Amarnath Talkies: Cinema for the Small Town
The Indian Premier League (IPL) and the tussle between Producers and Mulitplexes in Bollywood has taken its toll on cinema and cinema-goers. IPL has become another name for “reality show”. It is the baap of all reality game shows – these CRICKET matches. IPL has yet again proved that it has a “power” even over the other most important source of entertainment for Indians — TV Serials, Poll Tamasha and CINEMA. This is because Cricket in India is not just a game, it’s a religion. In general, both cinema and cricket make the staple of our entertainment dose, and in fact move beyond entertainment to being the life breath of people who take these as “national pride”. But, the IPL fever has been such that cinema has suffered a serious setback. For a “cinema worshiper” like myself not going to theatre because of the lack of new releases and “good” movies has become some kind of a punishment. Added to this, recession has made the going extremely tough. While, I see many of my seniors and batchmates struggling for a “decent” pay check even after toiling like hell on their thesis or MTPs in IIT, the only thing I feel like having is a heady dose of a real good masala blockbuster in a theatre.
I am becoming nostalgic and slightly angry! I will come to the nostalgia part in a short-while, but first let me recount the reasons for my anger. Let’s pan the camera towards some of the bigger movies that have released in the last few months: Chandni Chowk to China (CC2C), Dilli6, Billu Barber aka Salon Specialist (latter my addition), Aa Dekhen Zara, Firaq, Raaz — the Mystery Continues, Siddharth…. This list is recollected from memory, apologies for slippages if any. Unfortunately, I do not appreciate any of the above movies. The less said about CC2C is better…Dilli6 had the possibilities of an amazing movie with one of my favorite star cast (Waheedaji) and some of the best tracks that I have heard in the recent times (I like Masakali and Genda Phool immensely). But one has to remember that a movie should “speak for itself” rather than “speak about itself”. I went to watch Firaq in the theatres. It is a technically very well-made movie, but if you ask me about its content I would say that it is flawed. Movies which are made with a “social message” are supposedly “balanced” in their “judgement” of a particular incident. Firaq comes under that genre of cinema and so naturally one expects that it shows a certain kind of “balanced” portrayal of the sensitivities associated with both religions. But….
I am having a hunch that in the name of making “serious cinema” or “matured cinema”, our “cinema-making” capabilities are suffering badly. Added to that, media, cinema-makers and actors have made “gossip” a staple for PRing a particular movie. If you observe the current trend of Bollywood, before every release there is a new gossip to pepper the marketing of a movie but no one bothers to look into the subtleties of acting or making a “real good movie“. I suspect it is the PR-ship of a movie which is responsible for the saleability of the movie rather than the movie itself. Take the war between Khans, the over-hyped and sometimes maligned life of Salman, Katrina-Ranbir/Preity-Ness and innumerable such stories. It seems that the “cinema-lovers” attention has now diverted from actual cinema into the rumours and real life drama in the lives of celebrities. We are virtually given the life of Big Boss viewers. Not that there were no gossips or rumors in the yester-year celebrities. Starting from Nargis-Rajkapoor to Hemamalini-Dharmender or Amitabh-Rekha to the current Sanju-Manyata rumour mills have always been ablaze. These yesteryear stars were not only celebrities who gave reasons for rumours because of their public image, they were also great actors and immensely dedicated to their career.
The trend has changed now. Today the personal lives of stars are so flavored and served in such gorgeously decked-up china platters that they appear more delicious than their movies themselves. For instance, while reading articles one on Sharukh’s pay cut and the other on Rishi Kapoor’s recent interview to Rajeev Masand in a famous news channel, I felt a twinge of sadness and sympathy . The life of an actor like Shahrukh is being measured by the “cut in his pay check” and that he had to accept it in a wedding “for not dancing”! Similarly, it was actually not in a good taste to say that Katrina is “better” than Deepika just about the time when a new movie of Ranbir-Katrina Ajab Prem ki Gajab Kahani is about to hit the theatres. Is this gossip thing not going a little too far and actually destroying the potential of good actors who are now paying more attention to their lives off-screen rather than on-screen?
That brings us to the “small town cinema” aspect and to Amarnath Talkies.
