Mass Media and Communication Assignments: Cinema and Society

Name: Ashish Pithadiya

Email id: ashvribhay@gmail.com

Address: 15, Ashvmegh society, Rajvadi, Palitana- 364270

Contact No: 9033284201

Institute: Department Of English, Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University

                                                    Title: Cinema and Society

Abstract:

Cinema is a visual medium that tells us stories and exposes reality.  It is the world's most recent art form. Cinema has great influence on our life and society as well as on people. If we discuss on cinema, there are many types we know which is our part of entertainment, movies are not just for entertainment but they are also a mirror of the zeitgeist and society is most important part in this cinema, there are some that they know what movies providing us. Is that reality? Or Only entertainment? I think society why Important? Because somewhere they observer something and they follow in real World. Like technology as a learning tool. There are many historical story's that we know and some of them are taken in movies but if director makes any change with story or in character according to his perspective society goes against that movie. If we take example of Bollywood which makes some historical movies. From all these things a new trend started known as web series. Society was much more attracted towards web series. And on the other hand, the trend that we know goes on with people that are drama, cinema, and now web series. Now we can say that it is for our entertainment. If no than what they provide us? This is an important question. 

Charles S. Peirce and Ferdinand de Saussure suggest the relationship between the audience and the image is subjective. Each individual whether subconsciously or consciously develops an associated meaning with each image they see. (Tom, 2014)

Film is a major form of cultural expression, and the study of film is the study of culture, like the history of art or the interpretation of literature.

There are many types of cinemas such as Historical, Political, Futuristic, and the movies which are based on contemporary issues. And how all this movies deal with society and how  cinema portrait society?

Society is influence by cinema or cinema is influenced by society?

Key Words: Cinema, Society, Culture, Globalization, Web series

“Of all the terms used by critics to characterise mainstream Indian cinema, realism defined in the negative or as a systematic absence has undoubtedly had the most currency. Conversely, the achievement of realism in a film becomes a mark of value, a sign of sincerity, the truthfulness on the part of filmmaker of "authenticity" of the       martial presented. "        (S. Chakravarty 1993 : 80) 

Cinema is a reflection of society, both present as well as past. Cinema is a good vehicle for culture, education, modern social structures etc. It is said that, the prior or main function of cinema is to delight the audience or to entertain. But cinema is part of literature. Cinema is not just for entertainment but cinema represents our society.

What kind of movie can be considered a good cinema. A good movie is one that shows the truth. The movie sometimes shows a very different society, which is better than our society, or even better for the society. But our society does not accept that. We must ask the question that why the society does not accept this new world or society. There are many systems in India that need to be changed and movie does that. But we are not ready to accept it. It is reachable to every part of society such as rural societies, metro cities, towns etc. Movies have power as well as number of audience. So, it is not difficult to spread social awareness such as education, political issues, class systems, caste system, human rights etc. Films are viewed as constituting interconnected projects dealing with the lives of the rural poor and also the exploited and oppressed number of this segment of Indian society. In cinema, there were three types of cinema.

1. Documentary films – tend to focus on life and reality as it is, without giving wrong information. For example, The documentary of India

2. Commercial films – main aim to providing entertainment to the people. For example, Sholay film 

3. Parallel films – more realistic and relevant to the needs of people and society. For example, Article 15. People also do film criticism or film reviews. When you watch movies, you might find something which is true or relevant to your own society. After watching, you may give your own points

The birth of film industry in India

If we talk about Indian film industry than the pioneers of the industry were foreigners, The French Cinematographers came to India after proved their cinematic skills in Paris. The screening of the films place on 7th July 1896 at the Watson Hotel in Mumbai and the price of the ticket was Rs.1/-.  In 1896 the Lumiere brothers screened cinematography consisting of six short films Entry of Cinematograph, The sea Bath, Arrival of a Train, A demolition , Ladies and Soldiers on Wheels and Leaving the Factory in Bombay.  Two short films made by save dada in 1897, Indian’s first length silent film made in 1913 by the father of Indian cinema dada Saheb Phalke. 

