On Celluloid Lane: Some hits, some misses
Reviewed by Suresh Kohli

40 Retakes: Bollywood Classics You May Have Missed
by Avijit Ghosh Tranquebar. Pages 297. Rs 395

One has multiple problems with the book, beginning with both with the title and the subtitle. In terms of cinema, a retake would tantamount to redoing the same scene again. Here, the author is taking a second look at an old film, so a Second Look would have been an appropriate option. The use of the word "classics" carries an inherent contradiction, especially when a film being re-examined is described as "a C-grade spy film." Secondly, while justifying his selection he admits the possibility that "some films do not deserve to be in this list and that far more interesting films have been left out." That is the case here.

Agreed, "Cinema appreciation is highly subjective" but one cannot overlook objectivity. Sadly, Avijit Ghosh is guilty of ranking many of his personal favourites (though he does not shy of admitting that) tackily made sub-standard films in the category of "classics". Questionable also "primary objective (is) to bring some deserving films back to public notice." Mercifully, he has limited his "retake" to 40 Hindi films alone. Any film historian would instantly provide an alternative list, and with a more convincing belief. The attempt certainly deserves praise for the trivia that is appended to each inclusion. The films that certainly deserved a second look, many of them addressing social issues that are relevant even today, include: Mr Sampat (1952) — based on R K Narayan's novel of the same name) produced/directed by S S Vasan with one of the finest actors of Indian cinema, Motilal; Zia Sarhady's Footpath(53) with Dilip Kumar in the lead that Ghosh feels is a "prequel" to the Salim-Javed scripted Deewar as possible inspiration; Basu Chatterjee's Sara Akash (69), an adaptation of Rajendra Yadav's novel and Rajinder Singh Bedi's Dastak (70) based on his own story — both powerful, intense social dramas that suffered from the ponderous pace at which the narrative progresses.

Other gems include Lal Pathar (71) directed by Sushil Majumdar with Raaj Kumar, Sharmila Tagore, Rakhee; Gulzar's Mere Apne (71) with a brilliant performance by Meena Kumari; Basu Bhattacharya's Aavishkar(73) with Rajesh Khanna, Sharmila Tagore; Amitabh Bachchan-Parveen Babi starrer thriller, Majboor (74); Vidhu Vinod Chopra's Khamosh (85); Rahul Rawail's Dacait (87). From thus far a quaint mixture of high and low-budget mainstream to middle-road meaningful cinema, Ghosh's sudden plunge to an almost art house cinema is both surprising and a puzzle, as also the absence of adequate justification, seeming as if he had lost his way in retracing cinematic history of his own vocation (here too the absence of a Bhuvan Shome (69),GaramHawa (73), Aakrosh (80), Ardh Satya (83), Rajnighanda (74), Manthan (77) though the same maker's Hari Bhari (00) finds a place. Equally surprising is the absence of attempts and cinematic triumphs, from amongst others, Hrishikesh Mukherjee and K A Abbas who roved a silent furrow. The absolute shockers include Teen Devian (65) "an ahead-of its-times urban romance with songs that refuse to age"; Gaddar (73) "because`85there are no bad guys, only points of view"; Dillagi(78) "because`85Dharmendra holds a rose, not a revolver, in hand"; Hip Hip Hurray (83) "Because it is the rare Bollywood movie (though there have been more before and after this) centred around sports; Sehar (05) "the benchmark for all gritty gangster movies." One must applaud the retakes on ones like Cha ChaCha (64), Kohraa (64), Rocket Singh (09), Gulaal (09). What redeems the painstaking journey is the near-lyrical narrative. The endnotes and behind-the-scenes details make it rewarding for a lay reader. The author also deserves kudos for traversing five decades to come up with a list of 40, however controversial or debatable the selection might be.

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