I am sure that hardly any of my readers might have even heard of “Amarnath Talkies“. It is a small single-screen theatre of a capacity not more than a 150-200 people in the sleepy town of Dhenkanal somewhere in the heart of Odisha. The theatre has a balcony that is called sankha and a small arena called samudra. The balcony caters to the “well-to-do” people of the town and also to the newly married couples who get a rare once or twice in a life time privilege of getting away from their extended families in the name of “taking ‘her’ to the cinema” 
. The cost of these balcony seats extend not beyond 20-30 rupees per head. The movies that premiered in Mumbai are released in the these small-town theatres after nearly a 7-8 months gap. In those days, we used to read reviews in Cine Blitz or Film Fare, read gossips and wait eagerly for a certain movie to release. The release of a certain block-buster movie carried a great fanfare. A peddle rickshaw decked up with huge posters of the movie and a man sitting inside with a bhonpoo (loud speakers) in hand, would be shrieking and announcing the arrival of a new movie in town: “Heyi heyi re! Asantu dekhiba Amir-Juhinka Dhamaka Ishq apanka nijara Amarnath theatre re (Let’s all go and watch the new movie Ishq starring Amir Khan and Juhi Chawla in your nearest Amarnath theatre) !” I always enjoyed listening to these announcements as they really served to heighten the anticipation for the movie 
.
Well, we hardly got to watch movies in Amarnath Talkies and the reasons were simple — the theatre was always littered with pan thook and smelt of bidi . The hoot and whistling in the hall almost drowned the voice of stars performing on screen. Generally parents were afraid of taking their “grown-up” daughters to such theatres because the comments were somewhat “below dignity”. Yet, there were unique occasions when parents could not deny taking the kids to watch movies. When movies like Saajan, Ishq, Dil toh Pagal Hai, Kuchh Kuchh Hota Hai released, their fame was such that they could be avoided at no cost. These movies came to the theatre almost a year after they were released in Mumbai and by then they had already become mega blockbusters.
My own experience with these small town theatres are highly nostalgic. For instance, an entire theatre in Angul (my parents worked there) was booked by a relative as a birthday gift for me. We all went to watch Raja Hindustani with four-five friends and their families and the relatives’ family in that theatre where we were served tea and juice. In general, on most of the occasions it used to be night-shows in Amarnath Talkies with aunts, uncles, parents and friends and that too with “dinner only at home” as the condition (not like cinema goers of Mumbai). Watching a movie was no less than a carnival. In another instance, we had run away from school to watch Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge in one of these theatres. We bunked school after the tiffin-hours and went to the Talcher talkies with friends to watch this movie which had become a cult of our times. But, the fear of being caught and punished kept looming large and made the experience of the movie even more enjoyable. My grandfather took me to a special screening in Amarnath Talkies of the English movie ET and its Odiya adaptation, meant specially for journalists, writers and critics. Those were the times when we could connect to the movie itself and the thought of the movie remained fresh on our minds like the taste of chocolates….
These small town theatres served another purpose. They were the major source of promoting regional cinema in their showtimes. Every Durga Puja or Kali Puja or Id , blockbuster movies released which sustained the regional film industries. But, with the arrival of VCD/DVDs and pirated movies, regional movies suffered huge losses. As a result, today you do not find movies like Amada Bata (The Untrodden Path), Danda Balunga (The Street Loafer) Adina Megha (The Unseasonal Cloud), Samuka (The Shell), etc any more in Odiya film industry. Regional films have actually suffered a huge setback in Odisha (in Maharastra to some extent too) where the audiences are more biased towards Bollywood. Not only the viewers are responsible for the debacle of regional movies, but also the producers/directors are equally responsible with their small investment, verbatim copy of Bollywood movies and very bad cinematography (Telugu and Tamil movies are exceptions to some extent). It is not correct to say that good writers, scripts, directors are lacking in these places. There are good writers, scripts and directors, but the investment is definitely poor and so is the mindset. Moreover, since most of the small-town theatres have closed down so where would the prints be sold? Many of these theatres have been converted into Kalyan Mandaps or worse still have become places where goons, loafers and underworld lives. But the thought of Maharaja theatre, Shreya-Stuti or Amarnath theatre in Odisha arouses the same kind of longing for a “good” movie as does the thought of Regal, Metro or Shreyas in Mumbai.
Somehow, as an ardent movie-fan I wish for a change we made some real cool masala hits, forgetting the “technicalities” and the “processes” of movie making. Recently, I was talking on phone with an aunt in Odisha and she was going gaga over Salman’s God Tussi Great Ho which she got to see in one of these smaller theatres. I was wondering what was so intelligent or cool about the movie? I went back and watched that movie and I am not ashamed to admit that I enjoyed it much more than Singh is King (the latter was a huge hit)….
Hmm! how I pray that this war between producers and multiplexes end soon. I have already started missing the movies….