India’s first talking film was Alam Ara made by Ardeshir Irani in 1931. Prahlada (Telugu) film and Kalidas (Tamil) film both are the first south Indian film released in 1931. Jumai Shasthi  the first Bengoli talking film. Now, Indian people are crazy for talkies and it’s very popular in Indian. The first time use  of sound technology in Indra and Devi Deviyani  in 1930.

Representation of educational system in Indian cinema

India's education system is very different. As it is said that Cinema represents our real society. Cinema has shown the education system very well and Something that is real and something that needs to be changed. But are we ready to accept this new system that is good for society? As ‘Hindi Medium’ releases, we look at movies that have tackled the subject of India’s schooling systems. caste and class is also seen in education. If you are rich you will be provided with good and different facilities and if you are poor you will be looked at differently. This is exactly what happens in education system and cinema represents this. Some decades ago, there was only one way in which knowledge can be gained  and that was through books. Reading was also the primary source of entertainment and excitement for the educated classes. It was perhaps because both education and entertainment could come from the same sources that there was little resistance to reading books among students. 

Hichki:

Classes are found in our society and especially in our education system. If you are rich you will be considered wise and if you are poor then everyone will understand that you are not wise and you are not educated. By saying all this, the people who want to study but they're poor will begin to think that it is true and we have no abilities. Hichki, as mentioned by Deccan Chronicle, “is a 2018 Indian Hindi drama film, directed by Sidharth P. Malhotra. It is an Indian adaptation of Brad Cohen's autobiography Front of the Class: How Tourette Syndrome Made Me the Teacher I Never Had.” (CHRONICLE) Naina Mathur is an aspiring teacher with a BEd and MSc who is unable to attain her dream job of becoming a teacher as she suffers from Tourette syndrome. But she gets one job in school. In the school there are one group of students or one class who belong to poor families. According to Ruchit Gupta “These kids are a part of the right to education initiative, thus landing up in an elite school where most kids and teachers have a hoity air of ‘high class’”. (Gupta) They started believing that we can not or may we have no right to get an education. The film is engaging, insightful and entertaining but given the premise it had more potential. In the movie, There are no bad students, only bad teachers. Sometimes it happens that the teacher is doing this class distinction to the student like in the movie there is one teacher who is doing this. It is not about class but about knowledge. From one side, it is said that all have the right to education and on the one hand It is also seen in which they are belong. Is this what our education system is about? According to me, If you want to teach someone, then you should not look at their class in which they are belong but you should look at their interest or their skills. Identify people not by their class but by their knowledge. 

Hindi medium

Hindi medium is the movie that present the side of downtrodden. While rich class suffered from admission in privet school, this story is the side of downtrodden, and how they are humble than rich people. Poor people helping in any situation, so rich people here portray as a arrogant and they are pay fees in private school for good teacher. Poor people people goes to the government cotta for less fees or say free admission. They can't afford higher fees, hindi medium proved the suffering of rich people and how goodness of people are poor. 

The film in a way reinstates popularly held beliefs that virtues like honesty, sympathy and integrity are for the downtrodden while the rich are ruthless and tyrannical

This argument presented one side view, If we loot at the larger mass of people than all are not same all are not reach or poor there are some rich and larger mass of people are poor, so If reach people can not build factory or company poor people are become jobless. Now a day we can face problems like joblessness, so for money poor are work on factory, so the question are there for youth because if there are not provide any jobs than where they go. If we talk about Virtues like honesty, sympathy and integrity, than we have to see both the side. Poor people have all this things because they haven’t any money they are work for money and for food, other side rich people invest their money in project or in company so that they can think about money, so after time goes and they have to think about money and than they can take decision, Virtues have both the side but money is the important part. So youth have to think like rich people, because they have to make important decision for future plans while worker think about monthly income. Another thing is that rich people can’t think about sleep hungry, but poor are live in that situation, and they feel how it is bad to sleep hungry.  Now a days Youth can face the problem like this situation.

