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Ours is a country that loves to celebrate! From the vibrant colours of Holi to the discordant whistles of New Year, the gusto with which each of our festivals are ushered in, amply proves the fact. Even ‘New Year’ is not just restricted to the one on the English calendar. The New Years of all communities, whether it is Gudi Padwa (Maharashtrian), Cheti Chand (Sindhi), Pateti (Parsi), Baisakhi (Punjabi), Vishu (Malayali) or Poila Boishak (Bengali), are celebrated with equal aplomb. Considering that art mirrors life, it’s hardly surprising that festivals figure prominently in Hindi films. Some merely add colour to the film, while others flow with the narrative or even form the turning point in the script…
GANESH CHATURTHI
DURING this period of eleven days, the idol of the elephant god is a much loved guest in many a home. The gaiety and splendour with which this festival is celebrated was shown on screen somewhere in the ’80s and has since then become a recurring theme. The ‘Deva o deva Ganpati deva…’ song in Humse Badhkar Kaun (’81) is an instant recollection.
Also interesting is the climax in Takkar (’80). The sequence ironically revealed the Herculean idol of the Ganpati being used as a platform of deceit on which smuggled goods were stored.
In Agneepath (’90) Vijay Chauhan (Amitabh Bachchan) leads his little Ganesh idol with due pomp to bid it farewell at the beach. The procession moves parallet to villain Danny’s attempts to lead the hero to destruction. Needless to add, in both these films with God as the referee, good triumphs over evil.
What made the portrayal of the festival unique in Dard Ka Rishta (’83) was the sheer identification factor. Khushboo, a victim of the insatiable cancer, is bed-ridden. Her father, Sunil Dutt prays to Lord Ganesh on immersion day to lay his benevolent hands on his bundle of joy.
JANMASHTAMI
JANMASHTAMI, alias the birth of Lord Krishna, has often been used symbolically, conciding with the birth of the hero inevitably called Kishen, Kanhaiyya, Shyam, Vasu or Gopi who true to his name goes on to vanquish all evil.
There are many such references in Subhash Ghai’s films. In Hero (’83), Jaikishen alias Jackie Dada, barges into the house of Shammi Kapoor during the customary Janmashtami pooja, and threatens to kidnap his daughter Meenakshi Seshadri. Later, the reformed rebel hero on yet another Janmashtami day, humbly asks for the heroine’s hand, marking the real birth of Jaikishen, so to say.
The festival is also used for displaying beautifully orchestrated devotional songs. For instance, there is ‘Badi der bhayi Nand lal…’ in Khandaan (’65) with its melody and the pomp of ‘Bansiwale Gokul ke raja, meri akhiyaan taras gayi ab to aaja…’ in Subhash Ghai’s Saudagar (’91). The latter, picturised on Dilip Kumar, is symolically reflective of the home, of the coming grandson Vasu (Vivek Mushran).
Unique was the sequence in Mughal-e-Azam (’60). Emperor Akbar (Prithviraj Kapoor) has assigned a sculptor to make a statue for his new palace. Unable to complete the task on time, the sculptor makes his model Anarkali (Madhubala) substitute as the statue. So breathtaking is the wax model, that the revelation of the little charade evokes a common reaction from the emperor and his son Salim (Dilip Kumar), “In tomorrow’s Janmashtami celebration you will be Radha.”
If Janmashtami is synonymous with melody, Gokulashtami, better known as the matka-breaking ceremony, is a forum for frolic and flirtation. Time and again, songs in films have portrayed this fun-filled festival, emphasising the excitement of its ‘hit-and-miss’ nature. Our cinema has been splendoured galore with such moments. ‘Govinda aala re…’ in Loafer (’73), ‘Mach gaya shor saari nagri re…’ in Khuddar (’82) and of course, ‘Naach Govinda naach…’ with Govinda himself doing the honours add psychological authenticity to the situation.
In Muqabla (’79), the festival is used as a catalyst to create peace betwen the warring Sunil Dutt and Shatrughan Sinha who realise that the crux of this pot-breaking ritual is interdependence and teamwork.
RAKSHA BANDHAN
AFTER mother-son, the brother-sister is the most popular relationship on screen. Hell hath no greater fury than a brother scorned! Such is the sentiment attached to the relationship, that it’s been a recurring motif in our films for years.
Bhai Bahen (’50), Chotti Bahen (’59), Resham Ki Dori (’74), Pyari Behna (’85) and Badi Bahen (’93) are but a few examples. One finds snatches of this relationship in a multitude of films. Not surprising then, that the festival of raksha bandhan finds a significant place on the Hindi screen.
The situation is often used as a catalyst by the director to create a bond between people devoid of blood relations. In Laawaris, Manju Malhotra waits endlessly for her nonchalant brother Ranjeet who fails to turn up on the auspicious day. Dejected, Manju ties the rakhi on her faithful employee, Amitabh Bachchan’s wrist. The spontaneous action adds meaning to the anonymous existence of the Lawaaris.
A heart-warming scene was in Saajan Ka Ghar (’94) between a scorned Juhi Chawla constantly referred to as inauspicious, and her step-brother Deepak Tijori. An accident leaves the latter with an amputated arm on raksha bandhan day. Juhi’s venom-spitting step-mother is quick to blame the rakhi, when in fact, it is the hand with the rakhi that is spared of injury.
A scene worth mention is in Andha Kanoon (’83) between sister Hema Malini (a duty-bound police officer) and her law-breaking brother Rajnikant. Their cat-and-mouse game notwithstanding, the loving sister has no qualms in handcuffing the brother immediately after tying the rakhi on him on Raksha Bandhan day.
