Handing over the ticket to Krishna in "Salaam Bombay," the seller remarks without emotion on the destination: "Bombay. Return a movie star." It's an assumption that's as simple and as accepted as the gaudy white letters welcoming visitors and wannabes into Hollywood. Only this is different -- this is Bollywood.
And Bollywood is an entity unto itself -- striking musical renditions in the American 1950s tradition (meaning that the entire cast can and will spontaneously erupt into perfectly timed song and dance routines), an intense emphasis on culture and tradition, and a new questioning that resonates modernity. Bollywood is not Hollywood, despite its derivative name; Bollywood is a South Asian phenomenon that's beginning to rock the rest of the world.
And in this case, the rest of the world can be taken to mean the University, as the Center for South Asian Studies presents Tasvir: Festival of South Asian Film. Beginning this Thursday, Tasvir will offer the community three days of film viewings, lectures and discussion panels on the importance of South Asian films.
Amit Kapoor, President of the Indian Student Association, said the purpose of the festival is to bring a new perspective on the plethora of Indian films.
"From films that spawn thought, to captivating historical films, to musicals with some of the most ornate settings, the Indian film industry has much to offer. The organizers have done an excellent job by bringing an eclectic group of films that portray the extreme variety of Bollywood."
Some of the films are well known and even heavily publicized in the area (meaning that, at the very least, they've enjoyed a brief tour of Charlottesville's limited theaters). For many of us, "Monsoon Wedding" became an introduction into the culture of Bollywood -- a brief glimpse into the marital traditions of India, and of course, the striking musical accompaniment of Indian films. What the festival offers, therefore, is a refreshing perspective on an already well-received film, showing Thursday at 7 p.m. in Cin
math
que to open the events.
To this end, special guest Rachel Dwyer joins the festival from the Centre of South Asian Studies at the University of London for a lecture on Saturday at 11 a.m., entitled "Kiss or Tell: Declaring Love in Indian Film." In Dwyer's own words, the use of romance in films like "Monsoon Wedding" reflects an inherent cultural understanding of love.
"The usual seasons for romance are spring and the rainy season," she said. "These two seasons are the settings for two different types of romance: spring with love in union and the rainy season with love in separation
Indian cinema doesn't show sex but has a strong erotic tradition -- exemplified by the famous 'wet sari' sequences" and dance numbers.
For Americans whose culture is obsessed with sexual voyeurism through film, the "wet sari" sequences and parallels to nature present something vastly different, an experience that offers a much-needed glimpse into a tradition beyond our immediate sensual gratification. The introduction of films like "Earth" (showing Friday at 7 p.m.) and "Monsoon Wedding," along with the lecture by Professor Dwyer, are a symphonic echo of Indian culture -- the refreshing sound of traditional romance.
Another film that has found its way into the American consciousness, Mira Nair's "Salaam Bombay," hits a different but equally vital vein. Taken from a more sociological perspective, "Salaam Bombay" captures the poverty and the ironic camaraderie of a street urchin surrounded by prostitutes, pimps and drug dealers. It's culture straight from the heart of Bombay, but it's also just life.
In Nair's own words, given as part of her statement on the festival: "I hope these films provoke you, amuse you and get under your skin."
And that's the point. These Bollywood films are a statement on South Asian culture and tradition, but they're also presenting a new lens through which to view the world.
Other films included in the festival are lesser known in American circles, mostly because they have been released just recently or to limited areas. "Jinnah," showing Saturday at 2:30 p.m., is preceded by Saeed Khan's lecture on its making. "Devdas," only recently released in 2001, is showing Saturday at both 8 p.m. and midnight.
Cosponsored by OffScreen, Cinamatheque and the Indian Student Association, Tasvir presents an incredibly wide variety of films and gives the University community a fresh glimpse on Bollywood.
After years of being entrenched in images of Tom Cruise and Audrey Hepburn, you probably think you know Hollywood. But Bollywood is a world unto itself, a world that mirrors an invariably rich and unique culture, and a world that deserves to be viewed entirely aside from its American cousin.
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