Your analysis on the connection of IPL and Bolywood movies are true. But, I would say, IPL is better than masala bolywood movies. Enjoy the thrilling moments in home or big screen, not the gossiping in cinema halls
Not much idea about small town cinema theaters. But, yes, I can see the condition of Shreyas/Uday (Ghatkopar) after the multiplexes like Huma/Adlabs came into existence. The last movie I had watched in Shreyas – “Mei Hoon Na” – some 5 years back and that too “black ticket”
John
May 3, 2009 (Sunday) at 1:21 am
You are right about regional cinema losing out to Bollywood. With exorbitant ticket prices in multiplexes, the average cinema goer cannot afford to regularly go for a movie. Even with tax exemptions from the government, the multiplex owners don’t reduce their charges too much. This, after they claim that entertainment tax accounts for 40% of the cost of the ticket. Multiplexes have also received a five year tax holiday in many states. Imagine what would happen once this tax holiday is over. That is why piracy is flourishing. With Moser Baer making CDs and DVDs of movies available at Rs. 30 and Rs. 99 respectively, piracy has come down. You get to watch the entire original movie with your family at your leisure at your home.
Marathi cinema suffered because there were not many good script writers. Also, cinema finances in the 80s were very murky with underworld being involved. The kind of returns the underworld demands, cannot be achieved by regional movies. However, recently Marathi cinema industry is seeing a revival. The industry got a boost from Shwaas, which was nominated for the Oscars. Now, as is with Hindi cinema, Marathi cinema too is experimenting with unconventional scripts. The Marathi movie watcher has always preferred cinema with a little bit of intellect to it. Even the comedy cannot be slapstick like the Govinda ones.
Vinay
May 3, 2009 (Sunday) at 9:43 am
I’m envious. You write well on cinema and related stories
Some addition to the post and to vinay’s comment:
1. There are some classical movies got international acclamation such as (a) oriya – Bhukha, Matira Manisha, (b) bengali – Pather Panchali. But, have not seen such kind of movies in the last 20 years. The art and the industry should not die.
2. Shwaas is definitely a class apart from its contemporary movies. The script and the direction are superb. The child actor is just brilliant.
3. Theater groups are also dying. I think Anne can write something on them.
smith
May 3, 2009 (Sunday) at 11:20 am
Hey Anne,
I agree with you (quite hesitant though) on the popularity of Regional movies. This is because, I am a die-hard fan of Oriya movies. My mother and grandma used to pick me up from my school to watch the first day first show of Oriya movies
As Smith said, Bukha is a classic. That is a movie of a life time. One should see Sadhu Meher’s creation there as a director and an actor. Moreover, that is the only Sambalpuri Movie which got national and international awards.
One should watch “Ankur” – a Sadhu Meher-Shabana Azmi movie to know what the village life, art and creativity are. It is tough to describe in words, needs a thorough watch.
Like Matira Manisha, Arundhati, Ulka, Sapana Banika, Hishab Nikash, Jaughara, Arati, Alibha Daga, Amada Bata, Adina Megha, Batighara, Gauri, Hakim Babu ….and many more.. are some of the very good movies Oriya Film industry had produced. FYI, I have a collection of almost all such movies (starting from the black and white time).
Like Oriya Movies, I’ve seen Alai Payude (Tamil), Shwaas(Marathi), Pather Panchali (Bengali) etc. They are much better than so called big hit Hindi Movies.
@Smith: Do you remember Arnapurna Theater artists? I have seen at least some 20/25 shows of them. Superb story line, acting, music and direction.
Thanks anne for making me nostalgic
aamjunta
May 3, 2009 (Sunday) at 10:34 pm
My God!! the comments are some times longer than the post
Like your narration and the connection very much. Good writing style. Thanks.
anonymous
May 3, 2009 (Sunday) at 11:26 pm
Hi, interesting post. I have been wondering about this issue. So thanks for writing. I’ll certainly be coming back to your posts.
Lossy
May 4, 2009 (Monday) at 5:11 pm
@john, @smith, @vinay, @aamjunta, @anonymous and @lossy thank you so much for your comments.
@anonymous: the length of the comments shows that the post could involve the readers. Thanks for the compliments
@smith and aamjunta: The quality of regional movies have become a matter for serious concern. Acting can be learnt or accumulated if we have good script and directors. In the case of Odiya movies, it would do us much good if instead of copying blockbusters we can use some original scripts from Odiya literature.
@vinay: yes Marathi cinema underwent a period of gestation before producing Swas and some new movies in that genre. Amol Palekar is an amazing filmmaker and his movies in Marathi are actually very innovative and well-made.
@lossy: thanks for appreciating
.
