Mother India - Softcover

Chatterjee, Gayatri

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Softcover

ISBN 10: 0143029045 ISBN 13: 9780143029045

Publisher: Penguin India, 2002

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In this entertaining and insightful examination of the film classic, Gayatri Chatterjee outlines "Mother India's" eventful production history, the ambitious vision of its director, and the brilliance of its stars. She also analyses its epic-style narrative, the mythological underpinnings, the many references to the history of a country in transition, and its relation to post-Independence culture and politics, to show why "Mother India" is a cornerstone of Indian cinema.

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From the Back Cover:

Until recently, when satellite television changed viewing habits, Mehboob Khan's "Mother India" (1957) could boast the remarkable distinction of having been constantly in distribution in India since its first release. Rooted both in Hindu mythology and in the collective experience of a newly independent nation-state on the brink of industrialization and social change, it's a family melodrama that moves inexorably towards tragedy and renewal. Nargis, one of India's great screen stars, plays Radha, an industrious and strong-willed peasant woman. She faces a series of tribulations. Her husband is maimed in a farming accident and flees the family home. She is in thrall to a malevolent moneylender, who lusts after her. Tempests destroy her crops and her home. Of the two sons who survive with her, one grows up to be traditionally obedient while the other rages against his life in the village and pursues a vendetta against the moneylender. Radha's final test comes when she must decide between her love for her son and her commitment to the community. Vividly and beautifully shot on gevacolor then transferred onto technicolor stock, "Mother India" features spectacularly choreographed and designed song sequences, spectacular locations and an epic-style narrative. It is a cornerstone of Indian cinema. Based on research into the Mehboob studio archives, Gayatri Chatterjee outlines the film's eventful production history and the ambitious vision of its director. In her careful analysis of the film, Chatterjee reflects its vibrancy and passion and illuminates its many aspects - performance styles, reception and reputation, mythological underpinnings, its relation to post-independence culture and politics and its many references to the history of a country in transition.

About the Author:

Gayatri Chatterjee is an independent scholar working in Film and Cultural Studies. Based in Pune, she teaches and has lectured widely in the USA and Europe. She is author of Awara (1992), which was awarded the Swarna Kamal, the President's Gold Medal, for the Best Indian Book in Cinema.

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