tcrm_2013_4_13_13
Post on 03-Apr-2018
230 Views
Preview:
TRANSCRIPT
-
7/28/2019 TCRM_2013_4_13_13
1/1
CINEMA 14BOLLYWOOD & BEYOND THE TIMES OF INDIA
The Crest Edition
ROBIN ROY
Mera gaan, mere mujik
aaur public ka peyar
bahut mila. Bahut mila.
Bappida chirodiner hain.
(I have received a lot of
love from the public. Bap-
pida is forever.) If you know anything of
the overblown Bappi Lahiri persona of the
80s you will not be surprised by the fact
that he refers to himself by his own name.
Or that 20 years after his biggest hit he
sees himself as the eternal beloved of the
movie going public.
The 80s are back with a vengeance in
Bollywood and in ad creatives and
Bappi has regained some of his glory.Him-
matwalas version 2 features two of his
biggest hits from the original Taki taki
andNainon mein sapna. And before thatthere was Oo lala from The Dirty Picture.
Milan Luthria, who used Bappi in Taxi
No. 9211, and his retro-centric films,
Once Upon A Time In MumbaiandDirty
Picture, compares Bappi to Sunil
Gavaskar he has, says the director, the
same ability to reinvent himself in any
age. Bappis bouncy Oo lala, a typical
South studio Hindi film song shot amid
ridiculously exaggerated sets, worked
wonderfully.
In Taxi No. 9211, we gave him that
songBombai nagaria. It was just instinct.
We just wanted to have fun in the song. He
is an ageless talent. His voice has a unique
pitch, it brings a smile to your face. And he
has proved himself as a great composer
over the decades. That kind of talent never
goes away. He finished singing Oo lala in
flat 15 minutes. Can you imagine that?
asks Luthria rhetorically.
That Bappi continues to be saleable
while his contemporaries faded away long
ago should be an indicator of both the
goodwill he enjoys in Bollywood as well
his easy adaptability. Bappida is a man
without any malice. I know him inside
out and one cannot serve music with a
corrupt mind. He struck a chord with
Chalte Chalte and his career is still
strong after 40 years. He is saleable come
what may, says music composer Pritam.
Bappi points out that he has been in
Mumbai since he turned 19. Today, 500films and 40 years later, he knows the needs
of the industry like the back of his hand.
Indian music in general and Bollywood in
particular has been my home. My first work
wasNanha Shikari(1973). But the turning
point came with Tahir HussainsZakhmee
(1975), for which I composed music and
doubled as a playback singer.
Bappi bloomed with the arrival of the
disco zamana. He managed to become the
perfect musical fit for the typical Mithun
Chakraborty dance flick. The two together
became the face of the 80s disco mania
which is enjoying a revival of sorts in filmsand clubs today. If you talk about retro
music in Bollywood, two things appear
clearly to you Bappida and Mithunda.
The beats and jhankars of numerous films
and the dance steps of Mithunda these
memories will always be there. Retro music
in Hindi films cannot be discussed without
mentioning Bappida, says singer Babul
Supriyo. Bappida got pop and filmy music
closer to each other. His voice still sells and
he has maintained his style. His hunger and
passion have sustained his long career,
says music director Shantanu Moitra.
Bappi himself is very excited about his
second life in Bollywood. Remember the
Oo lala, oo lala number? he asks over
the phone. In his excitement at dis-
cussing the song, he almost starts croon-
ing. Since that song, he has also done one
forSpecial 26(Dhar pakadcomposed by
M M Kreem),Jolly LLB (Law lag gayee,
Krsna) and of course,Himmatwala.
Bappida has bounced back, he declares
in inimitable Bappispeak.
The composer is willing to look back
and analyse his slide. I had a great time
in the late 70s and the 80s belonged to
me. Things went slightly awry in 2000
and a few years after that. There was a
time between 2000 and 2007 when onefilm had two-three music directors. I
found it difficult to cope with that situa-
tion. However, I carried on with my songs
and albums, he reminisces.
