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The INability to give back!
Hi Folks,
The one thing we don’t (as in in not PFC, but the Indian media), seem to be highlighting, is the ability to give back, creatively, by some of the men and women who are in cinema. And I am not talking about social service, etc. I am talking about TRYING or ATTEMPTING to make good cinema or institutes which nuture talent, from a Hindi or Bollywood film perspective (I am not qualified to talk about the regional film scene).
There have been the following exceptions which come to mind. In almost all the cases a “practical and pregmatic” approach seems to work better.
While the world might think the universe of Raj Kapoor, Dev Anand, Manoj Kumar, Rajendra Kumar, Dilip Kumar, to me there is a shocking LACK of inability of these folks, to give anything back to the medium (again not social work, that Dilip Kumar has done a lot), it is to the furthering of the Creative Industry in India.
In fact the THREE KAPOOR’s who have are Prithvi Raj (with the conceptualization of the Prithvi Theater), Sanjana Kapoor (with reviving and making the Prithvi Theater what it really has become today) and Sashi Kapoor (who came in some of the crapiest films, just so he could push the kind of filmmakers and cinema that he really wanted to push, like KALYUG, 36 Chowrangee Lane, etc). By doing so Shashi was also encouraging (and bankrolling) some of the finest filmmakers of his and our times (men and women).
No I don’t really consider Subhash Ghai’s Whisteling Woods, as giving back. That is an out and out commercial venture…a good venture….but does not classify as a commercial one. Ditto for Anupam’s acting institute.
The better and more noble was the concept started by Amitabh, of AB Films. While the MBA’s ran it to the ground, it actually started off, with a very passionate plan of action.
To promote upcoming talent. Tere Mere Sapne, did just that and gave that opportunity to Arshad Warsi, Simran and Chandrachur Singh. The fact that he felt cheated by the “professional” management is probably what got him wary and I don’t blame him for that.
Talking about giving back can best be highlighted by Barry John. Not because he has trained Shah Rukh and Manoj Bajpai, it is more the grassroots work that he has been doing, primarily in the Delhi schools, in movies like Salaam Bombay, where the street kids were all trained by him (as are the children in Delhi Schools). The co founder of SAAFA, is one such product. The confidence that his acting training imparts is a life long skill in all aspects of one’s existence. And Barry for a long time continued to live in a BARSATI in Delhi. It was his love and desire to give back, that is commendable.
The father son duo of Sunil and Sanjay Dutt too have that ability. Sunil would combine his out and out commercial films with the Reshma and Sheera’s of the world (AB is it’s product). Rumour has it (I’m sure PFC can corroborate or otherwise) that Sanjay helped out immensely in My Brother Nikhil.
However, here is where the good news comes to an end. We make approx 300 films a year and have made approx 3000 male and female cinematic legends since movies started in India. And of those only 5-7 are the one’s who have even considered giving back (of course it can also be attributed to the LACK of money made by the folks in the earlier years, where they could barely make their own ends meet as opposed to giving back to the creative talent). But even then. It is a dismal statistic.
Not that it is any better in Hollywood. The Robert Redford giving back through Sundance or Richard Dreyfuss through his film company, are exceptions.
For the most part, creative people (like corporate people) are a self obsessed lot and the statistic shows. Or it could be that the climb up becomes so hard with each passing year, that when one does reach there, it becomes more about maximizing the gains, as opposed to giving something back. I think a combination of “fighting hard” and then “giving back” is probably the most lethal and admirable combination. Almost like a Bill Gates of the movie industry , where “professionally I will be ruthless” and more power to him for that, but ” I will also run the most biggest foundation” of them all and more power to him for that too.
Sincerely,
Vivek “now could we have some Bill Gates in Bollywood too” Kumar
9 Responses to “The INability to give back!”
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Every body has to pay back whether they want it or not:) oops did i just say that..:)
@vivek…
hey just wanted to inform you that Sanjay Dutt had nothing to do with My brother Nikhil. it was supported by Sanjay Suri
I would say that doing social work is a lot more meaningful and noble than breeding the next generation of filmmakers or actors. At the end of the day it’s just a film and not curing cancer. If I had money I would support Medecins Sans Frontieres or support medical research.
I know for a fact that Farooque Shaikh does a lot of good work helping disadvantaged people without any fanfare and publicity. That’s a lot better than producing a couple of films. But then that’s my opinion.
