Floods of Uttarakhandi films in Garhwali dialects these days. “Subheru Gham – 2 Bathaun” is a outstanding cinema of real depiction of Uttarakhand ghost villages : KUDOS
Subheru Gham 2 BATHAUN, Sanskaar, Shaheed running in Theatres
In Uttarakhand these days there is a flood of regional movies especially after the government of Uttarakhand took a decision to accord fifty percent of the budget ( subsidy) spend in the production of a regional movie in Garhwali, Kumaoni and Jaunsari languages shot in serene, exotic and beautiful locations of Uttarakhand.
This is indeed a very good development as after the finalisation of this healthy cinematic policy to encourage the Uttarakhand filmmakers , there have been production of Uttarakhand films on good scale and several films in the offing with majority of films being qualitative with healthy script highlighting the plight and development of Uttarakhand it’s traditions, culture and other aspects. While, the seasoned filmmakers are focussing on the traditional stories which connect the audience to their tradition, cultural heritage, the grass roots and the existing socio economic situation, there are others who are giving it a Bollywood touch by making films that look more of a ” Dishum Dishum” style adding adventure by unusual sound effects to impress the audience. Films are also being made on sacrifices in Armed forces, on famous deities of Uttarakhand while several movies produced on the prevailing illicit liquor consumption and other social aspects like massive migration making Uttarakhand a state of thousands of ghost villages in view of the lack of educational, health and job related avenues in the interiors where decentralised development couldn’t reach for the good of the society and the people despite the state becoming a separate entity in the year 2000. Infact, the first regional Garhwali film was produced in 1984 by Parashar Gaur, a poet and writer who created history making this first Garhwali film followed by another Kumaoni film “Meghaa Aa”. after few years.
Then came the trend of low budget CD albums and films which literally dominated the music industry of Uttarakhand and outside it – but prior to that the legendary singers of Uttarakhand Gopal Babu Goswami and Narendra Singh Negi had captured the major market in the regional music industry by their mesmerising, songs with outstanding lyrics literally capturing the hearts and minds of every Uttarakhandis living in Uttarakhand, metropolises , various states and even abroad.
This resulted in various music companies coming into existence and earning handsomely paying small amounts to the singers who just wanted a break. Similarly the CD films came in large numbers but not making any mark on the watchers. From 1992 to 2012 however, no quality oriented Uttarakhandi feature film was made leaving quite a vacuum in the Uttarakhand film industry.
However after 2012 the trend started when several industrialists, those earning handsomely hailing from Uttarakhand took interest in film making. During the last decade several Garhwali and Kumaoni films came into existence. During the last decade years barring the Covid time, there have been production of good number of Garhwali films with Mumbai based originally from Pauri Garhwal Urmi Negi producing a quality film – SUBHERU GHAM highlighting the plight of Uttarakhand , especially the illicit liquor being clandestinely manufactured in villages and several families spoiled in league with the local administration.
This film was super duper hit with the then chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat , chief secretary Radha Raturi and the DGP Uttarakhand Anil Raturi praising it to the hilt and also felicitating her including the then governor of Maharashtra and former CM Uttarakhand Bhagat Singh Koshiyari etc. The film got entry and Award in Canada Film Festival. Urmi didn’t stopped here but came out with her another magnificent film SUBHERU GHAN 2 BATHAUN highlighting the very genuine plight of Uttarakhand’s women, especially the old aged ones after massive migration to towns, metropolises and various states in search of better avenues of health, education for their children and jobs, making thousand villages Ghost villages. The movie of 3.15 hours keeps the audience glued to their seats with tears in their eyes every now and then.
The movie is an eye opener to the existing problem of massive migration produced for the very first time impacting one and all and a warning signal to the government. The state government should make it a Tax Free movie as it helps in sending across the message of repatriation to the hills of Uttarakhand. The music, cinematography , lyrics, songs, music dialogue dilivery and scenic beauty of the film are so outstanding and mesmerising that it won five YUCA awards in Delhi and 29 international laurels. Today there is no dearth of Uttarakhand movies but despite being quality and good films the producers are more included to make films to get subsidy than adding quality to the films. There have been instances when the producers are asking their friends to buy the shows and bringing audience in buses to distribute them free tickets just to give the impression that their films are going house full. This is not a healthy trend say some of the filmmakers.
Unless we compel the audience to buy tickets on their own and come to theatres we won’t be encouraging them to watch good cinema says Urmi Negi MD of Snowy Mountain production. The present and films made in the recent past like Subheru Gham, Bathaun, Kedar, Charavyuh, Shaheed, Meri Boi, Sanskar, Meethi, on OTT – ATITHEE Sanskaram, Dharee Devi, Meru Gaon, Asgaar etc are undoubtedly good movies having attracted tremendous crowd but the coordination and amity among the fraternity seemed missing obviously leading to some movies running on the same weeks in same theatres competing with each other knowing very well that the Pahadi audience are limited and the crowd won’t turn to the halls doing justice with the films competing with each other. Have you ever seen the audience being served with meals and tickets by the producers or their friends bringing them in buses ? This obviously means that the sponsership of audience will ultimately send a message across that the audience will never come to box office to buy tickets on their always depending on producers to give them free tickets. Will this make a good cinema is anyone’s guess said one of the producers on the condition of maintaining anonymity.
