LITERATURE FINDS A NEW FRIEND
By Satyajit
Critic's I-view
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Literature is fortunately finding a foothold in Hindi filmdom as is evident from films like 'Devdas', 'Parineeta' , 'Maqbool' and 'Omkara' making their presence felt with full zeal at the box-office. Vishal Bharadwaj, the prolific music director-turned-filmmaker, has shown his literary edge when he successfully revamps and rehashes Shakespeare's tragedies like "Macbeth" and "Othello" into films like 'Maqbool' and 'Omkara'. The kid entertainer 'The Blue Umbrella' forms an important chain in this segment and is a significant breakthrough in his career as the film has bagged the prestigious National award for "Best Film for Children's category. It's an adaptation from Ruskin Bond's novella "The Blue Umbrella" with major fictional additions to suit the cinematic sensibilities and to cater to the literary likes of class audiences.
It's an honest as well as modest approach in getting inspired from a notable literary work rather than blindly aping Hollywood's films. It's Ruskin Bond's finest sentimental work that mainly caters to child audiences and its cinematic presentation justly encompasses this special genre of audiences. 'The Blue Umbrella' was earlier named as 'Chhatri Chor' but finally it was changed. It's an emotional journey about desires and a zealous attempt to fulfill it and finally about its conquest. Ruskin Bond's thought-provoking story "The Blue Umbrella" is a symbolic tale that shows its relevance in modern times and this time it's focused on the advent and desire of and for scintillating "blue umbrella".
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The symbolic "blue umbrella" symbolizes the "sky above" and the film shows the desires of attaining the supreme power and wealth irrespective of knowing its consequences or repercussions. Ruskin Bond, a favorite author among child readers, has preferred landscaped "hilly" locations and a beautiful Japanese "umbrella" to narrate this socially relevant concept. Vishal Bharadwaj has chosen a right subject but this caters to small genre and segment of audiences and might face unobserved attention from mass audiences.
Vishal's concept of plagiarizing this beautiful concept has many positive factors that make it an award winning show. He modestly admits that the second half of the film has been fictionalized as per Indian audience's sensibilities and to extend the duration of the film.
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The idea of painting "blue" umbrella to floral red shades is a fictionalized aspect but it has been done with great flair. It works on an old folk tale of shrewd fox that paints herself to disguise others but finally fails in her own trap. There are many positive aspects of 'The Blue Umbrella' besides tight scripting and screenplay. The biggest positive aspect lies in the acting department where both lead protagonists (Pankaj Kapoor and Shreya Sharma) excel to perfection. Especially, Pankaj Kapoor shows his versatility again after 'Dharam' and in this film he is simply brilliant in emoting out different expressions. The list of prodigal child actor goes longer this year with the addition of Shreya Sharma as she acts remarkably in an author backed role.
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Its second major highlight lies in cinematography and background score department where beautiful visuals and effective sound effects work appreciably. The beautifully cinematographed scene in the climax is well supported by impressive cinematography (Sachin K Krishn), effective sound effects (Dara Singh) and melodious background score (Vishal Bharadwaj). These add ample dosages of nostalgia to the film. It's one of the finest shot films of the year and captures the natural beauty and vegetation of landscaped Dalhousie in Himachal Pradesh with great aplomb. Scripting and screenplay (Vishal Bharadwaj, Minty Tejpal and Abhishek Chaubey) show competency in conceptualizing this child fictional subject with added events and characters.
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Vishal Bharadwaj rediscovers the passion of his debut directorial flick 'Makdee' in 'The Blue Umbrella' as its story is centralized on a little girl, Biniya (Shreya Sharma), an 11 year old from a tiny mountain village in North India. On a beautiful evening she discovers a radiant blue umbrella as she meets a bunch of foreign picnickers. They find Biniya's leopard locket attractive while she walks home with this beautiful "blue umbrella. She has never seen anything more striking and beautiful than this umbrella and its beauty attracts every villager.
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Unfortunately, the umbrella doesn't escape the greedy eyes of Nandkishore Khatri (Pankaj Kapoor), a tea stall owner who has passion for pickles and greed for money. He is a "penny-pinching" greedy old man who often double-crosses kids off their little possessions. Nandkishore is obsessed with the beauty of the "blue" umbrella and goes to remarkable lengths to acquire it but fails miserably. He has given up all hope and now he tries to buy a similar one but it's too expensive for him. However Nandkishore is not the only one to crave for this beautiful blue umbrella. In fact, the umbrella attracts everybody in the village. So, there are few others who eye this umbrella. One fateful day the umbrella goes missing! The villagers are sympathetic to her sadness but are convinced that Biniya's carelessness has resulted in the loss. Biniya decides to take matters into her own hands and takes the help of law in finding the real culprit. Nandkishore's tea stall is ransacked but still the umbrella is not found. What follows is a journey of Biniya and Nandkishore to a discovery of soulful enlightening that is much far and beyond the charms of Blue Umbrella?
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The added fictional elements are the added characters of "rangari" and the plot where Biniya investigates the change of her blue umbrella into red color. It's an added portion that gives a cinematic substance to the film and works well for the subject. Vishal Bharadwaj's authentically adapted 'The Blue Umbrella' is a metaphorical tale about desires and dreams that foray into grey shades of human nature. It questions the foundation of the mankind's quest for superiority over others. It also raises relevant and significant questions on the concept of material happiness and uselessness of the whole process.
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This eleven-reel entertainer is undoubtedly one of the finest works in child fictional genre this year that deserves all appreciation. Films like 'The Blue Umbrella' cannot be rated on its box office success as they are critics and class audience's delight. The film has recently bagged national award in the "Best Film for Children's" category and now its visibility in multiplexes will attract class audiences.
Besides this acclamation, it has received favorable reviews at the International Film Festival of India held in Goa this year and has been invited for a world premiere at the Pusan Film Festival. The film will be a heart warming treat for all Ruskin Bond admirers and readers all over the world. Its heaven like locations will tantalize viewers as this is where this celebrated writer has rendered immortal substance and given humanitarian touches to his characters through his writings. 'The Blue Umbrella' has not only open gates and vision for "inspirational" cinematic works but has delivered a relevant genre to the bunch of modern filmmakers who have shown insane and insatiable desire for irreverent Hollywood rip-offs.
Happy Viewing!
