tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8204542.post5063350379023458083..comments2024-03-29T15:45:04.867+05:30Comments on Jabberwock: The dancing girl, the king and the nationJabberwockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10210195396120573794noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8204542.post-22892488512121620872021-09-16T05:36:22.429+05:302021-09-16T05:36:22.429+05:30Great analysis of Vyjyanthimala's theatrical p...Great analysis of Vyjyanthimala's theatrical presence. I like her performances (especially in Sadhna and Sunghursh but also Amrapali) but had never quite been able to pinpoint the difference between her acting and that of her contemporariesRuth Vanitahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01758354400687868413noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8204542.post-61531784660879773802019-04-28T04:17:44.382+05:302019-04-28T04:17:44.382+05:30Agree! I am going to find this movie and watch it....Agree! I am going to find this movie and watch it.Lakshmihttp://www.therichvegetarian.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8204542.post-73767163526420957092018-06-14T23:48:07.168+05:302018-06-14T23:48:07.168+05:30Hi Jai, I made a comment on this post a couple of ...Hi Jai, I made a comment on this post a couple of weeks ago, which wasn't posted. I tried re-posting it as well but it may have gone into your spam again. It would be good if you could approve it. If it's not in your spam any longer, here is the comment:<br /><br />I haven’t seen ‘Amrapali’ or read ‘Dancing with the Nation’. I have read some of Ruth Vanita’s other work such as her critical commentary on the short stories of Premchand, which I found to be very astute and insightful. The book in question ‘Dancing with the Nation’ is also likely to contain thoughtful counter-examples and counter-arguments to what I have written below. <br /><br />The idea of the courtesan as a ‘lonely martyr’ or an unhappy figure may have become a stereotype, because it has been such a staple in films and literature across the world. The fact that it has been such a staple, to me, doesn’t merely suggest that all these writers and filmmakers, conditioned by their patriarchal assumptions, were busy peddling stereotypes. It suggests that these depictions also had a foundation in reality. Of course, this may not have been the only reality, and may not reflect the experience of other courtesans who found fulfillment in what they did. That doesn’t mean it’s not a legitimate perspective in itself which can exist alongside other perspectives. For every affluent courtesan who exercised some degree of power and influence, there were others who didn’t and who weren’t happy. Certainly, a lot of the literature of the subcontinent seems to suggest this. I think of ‘Pakeezah’ more as an affirmation of romantic idealism, than as a film kowtowing to what some perceive as regressive values and assumptions. <br /><br />I've never really though of Vyjanthimala as a mannered actress, or an actress whose performances veered towards theatricality. I suppose there were those rapid eye movements, but on the whole I found her performances very convincing. She was amazing in Gunga Jumna, and despite being a Tamilian played a Northern rustic village belle so wonderfully. I also thought she was good in Jewel Thief, Madhumati, Naya Daur and Paigham.<br />silverambrosiahttp://www.silverambrosia.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8204542.post-30954061345745109902018-06-02T23:18:48.680+05:302018-06-02T23:18:48.680+05:30Hi Jai, I made a comment yesterday which I think h...<br />Hi Jai, I made a comment yesterday which I think has gone into your spam. I've reproduced it below. <br /><br />I haven’t seen ‘Amrapali’ or read ‘Dancing with the Nation’. I have read some of Ruth Vanita’s other work such as her critical commentary on the works of Premchand, which I found to be very astute and insightful. The book in question ‘Dancing with the Nation’ is also likely to contain thoughtful counter-examples and counter-arguments to what I have written below. <br /><br />The idea of the courtesan as a ‘lonely martyr’ or an unhappy figure may have become a stereotype, because it has been such a staple in films and literature across the world. The fact that it has been such a staple, to me, doesn’t merely suggest that all these writers and filmmakers, conditioned by their patriarchal assumptions, were busy peddling stereotypes. It suggests that these depictions also had a foundation in reality. Of course, this may not have been the only reality, and may not reflect the experience of other courtesans who found fulfillment in what they did. That doesn’t mean it’s not a legitimate perspective in itself which can exist alongside other perspectives. For every affluent courtesan who exercised some degree of