Welcome Guest [Log In] [Register]
Welcome to the Super Champion Film Zone. We hope your visit is dope.


You're currently viewing our forum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use. If you join our community, you'll be able to access member-only sections, and use many member-only features such as customizing your profile, creating a personal blog, feeding contents, filling the database, sending personal messages, and voting in polls. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free.


Join our community!


If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features:

Username:   Password:
Add Reply
Ghashiram Kotwal; Dir: Yukt Film Cooperative
Topic Started: Aug 6 2015, 10:47 AM (259 Views)
tuggingonmoustaches
Member Avatar
g legs' sweetheart
[ *  *  *  * ]
Ghashiram Kotwal, The Film (Source - The Hindu article dated Jan 30, 2014)

Life has come a full circle for K. Hariharan, director of the L.V. Prasad Film and TV Academy. He had taken his landmark debut film Ghashiram Kotwal to the Berlin Film Festival in 1978. The print of the film was destroyed after the lab where it was being preserved shut down over 10 years ago. But Berlin Film Festival has restored it to its original glory for a special screening this year.

“It is very touching to see that they have restored a film that does not belong to them,” says Hariharan, excited about the picture quality. “Thirty six years and not a single scratch.”

Ghashiram Kotwal (Marathi) was a unique collaborative film, when 16 technicians got together. “Four directors (Mani Kaul, Saeed Mirza, Kamal Swaroop and I), four cinematographers (Binod Pradhan, Manmohan Singh, Virendra Saini and Rajesh Joshi), four sound recordists, three editors and one actor (Om Puri) formed a cooperative to make films. It was the first and last of its kind,” Hariharan begins his story.

“Emergency was declared when I was in my second year at the Film and Television Institute in Pune. Indira Gandhi had introduced a 20-point programme, and student films had to be within those issues,” recalls Hariharan.

Through a cooperative
“I was deeply involved with Marxist studies, and we decided that the film should not have an author. We would not take individual credit for the film,” he recalls. “So we decided to form a cooperative and go Socialist. When we were going to register, Mani Kaul who was 10 years our senior, came to the campus and said: Can I join your cooperative?”

It was serendipity that Vijay Tendulkar’s play Ghashiram Kotwal, a musical production featuring Mohan Agashe, that had done over 80 shows around Maharashtra, caught their attention.

“We asked Vijay Tendulkar if he could make it more political. It was about the last days of the Peshwa rule. A little kid was King, while Nana was just the accountant, the Prime Minister. We saw in this a political metaphor, Nana Fadnavis was Indira Gandhi. We were dealing with history, but talking about contemporary times.”

“Ghashiram, the policeman, is the alter ego of the ruling body. We become spokespersons for our masters and mirror our masters more sincerely than the masters themselves. The story goes that when a few Andhra Brahmans had come to Pune, Ghashiram put them behind bars. They suffocated and died. This created a huge uproar. People demanded that Ghashiram be sentenced. Nana Fadnavis obliged. The system sacrifices pawns because people believe that the pawn is the problem.”

laywright Badal Sircar did a six-day theatre workshop with us. Forty actors plus 16 of us were put through a body language workshop. How do we tell stories with just our bodies? The film runs for 108 minutes, but it has only 500 lines, including 14 songs. It was semi-theatre, semi-musical, semi-film,” he continues.

They were also influenced by the works of Hungarian filmmaker Miklos Jancso, who did films with long single shots.

“We used to sit and watch it with fascination. The way he would use lensing, camera movement, angles... It was a combination of all these factors — Tendulkar, Badal Sircar, Jancso, and one-and-a-half-lakh rupees that we borrowed from a nationalised bank — that resulted in the film.”


“In my mind, I’m more producer than director. So I had decided that we had to shoot over three weekends. We would start at 7 a.m. Friday and go on to 7 a.m. on Monday, and I would keep awake all through. We shot at Wai, the second weekend in Satara and the third in Junnar. We wanted to shoot on location true to the period and yet give people the idea that it was a stage play,” he says.

“When we calculated the cost, we realised we would have no money left for dubbing. Getting actors again would be a problem. So Padmanabhan, our sound recordist, suggested that we record lines and play them back on location for lip sync since we were anyway going to do that for the songs. We achieved sound consistency.

