Bombay, Pasang Sherpa

Pasang Sherpa

Screening India

Prof. Brueck

03-15-10

Bombay

Directed by:  Mani Ratnam

Produced by: Mani Ratnam

                      S. Sriram

Written by:    Mani Ratnam

Starring:        Arvind Swamy

                      Manisha Koirala

                      Tinnu Anand

                      Nasser

Music:           A.R. Rahman

Release Date: March 17, 1995

Running Time: 141 mins

           Bombay, a Hindi movie released in 1995, was directed by Mani Ratanam. The story takes place in a Tamil Nadu village located in southern India. Shekhar (Arvind Swamy), a son of a Hindu parents, has been studying journalism in Bombay. When Shekhar returns to his village, he sees Shaila Bano (Manisha Koirala), the daughter from a Muslim family. Shekhar falls in love with Shaila Bano, who cannot ignore his feelings for her, and eventually they fall in love. The story of the love between Shekhar and Shaila Bano seems impossible because of their different social backgrounds. Their parents won't let them get married. So, Shekhar goes back to Bombay and sends a train ticket to Shaila Bano. They meet in Bombay, get married in court and have children (twins). Their life is not good after they are married. The tension between Muslims and Hindus erupts in Bombay and puts their lives in danger. The fight between Muslims and Hindus does a lot of damage to the city and kills thousands of people. Finally the combatants realize that they were wrong and that they were just being used by political leaders. The movie ends with a Muslim-Hindu compromise .The movie takes place mostly in Bombay, with some early scenes  in the Tamil Nadu village.

          The movie is based upon the Hindu and Muslim conflict in Bombay, where people have been killing one another periodically. These religious fights have been disastrous, killing civilians, burning their homes and thousand bereaving. The Hindu attacks on Muslim communities and Muslim attacking Hindu communities has been spreading all over India. This conflict started when the Hindu population destroyed the Babri Masjid (Mosque) in Ayodha.  The religious conflict between these two groups is not about to settle down easily. The sense of nationality is not presented in the movie, but instead the factionalism inside the society seems to be the major problem. Muslim and Hindu were fighting in the interest of  their own groups; they were not fighting in the interest of the country. Even though the movie was based on both Muslim and Hindu perspectives, I think Muslims are portrayed as more violent and aggressive than Hindus. Muslims are the ones who were carrying the weapons and started the fight, even between Shekhar and Shaila Bano’s father, Shaila Bano’s father is always aggressive while Shekhar’s father tries to solve things. In the entire movie “Hijra” (the outcaste transvestite) is the first person to talk about God. He said to one of the twins that “Religion is the way to God”, and does not know why Muslims and Hindus are fighting. I think the reason “Hijra” was made to describe the way to god was that he does not belong to either the Muslim or Hindu; he is rejected by both religious group.

          The songs in the movie are more reflective of the love story between Shekhar and Shaila Bano. The song like “Ek Ho Gaye” (you and me became one) tells how they are together. Since they have to share their room with other kids and finally they were left by themselves. We see Shekhar cutting his wrist while waiting for Shaila Bano, reflecting that he will kill himself if she is not with him. They are ready to break the barriers created by the society for their love, they were even ready to leave their parents, instead of continuing to live with his family, as most young married Indians do. The songs are well connected the story, and provide a transitions from one part of the movie to another.

             This is definitely the best movie I have watched this semester; I did not expect it to be so good. Everything in the movie is perfectly organized and coordinated. The plot is absolutely amazing; the flow of story is smooth. I could watch this movie over and over. The acting is superb, and everybody does a great job. I would definitely recommend to everybody that they see this movie. I think it is a five star movie. The movie never bored me; it has all the qualities that good movie should have.