Lalit Rao

10 Quality Indian films based on works of literature © Mr. Lalit Rao (FIPRESCI) dated 29.02.2024

1) Abhaas (1997) directed by Bijaya Jena. This is an interesting ‘‘auteur’’ film by Ms. Bijaya Jena who has won India’s national award twice. It is based on a 3 pages long short story by famous Odia writer Rabi Das. This is a classic film that is set in 1951 and talks about deprivation, marginalization, sexual exploitation and neglect of a weak woman. It talks about the Zamindari system in which a landlord exercises complete control over a village. Apart from directing this film, Ms. Bijaya Jena also plays an important role in it. Abhaas was shown at La Rochelle Film Festival.

2) Tamas (1988) directed by Govind Nihalani. Tamas means ‘darkness’. It is based on the eponymous novel by acclaimed Hindi writer Bhisham Sahni. He was the younger brother of famous Hindi cinema actor Balraj Sahni. Tamas talks about the partition of India in 1947 when Hindus and Sikhs emigrated to India from Pakistan. Initially, Tamas was shown as a TV series. Later, it was shown as a 4 hours long feature film. Om Puri and Deepa Sahi play the lead roles in ‘‘Tamas’’. 

3) Angoor (1982) directed by Gulzar. In the realm of Hindi cinema, Gulzar occupies a special place as a famous lyricist and an occasional director. ‘Angoor’ (Grapes) is one of his most modest films. It is based on the famous play ‘‘The Comedy of Errors’’ by Shakespeare. The film was released in 1982 which was the perfect time for Indian auteur cinema. Sanjeev Kumar, Moushumi Chatterji and Deven Verma play the lead roles of this adorable film. Angoor is still remembered by cinephiles as not only it Indianised 'The Comedy of Errors' to a very large extent but also rendered ''family viewing'' possible.     

4) Kasba (1991) directed by Kumar Shahani. Kasba is based on the novella ‘‘In the Ravine’’ written by the acclaimed Russian writer Anton Chekov. It is based in a small town where corruption seems to have an effect on all its inhabitants. Shatrughan Sinha, an important star of Hindi cinema acts in this film along with actors from theater background. Director Kumar Shahani assisted the great French auteur Robert Bresson for ‘‘Une Femme Douce’’ in 1969. The pace of the film is both slow and melodramatic. However, Kasba is an unpretentious film.   

5) Train to Pakistan (1998) directed by Pamela Rooks. It is based on the novel of the same name written in 1956 by the famous writer Khushwant Singh. Train to Pakistan talks about the partition of India of 1947 through a love story involving a sikh man and a muslim girl. Train to Pakistan is relevant for its depiction of the complex nature of communal violence and its devstating consequences.The highlight of the film is the impact of partition on ordinary people who are caught in a complex web of politics, prejudice and violence.     

6) The Guide (1965) directed by Vijay Anand. Guide has been hailed as one of the classics of Hindi cinema. Even after close to 60 years of its release, ''The Guide'' continues to remain popular among the audiences who are madly in love with its songs. Hindi cinema's leading actors Dev Anand and Waheeda Rehman play the leading roles of a tourist guide and a dancer in this film that was written by the noted Indian writer RK Narayan. Guide was made in Hindi as well as in English. However, most viewers know it for its Hindi version as the English version is believed to have flopped on the box office. Guide was a bold film as in 1965 it dared to depict what could now be called ''a Live-in relationship''. In 2023, Guide ran to packed houses all over India when it was shown as part of the birth centenary event of Mr.Dev Anand.      

7) Shatranj Ke Khiladi (1977) directed by Satyajit Ray. It is based on the short story written by the greatest of all Hindi writers Munshi Premchand. It portrays the boring lives of two noblemen from Lucknow who are so obsessed with the game of Chess that they neglect their families and remain unconcerned to the monumental political changes that take place around them. In ''Shatranj Ke Khiladi'', there are fine performances by the ensemble cast of some of the finest actors of Indian cinema such as Sanjeev Kumar, Amjad Khan, Shabana Azmi, Saeed Jaffery and Farook Shaikh. It is an important film that shows how India looked life before 1857 when it was ruled by the British. The narration of this film was done in the voice of Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan. 

8) Dweepa (2002) directed by Girish Kasaravalli. It is one of the most popular films directed by Kannada cinema auteur Girish Kasaravalli who has won national film awards on 14 occasions. Dweepa (Island) is about the sad plight of villagers who have no choice but to live quietly in the midst of hostile climatic conditions. This film is based on the novel written by the Kannada writer Na D'Souza. Dweepa is a film where the power of monsoon has been used in full force. Dweepa was produced by Ms. Soundarya a popular star of Kannada cinema.  

9) Anhe Ghore Ka Daan (2011) directed by Gurvinder Singh. As far as art cinema in India is concerned, Punjab doesn’t normally register a strong presence. However, this has changed with ‘‘Alms for a blind horse’’ directed by Gurvinder Singh. It is based on the Punjabi language novel written in 1976 by the writer Gurdial Singh. This film tells the story of untouchable Sikhs who live at the margins of society. Director Gurvinder Singh shows the plight and problems of farmers,landlords and rural working class. ''Anhe Ghore Ka Daan'' has been produced by French producer Catherine Dussart.  

10) Chomana Dudi (1975) directed by B.V. Karanth. The title of the film refers to the drum that the protagonist Chomana plays. It is based on the novel by famous Kannada writer Shivaram Karanth. Chomana Dudi is about the tough life of Chomana, an untouchable bonded laborer who tries hard to be able to till the land. The plight of the untouchable people and the influence of religion has been nicely depicted in this film. It was released in 1975 and won the Swarna Kamal, India’s national award for the best film.