“We wanted to have a unique shot that represented the cooperative spirit. The last shot was 11 minutes long. The Mitchell camera is bulky. We mounted it on a MOY gear head, placed on a stool, kept on a dolly with wheels. We had to take two 360-degree turns during the shot. This meant all four cameramen had to coordinate and operate the camera. One would pull the focus, one would turn to a certain axis and the other would continue while the fourth would duck to make sure he is not in frame and this happened for 11 minutes. We got it canned in a single take before rains hit us and slathered the whole place,” Hariharan recounts the adventure. By May, just when they were nearing completion, Emergency was lifted. “It was a personal moment for all of us. We felt our film had done it.”

The film was slammed and initial reviews were “uncharitable”. It was criticised for having no director or any “message”. The crew was downcast. They split.

Chennai, for the first time hosted the international film festival of India, called Film Utsav, in January 1978. Ghashiram Kotwal was screened in the National Panorama.

“Ulrich Gregor from Berlin Film Festival came to the festival. He saw the film and said it was going to Berlin. We made a copy for Rs. 11,000. That’s how I went abroad for the first time and represented the cooperative. It was a snowy, icy country. I came back and tried releasing, but... kuch nahin hua (nothing happened)... and we had to get back to our own lives.”




The Historical Ghashiram Kotwal (Source: vamadevananda.wordpress.com)

Ghashiram Kotwal is very famous in history. He was a Kanoja Brahmin from Aurangabad and one amongst the many who flocked to Poona from all parts of India to make their fortune at service or trade. Possessed of amiable manners, a quick intelligence and an attractive appearance, he easily got an introduction to the Poona Durbar and secured the favour of Nana Phadnavis. It was then rumoured in Poona that he had a beautiful daughter named Lalita Gauri, who was the reason behind his rapid rise.

Ghashiram soon rose to power, and became the Kotwal or head of the Poona Police in 1782. He was no doubt an able and efficient officer and took great pains to improve and enlarge the Police department


From old records we find that the office of Kotwal was taken from Anandrao Kashi and given to Ghashiram Savaldas in 1777. He was confirmed in office in 1782, at a fixed salary of Rupees 621 a year, including an allowance of Rs 66 for an attendant to hold his umbrella and Rs 55 for the torch bearer.

As the Kotwal of Poona, he was instructed to effect or abide by the following : —

1. Clerks and peons employed at the Kotwal’s office should not be removed without

the consent of Sar-Amin who was appointed by the Government.

2. Two new Police posts should be established in Narayan Peith and Shaniwar Peith,

as owing to want of sufficient Police posts offences in those parts were not detected.

3. The duties of the office should be carried on honestly and in conformity with the established practice.

4. Roads should be kept in good order. New verandahs and sheds, if constructed without permission after the Great Fire in the city, should be pulled down.

5. Information should be regularly collected in each Peith regarding conspirators coming into the city and the Government should be informed about their movements.

6. Proper arrangements should be made to keep watch at night, thefts should be detected carefully, and offenders sent to Government for trial.

7. Seventy-eight peons, at a cost of Ks. 310 per year (11 months), were attached to the office and expenses to be incurred should be as sanctioned by the Government.

8. Married women should not be given permission to become prostitutes.

Ghashiram had three officers under him, each for three different departments entrusted to the care of the Kotwal. The Mujumdar wrote out the writs and deeds, another officer kept the registers, and the third was the head revenue officer. The salary of these three officers amounted to Rs. 640 per year.

In Ghashiram’s time, there were six Police stations in the City known as Chabutras : —

1. The Kotwal Chavdi

2. The Somwar Police Station

3. Vetal Police Station

4. Aditwar Police Station

5. Narayan Peith Police Station

6. Shanwar Police Station

The income from all these Police stations was about 25,000 rupees per year. With the growth of the population in the city, the limited number of Police guards was found to be insufficient, and in 1789, 25 more Police guards were created at a cost of Rs 3,500. It was estimated that Ghashiram had a charge over a force of about 115 Police constables which number was increased in subsequent years as necessity arose.

