1
MRINAL SEN (May 14, 1923 - ) By Gopalan Mullik
27 Feature Films, 5 Documentary Films, and 1 TV Serial of Tele Films. Mrinal Sen’s Cinema has clearly three hases in his filmma!in" life, each chan"e occurrin" after an intense hase of dee introsection. #ach of these transformations in$ol$ed distinct chan"es in the areas of film content, narrati$e atterns, and filmma!in" techni%ues of his cinema. Firs !"as# (19$$ % 19&4)' Mrinal S#n, "# uanis &is films durin" this eriod are' 1. 1(55 1(55 ) *aat *aat +hor +horee 2. 1(5 1(5 ) -eel -eel !sh !sher er -ic -iche he /. 1(0 1(0 ) +ai +aish shee Shr Shra$ a$an anaa . 1(01 (01 ) 3un 3unaascha scha 5. 1(0/ 1(0/ ) 4as 4ashe hesh shee 0. 1(0 1(0 ) 3ro 3roti tini nidh dhii *urin+ "is p#rio, S#n asn. a r#/#l0 # sou+" o ork i" #sa/lis"# sars, olloin+ "# ollyoo narrai# an ilakin+ raiion0 t 6as, ho6e$er, the social ro4lems he hi"hli"hted ) conu"al lo$e durin" famine, ro4lems of 6oman 86or!in" 6oman, di$orcee and 6ido6 remarria"e etc9 : 6hich made him out to 4e a different !ind of filmma!er. There 6as no trace of the fire:eatin" re$olutionary of the Shravana (19&) , "# 3aradise Caf;. lthou"h he loo!ed at o$erty, o$erty, as in Baishe Shravana in. pro#5 any o#r Mar6is an+l# . The underlyin" hilosohy of his films durin" all these years 6as humanism in a 4road and uni$ersal sense. 3olitically, his films 6ere in line 6ith the sirit of the time.
imity to the So$iet ?nion. 8DM, 1((5, . :1.9 Durin" this eriod the elements that !et occurrin" in his films are' i) Liberal Hu Humanist id ideology ii) Adoption of a settled Story Line iii) iii) Adop Adopti tion on of Holl Hollyw ywoo ood d Nar Narra rati tive ve Patt Patter ern n iv) Adopti Adoption on of Hollyw Hollywood ood Filmma Filmmakin king g e! e!hni hni"ue "ue in #amera #amera$$ Sou Sound$ nd$ and %diting v) &orking with es established Star !a !ast &is first film, 'aat Bhore (19$$) Bhore (19$$), starrin" ?ttam @umar, Sa4itri Chatteree, et. al, 6as released almost simaltaneously 6ith *ay=s Pather *ay=s Pather Panchali, Panchali, *a @aoor=s Sree 420, 420, Shantaram=s Jhanak Shantaram=s Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baje Baje,, &emant @umar=s Nagin @umar=s Nagin,, De4a!i @umar +ose=s Bhalobasa +ose=s Bhalobasa,, etc. &o6e$er, 6hile some of the other films created history, his film disaeared 6ithout a trace from the cinema halls. Sen diso6ns this film.