HOLI
‘Aaya Holi ka tyohaar, mile rang ki bouchaar… aaj meethi lage hai teri gaali re…’. With Sandhya’s man-cum-woman ensemble, the lyrics of one of the msot interestingly-depicted Holi symphonies in Navrang (’59), best describes the true essence of this festival. All is forgiven as frolic and colour are in the air. It is an uninhibited, no-holds-barred aura surrounding Holi.
Holi is perhaps one of the most oft-shown festivals on screen, which could be attributed to the fact that it has its roots in Uttar Pradesh from where a large section of the cinema audience emerges. Very often, Holi has been presented in the form of an animated song-and-dance sequence, contagious in its effervescence. From ‘Holi aayee re kanhaiyee…’ in Mother India (’57) to ‘Sare rangoh se hai wo rangen…’ in Dhartiputra (’93), the instances spring up in the mind without much ado. In fact, it is the colours of Holi that provide respite in otherwise solemn movies like Mashaal (’84).
Most of the time however, the festival has been used to get away with erotica, blatant flirtation and double entendres as in Khalnaikaa (‘Choli me tabahi…’) and Souten (‘Meri pehli tang thi cholee…’). It also seems to be director Yash Chopra’s favourite festival and finds a prominent place in his films Faasle, Darr and of course, the most memorable one being ‘Rang barse…’ in Silsila (’81). In Silsila, in fact, it serves as a perfect opportunity for ex-lovers Amitabh Bachchan and Rekha to revive old sentiments.
Also noteworthy is the situation of the vibrant colours of Holi as against the white of widowhood, used poignantly in Kati Patang and Sholay.
The aspect of using the Holi colours as a shield was first explored in Zakhmee (’75) which had Sunil Dutt cobwebbed in the hands of outlaws, trying to reach out to his kidnapped family.
In Bekhudi (’92), it was a reason for Cupid finding yet another target. A colour-streaked Kajol is shown washing her face and as the colours give way to her natural beauty, a casual onlooker Kamal Sadanah remains casual no more.
In Phagun (’73), Holi provided the centrifugal point. As is customary, Dharmendra throws colour on his wealthy wife (Waheeda Rehman) and ruins her sari. The wife taunts him. Humiliated, Dharmendra goes away. She is left to a life of regret. Phagun never really comes again!
KARVA CHAUTH
MAY my husband live for a thousand years. It is this wishful prayer that forms the basis of Karva Chauth the festival wherein married women, bedecked in bridal finery observe a fast for the longevity, health and prosperity of their husbands. A fast broken only when she sees the moon and subsequently the face of her husband.
A clear exemplification of this was portrayed in Aashiq Awaara (’93). Every year, the festival of Karva Chauth has a fsting Reeta Bhaduri waiting patiently for her callous husband Pankaj Dheer while he, sans any respect for the sanctity of the ritual or for his wife, spends his time in the arms of another woman.
The drama attached to Karva Chauth has many a dimension in Suhaag (’79), Amjad Khan plays the title role while Nirupa Roy is his suhagan. Being an outlaw, the former had deserted his wife to the mercy of an obstacle-laden life. But she (of course) unfailingly revels in the Karva Chauth ritual. On one such fateful occasion, while she is gazing at the moon, her husabnd, on the veer against the hands of law, unknowingly leaps near her, she sees his shadow, and then him. Ah, her fast is fulfilled! It is beside the point, that at that juncture, in order to escape from the police, he uses her at gunpoint.
Another interesting instance was in Maang Bharo Sajna (’80) which revolved around Jeetendra and his two wives, Rekha and Moushumi Chatterjee. One is Radha, the other Rukmani. Where should he go first? Salman Khan in Biwi No.1 was faced with the same dilemma.
In Satte Pe Satta (’82), Karva Chauth heralded the turning point. Amitabh Bachchan plays a double role. Ravi who is impersonated by his lookalike Babu. On Karva Chauth day, when Ravi’s wife (Hema Malini) sees the moon and turns to see her husband, the impersonator’s conscience intervenes and he confesses his crime. (In Saajan Bina Suhaagan (’78), the custom is observed by a widow (Nutan is forced to live out a helpless life.) Quite the opposite was Suhaag (’94) where Aruna Irani dons the garb of widowhood so that her son Ajay Devgan would never know of his father languishing in prison. The scene where the son witnesses his ‘widowed’ mother performing the ritual is a turning point in the film.
RAM NAVAMI
The birth anniversary of Ram, the human incarnation of Lord Vishnu, is celebrated as the festival of Ram Navami. Indian cinema has tried to show its respect for the lord by depicting his story in mythological Hindi films like Sampoorna Ramayana. The story of Rama also finds its place in regional Marathi cinema in films like Sita Swayamvar and Valmiki Ramayan. Moreover, one can find the similies of Ramayana, the life story of Shree Rama, in its modern form in films like Hum Saath Saath Hain.
MAHA SHIVARATRI
Maha Shivaratri is a major festival during which Lord Shiva is worshipped. It also has been depicted, though quite sporadically, on celluloid. Mythological films like Shiva Shakti that depict the life story of Lord Shiva, including the background behind the festival of Maha Shivaratri. The portrayal of Shiva devotees dancing on the occasion of Shivaratri after consuming bhaang can been seen in the some Hindi films. `Jai Jai Shiv Shankar…’ the popular song sung in the film Aap ki Kasam is one such example. Surprisingly, films of today lack the portrayal of Maha Shivaratri, which is considered by Hindus as one of the major festivals of our country.