Deepa Mehta unleashes the second ‘elemental’ film in her trilogy. ‘Earth’ looks at a very dark time in Indian history, on the eve of its independence and the events that shatters its peace and harmony between its inhabitants. Woven seamlessly into this is a tragic love story and a tale of a people divided, as witnessed through the eyes of a young girl who looses her innocence as she comes of age. Mehta’s tale is at times brutal and beautiful, and it is a shame that both India and Pakistan banned this movie for political reasons. Perhaps it was thought that these dark days be best forgotten.
We should be glad that Mehta did not choose to forget, and bases this story on events depicted in the semi-autobiographical novel ‘Cracking India’ by Bapsi Didhwa, who also makes a short appearance near the end of the movie.
Lahore 1947, and India is being uprooted. 250 years of Colonial rule is at an end and the country is becoming divided. The Muslims, Sikhs and the Hindus are in friction over what will become part of India or the future independent state of Pakistan. Warring factions rise and take to the streets of what were once peaceful communities.
Lenny (Maia Sethna), or Lenny-baby as she is often called affectionately from the adults around her, is an eight-year-old girl from a wealthy family. She spends most of her time under the watchful eyes of her Ayah (nanny), Shanta (Nandita Das), and the group of friends that she visits in the local park. Here is a group from differing races and religions, sitting together and sharing some time, chatting away endlessly throughout the day. Some too, especially Hassan, the Masseur (Rahul Khanna) and Dil Navaz, the Ice Candy Man (Aamir Khan), wish themselves to be suitors for Shanta’s hand in marriage. Under the midday sun, all differences are reduced to a mere squabble that is quickly smoothed to appease the beautiful and charming girl and her care. But when the country changes so too does the serenity…
Madness sweeps over the city, atrocity after atrocity is being committed, and people are senselessly being butchered, houses are levelled and homes burned. Trains arrive with their passenger’s slaughtered, houses are being doused in gasoline while being set on fire, men are being executed and pulled apart by police cars in the open streets. Mob is the rule. Nothing seems tolerated anymore; neighbours are at each other’s throats and scared to be found out of doors. Religion is the knife the country is cutting itself open with.
Lenny’s family are Parsee, a neutral religion tolerated by all, a people that fled to India from Persia during the ninth century to escape Islamic persecution. It is here that Shanta tries to maintain her sanctuary. Her being a Hindu is now a danger to her being in this part of the country, people are fleeing to respective sides with Lahore being given over to the Muslims, who are rampaging throughout the streets and clearing house after house. Torn between the brutalities before her and the reactions of the two men who she is fond of, Shanta makes the decision to flee to safety with Hassan who values his love for over over religion, a decision that might seal their fate once and for all.
Like her previous work, ‘Fire’ , which is also part of Pathe World Cinema releases, Mehta tackles a controversial subject matter. This time though, the movie although brutal at times and devoid of the frothiness that one normally associates with Bollywood, is more accessible to a wider audience and shows her growing maturity as the new voice of Indian cinema. Credit should not only lie with Mehta as she has great support and vision from cinematographer Giles Nuttgens (who also worked on the concluding part ‘Water’ which will be shown in cinemas at the New Year) and a wonderful traditionally based score from composer A.R. Rahman, as well as an excellent cast.
This movie is crying out for a director’s commentary at the very least, but sadly Pathe has chosen to release this movie without any additional extras. Please note this is spoken in a combination of Hindi, English, Parsee, Punjabi and Urdu with forced English Subtitles when appropriate.
'Earth’ is out to own now and available via Amazon and AmazonUK .
'Fire' is out to own now and available via Amazon and AmazonUK .database .
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