Greatest movie adaptations of literary works
November 13th 2006 06:29
Some of the best adaptations of literary works have happened in India, whose Hindi language film industry is nicknamed as Bollywood. Bollywood routinely picks up movies and novels from around the world and copies them without credit and usually end up mangling them. But, sometimes, just sometimes, they get it and end up doing adapatations that are better than the orginals they are based on. I do not know why. Basically, Hollywood almost always ruins literary adaptations. There is probably something in the methods of Bollywood that suits these works. Anyway, here's my list of 5 outstanding Bollywood movies which were adapted from literary works, that should rank as the best anywhere in the world.
No.5 OMKARA Vishal Bharadwaj's take on Othello is set in rural UP, where gun-toting gangsters fight with each other for turf control. Bharadwaj's adaptation is very close to the original, differing only in little plot details. Othello might look like a trite story today but this movie manages to convey the sense of fate and evil and tragedy by the end. Awesomely cast, Ajay Devgan is a revelation as Othello whereas Saif Ali Khan was more critically acclaimed for his Iago. Kareen Kapoor makes for a fine Desdemona.
N0. 4 SURAJ KA SATWAN GHODA The title means The Seventh Horse of the Sun, made on a low budget by Shyam Benegal, this movie is a based on a famous Hindi novel of the same name. It tells the story of a single afternoon when a young man relates to his peers stories of three women he had known before. Rajit Kapoor, introduced here, charmingly conveys the tale of a man who has succesfully developed a veneer of humour to mask underlying heartbreak.
NO.3 UTSAV. Girish Kannad's movie is based on an ancient Sanskrit play called Mricchakatika. But, Kannad fills his movie with so many extras and have them debate theory of aesthetics that this movie becomes a succesful example of making your adaptation say what the original never said. The movie is narrated by Vatsayana (the man who wrote Kamasutra), here a bumbly sexless man who frequents brothels to note down extravagant sexual acts. The brothel and the courtesan in it are exuberantly celebrated that this movie should put to shame any Moulin Rouge pretenders. The story tells of a courtesan Vasantasena's love for a poor, married brahmin boy called Charudatta. When the king's brother has his eye on Vasanthasena, the stage is set for a dramatic end. Classiest sex comedy ever.
No.2 CHITRALEKHA This Chetan Anand's classic is based on Anatole France's Thaias and is one movie which is perhaps much better than the original. France's story was set in Egypt and the times of nascent Christianity and Anand succesfully shifts it ot Budhist India. The story tells of a king who has fallen so much in love with a courtesan Chitralekha that he forgets all his kingly duties. Time for a monk to enter and confront the offending woman with her sin and duty to the kingdom. Meena Kumari who played the title role is perhaps the greatest tragidienne ever and elevates this drama to a level normally unseen in movies.
N0.1 PINJAR. The title means Skeleton and this movie was based on Amrita Pritam's novel of the same time. Pritam, an anti-socialist is also the most well-known Punjabi writer. When this movie opened, the English language press in India quickly squelched it because it was made by a right-wing intellectual but this movie is filled with more humanism and sense of reconciliation than a liberal could have ever achieved. An Indian girl is abducted by a Muslim to settle the scores of a family feud, who quickly falls in love with her. Their tortured love story is set around the painful background of the partition of India when nearly 5 million people died. The movie has such a moral edge and raw beauty that I don't think it can ever be topped. An epic if there ever was one.
Omkara based on Othello
No.5 OMKARA Vishal Bharadwaj's take on Othello is set in rural UP, where gun-toting gangsters fight with each other for turf control. Bharadwaj's adaptation is very close to the original, differing only in little plot details. Othello might look like a trite story today but this movie manages to convey the sense of fate and evil and tragedy by the end. Awesomely cast, Ajay Devgan is a revelation as Othello whereas Saif Ali Khan was more critically acclaimed for his Iago. Kareen Kapoor makes for a fine Desdemona.
N0. 4 SURAJ KA SATWAN GHODA The title means The Seventh Horse of the Sun, made on a low budget by Shyam Benegal, this movie is a based on a famous Hindi novel of the same name. It tells the story of a single afternoon when a young man relates to his peers stories of three women he had known before. Rajit Kapoor, introduced here, charmingly conveys the tale of a man who has succesfully developed a veneer of humour to mask underlying heartbreak.
Utsav based on Mricchakatika
NO.3 UTSAV. Girish Kannad's movie is based on an ancient Sanskrit play called Mricchakatika. But, Kannad fills his movie with so many extras and have them debate theory of aesthetics that this movie becomes a succesful example of making your adaptation say what the original never said. The movie is narrated by Vatsayana (the man who wrote Kamasutra), here a bumbly sexless man who frequents brothels to note down extravagant sexual acts. The brothel and the courtesan in it are exuberantly celebrated that this movie should put to shame any Moulin Rouge pretenders. The story tells of a courtesan Vasantasena's love for a poor, married brahmin boy called Charudatta. When the king's brother has his eye on Vasanthasena, the stage is set for a dramatic end. Classiest sex comedy ever.
Pinjar based on Amrita Pritam's novel
N0.1 PINJAR. The title means Skeleton and this movie was based on Amrita Pritam's novel of the same time. Pritam, an anti-socialist is also the most well-known Punjabi writer. When this movie opened, the English language press in India quickly squelched it because it was made by a right-wing intellectual but this movie is filled with more humanism and sense of reconciliation than a liberal could have ever achieved. An Indian girl is abducted by a Muslim to settle the scores of a family feud, who quickly falls in love with her. Their tortured love story is set around the painful background of the partition of India when nearly 5 million people died. The movie has such a moral edge and raw beauty that I don't think it can ever be topped. An epic if there ever was one.
| 62 |
| Vote |
subscribe to this blog
