Aug 11, 2006 06:29 PM
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MIRCH MASALA (spices in english)
The movie that was made in 1985-released 1986 was directed by KETAN MEHTA-- one of the great art directors that we have in Bollywood today. This movie portrays the pilght of the village masses in general with the highlights on the USAGE of women (Smita Patil's last performance)/ role of women in the game of politics and the associated appeasement of the misdemeanours and power-seekers.
To briefly portray the story:
A despotic and gruesome tax collector/ Subedar played by (Naseeruddin Shah), imposes his rule and atrocities on the portrayed village, a very common site even today in the UP/MP villages or for that matter in most of the villages, across the nation . Now all the villager residents try to make him happy and win his sound favourable chatra chayya(shelter) by satisfying all his whims and fancies. but there is one protesting schoolmaster who does not abide to any such forceful tomfoolery. So in the village the leading males the subedar; the teacher, an ineffectual follower of Gandhi; the Mukhi (Suresh Oberoi), a feudal village ruler; and the Abu Mian (Om Puri), a lower-caste factory guard.
The drama unrolls when the turn of the beautiful Sonbai (plyade by Smita Patil) to be surrendered to the lecherous Subedar comes and she does not resign. She refutes to be the part of this heinous practice of sleeping with the subedar just to apeease him and defends. Left alone and bereft she takes refuge in the courtyard of a spice factory which was run entirely by women. The ladies work there to crush the red chillies. The other males get ready to sacrifice Sonbai who was abandoned by her lazy husband--- so she was subjected to a fate worse than death. Led by the Mukhi's wife (Deepti Naval), the housewives march in protest but are beaten back by their servile husbands. The Mukhi warns his wife: "Next time, I will break your leg".
Now the subedar and his men-servants attack the factory to procure Sonbai to serve to their master Subedar but the ladie try to put up resistence to this. The act is further strenghethend by the aged watchman who closes the gates to Subedar's men.Frustrated of their hopes and effort to get Sonbai, they attack even more fiercely and ultimately break open the door. with no other option to fight the armed men, all ladies get prepared with thier wepon--- the same red chillies powder which they throw in loads in the eyes of the attackers and the leader as well...blindind some and defeating some...in all leaving all of them incapable to get what they want/ to procure Sonbai to serve as the object of lust for Subedar.
The same household chores and objects that are often denounced as a womanly arena for just work and labour, come to rescue the dignity and honour of these women, defeating and disabling the lustful men prying on them as hawks seek their prey to hunt....
Moral---------------
You have to defend yourself.
God helps those who help themselves.
Do or Die for honour.
Main attractions :
The portrayal and the acting---true life like Dramatised events--catch the rural tasks and the age-old practices.
Very real and life like enacting of storyline based on real life political manoeuvres and pranks that are used to serve and appease those in power and the plight of the victims-- the used ones in this game.
The fighting spirit of winners--the indefatigable souls.
Likeness :
likeness can be drawn with the present city practice of keeping the attacking sprays (chilli/spice tinged) to deal the eve teasing and miscreants.
Directed by : Ketan Mehta
Screenplay by : Hriday Lani, Tripurari Sharma
Casting crew : Naseeruddin Shah, Smita Patil, Om Puri, Suresh Oberoi, Deepti Naval, Mohan Gokhale
Cinematography : Jehangir Choudhury
Music by : Rajat Dholakia
Good movie that can stand the ravages of time.... despite of being so remote now as per the contemporary time, the movie provides a good and enriching source of entertainment.....
Watch it to get the "SPICE" of life!!!!!
Angie.
