IFFI 2015 to showcase works of Dadasaheb Phalke Award winner Shashi Kapoor

IFFI 2015 to showcase works of Dadasaheb Phalke Award winner Shashi Kapoor

 

~International Film Festival of India will be screen 8 films of the noted actor under its special Retrospective Section~

~His masterpiece film ‘Junoon’ to inaugurate the special Retrospective section at IFFI 2015 ~

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Delhi, October 27, 2015:  India’s prestigious and one of Asia’s biggest film festivals, IFFI 2015 will be organising a Special Retrospective of this year’s Dadasaheb Phalke Award Winner Shashi Kapoor. In a career spanning over four decades, Shashi Kapoor has given some spectacular performances and has donned many hats as a producer, director, and actor. He appeared in 160 movies including 12 English and 148 Hindi films out of which he played the solo lead hero in 61 films and played lead hero in 53 multi-star cast films. He has also produced 6 films including Junoon, which won National Awards in 1979.

The ace filmmaker, Shyam Benegal who directed Shashi Kapoor in ‘Kalyug’ and ‘Junoon’ remembers the actor to be a “thorough professional. He says, “Though, Shashi was one of the biggest stars of his time, he was always punctual. He never made anyone wait even for a minute. He was always ready with his lines and would always seem well prepared on the sets. He has been the producer of my films – Kalyug and Junoon, and it goes without saying that he is the best producer I have ever worked with. He valued professionalism throughout his career and always followed a unique approach of filmmaking.”

The special Retrospective section will screen 8   films of Shashi Kapoor.  Junoon (1978) will be screened as the opening film of special Retrospective Section followed by New Delhi Times (1986), Utsav (1984), In Custody (Muhafiz) (1993), Kalyug (1981), Deewar (1975), Shakespearwallah (1965) and House holder (1963).

Along with Hindi language films, Shashi Kapoor has also worked in some landmark English-language films. He is one of the first actors to work in numerous American and British productions. He started doing English language films in 1963, the first being Merchant Ivory’s ‘The Householder’ starring Leela Naidu, which will also be showcased at the International Film Festival of India.  

Shashi Kapoor’s son, actor Kunal Kapoor lauds the government decision to showcase his father’s films. Kunal says, “We, Karan, Sanjana, I, and the Kapoor family, are thrilled and proud that the DFF has honoured Dad, Shashi Kapoor, with a special retrospective of his films this year, the 46th edition of the IFFI, in Goa. We are only too sorry that Dad’s health may not permit him to personally attend IFFI in Goa to share some of his his work with you and another generation of film buffs. Holding the retrospective in Goa is an added bonus, as it was here that Dad set up a home in the early 70’s, before he started producing films. It is in Goa where he found peace, tranquility and undisturbed quality time with his family, and where he came to re-charge and be inspired.

He further added, “The family is grateful and indebted to the Government of India for recognising his work and contribution to Indian Cinema by honouring him with the Padma Bhushan, the DadaSaheb Phalke Award and and now hosting a film retrospective celebrating his work. We are thankful and hope you enjoy the wide range of is work.”

C. Senthil Rajan, Director, Directorate of Film Festivals, says, “The Special Retrospective showcases the different shades of Shashi Kapoor- as an actor, producer and director. Three films are international productions while two are the ones where he played both producer and actor and has won a National Award as producer. The Retrospective Section has been carefully curated to give the domestic and international delegates of IFFI a glimpse of the path breaking and landmark works of Shashi Kapoor.   

