Talent is his trademark : Bhupen Hazarika - Page 2

DR. BHUPENDRA KUMAR HAZARIKA APPOINTED AS CHAIRMAN OF SANGEET NATAK AKADEMI Dr. Bhupendra Kumar Hazarika, a well-known creative artist has been appointed as Chairman of the Sangeet Natak Akademi. The appointment is for a period of 5 years. A multi faceted personality, Dr. Bhupen Hazarika received National Award for Best Music Director in the film "Chameli Memsaab" in 1976 and President's medal for three of his Assamese films namely, Shakuntala (1960), Pratidhwani (1964) and Lotighoti (1967). In 1973, he received Gold Medal in Berlin as Best performing singer and received Dada Saheb Phalke Award in 1993. Born on 1^st of March, 1926. Dr. Hazarika was Member of Assam Legislative Assembly from 1967-72 and president of Assam Sahitya Sabha in 1993. He got Padmashri Award in 1977 and Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1987. In 1987 he also received Man of the Year Award and Indira Gandhi Award and Assam's Man of the year Award . He has published three collections of songs and nursery rhymes for which he received an award in 1977. He published "Sundarar Na Diganta" (Anthology) and was Editor of monthly journal "Amar Pratinidhi" and a member of Editorial Board of Bharat Prativa (Monthly), Calcutta.

He has been a Member of Assam Film Development Council and the Central Board of Film Certification.

Bhupen Hazarika

BHUPEN HAZARIKA is the multi-faceted genius from Assam, winner of many an award, including the 1992 Dadasaheb Phalke Award for outstanding contribution to Indian cinema, particularly through his folk songs.

A distinguished poet, singer, music composer, teacher, journalist and author, Bhupen Hazarika began his film career in 1939, when he appeared as a child artiste. He was in Delhi in 1993 to receive the prestigious National Award from the President and it was during this visit that I managed to meet him and prepare his sketch. A personality to reckon with, meeting Bhupen Hazarika was no problem. In fact, it was a delight to see him in his cap. A sketch of his was got ready as he was meeting mediapersons and answering their questions. He was extremely happy to see his picture and he promptly affixed his signature over it.

Movie title: Chingaari
Director: Kalpana Lajmi
Starring: Sushmita Sen, Mithun Chakraborty, Anuj Sawhney, Ila Arun
Rating: of 5 Stars

By Subhash K. Jha,

Ignore the rough edges. Forget her past follies. Kalpana Lajmi is back with a searing film about oppression and justice with an unparalleled central performance by Sushmita Sen.

Reformist cinema seems to be the order of the day. First Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's chic spin RANG DE BASANTI on the cult of political radicalism. Far away from home Deepa Mehta has styled a lucid lyrical drama on female rehabilitation called WATER.

Back home Kalpana Lajmi in what can comfortably be termed her comeback vehicle, has styled a clarion call for socio-religious reform in the nexus between religion and sexual oppression. Based on a short story by composer-lyricist Bhupen Hazarika, CHINGAARI brings Lajmi back to form in the ferociously flaming colours of black blue and dread.

Set in a village the film's excellent though uneven cinematography (by Vishal Sinha) revolves around a group of prostitutes. Though the camaraderie in the brothel cannot equal what Shyam Benegal depicted in his ribald and rhythmic MANDI, Lajmi's whorehouse is a feast of raunchy repartees and terrifying sexual innuendoes that reach a blood-curdling crescendo every time the village priest (Mithun Chakraborty) pays a visit to ravage the star-whore Basanti (Sushmita Sen).

Admittedly some sequences of sexual repression shared by the astonishing Sushmita Sen and the villainous Mithun Chakraborty are way too repressive. A bit of subtlety in depicting their sexual friction would have gone a long way in giving the film that much-needed quality of lyricism that it sorely needed.

Also, the romantic chemistry between the prostitute and the postman is pulverized largely due to a limited performance by Anuj Sawhney as the voice of reformism in a village striven by fear bigotry and terrorism. It's a gloriously redemptive role played by Dharmendra in Bimal Roy's BANDINI and Hrishikesh Mukherjee's SATYAKAM. It required an actor who understands the socio-political and the sexual contexts of Lajmi's powerful plot.

Sushmita Sen, known to have lent her striking presence to a whole lot of escapist drama, comes into her own with a dramatic performance that's unparalleled in its velocity by anything seen so far. In her key confrontation sequences with her tormentor and rapist, Sushmita pulls put all stops to deliver a powerhouse performance of volcanic proportions.

