The movie with a cause . Review on Salaam Bombay

Thanksgiving weekend 2003. I always dreaded holidays like these ; not because I had any reason to hate the occasion where the White Men and the Native Indians sat down together for a meal (come on, what special meaning does that have to an Asian Indian like me, anyway ?) but because most of my colleagues/friends are away. Being winter and because I haven’t really acclimatized to the cold weather, I can’t do the usual – quench my ‘wanderlust’ (as one of my friends calls it). So here I was, subscribing to an online DVD rental site (indofilms.com). Long story short, I do a search for Mira Nair and find that this is her only movie I don’t remember seeing. I must have seen it during the good ol’ DD days, but couldn’t remember much about it to appreciate it. There I was watching Salaam Bombay a decade and a half after it was made.

It is true, great movies are like wine (and some say women too ;-) ), they only get better as they age. I think a warning is in order before I proceed any further. This movie is not for the chicken-hearted and don't watch this with your Spouse/Partner unless she is a committed conscientious social worker :-)

Characters:Cast

The cast is famously comprised of street children from Bombay. This movie changed the lives of many of them forever.

Krishna a.k.a Chaipau : Shafi Syed is the lead in the non-actor actors. In his own words, he was roaming around at Churchgate, when he was discovered. He, with the others in the gang attended the workshop by Barry John in acting. He went on to win a national award for this movie and later for ‘Patang’ in 1995.

Manju : Hansa Karve plays the daughter of the commercial sex worker (to use the politically correct term) played by Anita Kanwar. She is enamored with Chaipau.

Chillum: Raghubir Yadav is the addicted dealer ‘street mate’ of Chaipau

Baba: Nana Patekar is the drug dealer and pimp.

Rekha: Anita Kanwar delivers a wonderful performance as the CSW and the live-in wife of Baba.

Kheera: Raju Barnard. He was later adopted by the cinematographer Sandi Sissel. (You won’t believe his accent in the DVD special features!!!)

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Director: Mira Nair

Cinematography: Sandi Sissel

Music: L.Subramaniam

Story: Sooni Taraporevala

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The Plot:

The story revolves around Chaipau who lands in the streets of Bombay after being abandoned by the circus he was working for. He makes a living working as the runner for a tea-stall (hence the name Chaipau) and wants to save up Rs.500 to go back home. The mystery behind the magic number 500 is revealed later in the movie. He wants to make good the loss of a scooter to his brother that he set fire to. We also meet other characters he befriends – Manju; a 16 year old virgin who is ready to be sold to the highest bidder immediately after she is ‘broken-in’; Chillum, the addict; Kheera and the other street kids.

Another thread that catches the viewer’s attention is the relationship dynamics between the dealer and his live-in wife and prostitute. She is apparently in a dilemma – to leave the ‘Protector’ and throw herself into the streets or continue her ‘life style’ and risk dragging her innocent daughter into it. She finally finds the courage to leave him after Manju is taken into the custody by the social welfare department.

The life of Chillum also runs parallel to the main plot. His dealing, his addiction to the drug he sells – you have seen the person of this type in all walks of life. He has all of ‘it’ today, spends it literally as if there is no tomorrow. His whole life revolves around ‘it’. When ‘it’ stops, his life stops. Raghubir Yadav renders a very memorable performance as Chillum.

Comments

This film earned international accolades for Mira Nair. The influence of her documentary background is clearly visible throughout the movie. However, unlike many documentaries, she doesn’t preach about any particular viable solution to the problem. This is clear by the way she treats the scene where Rekha comes to pick her daughter up after Chaipau and Manju are placed in a remand home (Chiller Room in the street lingo). The conversation between Chaipau and the kid who dotes on his kicking abilities (I didn’t catch his name) reminds a lot about the one by Red played by Morgan Freeman in The Shawshank Redemptionwith the parole board.

It is commendable that instead of sermonizing from the pulpits, the director jumped right in and initiated the formation of Salaam Balak Trust to take many children off the streets.

The writing by Sooni Taraporevala has the unmistakable imprint of Dickens a laOliver Twist. The parallels of Victorian London from Dickens and the streets of Bombay are unmistakable. She draws from her work with the street kids she calls the Gang of the Grant Road to render a credible story line.

Music by L.Subramaniam transforms the viewing experience into an enriching one. Many scenes would have been dreary (Not to be taken as a reflection on the director’s abilities) but for the background score. This film showcases his mastery with the violin.

Sandi Sissel does a great job behind the camera. There are movies, which tend to over-romanticize (eg: some of the ones directed by the Southie Priyadarshan) where you end up wondering whether the sea can be so blue or the sky at dusk so red. The location shooting style adopted in this movie adds credibility to the stark images painted in the movie. Be on the look out for this realism in the funeral procession scene.

Overall, the movie portrays some raw and harsh, but realistic images lifted out of the mean dog eats dog streets of Bombay.