THE LOCKDOWN CINEMA LIST

Good movies, like all works of art, are more than entertainment. They (should) have the power to “comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable”, as the Mexican poet and academic Cesar A Cruz has said. It was during the tough, depressing and nightmarish lockdown times three years ago, while most of us were in pain all around and the atmosphere was heavy and gloomy, one sought refuge in enter- tainment, movies and OTT series specifically. This list is borne out of those times. This is an eclectic collection of no particular theme or style or even language, except that they all touched my heart equally well, diverse as their stories, genres, languages and treatment might have been. In these comparatively happy times, while I sincerely hope and wish that the worst is behind us, I have compiled my first to-watch list for you:

ARANYER DINER RATRI

ANUPAMA

A yesteryear gem (1966) from Hrishikesh Mukherjee, this is a sensitive story of a young girl and her troubled relationship with her father, which becomes all the more problematic when a romantic interest creeps in. A handsome, sensitive Dharmendra and reticent, adorable Sharmila Tagore play the main lead, but in my view, the film should be also watched by Shashikala and David who have played their parts consummately. The film has a very well-written script and the songs are, well, incomparable. (Mubi and probably YouTube too)

RAMMAT GAMMAT

This short Gujarati film by Ajitpal Singh is about two school friends, their close friendship and how it negotiates the class and caste divide between the friends. With crisp storytelling, this 18-minute film engages one deeply and leaves one with a curious feeling of not being able to do enough. (Mubi 2021)

AGANTUK

Made in 1991, this was the last film of Satyajit Ray. A long-forgotten relative turns up and disturbs the placid domesticity of a family. There is a whole conflict about his identity and the film beautifully and sensitively brings out how the family deals with the incredulity and continual doubt about his identity. If you know the master actor Utpal Dutt from only his “Bhatwadekar” style roles in Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s films, this (and one more which I have watched) film should be watched to appreciate his subtle skills and also Ray’s. (Mubi & YouTube)

In Which Annie Gives It Those Ones

Paromitar Ek Din

This 2000 Bangla film by Aparna Sen (she acts too in this) is about how a woman married into a traditional Bengali family tests, and surmounts, the limits of patriarchy, convention and tradition. That she has tacit support from her mother-in-law is something of a rarity. The movie deftly explores relationships with very good acting by the whole cast.

(Remember the masterful character actor Rajesh Sharma of Khosla Ka Ghosla fame?

I didn’t know he was a Banglarooted artist!) (Mubi)

This 70s college movie is straight from that stable of “parallel cinema” which was quite de rigour in those times. Though featuring SRK in a blink-and-miss debut, the actual star (if you could try imposing commercial cinema terminology onto this movie), is a young Arundhati Roy. The movie explores this tantalising combination of frivolousness and the seriousness of the final-year students of an Architecture Course. A lot of us who have been to hostels in a professional course and waiting to be thrust into the real world would identify with it. The whole hostel and college setting is so real and gives a glimpse into those times. What about the curious title, you say? Well, watch it and find out. (Youtube)