Mani Kaul

The Story of Film: An Odyssey

Mark Cousins

Mark Cousins, Jean-Michel Frodon

Эпическое путешествие по мировыми столицам от Болливуда до Голливуда, это «золотой век» 20-х годов и появление звука. Это истории секса и мелодрамы в 50-е и великие кинозвезды 50-х и 60-х, масштаба Федерико Феллини. Это американский кинематограф 60-х и 70-х, когда режиссеры пытались изменить мир, появление картин «Звездные войны», «Челюсти» и «Изгоняющий дьявола». Это 80-е, время протеста в кино, новый «золотой век» 90-х и появление новых звезд на небосклоне в наше время.

ध्रुपद

Mani Kaul

Fariduddin Dagar, Zia Mohiyuddin Dagar

A documentary story told through images, poetry and the Dhrupad, a vocal genre in Hindustani classical music, said to be the oldest still in use in that musical tradition.

माटी मानस

Mani Kaul

Anita Kanwar, Robin Das

In a poetic hour and a half, director Mani Kaul looks at the ancient art of making pottery from a wide variety of perspectives.

In Search of Guru Dutt

Nasreen Munni Kabir

Abrar Alvi, Dev Anand

This documentary is a three-part tribute to director Guru Dutt, who died in 1964 at the age of 39. The work traces Guru Dutt's personal story through many interviews with his family members and colleagues and observes his work through the use of extensive film excerpts. The documentary was produced by the British television network Channel 4 producer Nasreen Munni Kabir.

सिद्धेश्वरी

Mani Kaul

Malviya, Muhar Biswas

An impressionistic biographical look at Siddheshwari Devi (1908–1977), the classical Indian singer whose voice was appreciated by the maharajas and public alike.

घाशीराम कोतवाल

Saeed Akhtar Mirza, Mani Kaul

Om Puri, Mohan Agashe

A stylized version of Vijay Tendulkar’s radical Marathi play chronicling the Peshwa regime in western India, a collective effort of direction and cinematography made by an independent group of young filmmakers.

A Historical Sketch of Indian Women

Mani Kaul

A documentary on the role of women in India.

सारा आकाश

Basu Chatterjee

Madhu Chakravarty, Nandita Thakur

Samar wants to be successful in life but his parents force him to get married. His wife is shy and reserved and Samar does not like this. The other members in the family often ill-treat her.

आषाढ़ का एक दिन

Mani Kaul

Aruna Irani, Arun Khopkar

A literary film based on a play in three acts, Ashad Ka Ek Din portrays the love of Mallika and Kalidasa, the renowned Sanskrit poet and dramatist. Vilom, a friend to both and interested in Mallika, is a passive onlooker for the first two acts. Kalidasa leaves his verdant mountain valley home for the splendour of far off Ujjain, where he wins fame. The action of the film is rooted in the village to which Kalidasa returns years later and finds Mallika married to Vilom and the mother of his child. Mallika sacrificed her love so that the poet could pursue his muse.

Chitrakathi

Mani Kaul

Chitrakathi is about the folk artists of western India who narrate with the help of leather puppets. Mani takes us to the sleepy Konkan coastal village and introduces us to the family that has preserved this unique art for several centuries.

ਸਤਹ ਸੇ ਉਠਤਾ ਆਦਮੀ

Mani Kaul

Gopi, Vibhuti Jha

Taking an experimental approach to the relationship between the written text and moving image, Mani Kaul has a series of texts read aloud in voice-overs (poetry, essays, and stories), while the characters within the texts walk through real or imaginary landscapes.

Naukar Ki Kameez

Mani Kaul

Niraj Sah

This film suggests a network of hierarchical relations between people through sometimes subtle and at other times blunt illustrations.

दुविधा

Mani Kaul

Ravi Menon, Raisa Padamsee

A newly-married merchant's son is sent away for business. A ghost, who laid eyes on the bride, falls madly in love with her and takes the form of the husband and begins living with her.

Desert of a Thousand Lines

Mani Kaul

Based on the text written by Vijaydan Detha and Kamal Kothari, the film is set in the arid desert of Rajasthan, a setting similar to Duvidha, where two rival clans face off one another in the desert.

आगमन

Mani Kaul

To the city come men, women, fruits, flowers, vegetables, goats and sheep – all ready for consumption. It is the process of consumption/exploitation that forms the core of the film.

उसकी रोटी

Mani Kaul

Garima, Gurdeep Singh

The film depicts the life of a truck driver Sucha Singh and his wife Balo. Balo has to get Sucha Singh's food ready every day, walk a long distance through the fields and wait for him on the highway as he drives past the village. He leads an independent life, playing cards with his friends and spending time with his mistress, and comes home only once a week. However, he expects his wife to play the traditional role of a devoted wife. One day Balo gets late, trying to save her sister from the advances of a lecherous villager. Sucha Singh is angry, and drives away without his food. She decides to wait for him until nightfall.