In which Arundhati gives it those ones – a tale of Annie
Arjun : A woman’s place is in the kitchen
Radha: A woman’s place is on top
God give us our daily Johar’s
Not KJo , I refer to the cheap spirit Johar’s XXX rum, popular amongst us during college. Daily expense on this was not met by our monthly allowances. As a solution, some of us resorted to tutoring diploma and IETE students. I, however, found revenue avenues in quizzing, with a partner who specialized in politics and current affairs, me on arts, culture, and history. My partner, a pro quizzer since junior school, did loan me few books, one of them was on cinematic trivia. It had several trivial questions like, who is the first heroine in Indian Cinema? What is the name of the longest movie ever made? What is the longest name of any movie ever made? I mugged it up, upside down, section by section. Then something struck me as I read a question on National Film Awards section.
Which film did Arundhati Roy win the best screenplay award for?
‘In which Annie gives it those ones.’
Then, after ten years of spotting, this one was amongst my list of obscure Indian films to check out. As part of universe’s continual conspiracy, I got an opportunity to see this last month.
Annie all around us
Sixth standard CBSE Hindi non-detailed text book had a chapter called ‘Angulimal’, the Buddhist tale of morals. When the Hindi teacher finished reading it out, conveying the hidden meanings and all, she put up a question. Which is the your favorite character? The 40 strong classroom, shouted out Buddha. In between, a voice rang ‘Angulimal’. The voice belonged to a boy who was genuinely interested in Angulimal as a character than Buddha. The teacher ridiculed the boy for his choice, going to the extent of implicating that the last bencher should be prone to thievery and fist-fights to like Angulimal.
He grew up to become one of the many Annies. Annie (as in ‘Annie’one) or Anand Desai (Slap!!) was one whose thought process was what we call eccentric. Annies always struggle to think in line with the society, not on purpose, as some things which we find normal just don’t make sense to them. This Annie was continuing his 9th year in an Architecture graduate school. He was spending the 5th final year, having flunked the previous occasions
The Best Days of our life
Those nights where we played indoor cricket, debated fervently about religion, politics, cinema or anything under the sun, all at 2 AM in the night, when we had a submission or exam the very next morning. Such a night is when ‘In which Annie..’ , the movie, kicks off. The final year’s hostel of National Institute of Archeology is brimming with activity as we are introduced to several inmates. Mankind, Pappey, Kazozi, Radha , Lakes, Arjun and of course, Annie.
The brilliance in writing is evident in the first few scenes. The trick Roy employs here is a brilliant exercise of subtle ‘setting up’. Most of the scenes actually set up stage for subsequent scenes or sequences, which only dawn on us in the second viewing. The pattern is viewed throughout the film and she stretches it well beyond serial continuity. The care-free, ebullient spirits of the characters are so refreshing that you forget it’s a 25 year old film, set further back in 1974.
The Victimization
As was done to the ‘Angulimal’ loving young mind, repressive victimization is at large in our society. No one who strays from the mind map of normalcy, a Bell curve created by custodians of the world, is accepted. The ‘different’ are forced to take the oft treaded path in order to ‘lead a good respectable life’. The society becomes a huge moronic mass of sheep driven by the good shepherd of moral decency and standard thought process.
The opposite, who represents the system, materialism and dogma, is Yamdoot , HOD. Yamdoot goes beyond academics while despising Annie and his kind. The free-spirited Annie, in 1969, his original final year, sneaked into staff washroom while Yamdoot was taking a leak, for a wager. He even peeped across the bogs as Yamdoot was obliging nature. He succeeded in inciting Yamdoot’s wrath.
Yamdoot could never forgive Annie for the disrespect shown and Annie never had a chance to make it out of the institute with Yamdoot around. Annie did not make it easy either. He lives on the fringe, unable to place him in the regular path, dreams of reversing urbanization, changing the society, dates a record dancer. He incessantly gives them those ones, and repeatedly fails year after year.
