The Tribune...Arts Tribune

Chandigarh, Friday, October 29, 1999

Dhillon’s magnum opus ‘‘Khalsa’’
By A.S.Prashar
MANGAL Dhillon refuses to give up. The difficulties, heartbreaks and frustrations he faced while making his magnum opus, “Khalsa”, were enough to drive anyone crazy.

Share the fun of photography
By Subhash Sapru
WHAT is a good photograph? The reply to this simple question can be complex. Once I asked a seasoned lensman if he would show me his best photograph.

Audioscan by ASC

Trend-setter in Urdu circles
By N.S. Tasneem
SOMETIMES he did not meet me for long, but I was always conscious of his presence. Now when he is no more, I feel having been deprived of a sustaining force.

Dhillon’s magnum opus ‘‘Khalsa’’
By A.S.Prashar

MANGAL Dhillon refuses to give up. The difficulties, heartbreaks and frustrations he faced while making his magnum opus, “Khalsa”, were enough to drive anyone crazy. But it is his never-say-die attitude, more than anything else, which has kept the film actor, producer, director and writer going where lesser mortals might have lost heart and gone home defeated. He is not only upbeat on the present project but has already begun to plan his next venture, “From Sikhs to Singhs”.

But before he does that, he says he will have to ensure a wider audience for his maiden venture, “Khalsa”, which he made for release at Anandpur Sahib on the occasion of the tercentenary celebrations of the birth of the Khalsa on April 14, 1999.

“I have already held 10 shows of the movie in different parts of the state and the response from the viewers has been overwhelming”, says Dhillon. But this is not enough. “I want that the movie on which I spent about Rs 70 lakh and nearly a year in actual production, not counting the years of painstaking research and script-writing, must be shown as widely as possible”. With this end in view, he plans to hold up to 3,000 shows of the movie all over the state in the villages, towns, cities and prominent gurdwaras in the coming months. It is also proposed to exhibit the movie in major gurdwaras overseas.

He has so far resisted the temptation to show the movie on the TV because he regards television is a “very casual medium” and does not want people to see a serious, true-to-history movie made on a grand scale in the same fashion as they would watch a soap opera or a sitcom drama.

A private sector bank, Bank of Punjab, has already agreed to sponsor 30 shows of the movie @ Rs 1 lakh per show. But this is not enough. Each show costs between Rs 65,000 and Rs 1 lakh, depending on the size of the auditorium or open space where it is staged. And if he has to reach out to a wider audience, he will have to look for bigger benefactors. “I am not looking for money, because it is not a commercial movie, but its cost of production must be covered.’’

He plans to hold a special show of the movie for the Punjab Cabinet at the PGI auditorium on December 1. The show which will also be attended by the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, will help the government in arriving at a decision on the kind of help it will extend in screening the movie in the state.

Making the movie was not easy. “It has been an uphill task right from the word go. I don’t know what overcame me when I decided to make a movie on such a sensitive subject as the ‘Khalsa’. I must have taken this decision in one of my weak moments.... Anyone familiar with the history of the Sikhs and the ethos of the Khalsa would know that it is a very tricky subject requiring thorough research and deep commitment to the subject. This was no mean task. There were so many contradictions about several important historical events that reconciling them with one another became quite a task. Writing an unbiased, balanced script to project the Khalsa history in its proper perspective itself became a big challenge”, he recalls.

Finally, when it was ready, the script was shown to the SGPC for its approval. “The process of securing approval of the supreme Sikh religious body proved to be quite time-consuming spread over a period of seven to eight months and involved chasing a couple of jathedars all over the state and making frantic trunk calls to them and the SGPC officials for months together”, he says.

Securing finance for the project was the next stage. He approached both the SGPC and the Government of Punjab. While the SGPC declined straightaway, pleading paucity of funds, the Punjab Government agreed after much haggling to finance to the tune of Rs 30 lakh against a bank guarantee of an equivalent amount. He decided to approach the NRIs and the well-to-do Sikh businessmen for the remaining amount, but to his surprise and disappointment, none came forward. Finally, he decided to raise the balance amount by taking loans from friends and relatives and by mortgaging his property.

The movie was finally completed a few days before Baisakhi, but premiering it on the occasion of the tercentenary celebrations of the Khalsa at Anandpur Sahib on April 14 proved to be another struggle. “We struggled, begged and pleaded with every important personality in the Punjab Government for allowing it to be screened in the main pandal during the tercentenary celebrations, but it was most frustrating to see each one of them pleading his helplessness in the matter”.

Finally, he won the permission to screen the movie on April 14. But shortly before it was to be exhibited, the sound system and cable network engineers folded up saying their contract with the government had expired at 6 p.m. Therefore, they were no longer duty bound to cooperate.

In desperation, he contacted Bhai Manjit Singh, Jathedar of Keshgarh Sahib, who somehow interceded on the behalf of Dhillon and organised the screening of the movie in the main pandal of the celebrations attended by thousands of people from all over the country. “It was a moment of fulfilment for me. We could not have asked for more. The response was overwhelming from the people. Many of them shed tears of pleasure and expressed gratitude to me for making a movie depicting an authentic version of the history of Sikhism”.

