I write about this film today as a memoir of loss to one of
the creative artists that I have known through two films, Memories in March and
Choker Bali, Ritu Parno Ghosh.
I had wanted to write about it someday. It was probably the
gorgeous musical score that accompanied the film. However, with some serious
thought to the subject, I declare that this film is probably the first gay
romantic relationship depicted in Indian cinema.
For once, there’s isn’t some psycho lesbian girl trying to
plot against her ex lesbian lover (didn’t watch ‘girlfriend’ but I heard
stories like that), or KJo’s
‘kiss-and-tell-all’ gay bitch (in Bombay talkies) who kisses his boss’ husband and keeps announcing
his sexual orientation at inappropriate, irrelevant places, or Madhur
Bhandarkar’s makeup man (in Page 3) who is two-timing a friend by sucking her boyfriend's cock in her own apartment. Not that
those things don’t happen, but personally they all appear very one-dimensional
in portrayal. Of all the Indian gay films I have seen, I have liked this one
and Fire. Both are feel good, humane, satan-free. Most of the others are from producers, story
tellers and directors who ate an insane amount of junk the previous night
and crapped all the shit on 70 mm screens the next day morning.
'Memories in March' roots from a tragic, drunken accident of a
copywriter, Siddharth Mishra, who has begun his professional career at an
advertising agency in Calcutta. His death introduces his mother, Arati, to his
life that she has failed to notice since Calcutta happened. The story twists
and turns from loss to discovery of a love her son has left behind. Only this
time, it’s not about a poorer girl who is impregnated with a xy chromosome that
will push the Mishra kin into a next generation (which probably happens in most
of the dramatic hindi films). But instead, it’s a male lover.
In spite of the initial disaster of loss and coming to terms
with unflattering news of a son’s sexual orientation, what I loved about this
film is how seamlessly it navigates through the ocean of simplicity. Crystal
clear human sensibilities of a confession that leads to mother’s denial, anger,
then allegations against the lover and to the concluding realization that it’s
only about loving another human being.
The story unfolds a relationship between a mother and
probable-son-in-law where they get to know one another through their impeccable
taste of saris cemented together in a common loss. Once the blame game is over
and they see through each other for who they are, they revel in the joy of
being themselves. They appreciate their commonalities and pickled affections. The
film reveals a different kind of love story that Hindi cinema hasn’t seen
before. It introduces a new concept where a mother can befriend a son's boyfriend.
It’s no guessing game that Ornob, played by Ritu Parno
Ghosh, is gay. He wears his sexuality on his sleeve, rather effortlessly. May be its the polite demeanor
or the feminine (not anatomical) exterior. If you didn’t get it, let’s just say, you are blind.
However with this film,
I think, Sanjoy Nag decided give a very open ended dimension to what a ‘gay’ man
actually encompasses. So he took a faceless Siddharth Mishra who is a caring
son, devoted professional, fantastic friend, has a butch voice and a male
lover, is drooled over by girls, and told the world, “Fill in the face with a
colleague, son, friend, family member, basket ball player… and there is your
gay man.”
If you are missing Ritu Parno Ghosh today, this is a good
film to watch! Also, don’t miss the background score.
RIP.
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