Tapan Sinha : Ek Director Ki Maut
Dada Saheb Phalke recipient, director Tapan Sinha died today. He made some wonderful films in his long career. It may happen that few people who claim to be having passion for cinema or mad about cinema did not know about him and his films on their own and once in a while whenever his name was printed in newspapers or spoken by electronic media because an award was bestowed upon him, they came across this name but in this DVD age whenever someone will watch his significant films, he will not be left without getting affected.
He was also a highly creative artist whose talent was multi dimentional. He has left rich legacy behind him in Bengali cinema and though he made only few hindi films but they easily can be treated as distinguished films in the history of Hindi cinema.
My first exposure to his cinematic world was through his film Safed Hathi. I saw it on DD. It was a good children film. A good director always scores in selecting his cast. Suitable cast wins half of the battle because that suggests about imagination and observation power of a director.
Shatrughan Sinha is the synonym of attitude also and Tapana Sinha exploited very successfully this trait of Shatrughan Sinha’s personality. This is a children film but he had made it with utter seriousness and characterisation was handled very well.
Ofcourse White elephant will always be the most mesmerising element of the film for children and it does not matter whether elephant was painted white but all the actors present in the film were presented well.
Shatrughan Sinha played a king there who is a famous hunter also and when he listens about White Elephant he becomes eager to have a possession on the elephant. His ego drives him to become master of such a beautiful animal existing in the forest near his state. He does not get success and he tries to control the elephant through cunning way and allures the child who is friend of elephant.
A boy makes friendship with an alien kid in ET and in Koi Mil Gaya, a young man with a child like mind becomes friend of alien kid and rest of the world is after that alien kid.
Here in Safed Hathi, greedy world is after the White Elephant and people want to catch or kill him, because even a dead white elephant in the stuffed form would decorate the king’s palace.
First time King sees the elephant through the kid and he is simply mesmerised by the beauty of a white elephant.
That is one of the best cinematic moments of the actor Shatrughan Sinha where he says to the elephant with his typical mischievous smile,” My best compliments to you”.
Its larger than life but suitable for such a character on screen and the film is established strongly there at that spot and rest is the conflict between his greed to catch the elephant and his fight with the innocent love and friendship between the kid and elephant.
Then DD showed his TV film, Admi aur Aurat, starring Amol Palekar. Hopefully DD releases DVDs of the films it produced in the 80s as they were far better than the films made by commercial hindi cinema and released in theatres in that era. Some films were premiered directly on the DD and many of them were representatives of interesting and quality cinema.
But Tapan Sinha’s name was not established in the mind by then. Still his films were bigger than his name.
Then DD declared sometime in mid 80s that Sagina would be shown.
Sagina, Sagina, Sagina, a different film of Dilip Saab.
Curiosity was to see a Dilip Kumar film. Watching was wonderful as film was very good. It was good combination of elements of an off beat film and elements of regular commercial hindi cinema.
A film set in the hills of Darjeeling was handling many issues, Communism, Capitalism and Naxal like activities and along with this life of its principal character Sagina Mahato was shown. Film was a treat then.
This was the first time when name of Tapan Sinha started making a place in the mind.
Many years later I got to watch the original Bengali version of Sagina titled Sagina Mahato and this was THE MATERIAL. It was a black and white film unlike Sagina (1974) but a very good film. Sagina Mahato of 1970 gives tough competition to all the socio-political films made by any of the great directors of India. Best thing about Sagina was this that it was able to cover more audiences and it was not made for few selective audiences only.
Last years of 80s and early years of 90s were full of commotion and extreme things were happening. Big social, economical and political changes were happening to India. Anger, frustration, division among the masses had become the most reliable partners of people of India.
Tapan Sinha came with the story of a doctor who is completely devoted to his research and to pursue his research he becomes a cynical husband and a social person. Not that the subject has lost the relevance but perhaps this theme could have deserved a better place if the same film was made in early 70s.
Ek Doctor Ki Maut is not only about brilliant performance by Pankaj Kapur but it contains equally brilliant performance by Shabana Azmi also. One can not pick and choose only Pankaj Kapur as Shabana too as a passive character makes the environment quality oriented in every scene.
Pankaj Kapur’s character is the active character and he is doing the things but the impact of his inertness towards her, his actions and stubbornness etc are enhanced by the subtle performance of Shabana Azmi.
Their pair has made this film an example of great performances.
