'Master of Indian cinema' turns 90

KOLKATA: Iconic, visionary, realist. Boisterous, introspective, grounded. All these and many more words of admiration and adulation marked the 90th birthday celebrations of Mrinal Sen at Gorky Sadan. Or shouldn't we mention that? Sen is sensitive about the years. Just ask his leading ladies - Mamata Shankar, Madhabi Mukherjee or Sreela Majumdar.
Eisenstein Cine Club and The Bengal in association with the Russian Centre of Science and Culture had arranged the programme, Mrinal Sen - 90, with filmmaker Goutam Ghose as the coordinator.An ensemble cast scripted a touching tribute to Sen with their effusive praise and anecdotes, little nuances and incidents that, not unlike his films, won him lifelong friends. However, his admirers from the '60s onwards had one refrain: "Mrinal Sen's films left the youth shaken, he stirred the deepest emotions and energized the audience with a radical energy. And his greatest achievement is capturing the age and time on film."
But those snapshots were not always pretty. It still isn't, according to Sen. When film scholar Samik Bandyopadhyay asked him: "In our history, whenever time has been marked by chaos and confusion, you've brought to us a film and linked it with other films. But can the current age be captured? How would you?" Sen said: "These are terrible times, everything is breaking down. A former chief minister called me to ask how things are. I demanded to know why such a time has come, why couldn't you or the Front do anything? We all need introspection."
"We must stand against the tyranny of collective mediocrity. Jawaharlal Nehru had said law is the will of the dominant faction. It still is, all over the world."
"A lot of filmmakers in India wouldn't have made radical cinema had it not been for 'Bhuvan Shome'. Mrinal Sen gave us the courage to break rules, to create new rules. He taught us cinema is not about being perfect. He inspired us to be 'not pretty'. He proved cinema is not work, it's a lifestyle," said filmmaker Anjan Dutt.
Stalwarts and stars lit up while praising Sen, with Madhabi Mukherjee, Mamata Shankar, Sreela Majumdar, Prosenjit Chatterjee, directors Raja Sen, Ashoke Vishwanathan and Mainak Bhaumik, among others, paying glowing tribute to the maestro.
"He's the master of Indian cinema. He represents India on the global stage," said Prosenjit. "If I can act, it's because of Mrinal Sen," said Madhabi.
"When we were students, his films energized us, burned us. Mrinal Sen is a revolution," gushed Raja Sen.
Mainak said: "Whenever you'd think there's no forward movement in Bengali or Indian cinema, you should go back to a Mrinal Sen movie."
However, Goutam Ghose offered the greatest birthday gift to Sen: "I've been urging you for 10 years, please make another film. All of us will assist you, just give us instructions."
Mamata Shankar echoed Ghose as well: "Ninety doesn't suit Mrinalda. He is nine. Not many know this, but he is very fond of gossip. Please make a new film, amra sobai achhi."
Mrinal Sen's response would shock Bollywood, and jolt Hollywood. "Among others, a top bank manager had offered to finance my film. But they'd release the funds only if it is over Rs 5 crore. I said I could make half-dozen movies with that money. So it never took off."
Like Charlie Chaplin, Mrinal Sen has always sought a reflection of society in his films. Some may dislike the picture the mirror offers. But one can't always hide from reality.