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iView Author: The Narcissist (Goa, India)

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Portrait of a director - Hrishikesh Mukherjee
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There has been a lot of discussion in recent times about the quality of movies being churned out in Bollywood. I had posted a comment on the news item about Fox entering the Indian movie market where I’d stated my thoughts vis-a-vis the quality of movies being made these days and its relation to the money coming into the industry. This spurned a thought in my mind about heavyweight filmmakers of yore. I’m sure today’s directors can learn a trick or two from the veterans and that coupled with the finances at their disposal, there’s no reason why Bollywood shouldn’t attain dizzy heights.

The first name that spontaneously came to my mind while thinking about these directors was Hrishikesh Mukherjee. Maybe …

First thing first, KHUSHBOO is a PERIOD film, based upon the story of Sharat Chandra Chatterjee. So no new definitions can be imposed on the characterisation/s. It is set in an old time and hence has to be seen in that manner only.

Once selected a story, the thing which matters is the fact how convincingly a director has shown his chosen story. Story may not look convincing in a period film because times are changed but good directors have that skill where they keep grip on the visual story telling factor and audiences are soaked deeply in to the visual watching of the film and whether story is feasible in the present circumstances or not, ceases to matter for audiences.

Practices like Childhood marriages or fixing the marriages for children are not in the fashion now a days but this absence can not stop audience to enjoy the films …