Himen-da,

What would you advise for the above article ? Indian govt wishes to prosecute artist M F Hussain for making nude pictures of Hindu religous iccons and of Mother India (Bharat-Mata ; Bharat=India, Mata=mother : as you well know) .

Regards.

Umesh

Himendra Thakur <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

Dear Alpana,

I have not seen Deepa Mehta's movies excepting the "Earth" which I had to watch because I was invited to a function at Harvard University years ago where Mrs. Bapsi Sidhwa, the writer of the movie "Earth" was presented.

I did not like the movie "Earth". With too many Dutch-Angle shots, without enough establishing shots, only lighting being flood-lighting all over, without any balance between close-up, medium and reverse-angle --- story line developing intermittently without any balance between conflict-contrast-surprise-resolve --- the movie was dull and mediocre artistically. The Director was unable to balance her presentation, which is essential when one makes a movie on a social issue. However, she has her freedom of rights to make a movie anyway she wants, and we have the freedom of rights not to waste out time watching her low quality productions.

What I tried to say was about the issue of the movie River --- not about the movie, and not about how Deepa Mehta is portraying it.

The issue is the suffering of 30 million widows in India.

If the so called Hindu Fanatics (which is an oxymoron because a Hindu ceases to remain a Hindu when he becomes a fanatic) want to create a hue and cry against Deepa Mehta, they may also do something to stop the suffering of the 30 million widows. They may try to stop the practice of dowry which "kills & maims" 25,000 brides every year in India. They may help "change of mind-set" to stop female-feticide which has caused a shortage of 70 million females in India.

Umesh is asking the question: How much doing is good enough.

I request everybody to discuss that question with a positive attitude. Whatever one can do is good enough --- but that should be done with love and care.

With love to everybody,
Himendra

----- Original Message -----

From: Alpana B. Sarangapani

To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED]

Cc: assam@assamnet.org

Sent: Thursday, May 04, 2006 4:14 PM

Subject: Re: [Assam] Suffering of the Widows

I agree with Umesh-Ji on the storyline(?) in Fire. As far as I remember, it was a boring and meaningless picture - caring and affection between two human beings do not have to be anything like that, it can very well be platonic and the audience can still get the message - I mean, the husbands taking over women's lives. Two issues were put together without good enough reasons - physical attraction is a different issue altogether, rejection by the husband does not necessarily change a person to turn into a gay person. Anyway!

In order to portray a particular problem, like male dominance etc., in a particular society, it does not need to be connected needlessly with a "current & controversial topic" (or it should totally be on that 'hot' topic itself - not with a silly connection between the two). And if that useless connection is made, then it is viewed by many, as a futile attempt to draw attention - from the movie-maker's side.
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Umesh Sharma
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Ed.M. - International Education Policy
Harvard Graduate School of Education,
Harvard University,
Class of 2005

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Re: [Assam] Suffering of the Widows

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