Indian cinema is synonymous with Bollywood. That’s like saying European cinema means only Italian movies. Unfortunately it is true for anyone outside India looking in. The fact that Hindi cinema does in no way represent the culture or even spirit of all of India is one that is never publicised. Hence all of Indian cinema is assumed to be a senseless and overly long musical extravaganza.
I am not a fan of Hindi cinema. This perhaps could be because I am from Kerala. Now, I am not a proper Keralite since I grew up outside India and saw Hindi movies long before I saw my first Malayalam movie but even then I could feel the difference. I did love the songs and clothes in the Anil Kapoor movies that were the rage then (I was a kid – that must be my excuse!). So no one can point fingers at me accusing me of not knowing the language or its nuances or in being too “Madrasi” in my taste.
A Hindi movie is always the same – non-existent story, scanty clothes, improbable style sense and song sequences that are completely unwarranted. The actors change, the hemlines change but the underlying principle does not. I used to watch Hindi movies in college just after exams to relax my brain and yet I have walked out of a couple of Madhuri Dixit movies just because it was too much nonsense for me to watch without slipping into a coma.
A Malayalam movie is more down-to-earth. The characters are people who are not glamorous for the most part though the men play a role far younger than their real age. However the stories are genuine and believable. A fisherman’s daughter will look just like she is supposed to and will not sport designer labels or make-up even in an imaginary song sequence. Also there is never a question of ‘borrowing’ music or stories from Hollywood. Among Keralites there isn’t a passion for all things American either. In a sense Malayalam movies are very much like American movies of a certain era – they stand on their own merit and are original.
Over the last ten years, there’s been deterioration in the quality of Malayalam movies – actually I think that might be applicable to most of popular cinema around the world. There were movies fifteen years ago that have moved me to tears time and time again. There are actors like Mohanlal, Jagathy, Mammootty and Oduvil Unnikrishnan who have shown such subtlety on occasion that they feel more like a part of my family than actors. Its the very subtlety of the acting contrasting with the intensity of emotion and the full-out comedy that is the hallmark of good Malayalam cinema. When successful movies from Kerala are copied or remade in Hindi, they lose all their lustre because of lackadaisical acting and an overdose of glamour and songs in ordinary life situations. A regular story in Malayalam would never work in Hindi and for the benefit of both cinemas should never even be attempted.
Therefore it is truly sad that instead of recognising Bengali and Malayalam movies for their excellence, only Hindi movies are selected time and time again to represent India at the Oscars. Who on earth would think a Lagaan or an Ekalavya was even worthy to be viewed abroad let alone sent to the Academy of Motion Pictures as contenders? Greats like Satyajit Ray , Bharathan, Adoor, Padmarajan have made (and Adoor continues to make) excellent movies of unparalleled beauty but there is no one to showcase them because regional cinema is poor financially and could never match Bollywood in marketing.
Indian cinema has great talent and Hindi cinema has some movies from the non-commercial or small budget section that are truly enjoyable but labelling Hindi cinema alone as Indian has deprived the world of the pleasure of watching fine movies from various regions in India and has also deprived great filmmakers from being given their just dues and recognition.
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