In lengthy one-shot sequences, Sushmita goes beyond the boundaries of cinematic acting to stare straight into that emotional space which most of us don't even know how to connect with. Her dialogue delivery, ranging from a hushed whisper in a romantic moment to a raging otherworldly growl in the climax (when taking on the avatar of the Mother Goddess she vanquishes the modern-day demon) Sushmita takes her prostitute's character to a dimension that would appear practically impossible for any actor to achieve.

To watch Sushmita Sen at work is to forget some of the film's more definable blemishes. The plot about female oppression and the right of dignity for the sex worker has been done in the past, and with greater finesse. Where Lajmi scores is in imbuing unconventional mannerisms and expressions in her heroine to the extent that we cease to see Sushmita Sen. Only Basanti is visible on screen.

The brutality and oppression of her life are charted with more gentleness and affection than visible in Raveena Tandon's performance as a battered wife in Lajmi's DAMAN. CHINGAARI is a worthy comeback for the RUDAALI director in every level.

While going into a microcosmic representation of female oppression and gender discrimination in the hinterlands, Lajmi uplifts her universal tale into a tale of acute suffering.

Like Prakash Jha's recent APAHARAN the treatment of the story of rural oppression is distinctly 'commercial'. Though songs, dances, rustic colours of riotous and raunchy merry-making are integrated into the plot the narration in no way suffers by the inclusion of these elements.

The large 'epic' canvas allows the director to dabble in the most basic colours of existence.

In her performance, Sushmita Sen imbibes these colours and gives this disturbing film on sexual politics a gloriously universal spin. A must-see for the pleasure of watching the director re-discover her mtier through the magnificent matrix between desire and fulfillment created by the leading lady.

Dil hoom hoom kare

May 25th, 2006

Very informative post and very nice songs guys 👏
Here is another one from me

Ganga aamar ma
Padma aamar ma
oo amar dui chokhe
dui joler dhara
Meghna jamuna!!

Artist: Various
Label: Virgin Records

The name misled me. I expected a collection of songs composed and rendered by the Assamese doctorate in his sonorous, bell-like voice that emerges from the heart of our mountains in the northeast. However, once you get over the initial disappointment, you find that the album has a lot to offer anyway.

The album brings you ten songs, composed by Bhupen Hazarika, written largely by Gulzar, and sung by modern singers like Kavita Krishnamurthy, Hariharan, Shaan, Mahalaxmi and Suneeta Rao. Bhupen Hazarika sings the introduction to each song, which strikes you as a breath of fresh, natural air before you enter an air-conditioned room. Hazarika's two film songs Duniya parayee log yahan begane from Darmiyaan and the well-known number Dil hoom hoom kare from Rudali. All the songs convey universal emotions and retain their strong folk, pahadi flavour. (Kaise yeh shaher hai alone stands out as an out and out urban sophisticated number.) The poetry of the songs is fittingly rich in natural imagery. Like the song Dug dug dug dug dumbaroo, megh bajaye dumbaroo pag mein bandhe ghungroo crooned by Shaan, Suneeta Rao and chorus, beautifully evokes the feeling of monsoons and anticipation of romance. Like the Hariharan number Tum hi tum loses the lyrical impact of its Bengali counterpart Manush manusheri janye, jeeban jevaner hi janye.ektu sahanubhuti ki manush dite pare na bandhu, meaning 'Man lives for man, life is for life, can't man show a little compassion.' However, in spite of some loopholes, this is an album worth listening to again and again for experiencing Bhupen Hazarika enrich one's life.

Not just a flicker ZIYA US SALAM

Kalpana Lajmi is ready to rekindle old fire with "Chingaari", a Sushmita Sen film releasing this Friday.

Over shooting I discovered a dynamic individual in Sushmita Sen, a woman who is far ahead of her age

