MARATHI FILM ON POET

                                                                                                                                           

                                                                               By Vijayanta N Chitale

Based on life and works of septuagenarian Marathi poet and Sahitya Akademi Award winner Narayan Gangaram Surve, a title role film is the first Marathi movie to be honored with Golden Lotus for Best Film in non feature film category.

In narrative form, blending story with Surve’s poetry, noted actor Kishor Kadam takes us on journey back into life of poet. Beginning from his childhood to his rise from peon to teacher, the film spans through his poems of various subjects and topics. This includes his affinity to Communists. Film features both Narayan and his wife Krishnabai too.

While awarding Golden Lotus the jury remarked, “Innovative telling of the story of the life of a great Marathi poet juxtaposed with evocative visualization of his poems. The film makes brilliant use of images and metaphor as it evolves a complex and powerful narrative”.

Narayan Surve is not just as outstanding poet, but also great human being. His poetry is noted for its instant connect with the working man. In Maaze Vidyapeeth, he describes about a dock-worker subjected to onslaught of abuse and outburst of revolutionary feelings in him.

The audio CD along with VCD of film contains selected poems narrated by him.

 Money Order is expression of feelings of commercial sex worker. The last poem in selection Jevha Kadhi Hya Kavitanche Prayog Hotil bears resemblance to song Mae Pal Do Pal Ka Shyaar Hoon… sung by Mukesh in Kabhi Kabhi, unfolding layers in mind of a poet as he dwells into future and makes comparison with present.

The works of poet are often influenced by the profession they are associated with, whether it was Kabirdas, Sant Tukaram or even Surve. Tukaram’s work was influenced by commodities, while Kabirdas’s work was influenced by tailoring. In Zheenee Zheenee   

Ray Binee Chadariya, Kabir has compared life with stiching of sheet, which was his profession. Surve in Rama Raghoba Daji, sung in Powada style, narrates life in spinning mill. The opening line Saat Vajta Suroo Hote Palee ( the shift begins at seven) it goes on to describe how bobbin is placed on spindle and how cloth is spun. Narayan Surve an abandoned child was brought up by Gangaram Surve, a worker in spinning mill and as such Surve had spent his childhood in those surroundings. Once when inspector is on visit to school, Surve teaches Mazhee Aai (my mother) to students, which sends tears rolling down eyes of one student. Inspector appreciates his style of poem.. Amongst other collection is also Mardhekarnshe Batcheet.

Surve at one of the function had emphasized Poetry talks to people. It talks to world. Audience has become my fan only after listening to my poems. It is the soul striking chord with person in front of me. Although not fluent in English, Surve has no regrets for that. He stressed as long as he is able to make a good presentation in Marathi, it is sufficient.

According to Arun Khopkar, the man behind the film, most of poems which were included in the film were those in which everyday speech confronted us as poetry. The words of butcher, commercial sex worker, adolescents getting initiated into politics, of dock worker, all revealed their power to burn the pages when focused by the magnifying glass of Surve’s poetry. Surve’s apparently Free Verses was a result of his cunning mastery of the spoken words, which at once was free and yet formed its own rythematic structure.