In the intervening years, Bappi kept
himself busy. He sang for A R Rehman inGuru (Ek lo ek muftwith Chitra). His 1989
albumHabibaandBappi Magic The Asli
Baap Mix (2004), featuring his hits such asGori hai kalaiyan andJimmy Jimmy, did
well in the market.In 2005, he composed
the background score for art director Jahnu
BaruasMaine Gandhi Ko Nahin Maara.
If you ask him why he clicks across
decades he answers you with the titles of
his hit songs. I sang a song in the film
with Mohammed Rafi and Kishore Kumar:
Nothing is impossible (Zakhmee). Thats
your answer, my friend! Also you can find
your answer in another song of mine,Kabhi alvida na kehna (Chalte Chalte).
MEENAKSHI SINHA
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
It kicked off withMughal-e-Azam a few
years ago. Then cameHum Dono and
Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro. Chashme Bud-
dooris the latest, and will soon be fol-
lowed byRaja Harischandra, Guide,DoBigha Zameen,Pyaasa,Kagaz Ke Phool
andAgneepath. Hindi cinema is clearly
riding a nostalgia wave by digitising and
re-releasing old classics. These films are ei-
ther being coloured (if they were black and
white to begin with) or having their quali-
ty (sound, picture) significantly enhanced.
Besides, for many old gems rotting away in
musty vaults, this trend may also be a mat-
ter of life or celluloid death.
Sai Paranjpyes Chashme Buddooris a
good example. Last week, a specially re-
mastered edition released 30 years after it
first hit screens. Incidentally, its remake(directed by David Dhawan) also made it to
multiplexes on the same day.
So whats with this rush for digitisa-
tion? The intersection of smart economics
and nostalgia apparently. Many classics
have high recall value (which is largely
why some get remade) and elicit immedi-
ate reactions, always a marketers delight.
And for most film buffs, a re-release is seen
as a chance for younger generations to
share a special experience on the big
screen with older folk looking to relive
fond memories.
The process of restoring original nega-
tives (see box) makes these films a good
prospect for further DVD release and mak-
ing money from the long tail of film distri-
bution. My films negatives were in tat-
ters. Since the film was made 30 years ago
it was in bad condition. Digitisation helped
restore its negatives and made it more vi-
able for DVD sales, says director Kundan
Shah, whose cult classicJaane Bhi Do
Yaaro (1983) was re-released in 2012 by
National Film Development Corporation
(NFDC) in association with PVR Cinemas.
For Jayshree Makhija, sister of the late
Gul Anand Chashme Buddoors original
producer restoration became necessary
about five years ago. UnlikeHero Hiralal
(1988) andJalwa (1987), whose prints
have been completely destroyed, I realised
that Chashme Buddoorcan be salvaged
given the resources.
So, despite Paranjpyes resentment of
the Dhawan remake, Makhija sought to
raise funds under the guidance of industry
veteran Krishna Shetty. Soon, cinematog-
raphers like Virendra Saini (who shot the
original movie) and Hiroo Keswani joined
Makhija and supervised the restoration
process free of charge. These are people
who are passionate about the film and did
it for the love of cinema, says Makhija,
who adds that the films lead actress,
Deepti Naval, was very pleased with the re-
sults. Deepti said that youve given us a
gift, says Makhija.
NFDC plays a key role in digitisation
and has restored about 87 films, both re-
gional and Hindi. These films have been
restored and digitised in all formats 2K
(highest resolution), HD (for satellite) DCI
(digital cinema) and standard definition,
says Vikramjit Roy, general manager, pro-
duction and marketing, NFDC.
NFDC has also begun the process of
offering these films across the value chain:
in theatrical, home video, television and
digital platforms. We releasedJaane Bhi
Do Yaaron theatrically on November 2,
2012 and recently,Salaam Bombay
(March 2013). Further, under the brand
Cinemas of India, weve created a market
for our catalogue through the DVD format.
