[Reader-list] Cellulooid and compact disks in Punjab

[daljit ami]

Failed urban exploration subjecting rural audience through compact disks
Meeting Parwaz Kaur turns out to be a very good experience. She is M.Phil in Punjabi and her topic in M.Phil. is Puadi Jalsa (a folk dance of Punjab). She is a good singer and actor herself. After doing theatre for five-six years she along with her colleagues turn out to be initiator of the trend of films made with small budgets and sold as compact disks in local market. She is an insider of the story but her dispassionate analysis do not carry insider’s hang over. She identify this trend as rural as she stresses that its audience as well as language and topics are those with whom rural audience can identify themselves. Most of the films have been constructed from the scenes taken as it is or adapted from mainstream films or plays. Mainstream formulas of item songs have been used in these films as the rural characters (in kurta pyzama or Chadra-kurta) dance with models in their dreams. Hindi blockbuster Mugley Azam has been distorted into Murge Hazm. 
Parwaz explained the economy of these films from artists’ point of view, “Payments depend upon your equation with the producer. Only few artists are paid not to talk of well. Rest of the artists are makeshift or are Bollywood aspirants. They are there either for fun or to improve their acting skills. Some aspirants from well to do families even pay to act in these films.” While talking about the female artists Parwaz is very candid but certain that ‘on the sets female artists are treated as items and in their cases the exploitation is not only economic in nature.’ 
What drive these people to be part of this small industry if it has too small to offer and that too to a selected few? Parwaz responds, “Many reasons are there. Different people come for different reasons. There are artists who wants to act and move to Bollywood for better opportunities. They are there to rehearse their skills. Some established models are working on token payments as they feel that the career of model can’t be long so they need to learn the things that can be learnt while working on fiction. Some people want to invest in the industry they are there to explore investment options. These people will do business of equipment related to filmmaking. These are trying to feel the pulse of newly developing profession. There are failed artists trying to assert their worth and looking for opportunities on the bigger screen. Some people are Bollywood-returns who are improving their bio-datas. A selective few are making money.” Her response if stretched further can lead us to conclude that this small industry in just a via media for personal ends. Those who could not assert themselves at urban place are subjecting rural audience to their ends. Technology helped them reach out to the audience that was out of the reach of mainstream. How these films respond to the aspirations of makers and audience is to be analysed? Are the makers imposing their understanding on the audience or are they responding to the audience’s aspirations? These are the questions that arose from the interaction with Parwaz. Thanks Parwaz.
Daljit Ami
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