Mahishasura was Tyeb Mehta's Signature

"My happiest moments are spent with myself and my art." - Tyeb Mehta.

Accomplished artist and aspiring filmmaker, Tyeb Mehta, who died in July in Mumbai was known for his weakness for bulls and the Mahishasura legend that he created. Over the past few years Mehta's art had created world records in London and New York.

A self-effacing, self-made creator, Mehta's Celebration, an acrylic-on-canvas triptych (240 x 510 cms.), acquired iconic status in 2002 and three years later, his 1997 painting of the buffalo-demon - Mahishasura - being overpowered by goddess Durga, was bought for US$1.58 million, a record for any artist of Indian origin. Since then value for his pieces surpassed the one-million dollar mark twice. Completed in 1956, when he was hardly 31, his Trussed Bull was a forerunner of greater successes.

Born in Kapadvanj, Gujarat, Mehta who got his art diploma in 1952 from J.J. School of Art in Mumbai, said recently, "'I always wanted to be a film maker. I never thought I would become an artist." He was 84. He was a contemporary of well-known names such as Husain (born 1915), Raza (born 1922) and Souza (1924-2002) of the Progressive Arts Group that was founded around India's independence movement (1947) to voice upcoming artists' interests. The New York Times said, he was "the leading light of India's first post-colonial generation of Modernists."

A three-minute short made in Tamil - Koodal - written and directed by Mehta won him the Filmfare Critics' Award in 1970. He also wrote a script on Mahasweta Devi's novel 'Hazaar Chaurasi ki Maa' that was directed by film producer, Govind Nihalani.

Mehta's repertoire included "falling figures" that included the bull, deities, people - some in pain and others in sad contemplation - a reflection of his state of mind around that period. His tones were layered with expressions of intense melancholy blended with fine distinctive lines that helped substantiate but not clarify the overall manifestation.

India honored Mehta in 2007 with a Padma Bhushan and earlier he had picked up the Dayawati Modi Foundation Award for Art & Culture. In 2006, Mehta had said, "I have always been a loner and am still quite a bit of a recluse. My happiest moments are spent with myself and my art." Works from his varied oeuvre will be on sale next month in New York.

talktoretailplus@yahoo.com

(A New York based independent trend writer, Raj S. Rangarajan reports on the art market, reviews books and films for media based in New York, Toronto, Canada, Seoul and India.)

RAJ S. RANGARAJAN

Drama & Suspense in Bollywood movie, New York

Raj S. Rangarajan

Its almost Hollywood – it has dramatic action and suspense, a mild love element and fear: its a Aditya Chopra production of the movie, New York and directed by Kabir Khan who earlier made Kabul Express. There is a refreshing candor to the film shot entirely in America though one could detect Bollywood effects.

The film picks up speed from the get-go with Omar (Neil Nitin Mukesh, Johnny Gaddaar) being picked up in a busy street. A scheme designed by Roshan (Irrfan Khan, a FBI sleuth) and his boss to entice Omar to fess up regarding his former college buddy Samir’s (John Abraham) alleged involvement in terrorism, seems to go nowhere.

Flashback to collegial days: happy scenes of students – Samir, Maya (Katrina Kaif, Namastey London) and Omar in a carefree, cheerful environment make for pleasant takes. Omar’s love interest shows up later but generally the almost 3-hour film is fast-moving and one is surprised when 'interval' is announced.

“If I had watched the movie in India I would have found no fault, but since I live in the U.S. now I noticed minor shortcomings such as Liberty State Park being shown in New York (actually its in New Jersey) and I was happily surprised that Katrina, a Hong-Kong born, half-Kashmiri actress of British origin, who reportedly dubbed her own lines, appeared articulate and confident while delivering her lines.” This from pharmaceutical researcher, Anjana Nair, an avid aficionada of Hindi, English and Malayalam movies, whom I met outside the cinema hall. Thirty-plus V. Ranjith, who runs a wine shop in New York said, “Katrina was really friendly and hot and I liked the film.”

Director Kabir Khan seems to have digested thoroughly the 9/11 Report made public in July 2004 by Commission Chairman and former New Jersey governor, Thomas Kean. Kabir’s cues for New York are uncanny, a tribute to his sense of cinema though some stock shots were predictable. He has handled controversial subjects such as racial profiling, torture, water-boarding with panache and professional zeal.

One could not but be reminded of Hollywood movie, Rendition where Anwar played by Omar Metwally, (Munich), gets picked up, and is never told why he is arrested. Anwar, an Egyptian-born engineer is married to Reese Witherspoon and the lady boss who runs the “rendition” program for the American administration is Meryl Streep. Anwar is moved from America to a North African country, but in New York, Samir is tortured at home. Like in Rendition, the makers of New York appear to be earnest about the film’s objectives.

Based partly on “racial profiling” the movie tries to tread new territory though the basic premise presupposes an emotional decision, i.e., why a person is picked up based on name, looks and stereotypes. Howsoever much authorities try to make racial profiling a science it is still a nascent art and the subject is very much a pawn to human frailties. While the viewer may not agree with some of the decisions taken by law enforcement, the movie attempts to honestly represent many aspects of what could happen if one is accidentally on the wrong side of the law.

The title of the movie – New York – should help box office sales in North America even if the storyline were not about terrorism. Like a true FBI sleuth, Irrfan Khan, occasionally gives the impression that he is on the side of the alleged terrorist and in a rare moment, discloses that though married to an Italian he doesn’t favor pasta. One is almost lulled to believe that we are watching a Hollywood drama when suddenly Irrfan’s crisp but accented dialogue jars one to reality.

A scene showing Samir with his sidekicks plotting in the dead of night was straight out of Bollywood. However, some high-rise, chopper and street shots of Manhattan and Philadelphia seemed real. Even Samir scaling the tall downtown building to place his detonating device was creative, and kudos to the skilful camera crew and the editing desk.

High drama and tension grip the final scene with Omar, Roshan and Maya trying to negotiate on behalf of Samir, and how it all ends is an interesting lesson in crisis management. For a comparatively new entrant to the celluloid world, Neil has done a commendable job. John Abraham has come a long way from Viruddh to Dostana to New York and Katrina has matured responsibly in her craft.

Finally, one often wonders why FBI guys in every movie – specially the men – have to yell. Is it because they are trying to drown their own fears or is it an outward manifestation of lack of confidence when confronting a potential gun-wielder.

_____________________________
[Raj S. Rangarajan is a New York based freelance writer. He covers trend stories on art, reviews books and films for media based in New York, Toronto, Republic of Korea and India.]