power and influence, there were others who didn’t and who weren’t happy. Certainly, a lot of the literature of the subcontinent seems to suggest this. I think of ‘Pakeezah’ more as an affirmation of romantic idealism, than as a film kowtowing to what some perceive as regressive values and assumptions. <br /><br />I've never really though of Vyjanthimala as a mannered actress, or an actress whose performances veered towards theatricality. I suppose there were those rapid eye movements, but on the whole I found her performances very convincing. She was amazing in Gunga Jumna, and despite being a Tamilian played a Northern rustic village belle so wonderfully. I also thought she was good in Jewel Thief, Madhumati, Naya Daur and Paigham.<br />silverambrosiahttp://www.silverambrosia.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8204542.post-59905976788053866102018-06-01T19:44:37.356+05:302018-06-01T19:44:37.356+05:30I haven’t seen ‘Amrapali’ or read ‘Dancing with th...I haven’t seen ‘Amrapali’ or read ‘Dancing with the Nation’. I have read some of Ruth Vanita’s other work such as her critical commentary on the works of Premchand, which I found to be very astute and insightful. The book in question ‘Dancing with the Nation’ is also likely to contain thoughtful counter-examples and counter-arguments to what I have written below. <br /><br />The idea of the courtesan as a ‘lonely martyr’ or an unhappy figure may have become a stereotype, because it has been such a staple in films and literature across the world. The fact that it has been such a staple, to me, doesn’t merely suggest that all these writers and filmmakers, conditioned by their patriarchal assumptions, were busy peddling stereotypes. It suggests that these depictions also had a foundation in reality. Of course, this may not have been the only reality, and may not reflect the experience of other courtesans who found fulfillment in what they did. That doesn’t mean it’s not a legitimate perspective in itself which can exist alongside other perspectives. For every affluent courtesan who exercised some degree of power and influence, there were others who didn’t and who weren’t happy. Certainly, a lot of the literature of the subcontinent seems to suggest this. I think of ‘Pakeezah’ more as an affirmation of romantic idealism, rather than as a film kowtowing to what some perceive as regressive values and assumptions. <br /><br />I've never really though of Vyjanthimala as a mannered actress, or an actress whose performances veered towards theatricality. I suppose there were those rapid eye movements, but on the whole I found her performances very convincing. She was amazing in Gunga Jumna, and despite being a Tamilian played a Northern rustic village belle so wonderfully. I also thought she was very good in Jewel Thief, Madhumati, Naya Daur and Paigham.<br />silverambrosiahttp://www.silverambrosia.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8204542.post-41308188941742685342018-05-31T08:44:02.576+05:302018-05-31T08:44:02.576+05:30My favorite Vyjayanthimala film is the great conse...My favorite Vyjayanthimala film is the great conservative classic produced by the Bengali legend Uttam Kumar - Chhoti si Mulaqat<br /><br />Highly recommended<br /><br />The movie flopped and it hurt Uttam Kumar both emotionally and financially, in a big wayshrikanthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03898755392584822638noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8204542.post-89374208694496473282018-05-31T08:41:45.860+05:302018-05-31T08:41:45.860+05:30What's your take on Sunghursh? In my view one ...What's your take on Sunghursh? In my view one of the most interesting films of the 60s.shrikanthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03898755392584822638noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8204542.post-1636551231496459422018-05-30T17:13:51.209+05:302018-05-30T17:13:51.209+05:30Completely agree with you when you say that Ms. Ba...Completely agree with you when you say that Ms. Bali was well-suited to playing a voluptuous apsara in a celestial court. And also that Mr. Dutt was not suited for the role. In fact, the only film I liked him in was Mother India. But, then again, anybody will shine against hamming Rajendra Kumar.<br />-The Alco....c guyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8204542.post-62466934003139350082018-05-30T08:07:16.676+05:302018-05-30T08:07:16.676+05:30Jai, this was such a good read. I saw the movie in...Jai, this was such a good read. I saw the movie in the days of the keenly awaited weekly movie on DD and I remember thinking she looked amazingly sexy in the movie, and yet not vulgar, which is not an easy thing to pull off in apsara costumes. And yes, what I took away was the fierce patriotism, her heart broken more that betrayal than the lover's Radhikanoreply@blogger.com