ABOUT EMOTIONS AND POWER Sushmita Sen in a scene from the film "Chingaari" Times have changed. The sad reality check of the 1980s has given way to a happier cinema, to a cinema where the characters speak our language. And there is a new network for sensible cinema. Discloses Kalpana Lajmi, "The distributors are more adventurous. The multiplexes are a boom for cinema which tells different stories, for cinema on a low budget, for a cinema with a direction." Well, times might have changed, but Kalpana Lajmi has not. She is still as fierce in her commitment to what she calls, "socially purposeful cinema". She is still a firebrand who minces no words, is unafraid of following her own trajectory. And remains as defiant as unapologetic. "I am unapologetic about the kind of subjects I take up. I am unapologetic about women being the central character in my films. In fact I am proud of it. It is a huge task to make such a film, and then sell it. Unfortunately, we are living in times when we are judged not by the quality of our work but by the box office collections. The exhibitors don't care about the continuance of cinema. The Gujarati-Punjabi-Sindhi group does not understand the language of cinema. The corporate offices have forgotten their pledge of bettering cinema. We need enlightened finance for enlightened cinema. Unfortunately, banks also expect collateral security. They don't have faith in any kind of cinema beyond the big banners. The sleaze of video has permeated down to sleaze in popular cinema. There are limited avenues for niche cinema. The multiplexes have provided more screens yes, but where is the choice for the common man when a blockbuster plays on all the five screens. I call it intellectual dacoity." However, for all the faults of multiplexes Lajmi is releasing her latest film "Chingaari" this Friday with over 40 prints on the Delhi-UP circuit alone. A three-crore film, she admits to being a shade nervous about the market response. "I am scared. I am worried. For the first time I am releasing 200 prints across the country. But these days I am not sure if I can invite the audiences to sustain interest. The initial is crucial." Well, times might have changed, and multiplexes may have arrived. But Lajmi continues to be as frank in her opinion now as she was when she shocked the conservative audiences with "Ek Pal" in 1987 or "Darmiyan" in 1997 when she dared to talk of alternate sexuality way before the likes of Mahesh Dattani and Karan Razdan did likewise with varying degrees of sincerity. Not only is "Chingaari" yet another woman-centric film where Sushmita Sen gets to experience a whole gamut of emotions, the director is fierce in her criticism of the male actors in the industry in general, and Anuj Sawhney, who plays the hero in "Chingaari" in particular.

ALL FOR MEANINGFUL CINEMA Director Kalpana Lajmi with musician Bhupen Hazarika "I went to Dino Morea for the role. Then approached Akshaye Khanna, Riteish Deshmukh and a whole lot of other actors. They all refused, excusing themselves on the pretext of their image being affected. Some of them even refused to hear the subject! Then Anuj approached me. He was a five-film failure, an absolutely abysmal actor, non-trained, non-experienced, but credit to Sushmita. She gave him all help, worked in a completely professional manner." So, how did she pencil in Sushmita Sen? "I did not short-list her nor did I do the screen play for her. I wrote it the way I wanted. Since I am not a star director, I had to approach the actors for a role. I realised the days of Nutan-Shabana Azmi are over, their commitment is difficult to find. I was told Sushmita is hard to access. But call it luck or whatever, I approached her on a Sunday afternoon. She heard me out, and she immediately said yes. This despite the fact that I did not have a producer for the film. She gave me 45 dates in a year's time. She was gracious enough to give me a consent letter that she was doing the film. It took me six months to get the finances rolling. I had seen two of Sushmita's films - 'Filhaal' and 'Samay'. I thought she was brilliant in both, but I still feel it is her best yet. Over shooting I discovered a dynamic individual, a woman who is far ahead of her age. We trusted and complemented each other completely." Times might have changed, her ire might be the same, but there is one constant in her life that defies all generations, and mocks at all pundits - Bhupen Hazarika. "Chingaari" is based on Hazarika's story "Sindoor". And, the veteran composer has yet again joined hands with the irrepressible and irascible director in "Chingaari". Lajmi addresses him as "Dr Hazarika", and it is also about the only time, aggression gives way to humility.

"He is original and way above lifting anything else done by anybody though we have stopped being creative in our times." She is referring to his story "Sindoor" having the same name as a Shashi Kapoor-starrer of the 1980s. She does not need to. Irrespective of the box office results, one can be certain "Chingaari" will have as much spunk as "Darmiyaan", as much topicality as "Daman" and be as timeless as "Ek Pal". She might be a slow filmmaker - she has done just six films over almost 20 years - but what she lacks in pace she makes up in quality. The lady has the last word: "Cinema has to have a language of its own. You cannot make films like reading a book." Happy viewing.

Guwahati, April 6
If singing legend Bhupen Hazarika brought in sheer poetry in his speech, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, himself an expert in the art, was not lagging far behind. Mr Vajpayee, during his hour-long speech, complimented the star-turned politician for his overwhelming praise that he was independent India's "greatest" Prime Minister, a "yogi, worshipper of peace and progressive poet."

The Prime Minister began his speech by describing Hazarika, the party's candidate for the Guwahati Lok Sabha constituency, as a great poet whom "I am now introducing as a candidate." In the packed North-East Frontier Railway Sports Association stadium overlooking the picturesque Neelachal hills housing the world famous Kamakhya temple, Mr Vajpayee struck a chord by his remarks on Hazarika as well as the murky weather. "Even rain god Indra seems to be pleased with the BJP's day (party's foundation day) and this rally for Hazarika as the clouds seem to have receded," he said.

Pointing to the grey clouds, Mr Vajpayee in his typical style said "lagta hai ke woh be tham gaye hum ko sunne" (seems that the cloud has stopped to listen to us) which drew a thunderous applause from the crowd. — PTI

Hindi Film Reveiw-DAMAN