India has enormous potential for rapid development. It is within its power as well to surpass neighboring China and Pakistan or even gain a foothold among the leading industrial nations. The movie production in India is no exception. The filmmakers in the country show considerable skill in presenting the issues faced by society so that they can be enjoyed and easily understood by people from all over the world. The film Bride and Prejudice, a joint Indo-American production, which was recently released internationally is a very good piece of art. Its name comes from the English classic, Pride and Prejudice.
The story deals with matters related to finding suitable wives for young men belonging to Indian immigrant communities in Britain and America. Eligible immigrant bachelors return to India looking for a suitable girl to marry as they abhor the idea of marrying girls in their adopted countries. They are very keen to preserve their ancient traditions. Displaying their wealth and fashionable lifestyle, the young men try to tempt girls and their parents. The clash of course will always be between mothers who want their daughters to marry rich husbands from foreign countries, and their daughters — educated young women — who refuse to be sold on the marriage market. The film gives an insight into Indian customs and traditions and, above all, the Indian way of thinking. More important, the way the film is presented catches the attention of viewers.
The producers present contemporary Indian culture rather than just a story as such. Formerly, the people in the vast country, despite their multiethnic, linguistic, regional and religious differences were capable of peaceful coexistence. At the same time, society suffered from many evils such as an inflexible caste system and “sati”, the practice of women committing suicide on the funeral pyre of their husbands. Now as clearly seen in the film, such practices have disappeared. The people have entered the age of globalization but strictly adhere to their age-old social customs and practices. Society has made amazing progress — so much so that girls behave just as boys do and in some ways, they are superior to the youth in the West.
The classical music and dances in the background make the film that much better. The political setting is no different from what the media always reports while the events of the story take place partly amidst the beautiful landscapes of Kerala in South India and partly at Ayodhya where the demolition of the Babri Masjid sparked Hindu-Muslim riots a few years ago. Part of the story takes place in Britain and the United States. The film is undoubtedly a resounding success as it has succeeded in creating an acceptable image of India and its culture.
Unfortunately, the power of films, which is unique in its ability to influence people, has not been properly tapped by Arab filmmakers. Films are obviously one of the best means of changing unfavorable stereotypical images and negative impressions. Nateq Noori, the former speaker of the Iranian Parliament, told a group of cultural activists visiting his country a few years ago, that a good film was more effective than 100 speeches. I quote his views here to show that even such a strong conservative as Noori is aware of the tremendous importance of films. This realization is why Iran has achieved a place in the world of filmmaking and has won several international awards. Iranian producers work with simple devices, sometimes with only a movie camera and a few actors. It is also worth noting that a recent Palestinian film has helped put the Palestinian issue center stage. The film has proved to be more effective than thousands of demonstrations across the Arab world.
The film entitled, “The Kingdom of Heaven” deals with events in Palestine during the Crusades. Though a section of the Arab media has been critical of the film, it has nonetheless brought the Palestinian issue again to the attention of millions of viewers the world over and its influence is stronger than the combined efforts of the entire Arab media since the founding of Israel. Traditional Arab films used to feature only emotional and sentimental stories. Because of lack of innovation of ideas to suit changing times, Egyptian films, which used to enjoy a leading position in the Arab world, have lost their influence and importance. It is high time we Arabs asked ourselves if we are not lagging behind in exploiting this powerful art form and presenting serious issues as skillfully and arrestingly as the Indians have done. It is not clear if the cause is our failure to identify the importance of the art form in conveying ideas or if it is because of the hostility to fine arts that is so prevalent in our culture.
The paucity of investment could also be a factor. On the other hand, when I see the tough competition among Arabs to launch satellite TV stations, I wonder why they do not turn their attention to producing films that are more refined and more effective. This is a topic we all need to discuss and debate.