Them free spirits
The beautiful Arundhati Roy, appears as Radha, and shows sparks of what she is today. Refuting the system, she even speaks the same tounge so much so that we might be tempted to think, she has lived on the character for ever, beyond the allotted screen time.
Radha tries to sort out the ‘underlying mechanism’ which leads to the disparity between the ‘city’ and ‘non-city’ who exist in the urban dominion, constantly ‘at-war’ with each other. We realize she is setting foundation for a lifetime of work ahead.
Arjun, Radha’s boyfriend, is a sensible guy, yet to complete pre-final year, he is the lone access to Annie. He realizes that Annie has to get out of this rut, from the vicious clamps of Yamdoot and his unrelenting egotism.
Then we have an ensemble of characters, ranging from insecure Lekha Saxena who hates being called Lakes, the TT addicts Mankind and Pappey, the pseudo intellectual art teacher CK, the frivolous Uganda Kasozi who dreams of Idi Amin and many more.
The movie climaxes as the Arjun plans and executes Annie’s final thesis presentation. The cast is exceptional. Roshan Seth ( always remembered as Nehru) showed us his versatility in the role of YD Billimoria, the super cool sadistic Professor. Arjun Raina, Arundhati Roy and Rituraj are at extreme ease as Annie, Radha and Arjun respectively.The rest of the ensemble support actors are brilliant. The casting includes some well played un-credited performances by the ‘then unknown’ current day major stars.
The movie is filled with little magical moments which take us back to college more than any bollywood film has ever dreamt of achieving. Three cheers to Pradeep Kishen for making the sweet little gem. He succeeded in beautifully recreating the time, mood and essence on 1970s with brilliant use of popular music. It is sad that Arundhati Roy stopped screen writing; her talent is rebellious and sure, as she distilled life-like characters from the cacophony of a final year graduation.
Tags: Arundhati Roy, Discovering Indian Cinema, In which Annie gives it those ones, Our films that we dont see, Pradeep Kishen, Roshan Seth
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This is a very difficult film to find.After a lot of efforts I got a very bad print.Only Film Archives seem to possess a copy of it,apart from some libraries of Film Schools.I mailed Arundhati Roy too,but didn’t get a reply.Maybe,the email id was wrong.
Any suggestions,where could I find a better and viewable copy?
If you follow this discussion in IMDB..it says there is a digital version available, copied from VHS..hard thing is to spot it…
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0233926/board/nest/22206474
(Editor Note > No download links please. Comment is deleted)
sry abt the links. was doubtful while posting. this was quick efficient action :-)
Just wanted to let u guys know that the movie is available online for download. Now go ask ur best friend google
Where did you get this movie? I was searching for long. Is it available on DVD?
Like you, I also got to know this movie through a quiz question, prepared by quizzards in my college. Something like-
A, a booker prize winner writer from India also appreared in the movie B, directed by her husband C. The movie was also the first movie of a renowned Bollywood actor D, who played the role of an eunuch.
Jahapanah…I watched at a privileged person’s place, as I had written a divine conspiracy led me to watch this one.. again another story which is better left unsaid..
The casting for D was perfect…
Who is D??? SRK’s in the film but his character is named ‘Senior’, which doesn’t seem like a Eunuch’s name.
Well I share a quizzing connection with this movie too
yet to watch this.Been wanting to get hold of it ever since I knew of the Arundhati and the Bollywood actor D connection 
D has almost a fitting and irrelevant role in the film… The movie is a beautiful on itself, deserves much more attention and study than it has been given.. Its one of kind and very deftly executed…
i came to know abt this film thru one of the interviews of D, who was speaking in reference of his association with his old friend and now a major director who has recently started believing in sun-signs! apparantly, the said director also plays an inconsequential role in the film.
.
have to catch this film. whats the use of going to NFAI if i cant take a copy, or watch it as per the convenience?
