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Period films rake in the moolah
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Period films deal with the technique of ‘make belief’ and it requires an adept to handle it, writes Sumit Bhattacharjee
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Star-studded Big stars carry a film on their shoulders a long way
Knowing about our past has always been a fascinating journey. It is said that history is the bridge between the past, the present and the future. And as Oscar Wilde adds, ‘Fact is stranger than fiction’, anything related to a past era chu
rns the curiosity bug within us. Modern day cinematographers and film directors seem to have understood this concept very well, and that’s the reason why they create period films from time-to-time, not only to remind us of our past, but also to rake in the moolah at the box office.
Films based on bygone eras have always been strong subjects for producers and directors world over. Earlier, both in Hollywood and in India most of the films were based on historical facts and topics.
Even in the present scenario when hardcore action flicks like Mission Impossible, Lethal Weapons, Dhoom and Sci-fi films like Jumper, Matrix series and Krrish rule the box office, period films like the Gladiator, 300, Titanic, Lagan, Rang de Basanti and the latest from the Ashutosh Gowarikar’s mind - Jodhaa Akbar, not only brings a wisp of fresh air but breaks all collection records.
Period films have always attracted the best of the directors and most of the creations were big hits. To name a few: Willaim Wyler’s Ben-Hur, Cecil B Demille’s The Ten Commandments, Ridley Scot’s Gladiator, Zack Synder’s 300, James Cameron’s Titanic, Shankar’s Imsai Arasan 23 Pulikesi and Ashutosh Gowarikar’s Jodhaa Akbar. Even director’s like Satyajit Ray (Gharer Baire and Charulata) and Akira Kurosawa (Seven Samurai) toyed with the idea of period films.
Period films
A period piece is a work set in a particular era. It general terms it covers all countries, all periods and all genres. In the west and in the Hollywood period films are divided into a number of categories like ancient, medieval, renaissance or Elizabethan, baroque, Georgian, Victorian or Edwardian. Period films are also referred to as costume dramas and can relate to a time set in a century or a few decades ago.
Huge appeal
Novelist, critique and short story writer Bhamidipati Ramagopalam, popularly called Bharago, says a period film contains all the basic ingredients for a hit movie like fiction, fantasy and facts. “The creators of period films toy with the technique of ‘make belief’.
The challenge lies in convincing the viewers of ‘what can’t happen to what had happened’. We all have read about Akbar and Jodhaa, and now it is up to Ashutosh Gowarikar or any other director for that matter to project that part of history to reality on the silver screen.”
Quoting Oscar Wilde “Any fool can make history, but it takes a genius to write it”, he says, “Directors and cinematographers have to walk a mile further to bring out the genius within them. A lot of research goes into period films and only an adept can do justice to the subject.
The storyline and the script is powerful, as it is based on certain facts but at the same time a lot depends on the costumes, locations and the sets to project the ‘make belief’ concept in the right way. Our art forms are based on the ‘nava rasas’ (nine shades of emotions) and the character of Jodhaa in Ashutosh Gowarikar’s film is fortunately blessed with four of the ‘rasas’, so the character of Jodhaa, which was enacted by Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, appeals to the people.”
L. Satyanand, who trained many film stars, adds that apart from the element of curiosity, period films click, as they are miles away from the subjects that are close to life.
He also says that the success of such films also depends on the star cast. “I am sure the film would not have been a huge success if Ashutosh Gowarikar would have not cast Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai in the lead and instead opted for new or not so popular faces. Established and popular actors carry a film a long way. The legends N.T. Rama Rao (NTR) or M.G. Ramachandran (MGR) were responsible for the success of many mythological films. Nagarjuna was partly responsible for the success of films like ‘Annamaya’ or ‘Ramdas’.
At the same time what happened when Bapu cast J.V. Somayajulu in Thyagayya, it bombed.
Even in Hollywood, the star cast was always starry for such films. Charlton Heston played the lead both in Ben-Hur and The Ten Commandments, Brad Pitt in Troy, Rusell Crowe in Gladiator and Tom Cruise in the Last Samurai. A good star cast lends universal appeal to a film,” says Satyanand.
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