Today is the Birth Anniversary of Basu Chatterjee, one of the most loved film makers of Aai-Papa's generation. Actually, Basuda is a hot favourite for/of everybody. His films cross the boundaries that time unconsciously builds. For Aai-Papa's generation, however, he gave a voice to 'their' angst, 'their' problems. The beauty of his oeuvre was that he dealt with the middle class angst with such a feather light touch that the vultures of worries flew away, and joy and happiness chirped away to glory.
Basuda's was a clean comedy. Mostly situational and farcical, it had its own collection of quirky characters. Interesting, basically, however, were the easily identifiable issues for Aai-Papa's generation that his films captured with an authentic allure, and how!
Two of his fun characters Aai appreciated a lot were the mother in "Chitchor" and the grandma (Leela Chitnis of all the people) in "Baton Baton me". They are minor characters, but so much life is infused in their depiction that they become noteworthy, a sure signature of a master narrator.
What i find, however, really fascinating is the fact that a spectator could those days like both a north Indian, slightly bossy but extremely family oriented housewife/mother and a mumbaiya slightly eccentric Christian grandma with equal fervour. In our identity politics infested times, such 'class' is indeed impossible! Your own, the character's, the film maker's "location" would matter much much much more than the sheer participatory joy that Basuda distilled and his straightforward and genuine audience loved!
Pratima@ truth as beauty/simple and naughty/nothing "hot" or haughty/in Basuda's lovable comedy!
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