Cinema in sepia
Amidst the pleasantly anachronistic ambience of the Film and Television Institute of India stands a quaint building that is housing history inside its walls. The Prabhat Museum, which was opened to the public from March 1, is not only a tribute to the history of cinema, but also a silent testimony to a national heritage, to the evolution of art, to the beginnings of a medium that was to introduce new semiotics to our culture. That’s why a small walk inside the museum becomes equivalent to a long journey back to the roots of cinema.
It is common knowledge for any Puneite that the premises which now boasts of the FTII, was the place where Prabhat Studios stood from the 1930s. Since most of early cinema flourished in the studio system, these are the very grounds where cinematic milestones were achieved by founders — V Damle, V Shantaram, S Fattelal, K Dhaibar and S Kulkarni. So it makes sense to stroll through the museum knowing that you’re right in the thick of history. It also makes sense to understand the importance of Prabhat Film Company in shaping Indian cinema to appreciate the ancient glory on display. It was among the three most prominent studios in India that was known for its top-notch facilities, beautiful set designs and its pool of talented actors. With highly acclaimed mythological dramas like Amrit Manthan (1934), Sant Tukaram (1936), Sant Dyaneshwar (1940) and socially relevant films Kunkoo (Duniya Na Mane) (1937), Manoos (Aadmi) (1939), Shejari ( Padosi) (1941), Prabhat created a distinct identity for itself. Some of the techniques (mob scenes, creative use of physical spaces) and special effects (the famous scene of the Garuda flying in Sant Tukaram) devised by them were pathbreaking innovations in early cinema.
With this in mind, when you look at the photograph of the first talkie studio, lone-standing amidst a grassy expanse in Kolhapur (1932) or a snap of men putting up the Prabhat Film Company banner, or the property documents of Prabhat Studios, you know you’re witnessing the making of history. It’s this hindsight, this awareness that a dynamic present was born out of a silent past staring at you from behind thin glass that gives you the goosebumps. From the welcoming board of ‘Prabhat Nagar’, the proud emblem of Prabhat Film Company, to the various costumes, accessories, and props used in their films, the museum is a rare treasure indeed. In keeping with the mythologicals and historicals of that period, there are elaborate ornaments, pagdis, musical instruments, arms, costumes, animal jewellery, and sculptures on display. Divided into separate rooms, the exhibit takes you through the establishment of Prabhat Studios, the silent era, the age of talkies, the peak of cinematic activity and the various faces associated with Prabhat till the 1940s, after which its decline set in.
We lingered at the stills of various scenes from popular Prabhat films and wondered at the beauty of the set compositions, the myriad poses and expressions of actors like Shanta Apte, Vishnupant Pagnis, Balgandharva, Durga Khote, Gouri and others, frozen in time. A photograph of the music staff at Prabhat caught our attention. The singer sitting together with the band on a single dais perhaps explains the simplicity and the single-source seamlessness of the song and accompanying melody that marked early playback singing in cinema. Equally charming is the huge wooden street lamp, the dainty bell (made of paper), the lamp (used in Manoos), the harmonium (played with feet) and other props that once enriched the sets of Prabhat.
Whether it makes it on the Pune Darshan tour or not, this one is a must visit for anyone who’s enjoyed the medium of cinema.
It is common knowledge for any Puneite that the premises which now boasts of the FTII, was the place where Prabhat Studios stood from the 1930s. Since most of early cinema flourished in the studio system, these are the very grounds where cinematic milestones were achieved by founders — V Damle, V Shantaram, S Fattelal, K Dhaibar and S Kulkarni. So it makes sense to stroll through the museum knowing that you’re right in the thick of history. It also makes sense to understand the importance of Prabhat Film Company in shaping Indian cinema to appreciate the ancient glory on display. It was among the three most prominent studios in India that was known for its top-notch facilities, beautiful set designs and its pool of talented actors. With highly acclaimed mythological dramas like Amrit Manthan (1934), Sant Tukaram (1936), Sant Dyaneshwar (1940) and socially relevant films Kunkoo (Duniya Na Mane) (1937), Manoos (Aadmi) (1939), Shejari ( Padosi) (1941), Prabhat created a distinct identity for itself. Some of the techniques (mob scenes, creative use of physical spaces) and special effects (the famous scene of the Garuda flying in Sant Tukaram) devised by them were pathbreaking innovations in early cinema.
With this in mind, when you look at the photograph of the first talkie studio, lone-standing amidst a grassy expanse in Kolhapur (1932) or a snap of men putting up the Prabhat Film Company banner, or the property documents of Prabhat Studios, you know you’re witnessing the making of history. It’s this hindsight, this awareness that a dynamic present was born out of a silent past staring at you from behind thin glass that gives you the goosebumps. From the welcoming board of ‘Prabhat Nagar’, the proud emblem of Prabhat Film Company, to the various costumes, accessories, and props used in their films, the museum is a rare treasure indeed. In keeping with the mythologicals and historicals of that period, there are elaborate ornaments, pagdis, musical instruments, arms, costumes, animal jewellery, and sculptures on display. Divided into separate rooms, the exhibit takes you through the establishment of Prabhat Studios, the silent era, the age of talkies, the peak of cinematic activity and the various faces associated with Prabhat till the 1940s, after which its decline set in.
We lingered at the stills of various scenes from popular Prabhat films and wondered at the beauty of the set compositions, the myriad poses and expressions of actors like Shanta Apte, Vishnupant Pagnis, Balgandharva, Durga Khote, Gouri and others, frozen in time. A photograph of the music staff at Prabhat caught our attention. The singer sitting together with the band on a single dais perhaps explains the simplicity and the single-source seamlessness of the song and accompanying melody that marked early playback singing in cinema. Equally charming is the huge wooden street lamp, the dainty bell (made of paper), the lamp (used in Manoos), the harmonium (played with feet) and other props that once enriched the sets of Prabhat.
Whether it makes it on the Pune Darshan tour or not, this one is a must visit for anyone who’s enjoyed the medium of cinema.
posted by renu at 2:39 AM
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