'Kumar Talkies' -- final film
Director: Pankaj Rishi Kumar; Cinematographer: Avijit Mukul Kishore
Duration: 01:14:06; Aspect Ratio: 1.333:1; Hue: 57.280; Saturation: 0.070; Lightness: 0.204; Volume: 0.098; Cuts per Minute: 11.160
Summary: The film explores the relationship between Kalpi--a small town in northern India--and its only surviving cinema hall. The film chronicles Kalpi's economic decline and its citizens’s hopes and frustrations while taking a nostalgic look at the lost, lavish world of cinema. The film also considers the influence of television, which is gradually reducing the audience at the hall.
Director's Statement: ngklngklhg
Film Reviews:
Film review by manjula NEGI
I remember going to the censor office, filling up the endless forms, paying the fees etc. The officer while scrutinising my papers .....
Censor Certificate
Additional Funding came from IFA:
India Foundation for the Arts
L'arrivée d'un train en gare de La Ciotat (The Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat Station, Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat (US) and The Arrival of the Mail Train, and in the United Kingdom the film is known as Train Pulling into a Station) is an 1895 French short black-and-white silent documentary film directed and produced by Auguste and Louis Lumière. Its first public showing took place in January 1896.
This 50-second silent film, like most of the early Lumière films, consists of a single, unedited view illustrating an aspect of everyday life. There is no apparent intentional camera movement, and the film consists of one continuous real-time shot. It was filmed by means of the Cinématographe, an all-in-one camera, which also serves as a printer and film projector. As with all early Lumière movies, this film was made in a 35 mm format with an aspect ratio of 1.33:1. The original video can be seen here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6i3uccnZhQ
While planning the film, I realised that it was not just story of the cinema hall.But in addition there were several other narravtive layers one was dealing with. History of Cinema was one. Hence in the beginning of the film I decided to use this shot by Lumiere brothers.
Also trains have always fascinated me. They tell very interesting stories and offer varied landscapes. I have used the train in the film quiet often.
More of the train from the film
https://pad.ma/DBH/player/00:09:07.880,00:09:43.360
https://pad.ma/DBH/player/00:31:05.280,00:31:46.720
https://pad.ma/DBH/player/01:08:49.341,01:09:01.280
looking into the camera
Film Advertising
Film advertising via rickshaw
Kalpi
time code burnt on picture
Edge numbers on film
This is the first shot in the film where 'video image' is introduced. A lot of the film was simultaneously shot on video. The reason being that this new technology was slowly making a foray in documentary film production. We could sense, that video would completely take over 16mm film in future. We wanted to acknowledge the new technology. The film cuts between film and video image seamlessly throughout its duration.
Video technology also offered the ease of logging footage easily. The burnt in time code was similar to edge numbers on film strip. In addition the video camera offered a time stamp too. On the edit table, I decided to burn in the time code to the first and last shot of the video image. Strange, these two shots also marked the beginning and end of the film shoot. (July1, 1997, 11.58 am --you can see the crew walking to Kumar talkies for the first time) (July 24, 1997, 12:02pm -- My elder brother's interview. This was the last shot of the shoot!)
Time Code burnt in at the end of the film.
https://pad.ma/DBH/player/01:10:58.800,01:11:29.880
use of video image in film
film Crew in Frame
'Kumar Talkies' is about image production in a small town in India. I wanted to explore how cinema/Bollywood makes its presence felt in Kalpi's daily life. Keeping the cinema hall at it's nucleus, the film explores tangents of presence of cinema in Kalpi. We realised while shooting, the the crew itself represented Bollywood film industry. The town's engagement/encounter/questions with the crew, all thus became part of the documentary.
