The protests made NCPA repeat the screening of this film about the making of India’s first feature film Raja Harischandra by Dadasaheb Phalke later in the evening. Such increase in audience for Marathi cinema is not restricted to Harishchandrachi Factory alone. The other films showcased at the festival - Gandha (The Smell), Gho Mala Asla Hava (I want a husband like this), Jogva (The Awakening) and Gabhricha Paus (The Damned Rain) - too are in demand. From November 17, NCPA hosted an additional screening for each of these films. Apart from the original venue, Godrej Dance Theatre, they were simultaneously shown at Experimental Theatre where admission was on a first-cum-first-serve basis. All these films have got rave reviews at various film festivals. They reflect the improvement in quality and content that this regional film industry has been witnessing after Shwaas became India’s official entry to the Oscar in 2004.
Those who subscribe to the glass-is-half-full theory saw the happenings at the inauguration ceremony as a good sign of Marathi cinema. For, nearly 200 viewers had waited outside the Godrej Dance Theatre auditorium for the repeat show at 9 pm. And the first lot of audience, instead of heading home after the delayed screening, took part in a discussion on the process of making this film.
This justified the purpose of the five-day festival - to celebrate the cinema of the new generation. “These films speak in a new Marathi voice. The festival focusses on the new creative wave, reflected in the choice of subjects and their treatment by young filmmakers who have a very exciting and modern perspective on the medium of cinema,” says Vijaya Mehta, executive director of NCPA.
What shone through the chaos on November 16 evening were Harishchandrachi Factory and the contributions of Dadasaheb Phalke and his wife, Saraswatibai, who played a crucial role in realising his dreams. Keeping the narrative simple, the 90-minute film portrays Phalke, who was known to be a perfectionist, as a jovial and family man. “This is how Paresh visualised Phalke,” says Vibhawari Deshpande, who plays Saraswatibai. The appreciation for handling the characters of Phalke and his wife with finesse came from Phalke’s grandson Chandrashekar Pusalkar. “We are happy that the film shows a cheerful Phalke, who was known to be very strict, and also highlights the contributions of Saraswatibai,” he gushed.
The film is replete with witty and crisp lines, inducing the audience to burst into laughter quite frequently. Mokashi, who has written and directed the film, offers a story that’s heartwarming as Phalke overcomes many hurdles to make his first movie.
The father of Indian cinema gives the film its best moment when he declines the offer to make films in London to establish the film industry in India. There can be a lesson here for some of the protestors at NCPA who lambasted the presence of non-Marathi speaking audience in the auditorium.
