Almost fifty years ago,
with this movie, Sunil Dutt
attempted something remarkably innovative and courageous… a hundred minute
feature starring no one else but himself!
Vanity is undesirable.
But no one can deny that some of the greatest artists been some of the most
vainglorious people of their time. Be it painters or actors, politicians or
writers. If the vanity was not in their words, it was in their works. If it was
not in their works, it was in their actions. In some ways a Mahatma Gandhi
walking semi-naked, with just a loincloth on, into the viceroy’s office was a
blasphemously vain thing to do!
So, is humility
overrated?
Cinema, being a visual
medium, is a breeding ground for narcissism. Some people, the privileged lot
blessed by above average looks, express the very emotion by being very finicky
about their physicality. Some others take the other route, of being much in
love with their craft- and in the process many of them end of pushing the
envelope. ‘Yaadein’ is one such
example where an artist’s indulgence with himself and his craft has produced an
extremely unique and personal piece of work. More than a movie, it is a
statement that there is no limit to creativity and that the possibilities are
indeed infinite.
But all said and done
cinema is a medium to entertain, most would say. But a few would add that it is
also a medium to express. However, the two things are seldom separate as more
innovative the expression, more is the probability of it also being
entertaining. So is ‘Yaadein’ entertaining? Depends on what your cup of tea is.
For those who can
appreciate experiments for how much out from the box they are, will certainly
relish watching the movie, despite its excruciatingly slow pace. Also, there is
another set of people (a big one at that) who might identify with a lot of
things Sunil Dutt does in the movie- people who are married and especially ones
who have been that for a while. But those who look for a story (a majority I
presume) would be disappointed (that is if they manage to complete the film- my
guess is they won’t! I just about managed myself).
The film has a young
Sunil Dutt coming home after work and discovering that his wife has walked out
of his life- taking with her their two kids and leaving behind a note… and
lifetime of memories. As the night progresses the man starts reminiscing of the
past and transforms from being an angry and vengeful husband to a helpless and
hopeless romantic, longing for his wife and kids. In the process his soliloquy
is what keeps the audience company. Instead of using other actors, Sunil Dutt
uses sounds, dialogues, shadows, puppets, balloons, and what not- to create the
scenes. To an ardent movie lover, this very compromise and how it is executed
would be worth the hundred minutes of the run-time.
Once I was done
watching the film, a question just came to my mind intuitively. How does Sanjay
Dutt feel when he watches this film of his parents? It is like reading a
personal diary for it contains so many moments that seem to come straight out
of Sunil Dutt and Nargis Dutt’s lives. Today both of them are no more, but
their work would remain forever for the benefit of their posterity (and the
fans). Truly, cinema (or art in general) is one sure way created by mere mortals to achieve immortality. It is
their elixir; it is their ‘Piyush’… (pardon couldn't resist!)