Idealism in Movies
i•de•al•ism ( -d -l z m)
n.
1. The act or practice of envisioning things in an ideal form.
2. Pursuit of one’s ideals.
This post is ‘inspired’ from a discussion which ensued from RK’s post on Ardh Satya. As mentioned in the comments there, I have a major problem with the idealistic Anant Velankar’s character in the movie. My question is not ‘Why is he idealistic?’ but rather ‘How come?’, which is the question at the heart of every good characterization. (I just read in the comments that RK has asked me to wait for his post on Velankar’s character for the explanation but since I have written this post already, RK sir, please excuse)
The motivation of the main character is the most important part in any story. How is a sub-inspector in a corrupt criminal system honest and idealistic? I am not a nitpicker of Hindi movies and I would have gladly have taken it at face value if only all the information given to me in the movie actually didn’t make it even more unlikely that Anant should be idealistic. His father whom he probably secretly hates is not shown to be incorruptible or holding high moral values. In fact he is shown to be a wife beater. His mother is hardly shown as having any influence on him. No other influences are shown in the movie which might explain his idealism. No professor in college, no superior in the police training program, no friend who lost his life standing up for his values. Pray, from where does Anant Velankar get his idealism? He didn’t even want the Police job. In the movie he is shown to be more inclined towards literature. How does a man who hasn’t got anything that he wants, who hasn’t been able to stop the injustice happening in his own home get the confidence, can even believe that he can be upright and honest and act surprised and angry when things don’t go his way. That’s my major problem with the movie.
Let’s look at some other movies where I don’t have the same problem with idealistic ‘heroes’ to better explain where I am coming from-
Ajay Devgan in Yuva- Like I said, I am ready to take things at face value. Nothing is suggested in the movie to believe that he shouldn’t be idealistic and I am OK with that. Plus almost all of us in college dreamed at some time that we could change the world.
Aamir Khan in Sarforosh- What happens to his family is his fuel for his battle against crime. As he says in the movie, it’s personal, not professional.
Shashi Kapoor in Deewar- Classic dilemma. Would he choose duty over brother? The director spends ample time in the scenes following where he shoots a young boy over stealing of bread and solves the question. Not convincing for some of you maybe but at least there’s an attempt. Plus obviously the mother is a big influence on the guy. Wouldn’t it have seemed shallow, inhuman and unbelievable if Shashi Kapoor had readily agreed to pursue his brother and put him behind bars?
All Films with Army heroes are idealistic and place nation over self. I don’t have a problem with that premise.
So you see, some movies did a better job than Govind Nihalani in that respect. Of course, many probably did a worse job. I will leave that to you, dear reader, to bring up in the comments.
Just for the record, I am a big fan of Govind Nihalani and his movies, including Ardh Satya.
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ur definition of idealism….reminds me of malik from company……
he sticks to his ideals and his own philosophy about things in all circumstances…
he doesnt let emotions hamper his decisions…for instance the scene where he orders killing of the minister patil with his children or vivek oberoi….
malik was an idealistic man….but his ideals were on the other side of the law….
it remains one of the most fantastically etched characters in indian cinema…
well buddy that is the whole premise of the film isn’t it. As you urself said it ‘Plus almost all of us in college dreamed at some time that we could change the world’. Same with Anant in the movie. He has just joined and begun his journey as a law enforcer (obviously with high morals and ideals and beliefs) and how all that is shattered and his discovery that the real world is far from what he was taught before he began, form the crux of the story…..why is there a need to show that…and going by the yuva example i am sure all the three (or atleast one of them) would go Velankar’s way if you imagine the story to continue..imo…
ashwin- the definition isn’t mine. I found it on an online dictionary website. I always thought of idealism to be something good but at another level what I am really talking about is motivation behind every character’s actions in a story. As for Malik, we don’t get his backstory in Company but I don’t need it because I will take it at face value. Anyway, he is not the central character.
trimoneo- I am not so sure that the movie starts off with Velankar being absolutely new to his job. Plus he never wanted to be a policeman so i don’t understand his zealousness. Also his Dad hasn’t been shown as an upright hawaldar himself. Somehow I don’t find it so obvious. Pardon me.
Yuva is bit dramatic…ajay devgan has super hero qualities so he can be anything…remember his going 2 police station with crowd of students …nd scenes in jail where he teaches students… his character is very filmy…
idealism is with dharmender is in anupama…an honest engineer…
idealism is with bib b in alap…
dilip kumar in shakti…
gurudutt in pyassa…
dont remember ny film of last 10 years which shows idealism in hero…
D&C,
You cant compare the idealism of 1984 and 2000.. Changing times, values, culture and infact idealism is changing faces too..