Society is normally against new things and changes especially when they can not see that they ultimately are going to bring them benefits. Research is seen as something related with academic achievements. In the society like present days India, people are judged by the percentage of marks they have got in school and college.
Pankaj Kapur is simply a doctor who has only graduate degree and his close friend Vijendra Ghatge, who has obtained Masters degree, also does not believe that Pankaj Kapur can do anything extraordinary. He says that PK was never a good student and somehow he always passed his exams with ordinary marks.
He is jealous of Pankaj Kapur’s achievements in research and he objects his own wife’s enthusiasm by saying,” How come an ordinary student, ordinary doctor having only degree of MBBS and doing a low salaried job in a government hospital can invent something significant.
Other doctors say that how PK can pursue fundamental research as he does not even own the degree of MD?
Other doctors don’t want a swan among them as he will make them looking like crows. Seniors of PK also don’t like his achievement because of this fear and jealousy. They all are living a normal and greedy life where their sole motive is to earn maximum amount of money and it should come through any manner. They are not bothered about scientific development and they don’t care if cure for some particular disease is invented or not. They have got the degrees and some cures and medicines for some diseases are already established in the market in their era so their job is to prescribe those known medicines and earn the money and live a luxurious life. They are simply businessman though they wear white coat of a doctor and follow the medical profession.
A patient may die outside of their nursing home but they will not touch him until and unless relatives of that sick man pay huge sum of money.
Relatives can not take dead bodies of their relatives until and unless money is submitted at the counter.
A doctor will be a smooth talker and relatives of the patient will be charmed by his pleasant talks in his chamber and patient will be admitted into his nursing home and date of operation will be fixed and then a dalal type person will come to the relatives of the patient and will give them a simple paper where a huge sum of money will be written which has to be submitted at the cash counter before operation is consumed. Already disturbed relatives w’d see him and he w’d explain them,” Ye to ji doctor kee fees ho gayee, phir specialist doctors ayenge doosre hospital se, Ek alag doctor ayega, anaesthesia dene, phir dawaiyon ke kharche, rehne ka kharcha etc etc”.
Remember Gunjal or Munjal character from Khosla ka Ghosla, who plays the Chamcha in chief of Khurana.
There should be something with such people as they are mostly found as dalals in real life.
Anyway, whole medical (health) department turns against the Pankaj Kapur. CMO is on the verge of retirement and he has to join some established nursing home to take care of his life after retirement. Secretaries know only those things which are inscribed in the rules book. They are parrots and they can not think on their own.
Pankaj Kapur becomes victim of this jealousy and red-tapism. He has to send his research for publication but the health department does not give him approval.
All over world many scientists are working on similar problems and its only about the right time when one publishes his results. Science is not devoid of mafia mentality. Shocking truth can come out if common people start taking interest in the functioning of scientific world. Its as rotten as political world. Everything, Partiality, stealing, suppression, exploitation etc etc happens there. Groups are there which move ahead only their own members and its true there also that only meritorious person dont get the recognition and award.
So its about timing in science. JC Bose and Marcony’s example is a true example. Einstein was not the only scientist working in that field and reaching at similar conclusions.
Area in which Pankaj Kapur was doing his research, has been awarded but an american researcher publishes his results and Pankaj Kapur’s claim becomes an empty because he could not publish his results.
We are living in such a dirty era when man is eating other man’s chances and where people don’t believe others and on the surface they may be smiling while talking but inside they never believe other people.
Tapan Sinha creates this situation. First corruption and jealousy of other people are shown. Pankaj Kapur relies on his mentor Abhi Bhattarcharya. AB takes his notes to his home and seeing so much corruption, for sometimes it appears as if AB would also cheat PK and would publish the results on his name or would sell the research.
Faith is lost in such times because almost everybody is cheating others. People can not even maintain the faith among friends. A person is sharing something about him in some emotional or weak moments and listener, who is pretending to be his friend, will disclose these things to other people.
People have lost the art of giving proper respect to others feelings. Their characters are becoming too shallow. They don’t have digestion to follow the importance of faith in a relationship.
As Abhay Deol says in Socha Na tha, “I love you”, has got no deep meaning. You have given me this thing I would say,”I love you”.
Though in reality this love will be lost in the very first moment whenever ideas will be seen standing opposite to each other.
Ek Doctor Ki Maut is the story of such a superficial era. Friends are not really friends here. Friendship has got no meaning. It’s an empty word.