More such engagements/encounters:
https://pad.ma/DBH/player/00:13:33.480,00:13:50.680
https://pad.ma/DBH/player/00:21:39.240,00:22:17.080
https://pad.ma/DBH/player/00:28:39.400,00:28:48.760
https://pad.ma/DBH/player/00:38:24.800,00:38:43.960
https://pad.ma/DBH/player/00:41:23,00:41:29.760
https://pad.ma/DBH/player/00:47:04.320,00:47:43.680
https://pad.ma/DBH/player/00:48:37.400,00:48:57.880
https://pad.ma/DBH/player/00:59:43,01:01:04.520
ASI monument at yamuna river front
Chaurasi Gumbad (84 domes) is a square nine domed structure in a walled courtyard with two graves under central dome. The probable date assigned to this gumbad late 15th or early 16th century. This Islamic architecture is believed to be a tomb of one of the Lodi Sultan. It has 84 door arches. Built of blocks of rubble the whole building is divided into square spaces as in a chessboard, by eight lines of pillars that are linked by arches and topped by a flat roof. The building has a dome of a height of 60 feet. Jaunpuri motifs can be seen in the wall of the Gumbad. It is located to the west of old Kalpi along with NH 25 towards Orai.
https://pad.ma/EAC/player/
https://pad.ma/EAD/player
Kalpi ASI Mint
Kalpi Chaurasi gumbad
Kalpi Sun Temple
Kalpi Sun Temple
Kalpi was one of the places in India wherefrom total solar eclipse on 24th October 1995 was witnessed by scientists from all over India owing to excellent observation conditions.
According to Puranas to get rid of his leprosy Lord Krishna’s son Shamb erected a huge sun temple at Kalpi. Nothing is certain about the time of construction of this temple. Varahamihir, astrologer and astronomer of King Vikramaditya’s court took his observations from this temple. The temple had a huge auditorium where the plays of ‘Mahavircharitram’, Malti Madhava’ and ‘Uttar Ramacharitram’, composed by Sanskrit scholar Bhavabhuti were enacted. This temple also basked under reign of King Harshavardhana of Kannauj. The temple was so huge that around A.D 915 when Rashtrakuta king Indra the third invaded Kannauj his army including elephants, horses and soldiers stayed in the courtyard of this Sun Temple. The queens of Lahariya king Srichand became sati at this Sun temple.
The location of the Sun Temple of Kalpriyanath and Satmathia has been traced to a small Muslim village named Gulloli. The village is six kilometers downstream of Kalpi Bridge on the right bank of river Yamuna. The embankment (Ghat) of the Sun Temple is known as ‘Suryaghat’. Here some decorated and sculptured rock pieces (Shilakhand) are found. The real Sun Temple with the deity is believed to be beneath the mound and the shilakhands are outer damaged walls of the temple.
There were abundant ruins in the small town: Broken havelis and city gates -- all left to decay
Professor Purwar talks extensively about the 'fall of Kalpi'
Chaurasi Gumbad, ASI Mint and Sun Temple. These were other 3 monuments in Kalpi.
great photos
Gambling
History of Kalpi
Kalpi: a cursed city
Kalpi: no industry
Ludo
This was a common sight in Kalpi, people playing ludo or cards. A closer look and I was given to understand that this was nothing but gambling. The stakes may vary. At this particular game, the stake was that the loser would buy tea for all.
While talking to the players, I figured the economic decline of Kalpi over the years. My grand father had suffered because of that. No wonder, he abandoned the dal mill. My father went to sell the dal mill, but on a friend's advice, he converted the dal mill into a cinema hall: KUMAR TALKIES.
Professor Purwar in his interview talks extensively about this:
Black Marketing of Tickets
Kumar Talkies exterior
Very few people come to Kumar Talkies. But at times, there is a huge turnout for the opening show. At such times, the staff doesn't hesitate to resort to selling tickets in black.
film soundtrack
The projector room was a major space for action. Apart from the usual activity of rewinding, threading the film ... it is also a place where decisions are made on 'Film Editing' i.e. in order to save costs some reels are systematically skipped!
In this particular scene we see the regular activity. On the soundtrack we strategically used the soundtrack from Parinda (Dir: Vidhu Vinod Chopra). One can also see in the close shot of the projector, how a rubber band is being used to hold the parts together!
