July 7, 2003

South Asian Roots, Contemporary Thought
An Essay by Kavita Bali

Beyond Bollywood: Words and Visions - Press Release, Details, Artist Bios

South Asian Roots, Contemporary Thoughts - ESSAY & PHOTOS (271K)
( All Photos Courtesy of MochaMonkey.com )

SiliconValleyGuru - Review

Beyond Bollywood: Words and Visions, a Salon of Poetry, Film and Contemporary Thought. A mildly chilled evening, the warmth of the sun still in high gear, I lucked out by finding parking, oh so near. Oh yes! Indeed it will be a good year! Amused by such a little wonder, I headed forth, ahead of schedule, to the place known by all as LOCUS 1640 Post. It would be an inspiring evening of shared stories laced with chatting, fellow poets and friends from all around. This is a place for one and all.

The multi-generational audience consisted of an eclectic group of literary and film enthusiasts. There were people from all walks of life and heritage, a cross section of our modern day Bay Area.

Each artist was unique in what they had to offer. The common link was more than our joint ancestry. Each of us had something to share. To share through our art the complexities, nuances and wit which could possibly provide us with a hint of clarity as we go along from our day to day. A focusing in of images of who and what we are really made of, or so we dare to say on this particular summer's day.

This early summer evening in San Francisco, we were moved, challenged and entertained with a myriad of thoughtful world realities, a stark contrast to the whirlwind Bollywood fantasies of out there.

At the end of the evening it was clear, each of the artists had a story for our beckoning ears. An exciting nurturing of a literary community unfolding. South Asian roots rising, a hybrid genre blossoming. There were no mirrors between stories, each one's light was it's own. This was the greatest reward of all.

The evening was full of creativity as we listened to Dharini Abeysekera's disturbingly poetic images of the wrath of human and political destruction near and far.

We watched Kirthi Nath's experimental film 'The To-Do List Confession' challenging our very perceptions of self with a trickling of cinematic and acoustical layering.

Soon after we were inspired by the gracious Debanji Chatterjee's eloquence and power. She was visiting from the UK, and we were all honored to have her here, for this moment, along our way. Power of wit and universal storytelling. Cultural fables touched with delicate insights; a deliciously witty piece about Bollywood's oh so not forgotten era of comical absurdities; and the humor-filled haiku of elephants to beware of. Such were the gifts she brought to us.

Soon it was time for Ravi Chandra. A man whose words had a raw and endearing power. His literary rhythms juxtaposed his youthful recollections with an insightful humor. His eloquence teased with a hint of drama, delivered to it's engaged audience with a hip hop fervor. A talent to watch that is for sure.

Ravi Chandra and Pratap Chatterjee during an entertaining Q & A where Prateep professes an innate whim to create a Bollywoodesque film.

Lastly, there was Pratap Chatterjee's powerful documentary 'Gold, Greed and Genocide'. A piece of celluloid which in moments raised our consciousness to the ill fate of Native Americans, our dear neighbors. How their livelihoods have been severely endangered in a world dominated by the venom of greed over the wisdom of nature. As we traversed the stories of a few aged faces to the reverberating beats of today's generations, the potency of the message entered our veins as we contemplated the vanishing of these people's lands, traditions and ancestral heritage. All I could think was, is it too late for us to help them?

Tucked away in the midst of the evening were two of my short films made ten years ago. 'To Serve One's Country' which SiliconValleyGuru Magazine states "is an intense, moving portrayal of the emotional pain and emptiness war brings", and 'Distant Souls'. "The film is poetry in motion, exposing the two worlds the young woman is caught between - that of her waiting -to-be released womanhood and the culture from which she hails" reviews SiliconValleyGuru.

During the Q&A segment, the most amusing revelation was that of the participanting artists actual interest/exposure to Bollywood. On one side you had Debjani who admitted to having seen a plethora of Bollywood films in her lifetime. As we went down the line of artists we learned that Pratap, Ravi and Dharini had all seen 2 -3 Bollyood films each, and Pireeni had seen almost one, 'Shole', jokingly she asked if that counted.

I, myself have seen probably five or six Bollywood films in total (Khabi Khabi, Shole, Desh Pradesh (with Dev Anand), Katab, Lahme or was it Lawaaris? (I don't even know what these titles translate into) and then there was one I saw while at NYU in 1994 with Amitach Bachchan, but I can't recall the name, there were horses and an overarching epic inter-continental love story doomed and then re-awakened with hope, this went on and on, but heh, the music was amazing, the cinematography was breathtaking and my idol, Amitabh Bachchan was on screen, what more could one ask for?). Plus, it was at the Quad theater on the lower west side, so the full impact of the world the film created was ever more powerful, the way films ought to be screened :)

I have a VCR, but I'm not into watching films on a small screen, never have. I believe cinema is for the larger than life world of bringing imaginations to life in an all encompassing way, and a stellar, dynamic sound system is the needed match to really bring breath to this art form.

