sex couple along with their adopted Indian girl, ask for directions in European-accented English, only to be pleasantly surprised when the man on the street explains the way in fluent French.
The opening scene of “Retour A Pondichery” (Return to Pondicherry), a feature film by the veena exponent and Bharatanatyam dancer Raghunath Manet, succinctly cuts to the sui generis identity of the place, an erstwhile French-ruled port-town that still sustains close cultural bonds with France.
“Retour A Pondichery’, which premiered at the Alliance Francaise recently, revolves around the inner struggles of Ruby who is is brought by her “two mothers” to the city of her roots in the hope of finding a resolution of her identity struggles.
Manet, who also plays the girl’s dance tutor in the film, is shown to be impressed with her talents, even believing that her ancestry could trace back to the Les bayadères, (devadasi temple dancers).
This is no throw-away thought for someone whose multi-faceted exploits include co-directing with French director Didier Bellocq, a documentary, “Bayadères Devadasi Wives of Shiva” in addition to artistic collaborations with composer-clarinettist Michel Portal, choreographer Carolyn Carlson, Carnatic vocalist Balamuralikrishna and jazz violinist Didier Lockwood.
Mr. Manet had also chosen the relatively little-known world of temple dancers of the region as the subject of a doctoral thesis and a book, “Les bayadères, danseuses sacrées du temple de Villenour”.
The artiste, who is a recipient of France’s Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters and the Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters, has also authored what is regarded to be the first-ever French translation of Thiruvasagam, the collection of hymns composed by 9th century Saivite saint-poet Manikkavasagar.
Interestingly, the other autobiographical strand in the film is Manet’s own mission of teaching dance to children from orphanages in the city in his school, Tala Sruti. In fact, he sees it as a life mission to restore Puducherry’s unique temple music-dance heritage to its original glory.
In fact, the orphan in the film finds joy and peace in dance and savours the companionship of her tutor, until she stumbles upon her gypsy parentage. The film ends on a note of hope and optimism with Ruby reuniting with her childhood sweetheart as her foster parents return to France.
Mr. Manet, whose life is divided between Puducherry and Paris, says he will be taking “Retour A Pondichery” to international film festivals, including the Bollywood Festival, Norway (September 27-October 3), Cinema Le Linkon, Paris, Vietnam and the Caribbean Islands.
The trailer of the production was released at the Indian Film Pavilion during the 76th edition of Cannes in 2023.
Published - September 26, 2024 12:56 am IST
