Romancing widows Meenakshi Shedde reviews Deepa Mehtas Watera moving film that still smacks of Orientalism
Daily News and Analysis Water, the last of Deepa Mehtas trilogy, following Fire (1996) and Earth (1998), is a relative relief after her awful Bollywood/Hollywood. Shot in Sri Lanka after Hindu fundamentalists prevented her from filming it in Benares in 2000, the film was shown at the recent Pusan Film Festival in South Korea. The trilogy takes on the more insidious aspects of Hinduism, and one wonders why, after exploring Fires lesbian relationship in a contemporary setting, and Partition in 1947, Mehta sets a story about the exploitation of Hindu widows not in todays times, but in 1938. It seems more of a ploy to bring in Gandhi and period ambience (post-Dhoom macho biker John Abraham as Narayan, a Gandhian in dhoti-kurta and chappals). Chinese directors making provocative films often set them in earlier eras to weasel past the censors: is Mehta attempting the same? Fire was more gutsy and honest. Water, by placing those suffering widows in highly romantic riverine settingsall spreading banyan tree, inky blue nights and radiant moonsomehow smacks of Orientalism, exoticising exploitation. The story is of a small girl Chuyia (Sarala), who is married, widowed and dumped at a widows ashram. The resident widows include Shakuntala (Seema Biswas) and Kalyani (Lisa Ray) , who is forced to service rich clients. Narayan, who sees her visit his home, says, Shes probably going to my dad. Nonetheless he falls in love with her and wants to marry her. However, when they are about to marry, Kalyani commits suicide because, apparently, she didnt know she was servicing his dadand neither did he. This is all a bit thick, causing the heart of the film to collapse. When Gandhi leaves on a train, Shakuntala entrusts Chuyia to his care: she herself stays back, before turning to face the viewer in a deeply moving climax. The actors in the smaller roles are infinitely superior to the lead pair. Lisa Ray can barely act, but she does have a luminous grace. Abraham is so wooden, the flute he plays is more eloquent. Biswas saves the film with a finely etched performance, while Raghuvir Yadav as a eunuch-pimp, Vidula Javalgekar as the madam and Sarala bring a robust edge. The films biggest asset is Giles Nuttgens wonderfully lyrical, empathetic cinematography (Fire, Earth). And A R Rahmans songs are soul-stirring, including Ayo re sakhi and Piya ho. Like Bandit Queen, Water opens with Manus nasty laws about widows, and ends stating that there are 34 million Indian widows today, many living like those in the film. As with Mira Nairs Salaam Bombaya superb filmthe feeling that Mehta is exploiting the subject for the West lingers. "We neglect our cities at our peril. For, in neglecting them, we neglect the nation." -John F. Kennedy ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Get fast access to your favorite Yahoo! Groups. Make Yahoo! your home page http://us.click.yahoo.com/dpRU5A/wUILAA/yQLSAA/iyUplB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Explore, Experience, Enjoy A.R.Rahman - The Man, The Music, The Magic. Only at arrahmanfans.com - The definitive A.R.Rahman e-community. Homepage: http://www.arrahmanfans.com Admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/arrahmanfans/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