If we talk about the admission in schools than every parents should chose the reputable school. Because children can learn better things, like English medium school, parents are think about child’s bright future, and they chose that there child can learn from English medium. So the conflict have presented in this movie like privet schools, and government schools. Now children are portray by schools, like Privet schools have best teacher so they can learn better think. Another presented the dull as government schools. All parents think about there child but because of money issue they goes to the government school. Even it’s depend upon child ability that what kind of education they need. With the aspect of admission movie also tells about corruption in government also, like privet have large amount of fees but government teacher do corruption for admission, Now a days it’s a normal thing to do corruption. Now with this corruption what we aspects from youth, they can also learn the things and observe all the things that presented in India. . “:Films presented the reality in a funny way like a Novel. One side politician said corruption free India and another side Privately they do corruption.” (Jose, 2017)

Tare Zameen Par

"Every child have a different way to think... every child is a special and unique"

The central point of the movie is Dyslexia and issue of Dyslexia. The film discuss this point among parents, teachers, society and others. Film focused on One character (Ishan Nandkishor Awasthi) but the message applies to old children. Taare Zameen par is about child who suffer from dyslexia, 8 years old boy who hate school and homework and fail in every exam. His classmates make fun of him.

Criticism on the parents and teacher

Thai film satire on the teachers and parents who never understand their children. in our society parents always force their dreams and ambitions on to shoulder of children and children never stand strongly against their parents dream and ambitions, end of the result children become successful. Parents should be very careful when they deal with their child. Every child has its own kills and dreams. the role of the parents is to find out the best quality from their child and then improve them with proper guidance.

Other situation presented in this movie that father of Ishaan, Nandkishor compare their children to each other. It's shows the reality of our society, when Nandkishor starting comparison between two brothers. abuse one child in front of others, creates many psychological problems for the child. S/he stop responding to other, never spend quality time with their parents. It stops the personal development and that's very harmful for child.

The role of the traditional teachers shows the reality of our society student never clear their concept and done their homework in afraid of punishment. traditional teachers always believe that each and every students are same and all student have same ability. Imaging that type of teachers teach to student in a traditional way than imagine the end of the result.

Super 30:

Conflict between Rich or Poor:

We can see the conflict between Rich and Poor. Anand belongs to Poor family and he loves one girl who is Rich. When Anand meet her father, her father told him that you get Admission in IIT in Cambridge is good, but how you reach there? So his point is that Poor can not go and take the education because they have no money or passports to reach there. We can find another character Lallan Singh who is CEO of Excellence Coaching, he told Anand that you have to teach here and once Anand denied him. At that time he first forces him and he also tries to kill him. So we can see the power of Rich people on poor.

Education is a business:

In our real society, we can see that if you want to join IIT then you have to join one good Coaching class. In the one of the best season 'KOTA FACTORY,' We can observe this point that students want the admission in the famous coaching class and they want to study under the great teacher. So we can find many coaching class in our society. So in the movie, I found the same thing. All students want to study if Anand Kumar come.”

Impact of Cinema in society

So, we can see that how cinema represents our real society. In our real society we can see this kind of class in education system. Youth are the future of our country what they learn that reflection can present in future, cinema reflects our true society, that exist today’s time, so cinema is the part of our entertainment and also reflects reality of society. Cinema has great impact on people but it is not just for entertainment because cinema can portray us with the new kind of influence of trends, and that can derive us in a new path. Class conflict is the major problem that we face with earlier time. Now a day’s cinema can just highlights that things.

Works Cited

CHRONICLE, DECCAN. The makers of Rani Mukerji's Hichki rebuff the claim of plagiarism . 20 DEC 2017. WEB. 30 01 2020. <https://www.deccanchronicle.com/entertainment/bollywood/201217/hichki-is-a-brand-new-film-says-the-makers-of-rani-mukerjis-upcoming-movie.html>.

Gupta, Rachit. HICHKI MOVIE REVIEW. 29 March 2018. WEB. 30 01 2020. <https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/movie-reviews/hichki/movie-review/63428161.cms>.

Jose, B. (2017, 05 20). What Irrfan Khan's Hindi Medium teaches us about privilege and class divide. Retrieved 01 31, 2020, from https://www.dailyo.in: https://www.dailyo.in/arts/hindi-medium-cinema-bollywood-govt-schools-class-divide-irrfan-khan-saba-qamar/story/1/17314.html