During the making of the movie, he had to devote his entire attention and energy to the project with the result that he went completely off-the-air. “None of my serials was being beamed on TV for the simple reason that I had no time to star in them. But I believe in God and by His grace I am now starring in one of the biggest serials, ‘Noor Jahan’”.

Share the fun of photography
By Subhash Sapru

WHAT is a good photograph? The reply to this simple question can be complex. Once I asked a seasoned lensman if he would show me his best photograph. He looked into my eyes, smiled and said, “The missed shots are the best ones.” And he appeared right.

Too many of us have cameras and take photographs, pursue photography as a hobby or have it as a means of earning. But on several occasions we must have said, “Had I taken that shot, it would have been my best picture.” Most of us keep our photographs to ourselves, perhaps thinking that others would not like them. But in case we get favourable comments from others, we realise that we have good pictures and are capable of clicking nice photographs. There are many who either hesitate from sending their pictures to photo exhibitions or do not get information about such exhibitions or salons and competitions — may these be regional, national or international.

What’s wrong in sharing our hobby with others. Photo exhibitions are generally open to all. International exhibitions are also open to all amateurs as well as professionals. However, the quality of entries and level of judging may vary from regional to national and international exhibitions. In national and international exhibitions most of the entries are from advanced photographers and many of the judges are experts. One can send monochrome or colour prints if there is no such binding. Most of these exhibitions also consider slides and have separate judging and shows.

In regional and national exhibitions there is no condition that the prints should have been made by the photographer himself. But in many international exhibitions there is a separate section for commercially processed prints. The largest permissible size of a print is 16” X 20” and minimum 8” X 10”. However, some international exhibitions also have small print section. One must keep in mind that these prints are for viewing at a distance rather than with the nose pressed hard against the glass. Some international exhibitions form a part of the print or slide circuit of four to six exhibitions or shows at different places and serious photographers get their prints forwarded to another circuit.

Anyone can enter up to four prints in each section or in other sections too like the colour print, monochrome, pictorial, nature, photojournalism, travel and stereo etc. Most of the exhibitions demand a moderate entry fee, which is sent along with the duly filled in entry form and photographs to be entered. The photographs are returned along with a catalogue to the entrants after the exhibition. For international exhibitions the entry fee can be sent in the form of international reply coupons available at post offices.

The exhibitions are conducted by various organisations engaged in the promotion of art of photography. They either advertise in the media or get the information regarding exhibitions printed in their journals which is also carried in the journals of the units or organisations affliated to them. Apart from this, the entry forms are also circulated through regional camera clubs or photographic organisations. Such organisations hold exhibitions with the support of volunteers.

But why do people send entries or why must one participate in these exhibitions when photography is considered to be an expensive hobby. Acceptances or awards in such exhibitions reflect one’s personal achievement and recognition besides providing an opportunity to get the works compared with others and make others know about one’s ability. These also introduce us to the fraternity of photo artists.

We can send all kinds of pictures, both indoor and outdoor, but the embarrassing ones and those taken with a flash are generally not considered by the judges. The judges are in fact evaluators who accept or reject pictures and grade them for display, merit certificates, honourable mention and awards on the basis of the available lot and situation. In case a picture gets the highest award in any exhibition, please keep in mind that the same may outrightly be rejected in another exhibition. The prints are not judged by any single judge, but by a team of two to three judges.

In most of the international exhibitions the pictures are judged in a light box and from a distance varying from 6 to 8 feet and the judges score the pictures. Generally 25 to 35 per cent of the entries are accepted for display. No wonder an experienced judge may reject the good pictures or a picture may win several awards for you in national as well as international exhibitions,

After the judging is over, report cards are sent to the entrants. In good salons or exhibitions, scores of a picture are mentioned on the report card as well as on the reverse of the pictures which enable the entrant to see for himself how the pictures had fared in the exhibition.

Those getting more than two acceptances in national or international exhibitions may find their names in “Who’s Who” brought out annually by well-established organisations. There are many organisations that are promoting the art of photography in a big way at the regional, national and international levels. Many cities in our country have local photographic associations which can provide all kinds of information to photo enthusiasts.

Once we get involved in this process of sending our entries, we must see whether we are using our ability to promote the art of photography or promoting ourselves. Different photographers have different levels of abilities and interests. Those who excel in one way or the other can make a lasting impact on the photographic community through the ways they share their skill. It’s better to take others along. There are people who share their ideas and experiences with others. We must learn from them.

There are photo enthusiasts who believe in experimentation and keep on trying different in-camera and darkroom techniques, but there are many who find themselves to the traditional styles and techniques and criticise those who always try to project new ideas.

Those who take up photography seriously should not be so serious that it may lead to their isolation. Photography should be a fun. Enjoy it and share this wonderful hobby with others.

