The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Some like it in print, many prefer it on the silver screen

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jul 22, 2006

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Some like it in print, many prefer it on the silver screen

Staff Reporter

Most of films based on novels invariable end up as disappointment, thanks to the pre-release hype

EXPECTATIONS BELIED: `The Da Vinci Code' failed to match the hype generated prior to its release. — Photo: K. Murali Kumar

Bangalore: Mario Puzo's "The Godfather", Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code", Rabindranath Tagore's "Chokher Bali", and J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter" series — what is common to all these books is that they have been made into movies. With the number of films based on books steadily increasing, it leaves readers in a quandary; which medium of communication is better?

Film directors are enthralled by the subjects of the literary world, the most recent inspiration being "The Da Vinci Code". A lot of hype was generated before the movie was released, which the Church first expressing reservations about the film and later terming it a work of fiction.

To Sakiba, a mass communication student in the city, the film was disappointing. "The book was such a treat, the experience of unravelling the facts while reading was nail-biting, which the movie failed to achieve." "Films are made from the director's and script writer's perspective," says Priya, a career consultant.

Closer home, Sanjay Leela Bhansali's "Devdas" based on Sarat Chandra's classic novel was a complete distortion from the original where he contrived the meeting of the two women protagonists unlike the book where they never meet.

Nazia, an HR personnel, says: "Have you watched Amityville Horror? It's not even half as frightening as the book, despite the movie having an edge through visuals. The book gave me jitters for a whole week." "The Dracula" series is now considered a classic in its genre.

For Karishma, software professional, "films are fun to watch but a book helps me think unlike the former which leaves me dormant and that's why I prefer a book any day to a film." On the contrary, Keerti, student, thinks films are better. "Visuals have more impact and they stay in our memory for a longer duration. A book may even be detailed in its description which may not be necessary for the story but watching it on screen undoubtedly saves time."

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