In my final year in school, a scrawny young girl with shockingly curly hair would come and hang out at our school swimming pool much to the amazement of the “kids” around (well if you can call hormonal 16 year boys that!). All we had heard was she had just broken off with some hippy in Goa and had dropped out of a prestigious architecture school in Delhi. While all of this was enough for everyone to want to be around here, I bet no one imagined this girl would go on to write a Booker prize winning novel some day… not even her mother, who happened to be our school principal and founder.
Had I known then, I would have been nice to her :(
Ram – considering I am not going to get any favors even if I were to dig up my 20 year old high school connections and hope for some “maternal intervention”, I am going to ask you this. Do you know of some institutional library in India, where I could find movies like these that were financed in large part by the amazing NFDC? My earnest email to NFDC last year may have made its way to the next level of the bureaucracy. But by the team it reaches anyone of importance, I would have lost interest or NFDC would have lost the print of the movie, both of which are very likely. I plan to visit India this year and would love to lay my hands on some of these movies…
Your response is appreciated…
Only problem with the bright and brilliant Roy is her agenda, which she sticks to in spite of logical contradictions… the place you should be looking at is NFAI, and not NFDC… nfaipune.nic.in. Only they have all the good films made in India, across different languages.. You can check out their premises in pune for viewing VHS of a few films.. But copying them and taking them with you should not be possible…
Thanks much for the info. Will look it up before my trip…
Hey man! What a revelation this site has been (nfai). I found a movie that I thought existed only in my imagination – “ANANTYATRA” made by NACHIKET PATWARDHAN int he mid-80’s. For some reason I did not find it on IMDB before but may have misspelt the name, I see it now.
now to figure out how to acquire some of these films. They have the entire catalogue of K G George (malayalam director) who is another favorite. Thanks again!
Wonder why she always is an activist for terrorists! Mebbe trying too hard to be counted among the seculars! Maybe we shouldnt be patrnonizing her!
Even Ravana’s artistic talents were appreciated in the epic…why would you not patronize poor little Roy…
She has an agenda, for sure, and is stead fast on it, combat it with your knowledge and logic, but do not fail from appreciating the good work done because of differences in the political ideologies…
She’s an activist for terrorists? You’ve not been paying attention to the world have you? What Roy has been trying to tell thick skulled Indians for the past 12 years is simply that “Peace” is not the absence of violence, but the presence of “justice.”
More power to Roy. Gandhi would be proud of her.
i am pleasantly surprised to see such profound interest in this, (what i thought was a) “little known movie”.
Annie is a staple for all those who step into the hallowed corridors of School of Planning and Architecture (SPA – located in delhi)- the archi school which Arundhati roy attended, dropped out of, based much of this movie on and filmed this movie at….
most freshers at SPA delhi are introduced to the good old life at SPA by means of this movie during the ragging phase…dont know how earnestly this is still done though. but yeah i am sure someone in SPA will have a decent enough copy of Annie – which they will be happy to share.
I don’t think people in SPA has the film. At least i coul’nt find it.
I have not seen the movie but was party to numerous discussion in SPA and outside. The movie has achieved a cult status.
Thanks Ram for writing about this.
A trivia- there’s a guy called Dhyani who runs a canteen and he is featured in the movie as himself. I have heard about Arundhuti from him. Did you notice that Ram ?
mmm yes.. there is a lovable grinning canteen boy .. didnt know he was the original one.. :-)
i studied at spa and though i dont have a copy – i remember having watched it with a classmate a couple of years back and m pretty sure she n hubby may have a copy….the hurdle here though is that she doesnt live in india…if i ever lay my hands on the cd, will be more than glad to share…it is after all SPA’s pride
(Ed. Note: Comment is deleted. Bhaisahab, please dont post any download link for any film.)