So, I think, to be honest, I do have a small soft spot for Bollywood, however, it was the Bollywood prior to the 1980's . I think it was around 1982 or so, when I heard the song 'Disco Devani' and I was totally appalled. It was as if Indian pop culture was now trying to mimic the US's 1976 Disco Fever craze, but they were getting it 6 years too late and like much of the rest of the world, the desire to be seen as 'modern' or 'westernized' was taking over the media. This was just about the same time Friday Night Videos was starting, and MTV was not on the international radar. But heh, that's another tangent worthy of another essay.

Ok, back to the films, I also faintly recall seeing a few Indian movies while growing up in upstate New York. I was in 4th grade or so, and somebody would drive up from NYC with the latest 35mm film print from India of a latest release, and every so often on a saturday night, families would gather and we'd all watch it in a real large theater.

The most frustrating part was surely when the characters wore white kurtas or light colored saris and the english subtitles were lost to us and you were forced to grasp at the stories through the force of body language, facial expressions and intonation. For me, I could understand a few simple words of Hindi here and there, but when they talked fast, forget it. So, I'd find myself caught up in the way the imagery, the characters and music conveyed simple universal stories to entertain us for the day. There must have been no more than 70 - 80 people who came from up to 100 miles away to see these. I barely remember.

Ours wasn't a family that rented Indian movies on a weekly basis. Such things weren't really available until the 1980's anyway. This was a time where there weren't any Indian restaurants, no temples, we had to go to Chinese grocery stores, down to NYC or ask a friend visiting India, to bring back authentic spices. Don't even get me started on how difficult it was to find vegetarian meals outside of the home.

I grew up pretty much watching a limited amount of television, and that was only after completing all my studies. If you ask anybody from my generation, who grew up in the 1970's, I'm sure our television diet was similar.

Knowledge, no matter which form it took, was part of personal growth and always an enjoyable journey. Fueled by a thirst to learn about the world in all it's forms, biology, chemistry and mathematics were as intriguing as literature, music and the arts. Each subject, served as a different way for us to perceive the world about us. No knowledge ever goes to waste.

Learning was always a pleasure and a time full of excitement. Never was there a dull moment when new information was being grappled with.

The bottom line is being true to your inner voice and creating your own path in the world. Sometimes you'll be joined by like minded folks, at other times you won't, and it will be a far more solitary journey. But if you are following your own truth, you are living your life, it is unique and it is yours to live. Why would you want to live somebody else's version of what life should be? I sure wasn't going to and have always followed my gut reaction combined with thoughtful analysis of what creates happiness for me in life.

My younger sister and I grew up in an environment where my parents continually encouraged us to be all we could be in life. We were always told that we were no different than anybody else, and that if anything, we should be proud of our Indian heritage and in the same breath know that we were now living in America, not India, so I grew up knowing I could be anything I wanted to be.

Education and perseverance were the keys to creating a future. Each person was responsible for their own future, that was called responsibility. The same is true across the world, whether you grow up here or there.

Being born a girl had not the same limitations as it would have had for me if I grew up in India, at least this is what I thought as I grew up in the US, where there wasn't as much discrimination as to the value of a girl and her potential. Remember it's the 1970's. Today, girls in India are on an equal footing with girls around the world and if they persevere they will truly become the leaders of tomorrow in any industry they aspire towards. This I have no doubts.

The belief has always been that only I can make or break my own dreams of what and who I want to be in life. This is why I've always had an incredible thirst for knowledge and desire to share ideas with people with varying perspectives.

Why would I choose to be anything less than all I could be? It just wasn't logical (as Mr. Spock from the 1960's 'Star Trek' series would say). Yes, I was a trekkie addict as I grew up with the James Shatner series. Maybe I'm really an engineer inside, well, let's see, life is still rather young, don't you see? We can be anything we want to be :)

There are many more stories I can share regarding this aspect of growing up in the 1970's in the US, I'll save that for another essay and well, maybe you'll just have to read the book I'm currently working on, or it may actually turn out to be a screenplay :)

It's too early to tell, it seems that the ideas within me are generating a book of poetry, a feature screenplay and several other writings in the same breath.

For me, creativity doesn't happen one project at a time, rather it is a group of projects that progress at varying rates, until the one that's closest to my heart surfaces as the most prominent begging to be the one to have more time devoted to it.