We are now exploring the opportunity to
take these titles across television and video
on demand (VoD) platforms, says Roy.
While some argue that the tepid box of-
fice response to such digital re-releases
militates against the trend, people like
Makhija believe that restoration is vital to
preserving old classics, the cultural arte-
facts that they are. I do not have a target
audience and dont know whether the
youth will like my film or not. But such
films are going to be colourful, interactive
and stay with you because they are about
an era. Its the wow factor of Indian cine-
ma, says Makhija, as she mentions a long
list of films that need restoration starting
with Satyajit RaysShatranj Ke Khiladi.
Roy agrees and claims that NFDCs
digitised titles have fared rather well in the
market. The fact that we have released 50-
plus films on home video, all of which are
classics, reiterates our commitment to
showcase old favourites to contemporary
audiences, he says.
Its a sentiment many an Indian film-
lover is likely to appreciate.
How does a music composer stay
relevant in Bollywood for over four
decades? Bappi Lahiri has some answers,
delivered with typical bombast
If you talk about retromusic in Bollywood, twothings appear clearly Bappida and Mithunda.Retro music in Hindi filmscannot be discussedwithout mentioningBappida, says singerBabul Supriyo
IN TUNE WITHTHE TIMES:That Bappicontinues tosurvive while hiscontemporarieshave faded awayindicates both thegoodwill he enjoysin Bollywood as wellas his ability toadapt himself
Step 1 | Finding the source material of
the film and sound negatives, as well as
inter-negatives. Films may also be on
tapes, cassettes, etc
Step 2 | Ultra Cleaning Process, where
this source is carefully cleaned
Step 3 | The material is scanned
Step 4 | Defects are carefully identified
and corrected
Step 5 | Digital and manual restorationprocess begins simultaneously, done
frame by frame
Step 6 | Colour correction and grading.
At this stage the cinematographer and
director of the film get involved in the
grading process. They also check the
restored film for changes
G Sound restoration for the film is
done separately
G Once both processes are completed
the picture and sound are matched and
transferred to different formats
G The cost of digitisation for one film
is around Rs 5 lakh. The process takes
3-4 weeks
G The cost of restoration is around
Rs 15 lakh, which includes both picture
and sound correction. Restoration may
take 2-6 months, depending on the
process required due to the quality of
the source material
PIC OF THE CROP: DIGITISING OLD MOVIES
BAPPISPEAK
Getting the big pixelDigitising old Indian films for re-release is a trend that appears
to have caught on. It may also help preserve old classics
Sermon For Gen X:
If you are into music, make it your passion,
not a fashion. Fame and paisa will follow.
What keeps Bappida ticking:
My style, simplicity and my ability to
understand the pulse have made me so
relevant for the past 40 years. When I
was not giving music, I sang for other
music directors and that too gave me
fame and satisfaction. I never felt low or
down and this never-say-die attitude, I
suppose, saw me through.
Past versus present:
All ages have their own charm. There is
nothing wrong with this age. In every
zamana, there have been greats. The only
thing is that, in the past we did thingsdil
se, today, everything is so mechanical
I have fond memories of utilising the
services of 100 musicians on a single
floor for Lataji and Kishoreda at a live
concert. Those days and that era will
never return.
FAVOURITE FIVE
Lata Mangeshkar
Asha Bhonsle
Kishore Kumar
Mohd Rafi
Kumar Sanu
FAVOURITE SONGS
A R Rehmans Dil se (title track)
Kal ho na ho
Chalte chalte
These films are eitherbeing coloured (if theywere black and white) orhaving their sound andpicture qualitysignificantly enhanced
SLICE OF OLD: Digitisation also makes for smart economics. Hum Dono (above) and theoriginal Chashme Buddoor (below left) have both been digitised and re-released
RETROKING
top related