4.English (Prose) - Lesson 4

What is Wrong with Indian Film

Class 10 English (Prose) - Lesson 4

Author: Satyajit Ray

🎥 About the Lesson & Author

Satyajit Ray was one of the greatest film directors of the world. He put Indian cinema on the global map with films like Pather Panchali. In this essay, he critically analyzes the flaws of Indian cinema. He argues that while India produces a huge quantity of films, the quality is often lacking because we blindly copy Hollywood instead of creating our own unique style.

📖 Summary (हिन्दी सारांश)

सत्यजीत रे कहते हैं कि भारत में फिल्म निर्माण 20वीं सदी के शुरुआत में ही शुरू हो गया था। आज भारत दुनिया में सबसे ज्यादा फिल्में बनाने वाले देशों में से एक है। लेकिन गुणवत्ता (Quality) के मामले में हम पीछे हैं। हमारी फिल्में विदेशों में शायद ही कभी दिखाई जाती हैं।

रे के अनुसार, भारतीय फिल्मों की मुख्य कमियाँ ये हैं:

• कहानी और शैली (Story & Style): हम अपनी कहानियों को भारतीय तरीके से कहने के बजाय हॉलीवुड (Hollywood) की नकल करते हैं। हमारी कहानियाँ तर्कहीन (illogical) होती हैं।
• संगीत (Music): भारतीय फिल्मों में गानों की भरमार होती है जो कई बार कहानी के प्रभाव को कम कर देते हैं। हम जैज़ (Jazz) और भारतीय शास्त्रीय संगीत का अजीब मिश्रण (mixture) करते हैं।
• तकनीक (Technology): हमारे पास तकनीशियनों की कमी नहीं है, लेकिन हम अपने उपकरणों (tools) का सही इस्तेमाल नहीं करते।
• दृश्य (Visuals): हम असली लोकेशन्स पर शूटिंग करने के बजाय स्टूडियो में नकली सेट लगाना पसंद करते हैं।

लेखक का मानना है कि भारतीय फिल्म निर्माताओं को "जीवन की सच्चाई" (Truth of Life) और भारतीय जीवनशैली को अपनी फिल्मों में दिखाना चाहिए, तभी हमारी फिल्में विश्व स्तर पर सम्मान पा सकेंगी। हमें ज्यादा चमक-धमक (Gloss) की नहीं, बल्कि मौलिकता (Originality) की जरूरत है।

📚 Word Meanings (शब्दार्थ)

Word	Meaning (Hindi)	Meaning (English)
Potent	शक्तिशाली	Powerful
Versatile	बहुमुखी	Multi-talented/All-round
Indispensable	अपरिहार्य/बहुत ज़रूरी	Essential, Cannot be ignored
Imitate	नकल करना	Copy
Incoherent	बेमेल/असंगत	Unclear, Illogical
Connoisseur	कला पारखी/विशेषज्ञ	An expert judge in art/taste

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

B.1.1. True or False

• 1. The cinema commands the respect accorded to any other form of creative expression. -> (True)
• 2. The cinema cannot take the place of the drama. -> (False)
• 3. We should not be ashamed of our films. -> (False) (Ray implies we should be critical)
• 4. Indian music is largely improvisational. -> (True)

B.1.2. Short Answer Questions

Q1. Who has written this essay?

Ans: Satyajit Ray has written this essay.

Q2. Which is the most potent and versatile art form?

Ans: Cinema is the most potent and versatile art form.

Q3. What does our cinema need above everything else?

Ans: Our cinema needs a style, an idiom, a sort of iconography of cinema which would be uniquely and recognizably Indian.

Q4. Why are Indian films not shown abroad?

Ans: Indian films are not shown abroad mainly because they lack quality and technical standards compared to Western films.

C.1. Long Answer Questions

Q1. What should be the nature of an Indian film?

Ans: The nature of an Indian film should be rooted in Indian soil. It should reflect Indian life, culture, and traditions honestly. Instead of copying Hollywood's jazz or slickness, it should develop its own visual language. The film should simplify its music and focus on the story and reality of Indian life. It needs imagination and integrity, not just expensive sets.

Q2. "What our cinema needs above everything else is a style, an idiom." Explain.

Ans: Satyajit Ray means that Indian cinema lacks a unique identity. Just as we can easily identify a Japanese or American film by its style, Indian films should also have a distinct 'Indian' feel. Currently, they are a confused mix of Western influence and Indian melodrama. We need to develop a filmmaking language that suits our own stories and environment, rather than borrowing techniques that don't fit our culture.

Q3. Discuss the criticism of Indian music in films as presented by Ray.

Ans: Ray criticizes that Indian films use songs unnecessarily. The music is often a strange mixture of Indian classical and Western jazz, which sounds incoherent. He suggests that background music should be used only where necessary to enhance the mood, not to fill gaps. He believes that Indian folk and classical music are rich enough to be used creatively without relying on Western tunes.

-- Class 10 English (Bihar Board) Notes --