2 8t 6as insired 4y his ersonally 6itnessin" the incident of a dead child fallin" from his father=s hands and 4ein" lost in the ostlin" cro6d at -imtolla "hat durin" the cremation of the oet9. Punas!ha (19&1) is the story of tensions that de$elo in relationshis 6hen a 6oman has to "o out for 6or! for the first time. n Pratinidhi (19&4) , *ama, a 6ido6 6ith a 5 yr. old son Tutul, falls in lo$e 6ith -ire n and marries him 4ut Tutul refuses to accet him. *ama starts sufferin" from a middle class "uilt comle> to6ards her first hus4and and his child. -iren is also ne$er comforta4le 6ith Tutul and "ro6s increasin"ly imatient 6ith *ama. ll these tensions ) 4red 4y the dee rooted reudices a"ainst 6ido6 remarria"e : ultimately forces *ama to commit suicide. There is a scene after *ama=s suicide that Sen remem4ers fondly ) 6hich is a different ta!e on a similar scene in Apur Sansar (19$9) ) 6here *ama=s first hus4and=s 4rother comes to -iren to "i$e the ne6s. s he !noc!s on the door and it is oened, -iren only utters a sin"le monosylla4le ==@o!honA== 8 office con$inced him that he 6as not cut out for commercial cinema. &e tried all "enres ) from "rim tra"edy to sentimental melodrama to comedy ) 4ut nothin" 6or!ed. &e 6ent into a dee introsection and found that he didn=t enoy con$entional story:tellin" at all, nor 6as he hay to handle too many characters on a lar"e can$as. That 6as the 6ea!ness in his early films 6hen he couldn=t sustain the interest of his audience durin" the second half of a film. &e found that "# #65#ll# in #piso#s ra"#r "an narrai#s, i" spoli+"s on a # 5"ara5#rs in 5#rain +i#n siuaions0 # as a "is /#s "#n "# 5opr#ss# p"ysi5al i# o "# iniu, #6plorin+ "# raii5aions o a sin+l# in5i#n in "# li#s o a # 5"ara5#rs0 Some of his more successful films are entirely eisodic in nature' Bhuvan Shome 81(0(9 is a huntin" eisode of a fe6 hours, nterview 81(79 is the story of a day, all the 5 eisodes of #al!utta *+, 81(729, etc., are of 4rief duration. &e made another chan"e. Ins#a o #6ainin+ po#ry an o"#r so5ial ills ro a /roa "uanisi5 p#rsp#5i#, "# no aop# Mar6is as "# o# o #6planaion o "# so5i#y0 is 5"ara5#rs ar# no or# iniiuals; "#y ar#
/ r#pr#s#nai#s o "#ir 5lass0 <"is n#5#ssia# a s"i ro #lin+ ##p#r ino iniiual psy5"olo+y o "a o #6plorin+ !lass !onfli!t , "# 5lass#s "#s#l#s /#in+ produ!ts of history an antagonisti! to ea!h other 0 8DM, 1((5, . 1.9. is 5"ara5#rs no /#5o# -types. an "is ils or# o#r0 This necessitated a shift in the narrati$e attern as 6ell as filmma!in" techni%ues of his films.
Sen thou"ht he had found the re%uired form for this hase 6hen he sa6 ualii#s /u as /#in+ pur# 5onsru5ions o "isory0 Conse%uently Mrinal Sen=s films no6 essentially contained the follo6in" elements, the 4asic urose for most of 6hich 6as to ractice a Bre!htian alienation effe!t on the audiences' a) 2pen3ended$ Non3linear Narrative b) Absen!e of !onventional Story Line !) #hara!ters not as the !entres of e4pressions and emotions but as *5odels* d) Soviet Agit3prop 5ode of Narration ?sin" all forms of narration, includin" direct address, fantasy, amhleteerin", slo"ans, monta"es, etc., to a"itate the eole e) New &ave 5ode of Filmmaking FreeEes, monta"es, um cuts, discontinuities, artificially acceleratin" or deceleratin" the frames, sound:$isual disunctions, hand:held camera6or!, documentaryne6s reel tye of foota"e, imro$isations, refle>i$ity, etc., all intended to dra6 audiences= attention to the filmma!in" rocess itself and there4y ma!e them conscious of the main messa"e of the film *urin+ "is