The Directorate of Film Festivals and Entertainment Society of Goa are working in partnership to ensure that the 46^th edition of IFFI which is set to begin on 20^th November 2015 will be a real good treat for Cinema lovers 

RETROSPECTIVE – SHASHI KAPOOR FILMS

                                                  

1.      NEW DELHI TIMES

1986/ Hindi/ Colour/ 123 mins

Direction: Ramesh Sharma

Production: P K Communications

Screenplay: Gulzar

Cinematography: Subrata Mitra

Editing: Renu Saluja

Music: Louis Banks

Art: Nitish Roy, Samir Chamda

Cast: Shashi Kapoor, Sharmila Tagore, Om Puri, Kulbhushan Kharbanda

Synopsis: [148]

The film is about a newspaper editor who exposes the politics-media corruption nexus. Vikas Pande, an idealist and professional journalist, is also the Executive Editor of New Delhi Times. When a local Member of the Legislative Assembly is killed, Vikas discovers it to be a political assassination. As he digs deeper, Vikas comes face-to-face with political powers who have a vested interest in suppressing the news of true incidents and motives. He is all out to expose a Member of the Parliament of the ruling party who is also leading a dissident movement against the Chief Minister. Amid all this, riots break out in his hometownand it goes up in flames. In the entire process, he unleashes forces thatterrorize his personal life as well. Kapoor’s understated yet convincing performance as the investigative journalist exposing political corruption won him the National Award for Best Actor in 1986.

2.      IN CUSTODY (MUHAFIZ)

1993/ Hindi, Urdu/ Colour/ 126 mins

Direction: Ismail Merchant

Production: Merchant Ivory Productions, Channel Four Films

Screenplay: Anita Desai (novel& script), Shahrukh Husain (script)

Cinematography: Larry Pizer

Editing: Robert Silvi

Music: Zakir Hussain, Ustad Sultan Khan

Art: Suresh Sawant

Cast: Shashi Kapoor, Shabana Azmi, Om Puri, Sushma Seth, Amjad Khan, Mohammed Ali, Parikshit Sahni

Synopsis: [195]

The film is aboutan aging Urdu poet, Nur, and a worshipful young college lecturer, Deven, andtheir shared passion for the beauty of words. Deven’s position as a professor of Hindi at a local college is only a means to an end. His first love is the Urdu language, in particular Urdu poetry. He is lured into interviewing the great Urdu poet, Nur, by an old school friend, Murad, who edits an Urdu literary journal. Deven’s multiple (and often stymied) attempts to interview Nur act as a metaphor for the clash between modernization and tradition. Deven goes to Bhopal from Mirpur to meet Nur, the poet of a dying language, but is appalled to find a grossly overweight male, surrounded by greedy hangers-on, who pretend to value his work but really value his whisky, and embittered wives. He is astonished to see Nur's two jealous wives begin to scratch each other's eyes out, while Nur puts his head in his hands and weeps. The poet and his worshiper realize they can save each other, but the obstacles are comic and frustrating. The script also incorporates poems by the eminent Urdu author, Faiz Ahmed Faiz.

3.      KALYUG

1981/ Hindi/ Colour/ 152 mins

Direction: Shyam Benegal

Production: Film-Valas

Screenplay: Shyam Benegal, Girish Karnad, Satyedev Dubey.

Cinematography: Govind Nihalani

Editing: Bhanudas Divakar

Music: Vanraj Bhatia

Cast: Shashi Kapoor, Rekha, Raj Babbar.

Synopsis:  [217]

The film is a modern adaptation of the Mahabharata. The first draft of the script was written by a very well-known industrialist from Bombay, Vinod Doshi, and later worked upon by Girish Karnad and Satyadev Dubey. It isa tale of intrigue, plots and the inevitable war between two feuding industrialist families. Ramchand and Bhishamchand were two pioneering brothers in business. Bhishamchand, a lifelong bachelor, brings up his brother’stwo sons after his demise. He also gives the family business a firm foundation. Khubchand, Ramchand’s elder son, has two sons, Dhanraj and Sandeepraj. Puranchand, the younger son, had died a few years ago. His three sons are Dharamraj, Balraj and Bharatraj. Another player in the game is Karan, an orphan brought up by Bhishamchand. A series of events take place that bring the long hidden feud between the two families to light. Despite Bhishamchand's efforts to mediate between the two families, the situation gets out of hand and the events take a tragic turn. Dhanraj's men accidentally kill Balraj’s young son, and to take revenge Bharatraj murders Karan. Quite a few skeletons from the family cupboard are also brought into the open, adding to the tensions and hatred, finally culminating in the destruction of the two families, making us ponder on the brittleness of our moral fabric.