Vijendra Ghatge claims to be closest friend of Pankaj Kapur but since PK’s research would make him looking like a pigmy before PK so he sells his soul to the market and works against the Pankaj Kapur. He helps PK only in living but not in pursuing his dream as PK’s dream goes against his established status. They have been friends and Vijendra has not done anything in science except earning Millions of Rupees so how PK can get the reputation of a distinguished scientist?
Irfan Khan plays a young journalist. He is a PhD in science but he accepts that he can not do anything in science so he pursues the journalism. But since he has been a PhD and he thinks he can do something different and under this enthusiasm he reveals Pankaj Kapur’s research before time and this news brings tons of problems for Pankaj Kapur.
The precious time he needs to spend in research goes waste in meeting people and giving lecture and his opponents exploit this situation also and arrange a public meeting to harass him.
Scientists are not less emotional than artists. Hard work of Weeks, months and years in the laboratory bring no results. Other people pursuing other profession may plan their days, holidays and vacations but real scientists can not do it. They have booked tickets for cinema, opera, circus or any entertainment but before they leave their labs, they get depressing results and mood is spoilt. Their family members and friends will not get this predicament and then a conflict becomes a must.
EDKM very beautifully shows this conflict through the characters of PK and Shabana Azmi. At times its clear that PK is too harsh on Shabana and he has taken an approach which is not justified.
Its very hard to be spouse of a person devoted to any area as at certain stage they become too selfish and even forget about the existence of other person living in their vicinity. At times their spouses think that they are not required and they are living merely as servants of them.
A balance is a must thing else this clash harms both the persons. A fight will not leave the person pursuing his dreams in a position to do it with a positive mood and other person is already suffering and his/her sufferings are increased more after such quarrels.
More than anything EKDM, scores in this relationship between PK and Shabana Azmi. At times she feels that now this is the last limit and she will either be broken or she would leave him but somehow she keeps the patience. She finds PK as childlike also. His spirit lamp is not working in the lab so he takes away the stove from her kitchen and demands dinner at mid night and she brings him raw vegetables. Because how she could have cooked without a stove?
Either fight in this situation or laugh. Fight will lead to a separation. Laugh will melt the differences for some time until negative emotions are accumulated again.
EDKM follows the laugh here.
Shabana knows Pankaj Kapur is doing a research but she does not know the exact importance of this work. She gets to know the importance of this work through television only and this is her moment. She is also a silent partner during all this work.
If PK has done hard work then she also has done equally hard work. If such a person does not recognise the contribution of his spouse then he really is a selfish person. Its not a fake thing that there is a woman behind every man’s success or vice versa in today’s time.
If environment at home is not good, a person can not create anything.
PK is harassed from all the sides. He is depressed. Shabana is depressed. He has lost his job also. What a poor couple will do against a corrupt system?
Abhi Bhattacharya had sent his research work to a foreign research organisation and they send an offer to PK to join there and pursue his passion in fundamental research.
PK is not able to decide. His sad and questioning eyes look in to the eyes of Shabana Azmi and her tearful eyes give him support and approval.
Nation has lost a scientist because it did not try to support a single person against its corrupt system. It did not make an environment where an individual can survive pursuing his dreams.
It was not death of a doctor, it was death of a healthy system.
Who knows, when a defeated person would be able to stand up again to work with same devotion. We don’t know what PK would have done in a foreign research centre.
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Director of such a film has been died today but his films will remain here to keep him alive in our memories.They will never die.
May God rests his soul in peace.
Long live the name of Tapan Sinha and long live his films.
Tags: abhi bhattacharya, Admi aur aurat, amol palekar, Dada Saheb Phalke, Dilip Kumar, Ek Doctor Ki Maut, Irfan Khan, pankaj kapur, Safed Hathi, Sagina, shabana azmi, shatrughan sinha, Tapan Sinha
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I guess he was not celebrated unlike his bengali counterparts.I hope to catch Safed Hathi again and relive the memories of Chilhood.
Nice article.
RK: Timely article and thanks for a detailed (what else?) write up on Ek Dcotor Ki Maut. It was a good film though a bit overwrought at times.
