The directors of today prefer to make a cut-to-cut, frame-by-frame copy of Hollywood rather than work out something on their own.... They swear by Steven Spielberg and do not recognize Shyam Benegal. Bimal Roy for them is somebody who made some movies, but they are incapable of remembering which movies...... Mehboob Khan for them is too melodramatic, and K Asif a one-film wonder!
The actors of today talk of Dustin Hoffman but have not seen a film starring Dilip Kumar. They have not heard of Motilal and Yakub ... Raj Kapoor for them is an 'indianised' version of Charles Chaplin and for them Naseeruddin Shah is no match to Nicholas Cage! They have heard of even second-rate performers in Hollywood but are not aware of stellar performances by great actors like David and Abhi Bhattacharya.
What can one expect from someone who rates Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Lopez as an actor! Wow - what a laugh! Sir, have you heard of Nutan? What about Meena Kumari? And if recent histroy is all you remember, I guess Sridevi should do the trick? Fans of Merlyn Monroe would be stunned to see that we had Madhubala in the 50s and Madhuri Dixit in the 90s ... but then, to appreciate them, you need to see them .... and who wants to see them?
You ask them of their favourite singers and everyone from the Beatles to Micheal Jackson and Prince and who-knows-who is spoken of but the names that ruled not only hearts but also had exceptional command over sur and taal (something no Westerner can claim to having) are not even spoken off in the same breath ..... Mohammed Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar are not even on their hear-list!
The result in all but evident ..... I managed to see a film called Kites recently, the best example of the malaise that's destroying the character of our Film Industry..... it has everything - a good and handsome actor, a beautiful, brilliant and bountiful actress, awesome locales, brilliant cinematrography ... everything but no 'soul' ... like the mannequin placed in some corner of a shop, it can show off some dresses but in itself it's nothing.....
Like a Biryaani, that has the finest meat, the best of other ingredients, has been cooked well and also served well but has no salt and no edibility.... Kites, like all contemporary cinema of today is beuatiful in appearance but lacking in soul
And that's expected; in an near-incestous industry, where only family connections get you an opportunity and where real talent in raped and murdered every instant, and the bigwigs of the industry themselves are no more than prostitutes, ready and eager to sell themselves to mediocrity and for money to their clientiele in US and UK, what else can be expected.....
The Hindi Film Industry is being raped ... just like Draupadi was violated and again Bhishma, Drona and Karna are silent! That led to Kurukshetra and the eradication of the entire Hastinapur line .... what will this lead to, only Lord Krishna knows:
I end with a beautiful couplet from Iqbal:
Watan Ki Fiqrr Kar Naadaan, Qayamat Aane Waali Hai,
Teri Barbaadiyon Ke Mashwarre Hain Aasmaanon Mein .....
Na Samjhoge To Mitt Jaoge Ae Hindostaanwaalon,
Tumhaari Daastaan Tak Na Hogi Daataanon Mein .....