Right now, I'm still at the research and exploratory stage of conceptual development. It's the most enjoyable time as a writer/filmmaker, as the world is open to your imaginations' ideas :)

My favorite movies during my childhood were the Classic Hollywood B&W films starring Audrey Hepburn, Katherine Hepburn, Ingrid Bergman, Cary Grant, Gregory Peck, Spencer Tracy, Charlie Chaplan and the Three Stooges.

Some favorite films, in addition to the early 20th century B&W silent films by D.W. Griffith, Eisenstein and Chaplin, included the adventure stories of Sinbad's Voyages, The Mark of Zorro, the Three Musketeers, Jason and the Argonauts, High Noon, Roman Holiday, Beauty and the Beast (The old B&W Cocteau version, and the Disney animated version), Gigi, Reds, Gandhi, The Sound of Music, Lust for Life (with Kirk Douglas), Amadeus (directed by Milos Forman), Raise the Red Lantern (Chinese), Il Postino (Italian), La Femme Nikita (the original French version) and Run Lola Run (German) to name a mere few. I also have to admit, I really loved that Amitabh Bachchan film (Indian) with the horses, which I can't remember the name of :)

In fall of 1986, my senior year at RISD, I was exposed to the cinematic gems of Satyajit Rays 'Apu Trilogy' for the first time at the local theater in Providence, Rhode Island, the Cable Car. This was a favorite theater as it played mainly foreign and art films. I saw my first Ingmar Bergman film here, the hauntingly beautiful 'Fanny and Alexander' as well as 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show' and 'Spinal Tap'.

This evening, I stayed around for the midnight screening, it was Pink Flyod's 'The Wall'. I was, and still am a huge fan of Pink Floyd's music. The animation in the film was disturbing, however incredibly powerful. Talk about culture shock. That combo stayed in my head for at least a week.

I think it was the late 1980's by the time I saw my first Monty Python film 'The Holy Grail', another favorite, British humor and all. There are so many clever comedies out there. Steve Martin and Woody Allen rank up there for me.

It should be noted that the quality of story in the television shows at that time was far superior to the cost-cutting producing of today's reality TV shows. In the 1970's and even 1980's media producers were still subjected to Neilsen Rating pressures, however, family and quality entertainment were the norm, and thereby providing my generation with solid role models in the media.

If I needed role models that had the same color skin as me, I didn't have to look far. My parents, family in India, and all the aunties and uncles (Indian families we knew but weren't related to) that I grew up with served as ample role models.

When we were growing up in the 1970's and 1980's, all the aunties were well educated, most having already earned their Masters degrees and these women chose to be housewives, because they took pride in their children and saw value in time spent to nurture the minds and hearts of their offspring in a new country. Each of these women were strong, independent and stellar role models.

Each of the uncles were equally diplomatic, compassionate and strong in their own right. Almost all engineers and doctors. Couples respected each other as human beings and there was a true partnership in the equality of duties in the household and in general as both husband and wife, pioneers in a new land worked hard to pave the way for their children each and every day. Together, these families became our US extended family.

As children, we grew up with a love for America and it's freedom. We had neighbors from all over the world from early on. Everybody was different in some way, so it made for a common bond. That's what America is at it's finest hour.

We could ride our bicycles around our green neighborhoods without fear. The seasons were distinct, you could tell the difference between spring and summer, it was a time before global warming had so altered our weather. Indian parties were arenas for intellectual debates and exchanging of ideas, sharing of music and stories.

Is it no wonder that almost all the girls I grew up with have married non-Indian men? (A theme in my 1993 'Distant Souls' film). Growing up with a sense of equality of thought and purpose in life, why would any intelligent young woman choose to go into a relationship with somebody who would deny her given right to life and self freedom? Except for a few, most all the girls who grew up during this time married those of non-Indian heritage, and the Indian boys went back to India to find girls that would treat them like their mom's did or they themselves married non-Indians. But, then again, these in themselves are generalities and subject to the nuances of myriad stories.

Times are of course changing. The recent generation of American born twenty-somethings of South Asian heritage seem to be marrying people of their heritage, I wonder if it's out of a desire to hold on to their heritage? Or perhaps, it's out of a greater comfort on the part of our young South Asian men that they are less inclined to follow the Bollywood fantasies (since many grew up without them) and more inclined to create meaningful realities in their own lives where women are equals each and every day?

The new generation, the twenty-somethings of our times are courageously navigating forth with a new sensitivity toward relationships and life. It is as all immigrant groups face, now, the South Asians of our times in the US are going through these growing pains.