@suchita..You’ve been seeing too many bollywood films off late…very filmi dialogue :)
@onir- Perfect, I read it on some press article and did not quite believe it, hence used the words “strong rumor.” Thanks for setting that record straight. Yep Sanjay Suri I know did a lot. He is like an extended family as is his sis, Punita.
@mithun- Of course social work is the best possible work, by anyone including film people. My emphasis, though, in the article, not in life, was the development of the art and science of the movie industry and education and how the best people to imfluence that development are the constituents from the industry. Agreed films are not life, not even close, one reason I do not and never will call any filmmaker a “ji” that is only reserved for the armed forces, of any country, cause they take the bullet and make the ultimate sacrifice for humanity.
On giving back Sahir saab has said..
“duniya ne tajrubaat-o-hawaadis ki shakl meiN
jo kuchh mujhe diya hai, woh lauTa raha hooN maiN”
The Cinema is no more a piece of Art and no more driven by Artists, but is Business and driven by Business only.. Thats how he parallel cinema has died slowly in last years or so.. The heArt is not for Art but for business.. So even if it is “giving back”, it is only for “getting back” (like whistling woods).. Also in recent times, The Producers (read Business Houses) have no or little interaction with the cast and crew of the project (Off Shoot it might be:)).. They just throw money to make a film and want money back from the film, without getting involved in the film on the execution level.. So how could one expect them to give back to the industry if they are not associated with the cinema for the love for it..
@Pavan- good and interesting points. However, cinema has always been as much about business as art. V.Shantaram had to pay his overheads too and am sure took that into consideration as much as “artist” Raj Kapoor, who used to not even put (allegedly) a rupee of his own, in his own films and was very much a “play to the gallery” type. I think a combination of the two (business + development of the arts) can be done. Events such as Sundance is a prime example. It is as much about encouraging talent as it is about the “sale,” and that’s ok, in fact it gets a fiscal discipline in the running of the “good cause.” While I may not be about festivals, IFFLA does a good job and I’m sure when they go to the sponsors year after year, they have to prove an audience and outreach too, so that is ok, cause it shows a “win/win” for all for a good cause, as opposed to “only about me.” The latter is all to prevalent in both Bollywood and Hollywood and was being discussed in my article.
Vivek,
I never said Cinema was no business and only Art.. “it was as much about business as art.. but NOW NO MORE as much about ART as Business”…V Shantaram and Raj Kapur played to the gallery but still had the Passion for Cinema.. Raj Kapoor had Jaagte Raho, Boot Polish, Ab Dilli Door Nahin along with Aah,JDMGBH,Sangam..
I believe the problem with “Giving Back” also lies with the limitation of ways to give back.. Most of them never cared for things like “restoration, preservation of cinema heritage/archivals”, “working for junior/old artists welfare”, “creating an academy”.. Infact the most popular way to give back was thru Charity Shows and the industry contributed on many ocassions.. specially during the wars, the industry stood by with the country.. but in recent times even the “Charity Shows” are comepletely converted into “Getting Back” events instead of “Giving Back”..
Good point again Pavan and I am responding not due to “one upmanship” here, but because you are bringing out some interesting and refreshing points.
On supporting the troops, I did see in my last two visits to India, Akshay Kumar visiting the troops in Ferozepoor with Vivek Shaq and this time on the same channel, Vidya Balan doing so likewise in the J & K area. I just hope they did this for no cost, but assuming they did, I think it equates the Charity Show of the wars, so the spirit is very much there (again assuming they did it for no cost, if they charged it is shameful). Also singer and musician Shibani Kashyap (got to know this when i signed her up for my own project in April), rendered the playback for the movie “1971″ a) because she believed in the subject and b) since she is a “fauji” kid, at no cost. So again I think the spirit to do good is there still.
Yes absolutely agree with the limitation of ways to give back. That probably explains why are junior artists/stunt people, etc live in such pathertic conditions.
On the subject matter aka films like Boot Polish, I would argue that it was the sign of the times. At that time, poverty and unemployment were the biggest issues facing a relatively new nation. Now it is one of crime and in some cases the problem of excesses, hence the film subject matters got changed. But I think there was good and bad stuff made then and there is good and bad stuff made now, only now the number of bad stuff is a lot more, but overall percentage is probably unchanged, so I think the art part is still there, just the “professional management” of the corporates don’t always understand it..same problem in Hollywood, hence the rise of the independents, which again gives good and bad stuff.
Oh well they are paying back. Its going into IPL though. But I am sure with the likes of Sreesanth and Harbhajan we will soon have a lot of talented actors coming from there :P