Take the case of Khosla Ka Ghosla, had the film got made before 2000 (or in Hrishi da’s times), I am sure the character of Anupam Kher would have never accepted his share in the money earned by dodging Khurana.. Even if he had done so, by climax, he would have returned that..
But in 2006, he accepts it (and approves the act) and do we say he was not idealistic?
Think again!
Simple thing as far as I see it.. I guess it was Bergman who said this… “There are some people who are more holy than others.. And its important for us normal mortals to recognize that extra holiness in men than ponder around aimlessly over the existence of God”
But again, there is a way that art can incorporate idealism..
I believe that a line as simple as “I am just doing my duty here” is far more effective than something like a “Government yeh kar sakthi hai.. woh kar sakthi hai.. Tum nahi Jeetoge” and stuff..
But sometimes idealism is put in movies with an intent of bringing out the existence of a larger doom. With an intent of showing what it means when an idealistic person realizes the futility of his virtues in a non-idealistic world..
Like for example in Drohkaal, Om Puri’s character is constantly seen mouthing words of prophecy to criminals. But later when he realizes that those values he believes in are always subjected to torment…. an irony builds up.. both on the cinematic and the worldly level… It creates an effect… So, idealism of a character is sometimes an overcompensation for depicting the non-ideal world around him…
@Pavan-
am not comparing idealism across the years. In the post I have also mentioned Deewar. I wouldn’t say Anupam Kher’s character was idealistic. His character was just a normal guy caught in a web that he couldn’t cope with.
@Sreehari-
I don’t have an issue with what you you have said. My only grouse is that the director or writer should give us enough rope to believe that character’s motivation. Even if they don’t at least they shouldn’t give us reasons which should support an opposite situation. In Ardh Satya, all the situation (even at the start of the movie) points towards Om Puri to be cynical, and filled with impotent anger (based on his flashbacks). Then how is he idealistic? Give me even one scene which would make his character believable. That’s all I ask of the director.
I am not sure if my reply pertains to how Idealism should be treated in movie , but I would like to outright reject the idea of Idealism being born out of influence. Every body carries a trace of idealism in us it is only the amount of compromise that varies (Just a perspective from other end of the barrel). Why should you have a profound influence for being steadfast idealist, why cant you be born with a sense of what is right and just stick with it no matter what be the cost , wouldn’t a stubborn man just do that ?
@ Karthik
In the movie, Velankar’s character is subjugated by his Dad for a long time. He suffers his Dad’s injustices to him and his mother at home and joins a police career against his wishes. For a man in such a situation to suddenly discover idealism seems a bit far fetched to me. Anyway, to show motivation for the main character’s actions is a major part in any screenplay. Lack of it cannot be simply ignored assuming that may be he was born with it and discovered it 20 minutes into the movie.
@D&C
In most cases, it’s the injustice in world(at home or outside), that pushes people to extremes: to become a stubborn idealist(ArdhaSatya) or a cynical criminal(most movies which deal with terrorism in India) or a defeatist(Pyaasa?). First one is perhaps the road less travelled and thats what makes Anant Velankar’s character and hence the movie even more interesting.
@D&C
with you completely ! To display a charcater with strong traits and not have a logical reasoning would make the character 2D. That is why I filed the caveat in first line of my comment.
But just to stimulate a conversation why is the same question not being raised on Evil traits and only idealism needs to be explained. eg. Javier Bardem characer in “No Country for Old Men” . This line of thought emerged only while writing this comment.
@ Neeraja-
It doesn’t make the movie interesting; only flawed.
@Karthik
You are right. Any extreme characterisation would ideally need an explanation. But if the director is constrained by time, as an indulging viewer, I don’t require explanations. All I ask is don’t give me scenes which support an opposite eventuality. Javier Bardem is evil. Fine. I don’t have a problem with that. I believe the Coen Brothers. But if the directors had shown that he was raised by loving Christian parents and stopped there, I would have a natural question in my mind- Then what the hell happened? Why did he turn out the way he has? That’s my problem with Ardh Satya. Did I make sense?
