A great Indian film director & screenwriter. He was born on 7 December 1940 & died on 24 February 2024. He is best known for his parallel cinema films. ‘Maya Darpan’ (1972), Tarang (1984 ), Khayal Gatha (1989) & Kasba (1990).
Due to his dedication to formalism, & the reputation of his first film – Maaaaaya Darpan is considered among Indian cinema ‘s first formalist films- critics associated him with film makers such as Pier Paolo, Pasolini, Andrei Tarkovsky & others.
He is also known as a teacher & theorist of cinema, whose essays ‘The shock of Desire & other essays comprising 51 essays was published by Tulika Books in 2015.
National awardee in 1972, 1984, 1991.
After Maya Darpan he had to wait for 12 years to receive funding to make his next film, Tarang.
From 1976 To 1978, he had a Homi Bhabha Fellowship to study the epic tradition of the Mahabharata, Buddhist iconography, Indian classical music & the Bhakti movement.
After getting praise his first film was n’t received well. It just disappeared. But was rediscovered & the slow pace did not work then. At home it was a dud. One of the reasons why he had that long wait. It leads to questions like , what if he had made made films in quick succession? What if the audience had been patient ??
Would more of his work be on display today?? I wonder.
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