4.      UTSAV

1984/Hindi/Col/145 Mins

Direction and Screenplay: Girish Karnad

Production: Film-Valas

Written by Krishna Basrur

Dialogues Sharad Joshi

Cinematography Ashok Mehta

Sound Hitendra Ghosh

Art and Costume Nachiket and JayuPatwardhan

Music LaxmikantPyarelal

Lyrics Vasant Dev

Editing BhanudasDivakar

Cast Rekha, Amjad Khan, Shashi Kapoor, ShekharSuman

Synopsis  [159]

The film is based on two Sanskrit plays, Charudatta, by Bhasa (300 A.D.) and Mricchakatika (The Little Clay Cart), by Sudraka (400 A. D.). Vasantasena, a courtesan at King Palaka’s court, hides in Charudatta's house while running away from the amorous attentions of the King's lecherous brother-in-law, Samsthanak. She falls in love,and has an affair,with the married and penniless Brahmin, Charudatta, whose wife is away from home. Later, Vasantasena, again, finds herself in the clutches of Samsthanak, who strangles her when she refuses to submit to him and leaves her for dead. Charudattais charged for Vasantasena’s murder, but Vasantsenare appears after being saved by a local doctor. Meanwhile, there is also political upheaval, as Aryak, a rebel, escapes from the prison and successfully dethrones the King. Utsav’ was ahead of its times in many ways. The boldness and sensuality shown in the movie was first of its kind and catapulted the lead stars to instant success.

5.      JUNOON

1978/ Hindi/Col/141 mins

Direction and Screenplay Shyam Benegal

Production: Film-Valas

Dialogue Satyadev Dubey, Ismat Chugtai

Cinematography Govind Nihalani

Sound Hitendra Ghosh

Music Vanraj Bhatia

Editing BhanudasDivakar

Cast Shashi Kapoor, ShabanaAzmi, Naseeruddin Shah, KulbhushanKharbanda, Nafisa Ali, Jenifer Kendal.

Synopsis

The film is based on Ruskin Bond’s A Flight of Pigeons. It goes back to 1857, when Indian units of the East India Company’s Army are in open revolt, leading to a popular uprising against British Rule. One Sunday morning in May,a regiment led by Sarfaraz Khan massacres some English men in church. Among those killed is Charles Labadoor. His daughter, Ruth Labadoor, an Anglo-Indian girl, her mother, Mariam, and her grandmother are the only survivors, thanks to Ramjimal who rescues them. Javed Khan, a Pathan and the brother-in-law of Sarfarazsees Ruth and falls passionately in love with her. He kidnaps Ruth and her family while Ramjimal is away. Mariam strikes a deal with Javed that Ruth would marry him if the Indians succeeded in breaking the British siege of Delhi. But Delhi is lost to the British, and Javed’s family have to flee. Ruth and Mariam are left behind. Javedkeeps his promise of not compelling Ruth to marry him, but longs to see her one last time. Mariam refuses, Ruth however rushes out of the church to acknowledge him for the first time ever. His wish granted, Javed rides into oblivion. We are informed that he met martyrdom while Ruth, unmarried, died 55 years later in London.

6.      DEEWAR  [200]

1975/Hindi/Col/176 mins

Direction: Yash Chopra

Production: Trimurti Films

Written by Salim-Javed

Cinematography: Kay Gee

Editing: T.R. Mangeshkar, PranMehra

Music: Rahul Dev Burman

Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Shashi Kapoor, ParveenBabi, Neetu Singh, Nirupa Roy, Satyendra Kapoor, Iftekhar, Madan Puri.

