16^th Third Eye Asian Film Festival: VIII

Besides Marathi, Bengali language films saw fair representation at TEAFF. There were two Assamese films as well. Internationally, of course, we had a strong Iranian contingent. The festival was organised in December 2017 by the Asian Film Foundation and P.L. Deshpande Maharashtra Kala Academy, and co-organised by Prabhat Chitra Mandal and Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Chitrapat Mahamandal. An annual event, it is supported by Department of Culture, Government of Maharashtra. Screenings were held at Ravindra Natya Mandir Mini Auditorium, Mumbai, which has been the venue for the last few years.

Pupa, 2017

In November 2017, Pupa was the only Bengali language film to be screened at the Kolkata International Film Festival, and was slotted in the India Select category. Using the middle stage in the development of a butterfly, pupa, as a metaphor, director Indrasis Acharya suggests that some of us humans get stuck in this physical-mental block, or ‘pause mode’, and are not willing to let go and move on. He proceeds to delineate various characters, each of them in some kind of pause mode, and leads us to ultimate dilemma: euthanasia

The story of the film is about Subhro, who has to come back home from the USA, taking leave from his job as his mother is in a critical condition. She is dead by the time he arrives. When he is again ready to head back to US, his father has a cerebral attack, and he extends his leave. Since his father is in a semi-coma state, he is unable to decide whether he should stay or go back. His uncle asks him to shake off this emotion bondage and head back to the US. His fiancé, who is to begin her integrated Ph.D. in USA, has no options but to leave him and go ahead. All this leads to the ‘e’ word.

Director Indrasis Acharya has been making documentaries and shorts since 2009. Billu Rakkhosh was his first feature, released last year. Acharya is also the writer. A sense of foreboding, coupled with an old world charm, pervades the narrative. We are shown bits of a parallel flashback track, involving the extra-progressive uncle, who is a scientific genius and a wanderer. Philosophical conversations abound, though not all of them are convincing. Relations between the members of the extended family are very well drawn out. Overall, the film is very dark and existential. Kamaleswar Mukherjee (Rajat, uncle of Subhro), Sudiptaa Chakraborty (Mou, elder sister of Subhro), Rahul (Subhro) and Debaprasad Haldar (Sidhu) render really good performance.

And now comes the news that the Central Board of Film Certification has denied clearance to Pupa, on the grounds of the euthanasia/murder scene. The Board has asked the makers to delete the entire scene. But this scene is such an integral part of the film that deleting it would mean leaving the thrust of the film incomplete. In the absence of the censor certificate, the producers were unable to send Pupa for the National Film Awards, which will be announced later this year.

Currently, there is no Regional Officer at the CBFC’s Kolkata branch, with the vacancy likely to be filled on 12^th of January. Only after this appointment is made will the producers of Pupa be able to appeal against the decision of the CBFC’s Examining Committee to the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal. But this will be too close to the announced release date of the film—19 January.

Rating: ***

Ananya, 2017

Cinematographer-director Arup Manna is known for films like Aideu (Behind the Screen) and Aarohi. He obtained a Diploma in Cinematography, Script-writing and Editing from Xavier’s Institute of Communication, Mumbai, and a Diploma in Drawing & Paintings from Kollol School of Arts, Nagaon, Assam. Active in the Assamese film and TV industry for over 20 years, Manna has imbued his latest effort with large doses of painting scenes and a host of displayed colours.

TEAFF’s festival brochure gives no information beyond the director’s name, a vague synopsis and the length--99 minutes, all provided, apparently, by the producers. But it does have a story, and a heart-rending one at that. A school teacher, Ananya, falls on love with the writings of an author and traces him out to his home. There she discovers that he lives the life of a recluse because he is physically handicapped and confined to his bed. An old man tends after him, and that is how he is able to manage. He thinks that this crazy fan of his will now bid goodbye forever, but, instead, her love increases.

Ananya marries the writer. A painter inspired by the author, Ananya continues to paint, more than ever, with anything that inspires her from their life together. One day, they meet a young man who has done a thesis on the author’s work, and he becomes a regular part of their lives. Ananya craves to consummate her love with her husband, but it is the new man in their lives who attracts her physically. On his part, the writer seems to have developed attraction for a woman visitor. Unknown to Ananya, destiny has decided to leave nothing for her but emptiness.

Sometimes, love defies logic and proves the old adage that love is a condition of the mind when the mind is out of condition. Characters often behave illogically and irrationally. The film examines various facets of sublime and physical love, pity, sacrifice, jealousy and exploitation, unfolding at a leisurely pace. With so many paintings decorating the house and some being painted in real-time, the film is an immersive experience. It ends on a gloomy note, affirming the practical view that there are aren’t too many good people around, and that even spiritual attachments have a tangible dimension.

Arup Manna has picked am off-beat subject and not shied away from getting into some sordid details. Ananya should get a For Adults Only certification, not because it has violence or explicit sex but because it is quite simply and adult theme. In the absence of any other details, I can only point out that the lead actress had worked in Aarohi, and she does a creditable job. In fact, all the actors are in good touch.

Rating: ***

Next, we will look at Biler Diary, Cyanide and Jana Aranya.