It may be recalled that during 1984 a Bombay based filmmaker BD Nautiyal made a filmed titled Gharjawain. The film was made on Hindi film masala but couldn’t fare tremendously well but made a mark to some extent. Urmi Negi was the Heroine of this movie.
The history of Garhwali Films is not too old. The first feature film, ‘”Jagwal” was released in 1983 which was produced by Parashar Gaur while he was the manager of Constitution Club in New Delhi. This was the first time that anyone from the hills of Uttrakhand showed to the world that the so called “Pahadees”, who were viewed as nothing more than mere ‘faujees’ on the borders or the people who took pride doing low-paid jobs in the capital, could portray their hills and its hopes and dismays with pride like any regular ‘Mr.Ghai’ or ‘Bokadia’ from the well established Bombay Film industry.
Writes Angelfire : It may not have all the glamour and glitz of Bombay but nonetheless with its pahadi humor and and values it became a hit. People from all over the Uttrakhand came packing the buses just to see the movie while they stayed at their friends or relatives houses. The tickets were sold in very high prices (Rs. 5 ticket got sold for Rs. 100) in black. The prenier if the film was first held at Mavlankar Hall, Rafi Marg, New Delhi. Udit Narayan and Anuradha Paudwal sang for a Garhwali film at a time when they were relatively unknown. Jagwal inspired many people to enter the film business. After Jagwal many movies followed and many people shone on the big screen.
The cast of first Jagwal were Vinod Balodi, Parashar Gaur, Kusum Lata Bist, Mohan Dandriyal, Dinesh Kothiyal, Satendra Farendia and Ramesh Mandolia with its Director being Tulsi Ghimiray , musician Ranjit Gazmer and Cinematography by Prakash.
The second film was’Kabhi Sukh Kabhi Dukh ‘ which was produced by Bindesh Naudiyal and was released in 1983. The film was based on Hindi Masala and was totally denied by the people. In Srinagar students protested and wanted to burn the prints of the film. The story was based on anticultural values in which mother in law was shown as a drunk and a corrupted woman.
The cast of K.S.K.D were Bindesh Naudiyal, Mukesh Dhasmana, Sunita Belwal, Parbodh Dobhal and Pyre Negi with its Director being Bindesh Naudiyal.
According to Angle fire unlike K.S.K.D. it was appreciated by its songs which were written and sung by legendry singer Narendra Singh Negi launching him into a very successful Garhwali audio industry for the very first time.
The cast of Ghar-Jawain was Baldev Rana, Urmi Negi, Shanti Chaturvedi with Director being T.T. Dhasmana and Music composed by eminent singer and musician Narendra Singh Negi. The singers of this movie were Bollywood singer Sushma Shreshta & Narendra Singh Negi.
Another Garhwali film Kauthig was produced by Jaidavi Sheal and directed by Charan Singh Chauhan who was fired from the position of the director by the producer of ‘Ghar-Javain’. He was determined to become a director and so he launched “Kauthig”.
Although the music and songs were done by Mr. Narendra Singh Negi, the film was not received well by the people. The cast of Kauthig were Ashok Mall, Nirmala Rana & Urmi Negi.
“Megha Aa” became the first Kumaoni feature film. The producer was Mr. J.S. Bist. Despite being a first Kumoni feature film it could not get the kind of exposure as “Jagwal” did drawing huge crowds and the ticket of Rs. Five being sold in black of Rs 100 and audience crazy to buy them.
The cast of Megha Aa were Manju Shree, Rajesh Harbola, Kamal Pant, Prema Shah, Alak Nath Upreti, Mukesh Dhasmana & Arti Pathak with its Director being Kaka Sharma and Music rendered by Hemant Thakur.
“Pyaroo Rumal” was dubbed from its Kumaoni version. It cast Mr. Udit Narayan who now has become the top most singer in the Hindi Cinema. It did a good showing only in Kotdwara since it was the producers domain.
The cast of Pyaroo Rumal were Bollywood singer if eminence Udit Narayan, Bhuvan Gosain, Tripti, Mastram Badli, Sudha Madar & S.N. Rawat with Director being popular Tulsi Ghimiray and Music composed by Ranjit Gazmer.
“Udankar” was the first film produced by a woman, Kamla Bist wife of Surendra Singh Bist. The film contained many grievances regarding Uttrakhand but due to lack of good direction it became a flop. The main cast of Udankar being Chandar Mohan Bounthial, Hoshiyar Singh Rawat with Kamla Bist being its Director.
Other films , “Raibar”, “Batwaroo”, “Samlon”, “Beti Bovari”, “Chakra Chal” & Parashar Gaur’s “Awaz” (Dhai) were still in production then with Chakrachall finally produced and screened several decades ago.
