WATER (2005) DIRECTED BY DEEPA MEHTA AND PRODUCED BY DAVID HAMILTON

INTRODUCTION:
Water (2005) Directed by Deeepa Mehta Produced by David Hamilton Water part of the trilogy Fire (1996) and Earth (1998)

Controversial movies

DEEPA MEHTA/ DAVID HAMILTON

Deepa Mehta - Born in Amritsar, 1949 - Sam&Me (1991) - Camilla (1995) - Trilogy of 3 films: Fire(1996), Earth(1998),Water(2005) David Hamilton Canadian film producer Founder of Hamilton-Mehta Productions

HAMILTON-MEHTA PRODUCTIONS
About the company : Co-founded in 1996 Toronto-based independent film production Filmography of the company: Fire (1996) Earth (1998) Water (2005) Heaven on Earth (2008) The Forgotten Woman (2008) Cooking with Stella (2009)

SYNOPSIS WATER (2005)

Set in 1938, colonial India Story based on widow women in India Story of Chuyia (8 years old) Meeting with Shakuntala Befriending Kalyani and Narayan Love story of Kalyani and Narayan Prostitution of Kalyani Suicide of Kalyani Chuyia saved by Shakuntala Train leaving Vanarasi with Gandhi, Narayan and Chuyia

CASTING
John Abraham (as Narayan)
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Indian Actor 1st film => Jism

I refuse the term Bollywood. I find it terribly subservient. - In Water, role of Narayan => law student, Gandhi nationalist

Lisa Ray (as Kalyani)

-Raised in Canada -2001: Star of the Future / first hindi film Kasoor -In Water, role of Kalyani => widow forced into prostitution

CASTING
Seema Biswas
Joined National School of Drama at Delhi - 1994: plays the role of Phoolan Devi in Shekhar Kapurs Bandit Queen - 1996: won award Best Actress for Bandit Queen - 2006: won Best Actress Genie Award for Water - In Water, role of Shakuntala wise woman, voice of reason
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Sarala ( Chuyia)
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Sri Lankan child artist Student at Sangamitta Balika Vidyalaya school In Water, role of Chuyia widow child, joyful.

WATER- A REALISTIC BOLLYWOOD MOVIE

Il nest pas dans la nature du cinma dtre un art. Comme chacun sait, le cinma est de nature technique. Il est la technique qui permet de crer, ce jour, la plus efficace illusion de ralit qui ne se soit jamais donne en spectacle : le monde sy prsente avec toutes les apparences du naturel. Cest pourquoi doit tre qualifie de tentative naturaliste toute tentative de faire uvre qui voudrait restreindre le cinma leffet technique dillusion de naturel. Le naturalisme consiste se reposer sur la capacit technique du cinma restituer mimtiquement la ralit. [] le naturalisme ne saccomplit entirement quavec lapparition du son, qui permettra enfin de reproduire la vie telle quelle est Texte de la confrence prononce par Denis Lvy au Studio des Ursulines le 5 fvrier 1995. N7 LArt du Cinma- Le ralisme au Cinma. http://www.artcinema.org/spip.php?article35

HISTORICAL AND GEOGRAPHICAL SETTING: WATER AND ITS WATERY REALITIES.

Film backloth Political issues
"I keep closing my eyes trying to imagine what I want the shot to look like and all I see is politicians faces.(Deepa Metha, 2000) Threatened to death, Deepas effigies burnt down. A politcal party the KRSS (Kashi Sanskrit Raksha Sangharsh Samiti) specifically set up against Deepa Metha and her movie. Scenes eventually turned in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

1938 India Gandhi City of Varanasi (Benares) Widows Ashram

THEMES
Widowhood - Laws of Manu - Life in the ashram near the Ganges - Any ways to escape widowhood ? Prostitution and Begging. - Ashrams or Brothels ? - Varanasi beggers : Widows and Untouchables

THEMES
Water and songs- Music and realism - Water soundtrack (A.R. RAHMAN) - Music as a realistic weapon . - Abundance of Music insists on the cinema as the illusion of reality. - Waters music blends in the setting - Waters music acts as a Musical fallacy

REVIEWS CANADA / INDIA

Review in Canada Won the Toronto film festival prize . put aside the blinkers of Westerners about the plight of Women . More particularly on widows and the laws of Manu. aside from its subject matter, language, and cast, the movie is anything but Indian--even two of the leads are non-Indian. Whats more, Water is banned in the very nation it attempts to help. Reviews in India Water was banned in India. Political and religious Indians believe it was to promote British colonization ideas, imperialism and orientalism as well as to demonize Hinduism. What can we do ? What can you do ? We think you have done enough thank you

CONCLUSION:
Film which raised controversial issues Internationally acclaimed film True-to-life story Realistic movie, not a Bollywood movie Directors statement on Water:
There are some images that become indelible in our minds. One such image that has stayed with me for 10 years is that of a Hindu widow in the Holy Indian city of Varanasi. Bent like a shrimp, her body wizened with age, white hair shaved close to her scalp, she scampered on all fours, furiously looking for something she had lost on the steps of the Ganges. [ ] It was this image of a widow, sitting on her haunches, arms outstretched on her knees, head bowed down in defeat that became imprinted in my mind and led to the idea of a screenplay which was to become the film Water. (Deepa Mehta, from http://www.foxsearchlight.com/water/)

BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Websites about reviews  Film reviews: http://www.planetbollywood.com/Film/Water/  Onlyne: http://smrana.blogspot.com/2010/01/water-2005.html  Seven Oaks: http://www.sevenoaksmag.com/commentary/81_comm4.html  The NewYork Times: http://movies.nytimes.com/2006/04/28/movies/28wate.html  Bright Lights Film Journal: http://www.brightlightsfilm.com/28/water.html Websites about films and actors  Fox SearchLight: http://www.foxsearchlight.com/water/  Hamilton-Mehta productions: http://www.hamiltonmehta.com/films/water/  John Abrahams official website: http://utvjohn.com/know-me-better-about-me/  Lisa Rays official website: http://lisaraniray.com/about-lisa/