Indian Cinema: Parallel & Commercial

• By the 1970s, Indian cinema was marked by actors such as Rajesh Khanna and actresses like Asha Parekh.
• Many Hindi filmstars began their careers in regional films
• The 1980s saw a rise in woman directors, including Aparna Sen and Meera Nair.
• Films like Gandhi and Taare Zameen Par, aim to educate.
• Films such as Sarkar and Fashion reflect the socio-political scenarios.
• Indian cinema continues to evolve, producing a great number of films.

Parallel Cinema

• The Parallel or New Cinema movement started in regional cinema in the late 1960s.
• The movement was initiated by films like 'Bhuvan Shome', financed by the Film Finance Corporation (FFC).
• New Indian cinema focused on social significance and artistic sincerity, presenting a humanist perspective.
• This cinema was characterized by significant themes, innovative treatment, and a pursuit of truth.

Indian Commercial Cinema

• Commercial cinema is the most popular form of cinema in India, with a huge following.
• It is produced not only in Hindi but also in other regional languages of East and South India.
• Commercial films are typically long, approximately three hours with an interval, and feature music.

Regional Cinema in India

• India has one of the largest film industries in the world, producing thousands of movies annually.
• The Indian film industry includes Hindi films, Regional movies, and Art cinema.
• The Indian film industry is supported by the Indian public and gaining popularity worldwide, especially in countries with emigrant Indians.

Indian Cinematograph Act of 1952

• Enacted by the Indian Government to regulate film certification.
• Formalized the establishment and operation of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).
• It calls for the Central Government to elect a Chairman of the Censor Board as well as assistants.

Institutions in India associated with films industry in India

• The Film Division was constituted in January 1948, with headquarters in Mumbai.

• It produces documentaries, films, animation films and news magazines.

• Its aims are to educate people, promote national programs, and protect the country's image.

• The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) was set up under the Cinematograph Act of 1952.

• CBFC certifies films for public exhibition in India.

• The National Film Development Corporation Limited (NFDC) was incorporated in 1975.

• NFDC's primary objective is planning and promoting an organized development of the Indian film industry.

• The National Film Archive of India was established in February 1964, under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

• Its aims are to preserve national cinema heritage, classify film data, encourage research, and disseminate film culture.

• The Directorate of Film Festivals was set up in 1973, under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

• The aim is to promote good cinema.

• The Children's Film Society is a nodal organization, established in 1955.

• It produces children's films and programs in various Indian languages.

• There are three main classifications of crafts: Folk, Religious and Commercial.

Folk Crafts

• Folk crafts are created by people for their personal use or for a small client base.
• Folk embroideries by village women are an example.
• Craftsmen specialize in textiles or jewellery, meeting criteria set by specific groups and having unique designs.

Religious Crafts

• Religious crafts develop around religious themes and centres.
• These items connect with religious institutions and ceremonies.
• Specific places in India specialize in certain craft items e.g. Varanasi and Kanchipuram in silk materials.

Commercial Crafts

• Commercial crafts are made by professionals specializing in a particular skill.
• They cater to specific groups and use particular tools and techniques.
• Weavers, the dyers, the printers, the goldsmiths and the carpenters are some of the commercial craftsmen.

Kinds of Handicrafts in India

• Bamboo handicrafts are eco-friendly crafts, made in West Bengal, Assam and Tripura.
• Cane handicrafts use utilitarian objects like trays and stylish furniture, district of Tamil Nadu is famous.
• Bone and horn handicrafts, created in Odisha, are famous for the creation of animal figures.
• Clay craft or pottery is one of the most primitive form of handicrafts in India, Uttar Pradesh is known for its painted Black Wares.
• Bell metal crafts utilize a hard form of bronze. Bell metal crafts are common in Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Assam and Manipur.
• Brass handicrafts feature items like crawling Krishna, Lord Ganesha figures, vases, lamps etc.
• Dhokra handicrafts, known for traditional simplicity, originated in Madhya Pradesh.
• Jute handicrafts include bags, office stationeries etc, with West Bengal Assam and Bihar, being the leading producers.
• Paper handicrafts like kites, masks, located in Delhi, Rajgir and Allahabad.
• Rock carving can be seen in Rajasthan, Odisha and Nagpur.
• Shell handicraft is made out of shell, bangles, forks and decorative bowls are created.
• Weaving or Embroidery handicrafts mainly refers to the process of cloth production by two thread sets.

Geographical Indications (GI)

• Geographical indications identify a product as originating from a specific country or region.
• The name conveys an assurance of quality.

Some Indian Products under GI

• Examples include Darjeeling Tea, varieties of Sarees, Fabrics, and other unique products.

• The Indian film industry (Bollywood) is considered as the biggest film industry worldwide.

• Hindi is the main language, most regional languages of India has its own mini film industry catering for their respective areas.

History of Indian Cinema

• The Lumiere brothers' films were shown in Bombay on July 7, 1896, shortly after their premiere in France.
• Harishchandra Sakharam Bhatavdekar made a film on a wrestling match in 1899.
• Dadasaheb Phalke made the first silent feature film, Raja Harishchandra, in 1913.

The Era of Silent Films (1913-31)

• Save Dada made first short films in India as early as 1897.
• Hiralal Sen directed first short films in India, starting with Flower of Persia (1898).
• The film, Raja Harishchandra was released in 1913.

Pre-Independence Talkies (1931-47)

• The silent era ended and the talkies era ushered in.
• Films were primarily made in Hindi, Tamil, Bengali and Telugu.
• The 1930s and the 1940s saw the rise of film figures like Debaki Bose and Chetan Anand.
• By the late 1940s, films in India were primarily made in various languages, but the religious influence was predominant.
• Indian cinema started to reflect contemporary social issues relating to Independence.

Post-Independence Films (1947-Till Today)

• The 1950s are considered the Golden period in the history of Indian cinema.
• Guru Dutt, Mehboob Khan, Raj Kapoor, Balraj Sahni and Bimal Roy graced the screens.
• In Bombay, K Asif's Mughal-e-Azam was released in 1960.
• The Indian Art cinema (also known as Parallel cinema or New Wave cinema) achieved national fame and glory.

Interesting Facts about Indian Cinema

• Alam Ara (1931) was the first Indian talking film.
• Indra Sabha had the most number of songs, with 71.
• LOC Kargil is the longest Indian movie, with 4 hrs 25 min.
• Kisan Kanya (1937) is the first colour film in India.
• Bhanu Athaiya was the first Indian to get an Oscar in 1982 for best costume designer for Richard Attenborough's film Gandhi
• The song Ab Tumhare Hawale Watan Saathiyo is the longest Hindi film song with a length of 20 minutes.