Hi Ram! Thank you very much for writing this! Having studied in an architecture school myself, this movie was so close to all of us! As we watched it after the graduation, we were submerged with waves of nostalgia and infact could identify each and every character of the movie and the settings with our own college lives! Fell in love with the fiery Arundhati in this one. And I agree with you in wishing that she employed her subtle yet hard hitting screen writing than grinding off essays worth thousands of words…
One minor correction though, the school in the movie is ‘national institute of architecture’ and not archaeology. Though there is no school by that name, the movie was shot in the School of Planning and Architecture (SPA) Delhi, where Arundhati was a student.
You are welcome..the characters, the hostel and the whole setup can be mapped to most graduate institute in India and the film succeeds in creating a nostalgic environment…I am genuinely happy to have seen this film.
and yes, its ‘Architecture’ school indeed.. Thanks for the correction..
And this was the one where SRK made his feature film debut (albeit in a minor role)…much before as the hero in Dream Girl’s directorial debut…
Leaving this one out, still I don’t think Dil Ashna Hai was his first. It has to be Deewana.
From what I know he signed Dil Ashna Hai and Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman before Diwana but Diwana happened to release first, so yes technically Diwana is his debut.
n i think shes also written the screenplay of PK’s next, Electric Moon…..got to watch these movies…neither these are commercially avai n thru nfai screenings these come few n far bet….
As Ram says the movie is available in digital copied from VHS, I think the copy he is talking about is the same that I have.If anyone wants I can share the movie, but be warned the print is not at all good.I hope to see a better version at some point soon.Maybe PFC and support of several influential people like Anurag and Sudhir Mishra could pull out films like these for a wider viewing.Another film which is great but unavailable is English,Auugust.It seems with the release of Road,Movie DVDs of Dev Benegal’s films will be out.
Some time back I read that a fire that broke out in Prasad Film Laboratory has destroyed the last remaining print of English August irrevocably.
ok I may have mixed up some other news I perhaps read the at the same time as I read about English August. No fire, but it did get destroyed, here it is http://devbenegal.com/2009/01/22/why-isnt-there-a-dvd-of-english-august/
Yes it got destroyed.But with the help of Film Libraries which might be having copies, Dev Benegal and his team has almost restored the movie.It will be available soon and it was said in the website you mention, recently
Ram,
Please explain the title of the film for the lesser mortals who may never get to watch/appreciate this archeological relic.
Ha ha… this one is not a complex surreal mindbender to keep aside for intellectual introspection.. its a fun film, filled with sarcasm and real humour… and the title means what it says.. watch it once before putting yourself down…
hi ram
i cannot thank you enough for this post. i really admire arundhati roy. never knew she wrote a screenplay. and the story sounds grt. and she acted in it too!
you are welcome Kalki..the pleasure was mine…I kind of love Roy . And yes, she shines brilliance. English does become lucidly beautiful through her, though i m ideologically quite opposite to her views..
hey everyone it’s still available on megavideo
Ram,
The title of the Film refers to the cyclic frustration that Every final semester Architecture College student goes through in preparing-appearing and then flunking at the dreaded T hurdle- THESIS. It’s a ghost that haunts Archi students from semesters one to ten.
IN WHICH ANNIE GIVES IT TO THOSE ONES refers to (the student’s )initial stubborness at the prospect of facing a hostile Thesis jury (who want every student to conform to certain norms and therefore submit run-of-the-mill/done-to-death ’safe’Thesis subjects-else risk failure ) and ultimate submission to the inescapable forces( the same jury) that must be obeyed if one is to ever ‘clear’ the Thesis paper and get out of college.
Please do your own re-search and correct me if I’m wrong.
A nice view man… i get what you say… you are perhaps correct…
but as I see at all of them gives those ones..Yamdoot gives those ones…’those my dear donkey ones’… Annie gives those ‘Fruit Orchard across 17000 running kilometer and reverse urbanization ones’ ones… Radha gives those ‘underlying mechanism and piggy boxes pretending to be buildings’ ones… CK gives those ‘Atma , Anergy and tribal sensuality’ ones… They all give those ones.. Even pappey gives those ‘Grotsk’ ones…