The movie tells the story of two brothers, Vijay and Ravi, who are the sons of a trade unionist, Anand Verma, who was disgraced by his firm’s management. Unable to bear the public disgrace, the father deserts the family. The sons are raised by their mother, who suffers the trials and tribulations of a single mother. Vijay, the elder brother, grows up with an acute awareness of his father's humiliation and is victimized for his father's supposed misdeeds. In the process of fighting for his rights, Vijay, who starts out as a boot polisher, ends up becoming a smuggler, and a leading figure of the underworld. His brother, Ravi, on the other hand, receives an education and becomes an upright police officer. Ravi decides to arrest Vijay, and their mother sides with Ravi. Ultimately, the two brothers clash, and Vijay dies in the encounter. Ravi is presented a police gallantry award.Deewar ran for over 100 weeks. It is one of the 13 films that grossed over one crore rupees in every territory across India between 1970s-1980s. The film was classified as a super hit at the box-office and considered among top 10 money-spinners of the industry in those days.

7.      SHAKESPEARE WALLAH

1965/ Hindi/col/120 mins

Directed by James Ivory

Production Merchant Ivory Productions

Written by Ruth PrawerJhabhvala

Music by Satyajit Ray

Cinematography SubrataMitra

Editing Amit Bose

Cast Shashi Kapoor, Felicity Kendal, Madhur Jaffrey, Geoffrey Kendal, Partab Sharma

Synopsis

The film is loosely based on the real-life actor-manager Geoffrey Kendal family and his "Shakespeareana Company", which earned him the Indian sobriquet, "Shakespearewallah". It follows the story of Tony Buckingham and his wife Carla, the actor-managers of a troupe of travelling Shakespearean actors in post-colonial India; they must grapple with a diminishing demand for their craft as the English theatre on the subcontinent is supplanted by the emerging genre of Indian film. Lizzie, their daughter, falls in love with Sanju, a wealthy young Indian playboy who is also involved in a romance with a glamorous filmstar. The Buckinghams, for whom acting is a profession, a lifestyle, and virtually a religion, must weigh their devotion to their craft against their concern over their daughter's future in a country, which it seems, no longer has a place for her. It is a film of unexpected juxtapositions and cultural conflict; it is a look at the changing values in art, and an examination of the question of what it means to be indigenous to a place. This film is partly autobiographical as the actors who play the Buckinghams, father, mother and daughter, had those same roles in real life as the Kendal family and had spent years in India performing Shakespeare with a touring company. 

8.      THE HOUSEHOLDER

1963/ English,Hindi/Col/101 mins

Directed by James Ivory

Produced by Merchant Ivory Productions

Written by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala

Music Ustad Ali Akbar Khan

Cinematography Subrata Mitra

Editing Raja Ram Khetle

Cast Shashi Kapoor, Leela Naidu, Durga Khote

Synopsis [224]

The film, shot entirely on location in Delhi, revolves around Prem, a young teacher at a boys' college who is married to the retiring Indu. In the face of his imperious and impossible mother, Prem struggles with the burden of his responsibilities as a husband, and, when Indu becomes pregnant, with his impending duties as a father. Prem's fumbling and his mother's constant belittling become too much for Indu to bear, and she leaves her husband to return to her family home. Left alone with his mother(who delights in her newfound umbilical arrangement), Premseeks enlightenment from an older married man, a swami, and Westerners who have come to India with orientalist illusions and Silk Road naivété. Only then, in Indu's absence, does Prem fall in love with his wife.  ShashiKapoor and Leela Naidu, who play Prem and Indu, respectively, anchor the film with their genuineness as young innocents coming into conflict with tradition; DurgaKhote as Prem’s mother is relentlessly effective as the orthodox Hindu matriarch who never loses an opportunity to recite her own martyrology or criticize her daughter-in-law's housekeeping. The film is a satire and social commentary that has also become a historical document of sorts, a record of a now vanished India, captured at the moment just before the disappearance of traditional urban middle and upper-middle class life.