Black and White: Hope and Despair

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Some of you may be knowing the work of Robert Frank (b1924 - d2019), Swiss photographer and documentary film maker. He was one if the most influential photographers in mid last century, noted for his ironic, sometimes bitter social commentary. He was also known for his nuanced work on American life, presenting an 'outsiders' view. See the photograph above. Amidst the rampant consumerism of American society and race to make more money, the gnawing loneliness within could not be disregarded. 

 His famous quote best illustrates his thoughts, "Black and white are the colors of photography. To me, they symbolize the alternatives of hope and despair to which mankind is forever subjected." 

 The analogy of Hope and Despair as the two enduring human conditions can be extending in an Indian film context by film, Safar , with some of its songs. For example, see the song by Indeevar below: 

  _हम थे जिनके सहारे, वो हुए ना हमारे_ 

 _डूबी जब दिल की नय्या, सामने थे किनारे_ 

 Asit Sen's 1970 film, Safar,  or the journey of life shows ordinary people grappling with enormous challenges and compromises in life. Another song in the movie that expresses the primordial requirement to move on while not despairing is, "Nadiya chale chale re dhara, chanda chale chale re taara, tujhko chalna hoga (The river flows on, as does the tide; the moon goes on, as do the stars; you too will have to move on). 

 Some parts of the film are memorable and anyone artistically inclined will appreciate them. There is one unforgettable scene where you realise the import of the visual vis-à-vis the spoken word in cinema. When Avinash (Rajesh Khanna) who is suffering from cancer asks his doctor Chandra (Ashok Kumar) if he will live long, Chandra places an hourglass on the table. Avinash stares at the rapidly falling grains of sand; he doesn't need an answer. 

 The theme of a cancer patient facing imminent death is handled very differently here from his other movie, Anand . Rajesh Khanna in Anand tries to spread bonhomie but in Safar he beautifully conveys the character's desperation and his conviction that surviving by a slender thread is not really living. 

 Sharmila's acting is a study by itself in Stoicism. She is effective in her restrained acting, however as do our actors tend to have, they are given to their stock mannerisms, which give them away in scenes which otherwise would have been brilliant. 

 Just a humorous aside, the movie has a song, "Jo tumko ho pasand wohi baat karenge", probably the only song which has the car horn as a musical accompaniment!

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