Anne De Plume
May 4, 2009 (Monday) at 9:35 pm
Is there a Amarnath Talkies in Angul? or you were talking about the Talkies in Dhenkanal. I still remember the theaters in Odisha..
Best thing: See a movie for just 10 rupees sitting in the highest class chair/Diamond circle.
The Worst aspect: Even the chairs in Diamond circle are broken n you can easily find mosquitoes and blood sucking creatures. The sound system is always amazing. and if you go when only few tickets got to sale you will be with no Fan and a power cut.. you have to wait till the power comes back..
What Mam .. Hope I am very much right! I can still write about it but as you know time never permits .
Few best moments in Odisha are spent in that theater
Pavan
May 5, 2009 (Tuesday) at 11:06 am
Quite a thorough analysis ! Do start submitting columns for newspapers.
About the Odiya industry(me being a detached Odiya), I strongly think that profit expectations is crippling the industry which demotivates the stakeholders(directors/scriptwriters ) to try out good projects. I seem to lament at the outdated plots which many of my Odiya friends claim good movies. It is one regional industry I see that has not evolved with time. e.g. Many telugu releases gross more profits than their bollywood counterparts. Comparison of state economies can also be a reason. However , one hopes a few role models, one-two grand experiments may change everything for good.
Also, comparing movies across time would be futile, analysing classics of Shyam Benegal or Satyajit Ray with any movie today does not take into account that movies then were meant to be art pieces to be watched, analysed, recollected and discussed among groups. It had the reputation of a good classic novel depicted on screen and suited for a time devoid of cable TV or internet. Movies now do not have a monopoly on entertainment and hence have to take up masala antics.
Amarnath talkies sounds nostalgic.. Quite daring of you to try out DDLJ.
Litan
May 5, 2009 (Tuesday) at 11:40 pm
Single screen cinema theaters should be given more preferences than the multiplexes. Can we do some thing on that?
noni
May 6, 2009 (Wednesday) at 1:00 pm
@ Pavan: Amarnath talkies is in Dhenkanal. U can chk, I have written about it and I have also written about some of my experiences with the small theatres in Angul and Talcher.
Thanks for sharing love for movies in these small theatres. Any one who has lived in Dhenkanal will understand the romanticism associated with the small town. 
@Litan: Thanks for the comment. Odiya cinema needs good scripts and really dedicated directors and actors. We had some very good movies in the past. Some of the names I have mentioned in the post and some have been discussed by aamjunta and smith in their comments. Shyam Benegal and Satyajit Ray were also criticised in their own time. A movie becomes a classic only for succeeding generations. In the case of regional movies and especially Odiya cinema one has to go back in time to see a comparison as for the last 10-12 years I am yet to see some movie which is class apart and which can claim to live in our memories.
@noni: some good news. The strike seems to be doing good to single-screen theatres. Apparently, some of the movies will be released now in single-screen nation wide. Chk this news piece at Ibn:
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/no-solution-no-show-filmmakermultiplex-row-on/91859-8.html
Anne De Plume
May 6, 2009 (Wednesday) at 8:00 pm
As for me i have watched marathi theatre and for that matter quite a few South Indian artist are from the marathi theatre. There was a Controversy brewing a few days ago when theatre owners were up in arms with the marathi movie makers, since they were not being allowed to stage theatre shows in case there were no marathi movie releases, and the court judged in favour of the theatre owners. It was a wise decision i must say since it gives impetus to the theatre lovers and the artists too. For that matter i applaud Nasarussin shah and others coz they is still into theatre and the form of expression therein. They keep alive the form of expression that was used in ancient times when no electronic form of media was available, also a medium used during the 1857 uprising to unite people.
I don’t quite understand the IPL euphoria, since there is a form of regionalism which is being bred within people, ofcourse i could be wrong on that note, and knowing the Indian short term memory i think i am wrong.
eddieskitchen
May 6, 2009 (Wednesday) at 8:45 pm
is amarnath talkies still showing hindi/oriya cinemas? interesting post. i suggest you to publish these type of articles in some oriya portals and/or in oriya magazines.
Thanks
anonymous
May 10, 2009 (Sunday) at 11:12 am
@ Eddie: Cool analysis. Naseeruddin Shah rocks…. But, theatre is itself an endangered species because of the fast and easy form of entertainment through TV, movies, etc.
@Anonymous: No idea if Amarnath Talkies still functions….Have left the place for a very long time. As far as publishing these pieces in oriya magazine/portals, well I will need a translator for that. I am not very fluent in literary Odiya or written Odiya. Thanks for the compliment.
Anne De Plume
May 10, 2009 (Sunday) at 3:39 pm