Two aspects of Tapan Sinha that I want to point out (consnidering Pavan is on some vanvas):
1. He was a good music composer as well. If I remember it right, he composed music for most of his Bangla films – Apanjan, Golpo Holeo Satyi, Sagina Mahato among others. Kabuliwala though in the original had Pt. Ravishankar
2. Many of his Bangla movies were remade into Hindi and are considered Hindi classics without giving too much credit to the man who originally made them. These include Bawarchi (Golpo Holeo Satyi), Apanjan (Mere Apne) and I think Aarohi (Hrishida’s Arjun Pandit – not Santhoshi waaala)
Safed Haathi remains a life’s unfulfilled dream. This movie played on DD sometime in mid 80s and as 9 year old I was totally into the film. Then Shatrughan made his appearance and a song played in the background – “shikari raaja aaya re”. And exactly then, thanks to State Electricity Board, we had an electricty outage. The movie was over by the time electricity was restored. ANd I never got to watch it again. This was a story that repeated itself with KA Abbas movie Fasla where the movie stopped at “Zindagi Cigarette ka dhuan, yeh dhuan jaata hai kaahan” song and I could never again catch the movie.
@Cinemausher,
Thanks for your comment.
I have not watched his bangla films exclusively and extensively. Once in a while whenever I saw them through DD only. That is a drwaback also in any film Industry if 1-2 directors become too famous then few contemporaries, who are also competent directors have to suffer from less recognition. I cant say about his rest of the bangla films, but Sagina Mahato gives competition to any film made on similar theme or where contemporary issues are handled in a fictionary ways.
@Subrat,
Thanks for your informative comment. I remember that someone perhaps Bishu, also had commented on Bawarchee post that it was the remake of Tapan Sinha’s bangla film.
Given your list, Hindi cinema got many good films to make on the basis of his original bangla films.
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Is Bijali ne bahut bade bade jhatake diye hain.
We should call National electrcity board as many victims all over the country will be found where they were forced to watch half or 1/3rd or 2/3rd film only and later they never could get a chance to watch those films again.
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many years later Next generation will die in peace as they wont have burden of not watching completely many films. as they will be having enough supply of the electrcity and moreover DVD helps now.
Thanks for the post RK. One pointer: Sagina did not show Naxalism — it was set in British India.
@Joyjeet,
Thanks.
Technically yes as Naxal is devoted to Naxalbari movement.
Violent face of communism will do?
Pistols, conspiracies, doing the justice themselves, killing the people, punishing them, hanging them etc.
Also Joyjeet since you are from Bengal and might have seen many many films.
Since I have seen EDKM many years ago, and both Anil Chaterjee and Abhibhattacharya look similar to me in their old age (I mean when I try to remember their faces now), which one played mentor to Pankaj Kapur in the film.
Was it AC or AB?
very sad!!!
My fave film and have always wondered about the maker!!
Its a sad news.
Thanks for bringing back the memories of EDKM alive. EKDM is perhaps the only Indian film that comes close to depict the plight of a scientist in reasonable manner.
I think the story was inspired from a true event.
The suicide of Dr. Subhash Mukhopadhyay…he was the first physician (in India) to demonstrate the in vitro fertilization…in film, the field of research was changed and ending was changed too.
This film was Tapan Sinha’s tribute to Dr. Mukhopadhyay and his rant against the system that killed one of the brilliant scientist.
One of my fav movies.
May his soul rest in peace
a wonderful nostalgic post … love ek doctor ki maut …
Guys….any idea where to find a VCD/DVD of Ek Doctor Ki Maut ? I tried searching in many video stores of Mumbai but failed to find one.
i saw ek doctor ki maut when i was into my 3 rd yr of college.. it affected me deeply, pankaj kapoor’s character and his predicament.. somehwere along the way , i could identify with the way he was being treated by his colleagues and close friend. its one of his most powerful roles
@RD,
Perhaps you may get it on VCD. What google searches for you?
@Rk
I haven’t seen Ek Doctor Ki Maut. But the Wiki says it had Anil Chatterjee
Tapan Sinha’s best film is ‘Antardhan’- hands down- a brilliant screenplay told with effortless conviction and an ensemble cast- a masterpiece in Bengali films
‘Sagina’ and ‘Ek Doctor Ki maut’ are excellent films
Wonderful RK and so timely. Ek Doctor ki maut which I had seen on DD in the nineties had a lasting impact on me as well. Tapan Sinha will continue to live through his films.
Long live Tapanda he will be still in our mind. Apart from all Hindi movies there are lots of Bengali movies as well.
Safed Haathi is the only movie of Tapan Sinha which I have seen. I am looking forward to his others. Ek Doctor Ki Maut specially.