Audioscan
by ASC

A rainbow collection

JHOOME JAHAN (Milestone): One remarkable thing about Indipop is that you are free to incorporate music of such bewilderingly varied variety. The singing duo of Preety and Pinky use this rainbow mine to the hilt. They have folk, sufiana, Western, Arabian and what not!

The influence of A.R. Rahman over some of the creations is unmistakable. No, it is not plagiarism but just keeping up with the trend.

This new pair, which so far has been engaged in stage shows, has gone out of its way to give an informal and personalised feeling to its work. The jacket of the album gives details about how and why a particular song was recorded and included. It is rather unusual to get to read how Appu (one of the arrangers) “came all the way from Ahmedabad to help us with the song Maula...”

The album also tells us that the concept was started with the folk number, In galiyon mein ...., which has a village feel about it. The beat is pure dandiya. This is supposed to have been selected out of the 40 concepts that were tried out. It makes interesting use of shehnai and soprano sax together.

The producers have put their bets on Pi pi papiha bole ..., which has been made into a video also and is doing rather well. Liberal use of the flute and a Gujarati instrument called Ravan Hatha is its distinguishing feature.

But this reviewer’s vote rather goes to Deewana hai dil ...., which has a lively chorus and a blowing trumpet. Dooba dooba ... should not be confused with a song of similar name in another hit cassette.

As far as lyrics are concerned, they are noteworthy only in the last song, Is zamine pe aisi to hogi jageh ... Overall, it is a satisfying debut album.

HELLO (Magnasound): There is a trademark sameness about Biddu’s creations. Here he gives the standard fare to singer Shail. He has composed four songs himself while the title song is credited to him and Timon Singh. Timon Singh has composed two other songs, including the duet Chupke chupke .... sung by Shail and Sophia Choudry. The album includes a version recording of Tere kadmon ko chhoo loonga....

Lyrics by Timon Singh are nothing to write home about. Patriotism injected into Shaan ... and Hasin Hindustan... has an amateurish streak. Shail has an average voice but manages to pass muster because he is not called upon to go beyond flat singing. At times, he sounds like Sonu Nigam, minus the riyaz of course.

SHRADHANJALI (Venus): The album allegedly contains hit songs from the films of the late Rajendra Kumar. But this one is hardly a tribute, considering that the much-loved and remembered songs have been sung not by Rafi, Mukesh and Lata but by the likes of Bankim Pathak, Jaishree Shivram, Kumar, Anupama Despande, Tapas Kumar, Kamlesh Awasthi and Dhruv Vyas. In this age of remixes, even that could have been bearable, if only the imitation was authentic. But the wannable singers do not do even that. The word chakoree is pronounced as chakorey in Aaja tujhko pukaren mere geet re ... while nazaro becomes naizaro in Baharo phool barsao ...

Yours truly liked many of the 14 songs included here. So far that is! After hearing this imitation job, they would never evoke the same feelings.

Trend-setter in Urdu circles
By N.S. Tasneem

SOMETIMES he did not meet me for long, but I was always conscious of his presence. Now when he is no more, I feel having been deprived of a sustaining force. He represented the period of my past when I was introduced to the best in Urdu literature and later inspired to write fiction in that language. On his part he was not a writer in the strict sense of the term, but an editor who had a flair for discovering talent. He was in the service of a bank, so his name appeared in the journals he edited as honorary editor. But he was popularly known as ‘hon(e)y editor’.

Mohinder Bawa was a name to reckon with in Urdu literary circles during the ‘50s and the ‘60s. As a person he was unassuming, but very assertive as an editor. He could never compromise the quality of the material he used in the Urdu monthly “Pagdandi” and later an Urdu quarterly “Nigarish”, which he edited with eclat. In this way, shortly after Partition, he put Amritsar on the Urdu literary map of India. For a long time, these journals served as a bridge between the litterateurs of India and Pakistan as there were fewer restrictions on the exchange of books and journals in those days.

Mohinder was a trend-setter in many ways. He started publishing short novels in the regular bumper issues of ‘Nigarish’. Later, he presented special numbers, like “novel number” and “Jigar Moradabadi number” in the format of books to his readers. He was a key-figure during discussions and seminars on the various aspects of literature. He never minced words while expressing his views and his was invariably the final word.

He established during the span of two decades personal contacts with renowned poets, short story writers and novelists from both sides of the border. Many a time Qateel Shifai came from Lahore and stayed in Amritsar for days together as his guest. On the eve of his departure for Bombay, Gulzar met him and handed over his Urdu short story for publication in ‘Pagdandi’. My debut Urdu novel ‘Sogwar’, which had been prompted by him, was published in ‘Nigarish’ in 1960.

Then it so happened that Mohinder became a recluse so far as literary activities were concerned. His friends and admirers later realised with a shock that he had totally disappeared from the literary scene. It is distressing to note that such a renowned figure, both as a person and an editor, spent the last years of his life as a nonentity. His death last month in his home town Amritsar was mourned by only a few Urdu poets and writers, as he had been successful in erasing his image from the memory of others. His end in fact was the culmination of a series of painful experiences of his life.