Half Ticket [Introduction]The unheralded and unfulfilled world of children’s films in India.

[Body]For a country rich in both grannies’ tales and celluloid ventures, it is a surprise that India has never had a consistent record when it comes to films for children. Mainstream cinema stretched itself in simultaneously appealing to every taste bud, with the result that niche markets, like those for children, were never on the agenda of most production houses. Unlike Iranian cinema, whose social constraints sparked a creative revolution in children’s films, Indian cinema was free to flourish commercially. The result was that most children’s films became relegated to the sidelines or were dependent on state patronage.

Of course, there is no clear definition of what a children’s film is or should be. Several films that had at least one child actor in a central role (backed by a pet animal or two) instantly became labeled as a children’s film. Sometimes, this was the death knell of many an aspirant to box office success. Some films like Mr. India did manage to balance ensemble casts of children with conventional stars en route to commercial megabucks, while “Chota Chetan” piggy-backed on its novelty of being India’s first 3D film.

However, thanks in part to some visionary directors and the Children’s Film Society of India (a government agency), Indian filmmaking centered around kids have produced a few memorable films that would make it to any must-watch lists of Indian cinema.

The years immediately after independence tended to glorify children as paragons of virtue. One such example was “Jagriti” (1954), an Indian Tom Brown’s Schooldays, with paeans to the Independence movement in that particular quirk of Indian playback singing: adult singers singing in falsettos for child actors. “Boot Polish”, released in the same year, was set on the streets of Bombay, and was notable for being backed by Raj Kapoor, by then a film industry baron.

By the 70s, children in commercial Hindi films were either playing hapless siblings or younger versions of lead stars who would end up running into adulthood by reel two. By then, the Children’s Film Society of India (established in 1955 by Jawaharlal Nehru) had taken on the responsibility of producing films for younger audiences. However, a

lack of interest in marketing these films to a wider audience restricted them to film festivals or later, television.

In contrast, Satyajit Ray had begun making films that would nominally be aimed at children, but were made with the same care and sophistication that suffused any of his other masterpieces. In particular, Ray’s fantasy comedy “Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne” and his Feluda story “Sonar Kella” are outstanding examples from his filmography.

In recent times, two filmmakers have carried forward a similar interest for subjects that put children firmly in the limelight. Santosh Sivan, a master of fluid cinematography, made his feature debut as director with “Halo” (1996). The film is a milestone of filmmaking for kids, with a zany mix of angles and characters wrapped around a simple tale of a child who finds a lost dog. Like all good children’s movies, it never patronised its young characters. Sivan’s “Malli” and “Tahaan” would further underline his keen interest in stories involving young minds.

The other filmmaker walks in the unusual footsteps of Ray as director-composer. Vishal Bhardwaj has earned praise for his taut dramas and Shakespearean adaptations, but like Sivan, he chose to debut with “Makdee” (2002). An engaging tale that deals with superstition and mischief, the film served as a test bed for Bhardwaj’s directorial aspirations. In comparison, his “The Blue Umbrella” (2007) was an assured piece of cinema which was not afraid to delve into darker themes of egotism and ostracism. Based on a Ruskin Bond story, it begs the question as to why other filmmakers haven’t similarly tapped into the rich vein of Indian children’s literature.

Despite its cinematic qualities and critical success, “The Blue Umbrella” received very little mainstream attention, a fate shared by many of its predecessors. For one, it lacked a market-friendly star, which was something the Aamir Khan-powered “Taare Zameen Par” (2007) had in abundance.

This was a film conceived and partly executed by Amole Gupte and is arguably the most successful Indian film to fully focus around a child protagonist. It highlighted the somewhat obscure subject of dyslexia while making pertinent observations on the nature of parental expectations.

The subject of disaffected children would be explored to good effect in films like Gulzar’s “Kitaab” (1977) and the Marathi “Dahavi F” (2002) . Shyam Benegal’s “Mammo” took a fresh look at post-Partition

relationships in a warmly written film about an orphaned boy discovering life and films via his aunt.

Animation is considered prime kiddie material but India is nowhere close to state-of-the-art cinema in this respect. Indian filmmakers haven’t even replicated the success of the likes of the Amar Chitra Katha books in popularity. But in recent times, a potentially viable genre of stories around mythological characters like Hanuman and Ganesha has emerged. These efforts still lack the finesse or creativity in story-telling that sets a Pixar apart.

Children’s films in India have shown an annoying Peter Pan-like tendency to never really come of age despite possessing all the necessary cultural and technical ingredients. In part, the inconsistency of audiences in accepting children-centric films has hurt the genre. Mani Ratnam’s intimate “Kannathil Muthamittal” (2002) was arguably a much better effort than his “Anjali” (1990), but suffered a contrasting financial fate.

However, the multiplex boom of the last decade has seen a change in business models which has allowed smaller movies to compete commercially. Carefully marketed children’s films could now have a better chance. The Harry Potter franchise and the Pixar creations have set international benchmarks that would still be beyond most Indian productions. Therefore, the key would lie in the quality of the tales and story-telling, rather than in graphic rendering or animal tricks. The inclination of successful filmmakers like Santosh Sivan or Vishal Bhardwaj to keep returning to the genre should inspire others, especially younger directors, to explore this space. Indian short filmmakers have already exhibited both boldness and success with the genre in recent times. India’s equivalent of “Children of Heaven” may well be nearby – perhaps someone just needs to look up.

Text:J. Ramanand (ramanand@gmail.com, 97642 58560)