The other thing which happens at regular intervals are 'power failures'
More of the projector room:
projector room
It was quite difficult shooting at the bridge. The friction generated by the passing trucks was enough to shake the tripod and hence the frame. We had to doubly secure it and request trucks to slow down to get the shot!
road Bridge
FRom the ghats to road bridge and then Shahid Bhai (the cable operator), Maps Kalpi's connectivity to big city (Jhansi) through the Highway. He also tells us the presence of an old cinema hall in Kalpi (prior to Kumar Talkies) called Diwan Talkies.
cable operator
Shahid Maps Kalpi vis a vis usage of color and B/W TV's.
tv antennae
Next we move to another iconic landmark in Kalpi -- Lanka Minar (1885, build by Mathura Prashad Nigam, Height-225 feet. This minaret honors RAVAN, and is the only one of its kind in North India. It is a famous tourist spot for the locals.
The minaret is used as a motif in the film and we constantly come back to it in the film.
Detailed interview with Mathura Prasad Nigam at:
https://pad.ma/DDK/editor
Lanka Minar
https://pad.ma/DZS/editor
https://pad.ma/DZY/editor/
Kalpi is famous historically. In 1857, it is in Kalpi where Rani Laxmibai/Jhansi Ki Rani lost to Hugh Rose. This film clip is from Sohrab Modi's iconic film 'Jhansi Ki Rani'. While researching on the history of Kalpi, I found this film at the National Film Archive of India:Pune.
Kalpi is famous historically. In 1857, it is in Kalpi where Rani Laxmibai/Jhansi Ki Rani lost to Hugh Rose. This film clip is from Sohrab Modi's iconic film 'Jhansi Ki Rani'. While researching on the history of Kalpi, I found this film at the National Film Archive of India:Pune.
One can read more on the battle at:
1857
Batttle of Kalpi
Jhansi Ki Rani
Rani Laxmibai
Kalpi ASI Mint
ASI monument at yamuna river front
Film advertising
Film advertising via rickshaw
More of film advertising:
https://pad.ma/list/title/project==Kumar_Talkies_Archive&topic==Aslam_Advertising
The battle sounds fade out and we hear Aslam advertising the new film. From the past we are back in the present with an underlying presence of cinema:Kumar Talkies. This time around the film advertising sound is overlapped on aerial shot of kalpi and shots of the bazaar.
film Crew in Frame
Nageshwar Rao
Film showcards were quite important for the publicity of the film at Kumar Talkies. But they had to kept under lock and key as there were enough film lovers who wouldn't mind flicking them!
Film advertising
film showcards
One of the most hilarious sections of the film. The road to the cinema is steep. But the rickshaw puller was keen to climb it to the top in one go! He failed, and the rickshaw going back the slope had the entire crew in splits!
One of the most hilarious sections of the film. The road to the cinema is steep. But the rickshaw puller was keen to climb it to the top in one go!. He failed, and the rickshaw going back the slope had the entire crew in splits!
The film is sourced from Kanpur (80 kms from Kalpi). I did meet the film distributor during my research. He however chickened out when I landed in Kanpur to shoot with him.
film Cans
Film Distribution
film poster
Cinema hall interior
Kumar Talkies: interior
Kumar Talkies: interior
Film advertising
film poster
movie posters
Posters Put
publicity
Madhuri Dixit
Sanjay Dutt
16mm camera
Avijit Mukul Kishore
film Crew in Frame
Pankaj Rishi Kumar
Kalpi is famous for its handmade paper. For more sounds of paper making process click
here.
Action Scene
film Clip
film Clip
This is the first shot in the film where video was introduced. A lot of the film was simultaneously shot on video. The reason being that this new technology was slowly making a foray in film production. we could sense, that video would completely take over 16mm film in future. We wanted to acknowledge the new technology. The film cuts between film and video image seamlessly throughout its duration. Video technology also offered the ease of logging footage easily. The burnt in time code was similar to edge numbers on film strip. In addition the video camera offered a time stamp too. On the edit table, I decided to burn in the time code to the first and last shot of the video footage. Strange these two shots literally also marked the beginning and end of the film shoot. (July1, 1997, 11.58 am --you can see the crew walking to Kumar talkies for the first time) (July 24, 1997, 12:02pm -- You can see my elder brother. This was the last shot of the shoot!)
https://pad.ma/DBH/player/01:10:58.800,01:11:29.880
Time code burnt in. This tech was used again at the end of the film too.
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