http://www.rediff.com/movies/2007/sep/28dar.htm
The paragraph that caught my attention is
"India gets under your skin in no time," Anderson, who fell in love with India when he watched Jean Renoir's The River and practically every film of Satyajit Ray. "I have travelled widely and can't think of any other place that is filled with colours like India. Another amazing thing I found when I visited India by myself four years ago was how people look at you as if you are from another planet. This happens in smaller towns and villages. I feel I am an alien. But soon, I realise I can never be alone in India. Friendships are made in no time."
What he said in the above paragraph is 100 percent true. First thing I want to say here is about Satyajit Ray films. I watched his Apu trilogy (Pather Panchali (1955), Aparajito (1956), Apur Sansar (1959)) almost one year back. I watched these movies with my German friend Stephanie. Both of us almost wept after watching this movie. I think I controlled my self where as she couldn't. They are amzing movies about a boy. It shows a life of a boy named Apu. You might think that what is there if it is about a life of one boy. Believe me. You will just be overwhelmed by these 3 movies. First movie shows the conditions of a poor family in the early years of 19th century. Apu is born in that poor family. They migrate to Calcutta for living. It's heart touching the way Ray showed this movie about the condtions of poor Brahmins in the early days of the 19th century. Second edition shows the college days of Apu. In the second edition we feel really sorry for his mother as she always wanted to spend time with her son, but her son is driven in to other worldly things like studies,etc in the city. The most and befitting end to this trilogy is the final episode. The third editions is simply amazing movie. I still remember when I was watching these movies I felt really sad. But by the end of the third edition I was really happy. Apu is a guy who was tormented with ill luck all his life. It just starts in the same mode in the third edition too. He gets married to a beautiful girl. But when he thinks that life is finally happy, his wife dies giving birth to his child. Apu thinks that the child is the reason for his wife's death and strats hating him instead of taking him in to his arms. He leaves his family keeping the responsibility of the child in the hands his wife's parents. He goes to far away place and starts living not knowing how to get out of hard realities of life. After a while his friend comes to him and begs him to come back at least for his kid sake. Finally he returns to his family to take care of his child. But by that time the child's spirits are dampened by the remarks neighbours how he was relegated by his own father. He is no mood to see his father as he is deeply hurt thinking that his father left him. Bye the way I forgot to mention one thing here. You will simply fall in love with this kid right away. He is such a nice cute looking kid. Anyway in the end father realizes he never lost his wife, but always had in the form of his kid. Slowly relation starts developing between father and son. In the end father wants to leave as he is not able to get close ot his son as he wanted. The final scene is heart touching and deserves a brief noting here. Father starts walking out of home to leave the place. Then after a while he looks back and sees his kid standing some where watching him. Then kid starts running towards him and father takes him in to his arms with great happiness. You see this kind of scenes in lot of movies. But I am saying it again you will be in tears watching this scene. These 3 movies are so powerful in emotions. I guess every where in this world you see the emotions between people in different ways. But I still feel some thing is special when it comes to Indians. The most beuatiful thing is people sacrifising so many things for the sake of their beloved ones. I don't see things like this in the western world. Sad but true.
Anyway I want to say few words about the last lines in that paragraph. That's true. In small towns and villages people are not exposed to western people. They don't know much of this world. What they know is just leading simple life. They feel strange when they look at western people because of their skin color. Don't get confused here with my words. For them it is a kind of strange to see a color like that. But the best thing is they are not racists, but very good hearted people. I am sure as he said every one would feel the same way as he felt if people look at you as though you are from another planet. In a way westerners are from another planet for them. Once you start talking to him, you realize that how innocent people are. You realize how friendly people are. This way you make friends in no time. Another great thing about Indian villages is you are not a stranger to them. They simply start talking to you as though they know you for long time. I am sure westerners might feel strange and surprised to this. But believe me. They believe in people so much they just invite you to their home to have food with in 5 minutes after conversation. That's the greatness of the people living in villages in India. They are not scared of other people like here in western countries. One time my friend warned me not to walk close to another guys home, especially backyard. You know why? Here people are scared of other people. They think that anything could happen. The most funny thing is they right away call 911 if they have any suspicion. For me it is kind of strange and shocking as I came from a very small village in Inida where people treat you in a very good manner with great smile even when they don't know you at all. I never had any problems of hunger when I had to go through differnet villages. I didn't know anyone in those villages. But still I felt like I was in my village. People simply talk to you the way they do with their kids. They take you their home and offer food. I always felt really happy to be born in a small village. I always felt happy to be a part of village community in India. That is the greatness of villages in India. I guess the culture coming from the villages brought great name to India in the present worlf for the culture. I always cherish my childhood days in my village. I am proud think that I am from small village in India where there is no scarcity for love.
I have started to write something about the interveiw published in one web portal. Finally I eneded up expaling about Satyajit Ray movies and villages in India. But I feel happy to write things like this. Anyway got to go. I want to write some more tonight. Wait and see...
cheers,
Sreedhar.
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