BOMBAY
A film review by James Berardinelli
Copyright 1996 James Berardinelli
RATING (0 TO 10): 8.5 Alternative Scale: ***1/2 out of ****
India, 1995
Running Length: 2:10
MPAA Classification: No MPAA Rating (Violence, mature themes)
Theatrical Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Shown at the Philadelphia Festival of World Cinema, 5/4/96, 5/7/96,
5/12/96
Cast: Arvind Swamy, Manisha Koirala, Nasir, Tinu Anand, Aakesh Khurana Director: Mani Rathnam Producer: S. Sriram Screenplay: Mani Rathnam Cinematography: Rajiv Menon Music: A. R. Rehman In Tamil with subtitles
It's a fairly well-known fact that the Indian film industry is the most active in the world, producing more movies each year than any other (including Hollywood). Few of those films, however, reach screens beyond their domestic market. Largely because of their limited North American appeal and dubious quality, Indian movies are routinely ignored by distributors. There are exceptions, of course -- the work of Satyajit Ray and last year's BANDIT QUEEN, for example. Occasionally, however, a worthwhile picture causes enough people to take notice that it becomes a favorite on the international film festival circuit. One such movie is BOMBAY, the fourteenth feature from celebrated director Mani Rathnam.
In many ways, BOMBAY is deceptive, but the manner in which it deceives the audience adds to its eventual impact. For the first hour, it's a relatively-lighthearted romantic musical. Arvind Swamy plays Shekhar, a Hindi journalism student who hails from a high-caste family. Manisha Koirala is Shahla Bano, a beautiful young Muslim woman. Because of the extreme religious prejudice existing between the Hindu majority and the Muslim minority, Shekhar's father absolutely forbids a marriage. Shahla Bano's father goes one step further, arranging an "emergency" marriage for his daughter to another Muslim. But Shekhar and Bano's love will not be denied. They elope to Bombay, where, estranged from both of their families, they start a new life.
Three lavish musical numbers highlight BOMBAY's first half, as Shekhar and Bano sing about their love for each other and their happiness at having children. These songs, penned by A.R. Rehman, set the film's initial tone, which is one of soaring joy and passion. And, while the music isn't exactly of the toe-tapping variety, it's stronger and more memorable than most songs in American movies over the past year or two.
Just when you're starting to feel comfortable with BOMBAY, everything changes -- and the unexpected shift in tone hits like a punch to the gut. Gone is the fun and frivolity, as death and violence suddenly fill up the screen. Now we understand the full extent of Rothnam's purpose in the first half -- he was setting us up to like these characters so that when tragedy strikes, we can feel the pain and hopelessness of their situation. It's melodramatic and manipulative, to be sure, but it works.
On December 6, 1992, Hindus destroyed a mosque in the northern Indian city of Ayodha. This led to a wave of Hindu/Muslim riots in Bombay that left thousands dead. BOMBAY's second half takes place during this time period. Shekhar and Bano have been living in the city for six years. They have twin boys and are beginning to repair relations with their parents when the riots begin. Suddenly, their world is turned upside down. While the religious division in their family puts both Shekhar and Bano at risk from extremists on both sides, their children, who don't have a fixed faith, are in constant danger. At one point, radical Hindus douse the boys in gasoline and prepare to set them on fire.
Cinematographer Rajiv Menon captures the chaos of the riots. Cameras move relentlessly through mobs of men hacking at each other with machetes, lobbing bombs at houses, and trampling helpless children underfoot. It's grim and terrifying, and, at times, difficult to watch. The second half of BOMBAY is as dark and harrowing as the first half is light and gay.
BOMBAY is a gripping indictment of racial hatred. The emotions that fueled the Bombay riots are the same ones that ripped apart the former Yugoslavia (the film VUKOVAR uses a similar ROMEO AND JULIET story to even better effect for the Serb/Croatian war). The reasons given by both Hindus and Muslims for fighting sound suspiciously like those used by Hitler when justifying his Final Solution. Shekhar's cry that "we are all Indians first of all!" isn't heeded. The only response is echoed many times over: "The divide will never heal."
BOMBAY ends on a hopeful note, but not before etching a series of wrenching images in the minds of viewers. Director Rathnam has shown great courage in making this picture (bombs were thrown at his house after it opened in India), which speaks with a voice that many will not wish to hear. BOMBAY recalls how forceful a motion picture can be. It also reminds us of the maxim that those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Hopefully, some day, humankind will understand the lesson that Rathnam is teaching here.
- James Berardinelli e-mail: berardin@bc.cybernex.net web: http://www.cybernex.net/~berardin
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