Each of us has our own story to tell. The form it takes, the way we tell it, the level of integrity we infuse it with, the process by which we create it, all are reflections on who we are. It is not merely the end product/ destination that matters in the larger realm of life, but the journey we embark upon to realize our voices. Written word, hip-hop, music, dance, visual art, cinema, drama, comedy, a conversation or debate, a smile, each carries equal weight in the realm of living.

'Mississippi Masala' (1991) was the first major film to achieve wide audience appeal and US distribution in which we saw a South Asian actress in a lead role. This was the beginning of a new era in filmmaking, and Indian born and raised, Mira Nair was the pioneer who broke through this Hollywood wall.

'Monsoon Wedding', 'Bend it like Beckman', and others all are in their own way voicing the stories they know. For me, however, none of these stories come close to reflecting the world that I know or feel. I guess that's the main reason I ventured into film, I didn't see any representation of people who lived or thought like me. I still don't.

It wasn't even so much of being of south asian heritage, as it was about being human and making tangible the emotions within me so as to share them with others that drew me to this medium. Such is the inspiration for art, to voice one's imagination in a way that we can touch the hearts and minds of others.

Ok, back to television programming of twenty years ago. The quality programming at this time could be attributed in part to the existence of a handful of major stations (ABC, NBC, CBS, and my favorite PBS, the Public Broadcasting Station. A stronghold that still serves the best of the best in regards to quality storytelling).

PBS was where I saw all those great documentaries about people and cultures from around the world. From each such show I took away an innate understanding that deep down, we are really all very much the same in love for family, friends and finding joy in each and every day.

This was a time before the remote control, satellite cable television and the over the top Fox station. I remember having to get up every time we wanted to change the TV station.

Back then, the commercials weren't so repetitive, and you wouldn't see the same commercial ten times in a single hour. I think there used to be about 3 - 4 commercials, each around a minute, so you knew how long you had to go to the refrigerator before your program started again. No microwaves at that time either, it was the jiffy pop stove top popcorn era :) Ok, so back to this story, it's no longer a quick coffee break of a story :)

As for role models, the color of one's skin was not even an issue in choosing role models of respectability. A person didn't have to have the same color skin as me for them to be considered a role model. Such a thought never even entered my mind.

The person could be male, female, any age, of any heritage, any religion any socio-economic status, coming from any industry, any country, be vegetarian or meat eating, alcohol consuming or tea-tottling, it just didn't matter.

What DID matter, was the quality and sincerity of their words. The sensitivity of their larger than life interpretations and analysis of human nature and the level of their intellect and gregarious tendencies to share their life with others. It was how they lived their lives, the things they achieved as well as the people they touched with their spirit and love for life along their way.

It was the life values they held true and lived out that made an impression on me.

Maybe that's why I listen more intently to what a person says, the genuine sincerity in their eyes than pay heed to what they wear or the type of car they drive. Those I consider my role models and friends run the spectrum in age, heritage and overall diversity. The same is true for films and inspiration and creation of ideas. I believe this makes for an overall richer and more fulfilling life. I wouldn't have it any other way. This is the part of the America I know and love.

It was 1982, I was a junior in high school, and Richard Attenborough's 'Gandhi' film had just came out. I totally ran out to the theater to see the film... several times. ('Gandhi' and 'Superman II' were the only films I saw 3 times each). One of the key incentives was having a window into the world of India as revealed through the life of a great man who happened to be of the same birth right as myself.

When I watched the film, I was taken in as much by the story of the man, but equally so with the nostalgia and longing to be in India, on those trains that reminded my heart of my early years. THIS was a pivotal film for me and it has shaped my thinking in the level of quality a cinematic production should strive for on a minimal basis.

If you're going to make a film, make a darn awesome one! Take the time to create a true gem you are totally proud of. There also is the approach of simply exploring the time you're currently experiencing through the film medium. In this case, my suggestion to young filmmakers is be honest to what you are feeling and work towards articulating this as truly as you can. If you do this, you are creating something unique, and it will be an honest representation of your voice, and this is a major contribution to the evolution of our culture.

Sheer mimicry is not a wonder, truth of your own voice is our greatest gift to others.

The recent attempts to put 'Indian' characters on the large screen for mass audience consumption fall short of shedding a true light on the complexities of the scenes at hand. Granted almost all of the films that have come out recently have been more slapstick/ sitcomish spoofs, but to me, such imagery lacks cinematic breath.

I guess it's the caricature versus three dimensionality of these characters that rubs me the wrong way. I don't believe or care for many of these people, though I would like to... but I'm not given any reason to care, and the stories do little to stretch my imagination beyond stereotypical cliches. Many of these films just have south asian actors (screen representation) and are not telling me anything new about the south asian experience (cinematic storytelling), aside from basic imitations of other immigrant stories. Where is the originality? It will take time, the momentum has already begun.