p"as#, Mrinal S#n is lookin+ or a o# o #6pr#ssion "a oul "#lp "i o# aay ro "# 5li5"# sory-#llin+ #5"ni>u#s o Inian 5in#a an "#lp "i +# spa5# or or# #6p#ri#naion . Akash 6usum 81(059 is essentially a film on class conflict, as desite Monica and oy lo$in" each other, their $ery class difference searates them. The 6hole film mo$es throu"h li"ht hearted 4anter, throu"h freeEe frames 8=truc!loads of them= accordin" to SenG9, fast cuts, um cuts, disunction 4et6een the $isual and the sound trac!s as dialo"ue continues o$er froEen frames, acceleration or deceleration of se%uences, only to end on a tra"ic note a4solutely in the last se%uence 6hen oy is e>osed and Monica shuts the door on him. &is ne>t film Bhuvan Shome (19&9) is a landmar! in ndian cinema. t s the contro$ersy increasin"ly started 4ecomin" ersonal, the editor 6as forced to close the corresondence 6ith *ay sayin" == cro6:film is 6as the first film financed 4y the ne6ly set:u Fil Finan5# ?orporaion. t 6as made on a modest 4ud"et of only *s.1,5,: and its commercial success oened the flood "ates of state:funded films for all the youn" film asirants comin" out of FT. They challen"ed the hac!neyed story:tellin" techni%ues of ndian commercial cinema and its e%ually $ice:li!e "ri on distri4ution and e>hi4ition chains for these films. n the end, these ne6 films 6ere
li!e a 4reath of fresh air in the ndian film scenario. -o 6onder Shyam +ene"al commens' ==s far as &indi films are concerned, Bhuvan Shome occuies as imortant a lace as Pather Panchali does, $is:a:$is ndian cinema. Bhuvan Shome oened u a ne6 horiEon.H In Bhuvan Shome, S#n ri# "# olloin+ ur"#r innoaions' a) 7o!umentary3style of film footage to establish the ba!kground t has the loo! of a ne6s:reel foota"e b) Animation c9 mprovisations on lo!ation 8DM, 1((5, . 72.9. . These con$entions are' a #l#5a/l# "#roin# , an #ar-illin+ /a5k+roun s5or# , and a simle, 6holesome, is"-ulillin+ s5r##n sory . 8Summary in se$en 6ords' Big Bad Bureau!rat 'eformed by 'usti! Belle9.== Desite the "ood storyline, Sen does introduce a t6ist in the tail. &e ma!es ada$ 3atel, the corrut Tic!et Collector, 6hom +hu$an Shome ardons after meetin" Iauri 8ada$ 3atel’s fianc;9, 6rite to her that transfer to a 4i""er unction means more incomeG This raised moral %uestions. Does it mean that humanisation of a 4ureaucrat in$aria4ly means a decrease in his moral statureA licitly, a chance to reform him. @lia#ly, "o##r, "is il is also a/ou 5lass ar . s Sen says after enoyin" a fe6 days of li4eration ) as e>ressed in Shome=s =madness= in office ) he 6ould ha$e to ut on his ac!et and tie, sit solemnly in the chair and continue to dis4urse 4our"eois usticeG n this system, classes are condemned to remain 6here they are. 8DM, 1((5, . 7/.9. n 1(0(:7 itself, Sen to"ether 6ith run @aul, issued a Mani#so o N# ?in#a Mo##n 8later called the Inian N# ?in#a9 6hich 4asically challen"ed the commercial esta4lishment ) the 6ay it roduced, distri4uted and e>hi4ited films ) for 6hich any 4rea!in" a6ay from con$entions, any e>erimentation 6as sacriled"eous. For sometime, this Manifesto ser$ed as the 4eacon of li"ht for the youn" asirin" filmma!ers 6ho 6anted to 4rea! ne6 "rounds in ndian cinema. Durin" this eriod, the polii5al insa/iliy in "# 5ounry increased. n the air 6as a reressed an"er of the eole 6hose manifestation occurred in the Na6ali# Mo##n in 8#n+al . #$en thou"h Sen is formally 6ith the Communist 3arty of ndia 8Mar>ist9, his co$ert symathies 6ere 6ith the re4els. &is su4se%uent films ) from nterview 81(79 to Parasuram 81(79 ) all $ariously ortrayed this an"er. &is ?al5ua rilo+y ) nterview 81(79, #al!utta *+, 81(729, and Padatik 81(7/9 ) 6hile they sea! of e>loitation of one "rou 4y another and its resistance, they are also landmar! films of e>erimentation in narrati$e and filmma!in" styles. #$en thou"h he is a left symathiser, he ne$er shied a6ay from raisin" %uestions a"ainst some of their modus:oerandi. For instance, in Padatik 81(0/9, the -a>alite rota"onist raises a lot of %uestions of ho6 the -a>alite arties 6ere also e>loitin" the youn" re4els. The film finally ended in the reconciliation 4et6een the father and his estran"ed
5 -a>alite son, aarently a thro6 4ac! on his o6n estran"ement from his father that had haunted Sen throu"hout. fter this film, Sen 6as 4randed 4y the Beft as a rene"ade 6ho 6as ultimately harmin" the Communist line. +ut he 6asn=t 4otheredJ he reser$ed his ri"ht to sea!. n #horus 81(79, a film fully financed 4y him and 6hose su4se%uent 4o> office failure almost ruined him, he does a6ay 6ith any coherent narration alto"ether. t is a oally non-narrai# il , 6hich entirely deends on sym4olism, alle"ory, and fantasy. n 6hy he uses fantasy so much here, Sen %uotes Linsay An#rson' ..As I "a# s##n, oay.s anasy urns ou o /# "# r#aliy oorro0.. 8DM, 1((5, . 17.9 The fantasy ortrayed in #horus 4ecame a chillin" reality 6hen #mer"ency 6as declared in ndia in 1(75. n 5rigaya 81(709, he narrates at t6o le$els ) on the surface is a tale of a youn" tri4al=s defiance of colonial authority 6hile underneath there is a arallel narrati$e of Sidhu and @anu=s re4ellion a"ainst the local and forei"n e>loiters. Thus Sen stiches history 6ith alle"ory here. <"ir !"as# (19:9 % 22)' Mrinal S#n, "# Inrosp#5or &is films durin" this eriod are' 1. 1(7( ) #! Din 3ratidin 1(. 1( ) !aler Sandhane 2. 1(1 ) Chaalchitra 21. 1(2 ) @hari 22. 1(/ ) @handahar 8&indi9 2/. 1(0 ) Ienesis 8&indi9 2. 1(( ) #! Din chana! 8&indi9 25. 1((1 ) Maharithi$i 20. 1((/ ) ntareen 27. 22 ) mar +hu$an The more or less continued 4o> office failure of his films made him once a"ain "o into another 4out of intense soul:searchin" in 1(7(. #$en thou"h the Beft 6as firmly in o6er in +en"al, yet thin"s 6eren=t imro$in" the 6ay they should ha$e 4een. This made Sen onder that ossi4ly they 6eren=t identifyin" the enemy correctly. more meanin"ful search for truth 6as necessary. +ut often the die:hard Communist esta4lishment 6as a hindrance rather than a hel in such a search. Durin" this eriod, the left intellectual Elio iorini=s letter to the talian Communist 3arty chief, 3almiro To"liatti, 4ecame a "osel for Sen' ==The ro4lem 6ith fanatics amon" the mem4ers of the Communist arty is that they feel they ha$e oc!eted the truthJ 4ut the oint is not to oc!et the truth 4ut to chase the truth.H 8DM, 1((5, . 1/2.9 Durin" this hase, he as!s the %uestion ..="o is "# r#al #n#yB.. &e identified it as the enemy within. +ecause of our inherent reudices and 6ea!nesses, 6e are at to turn e$en a aradise into hell. 8DM, 1((5, . 1/1.9. &e finally identifies this enemy as the deep3rooted middle !lass pre9udi!es . erience he !ne6 that middle class as a class li!es "radual chan"e ) too radical a film style alienates them. Conse%uently, he consciously adoted the follo6in" film style durin" this hase'
0 i) Adoption of a more settled narrative line ii) Adoption of a limited storyline iii) %4pression of meanings and emotions through a!ting iv) 2nly sele!tive use of do!umentary:newsreel style v) Almost no use of New &ave te!hni"ues Durin" this hase, he almost "a$e u such -e6