It is interesting to note the offences for which fines were imposed : —

Becoming prostitutes without the permission of Government.
Concealing an offence.
Possessing intestate property without informing Government.
Disobeying Government orders knowingly.
Killing goats without permission.
Interring an unclaimed body without Kotwal’s permission.
False complaint for adultery.
Passing counterfeit coin.
Drinking ( the number of accused persons was 40 only ).
Concealing one’s caste.
Dining with caste people though excommunicated.
Dining at the hands of a person of a lower caste.
Following the profession of a pimp.
Abortion.
Purchasing girls for prostitution without permission.
Indecent assaults on women.
Kidnaping women, children and slaves.
Theft.
Adultery.
Remarrying during the lifetime of a husband.
Living with one’s own wife after divorcing her.
Disputes regarding commercial transactions.
Engaging in the service of Kolis, possibly for political reasons.


It can be easily noticed that offences for sexual immorality were the most prevalent, which will partially accounts for the unpopularity of Kotwal Ghashiram. The social corruption that prevailed in Poona at this period must have allowed full scope for the lower propensities of an adventurer like Ghashiram, who became oppressive and high-handed in conduct, largely on account of the support and favour he enjoyed of Nana Phadnavis.

This creation of his own environment exhibited misdeeds that brought about his end in a most pitiable and cruel way.


Captain Moor, on the authority of Sir Charles Malet, narrates the incident in the following terms : —

” In the year 1791, a period when political parties had caused much animosity in the court and city of Poona, a Brahman, named Gahun ca-Rama, commonly pronounced Gaunsaram, a native of Aurungabad, of the tribe of Gour, warmly patronized by Nana Furnavese, the minister, held the office of Kutwal, and executed it with great ability, activity, and zeal.

” Toward the end of the month of August of that year, a large party of convivial Brahmans had separated rather late; and thirty-four of them remaining in the streets beyond the regular time after the firing of Bamboora gun, were taken up by the police, and put in the place allotted for such defaulters ; and in the morning twenty-one of them were found dead, and the rest scarcely alive.

” It did not appear that the Kutwal knew even of their imprisonment until the morning when the catastrophe was unhappily discovered ; his officers had performed their usual duty in their usual way ; still the clamour against Gaunsaram was excessive, and at length rose to such a pitch, that the unfortunate Kutwal is said to have sought refuge in the Peshwa‘s palace. But even here, in a Brahmanical and royal sanctuary, he was not safe ; and the Peshwa, yielding to his fears, gave up the unhappy man into the hands of the frantic mob, headed by a number of Telingae : of which tribe were the unfortunate sufferers.

” In his prosperity, the respectable Gaunsaram had built a handsome temple and dug a fine tank, close to the city, to which they are highly useful and ornamental ; and hither was the victim dragged, with every species of indignity : he was bound, and the cord was held by a man of the tribe of Bungi (the basest of the Hindus, being employed in moving carrion, night-soil, etc.), and thus amid the revilings of infuriate devils, he was dragged, with every species of ignominy, and by the hands of Brahman, of the Telinga sect was stoned to death, hard by his own munificient donation.

” This sad event occurred on the 31st August 1791, and was seen in part by my deceased and lamented friend Dr. Findlay, Surgeon to out legation at Poona ; who also saw the mangled corpse. I was not there at the time, but have often passed the spot so suited to melancholy, although, perhaps, not unprofitable, sensations. Sir Charles Malet, and Mr. Uhthoff, were at Poona and were much affected by so deplorable an event.”

Ghashiram met his end in such a cruel and detestable manner, but it may be said to his credit that with all his defects he well regulated the Poona Police and established a new Peith, known as Nawapura, to the east of Bhawani Peith, and built a tank and a garden on the road to Hadapsar.



Edited by tuggingonmoustaches, Aug 6 2015, 10:59 AM.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
rischka
Member Avatar
nazi trumps fuck off!!
[ *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
yay thank you ^_^ i started watching the film but stopped as i felt i was missing a lot. even so it was oddly compelling


here's some more writing i found on the play. it's a difficult piece, quite theatrical and no doubt full of references obscure to westerners (tho i did know who tukuram was ^_^ ). the play was considered radical and banned in india as 'anti-brahmin.' very beautiful and really enjoyed the music

Posted Image

the final 11 minute take in the western ghats is testament to the directors' study of the films of miklós jancsó :scratch:
Edited by rischka, Aug 6 2015, 08:43 PM.
"covfefe" -- dj cheeto

letterboxd + tumblr + twitter





Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous)
ZetaBoards - Free Forum Hosting
Join the millions that use us for their forum communities. Create your own forum today.
« Previous Topic · Round 4 · Next Topic »
Add Reply