The value such early films bring is that, yes, more stories are making it to the surface. It is a start. All I ask is that if you are going to bring a story to life and to a large audience, do so with care and quality, not with an eye purely on business, but an eye also on the spirit of what cinema can do to touch one's life. It is a business, yes, but it is a breathing art form, if you so choose to strive towards that level of creative expression. It is part of life. Let's pay close attention to what our future generations shall come away with as the legacy of our contributions to the glorious world of cinema.

'Gandhi', 'Amadeus', 'Joan of Arc', 'The Sound of Music', 'Harold and Maude', 'Il Postino' and 'Run, Lola, Run' are probably my absolute favorite films (so far). There are many, many more that I love, however, these stand out as the most poignant for me on a personal basis.

Ok, back to present day time. Can you tell by now, that I'm not a short story type of writer? Why do you think I'm taking all this time to write this feature? If I had somebody to cook for me, and didn't have to sleep, I could probably get it done faster!

So, where was I? Oh yes, our SF evening at LOCUS. The entire evening was the brainchild of curator Pireeni Sundaralingam, a poet in her own right. It was wonderful to note the diversity of backgrounds that brought this group together. Ravi and Pireeni come from medical and scientific fields respectively, Debjani, Dharini and Pireeni all have lived abroad for much of their lives, Krithi and I come from an education in the arts, and Ravi, Kirthi and I all pretty much grew up our whole lives in the US, though from varying regions.

Together, our multi-faceted diversity surely added to the success of the evening's freshness in thought.

The entire experience was one to remember with fondness that is for sure. New friendships nurtured, ideas exchanged, invitations extended.

The chairs were placed back to their respective order as the crowd dissipated through the front doors. Out to the quiet San Francisco streets, just past 10pm, it could not be too much more. Some scurrying off to attend to their hungry stomachs; others carpooling back to the South Bay; and a few remaining as they smoke their fatigue away.

The evening had came to a close, and we all went our separate ways... till the next moment of organized serendipity, whence we'd congregate once again... till then and not before. The doors of LOCUS had closed behind us.

Tomorrow is our day of Independence, should we not forget the power of our words. Should we not embrace the power of our words? We should exercise the use of our words.

Another day till our America's Independence day. A time to celebrate our freedom of thought and self propelling power. A time to reflect. A time to share. A time to help others. A time to say no to war. It is truly a gift to be cognizant of two cultures. Being born in one and brought up in another, propels us toward a more open and universal manner.

Together we move forward, each day is but what it is, no better, no worse than the moments of our breaths encapsulated.

Growing up in America, one quickly learns that to be different is a gift not a hindrance or malady bestowed upon us. To rise from an alternative perspective forces us to be more sensitive and observant of those around us.

Soon one discovers the deep calamity of those who clamor towards the external similarities as a means to grasp an anticipated connectedness in the world over here or there yonder. Such surface bonds are not to be devalued on a whole.

However, please do consider, during a time on your very own, the truth of the path you wish to behold. Is it an acceptance you seek? Is it a community to feel one in? Could it be a desire to not be lonely? Could it be a desire to be well known in? Could it be a whimsy to get lost in? Are you seeking yet no where can you get in? No matter what your incentive, please do consider the wealth in a path of self-acceptance as your precursor.

The vessel of community shall be enriched or deprived by as much as we choose to allocate or deny it. Tread with confidence and care, choose to spend time with those who truly care.

Give because it allows your heart to dance, accept with grace from a gentle hand. No more, no less. It is within your power, choose wisely and watch yourself grow and no longer cower.

It is up to us to create communities that we can cherish and behold. It is up to us to create universal lights of friendships, the purer of golds. External colors to the wind should they go, as the warmth of the heart is nourished by the beauty of each and every soul.

Each and every soul should have it's moment to dance, in this, our joint world. Come take my hand and together the strength of our friendships shall sever the calamities of distant lands and times of yesteryear. We must start somewhere, why not right now, why not right here?

© 2003 Kavita Bali, Urban Peacock. July 3, 2003. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

Kavita is a designer, filmmaker and artist residing in Silicon Valley, CA. She was born in India and at age six, in 1971 moved to the Northeastern region of the US. Today Kavita provides Information Architecture and UI Design Consultation Services for the high tech industry while writing her first feature screenplay, a book of poetry and painting whenever the whim hits her. You can usually spot her at a dosa eatery or cultural event with a camera or two close by.

For re-print permission (online or print) , please contact me directly at kavita@urbanpeacock.com

All Photos Courtesy of www.MochaMonkey.com