@ D&C, KK -
Good comparison with Javier, and i’m with D&C. If they had shown some aspect of his personality or upbringing, or any human side to his background, you wouold be at a loss as to why he tunred this way. But, they don’t. You can imagine anything about his character. They did the same thing with Cruise’s character in Collateral.
He is a professional killer. They don’t explain how he became remorseless.
i don’t remeber ardh satya too well, so can’t add much, but it may be assumed that because of all the venality in the world, AV decides that he must try to be the good guy, and becomes disillusioned. It could also be his propensity for literature which is filled with heroes, that he chooses to be straight. So long as none of his actions go against his worldview or beliefs, we may take it at face value, and not worry about the source or find the source within the confines of the limited information. Something about keechad main bhi komal falta hai…
one of the best portrayal of idealism was dharmendra in ’satyakam’
coming back to idealism of velankar…well…there is an interesting write-up in page 102-103 of shiv khera’s book ‘u can win’. he narrates a small story of a drug peddler who is a wife-beater etc. he has 2 sons, one goes on to become a drug addict and a drunk wife-beater while the other turns out to be a successful businessman who is well respected in society. one son did what he saw his dad doing, while the other son had decided that he wud surely not do wat his dad was doing. same family history, but different influence, different motivation[positive in this case]. hope this explains some things.
Baawarchi ke rajesh khanna ko bhul gaye… i think he was most feel good character of hindi movies in 70’s…..
I don’t remember the movie in great details, but I felt velankar’s was trying not be like his father, and was also influenced to be better by smita patil’s character.
@dabba
Not sure if his literature is filled with heroes as you say. From what I remember it is filled with dilemna, confusion and ambiguity. I am sure that he is the way he is because of some reason. My grouse is only that the director doesn’t give a hint of what that reason is but instead gives us cues which would make us doubt the source of his idealism, making the characterisation too convenient for my comfort.
@crazyrals
Am sure something like that can be true. I mean, even in the post I mention the movie Deewar where two brothers go very different ways but we don’t question that because the director takes us through each of the brother’s choices quite convincingly.
@Shatrughan -I didn’t forget
Discussion is more fun than completeness.
@machismo- well, yeah. Maybe he just wanted to make a clean break and start afresh. I think I’ll just cut the great Govind Nihalani some slack. Anyway, I have said whatever I wanted to on this subject. Maybe there were scenes which got left on the editing table or something…
I think AV was anti-establishment and not idealist. His idealism was merely a manifestation (in this case positive one as he joined a corrupt police force) of his core anti-establishment attitude to go against the current. And being a complex human being, he presents it in the garb of idealism for the whole world to see as is evident from the scenes with Smita Patil.
Idealism in Real Life:
I finished my cup of Iced Mocha…on being unable to find a dustbin in our great streets of mumbai i threw it on the road.
my girlfriend told me to pick it up..i said ‘do u see even one dustbin anywhere?’
she said it doesnt matter and i as an indian shouldnt litter in my own country..
after a short debate she finally picked up the plastic cup..i felt embarassed & took it from her.
i told her she was behaving like ajay devgan from halla bol.
..well we live in a practical world & if u dont find a dustbin then what can u do ???
The reason why people litter in india is because there aint even any dustbins around…
half of the dustbins are stolen.
Girls are damn ideal btw if u havent noticed.
@Omprakash
You could be right as well. When the characterization is confused, we as viewers are left with possible theories. Doesn’t take away from the fact that the director didn’t do his job in that respect.
But AV never rebels against his father until very late in the film, so his anti-establishment is not something that he comes into the movie with.
@Wayne
I admire your girlfriend. But I do the same. If there is no dustbin in sight, I carry my litter with me and use the dustbin in my house. There is no embarassment in this. Sorry for being preachy. I am touching 30 this year.
Dude D&C how are coping with the feeling of touching 30 , I am in the same boat as you are and not doing very well with it. SHIT MAN , I wish I was a rock star , I would have been long dead due to drug overdose and my poster would always be sub 30 and I would have produced a litter of bastard children talking about my great legacy.
@ KK
Not very well as you can imagine. My major worry is if I will lose all my hair before they have a chance to turn grey…
East or West, Devgan is the BEST!
Ardh Satya keeps coming back, I was reading RGV blog and one of his entries talks about how he saw the movie many times, and when he finally talked to Govind Nihalani about it, he was shocked to heard the he made the movie for father son relationship !! Well, I don’t if this answers your question on idealism in that movie, probably not
But interesting to read the whole POV.
http://rgvarma.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!5187B91811914FB4!967.entry