Tocka

Fire by Deepa Mehta
screening

In this India-set Canadian drama, two disparate wives related by marriage and united at first by the oppressiveness of Indian tradition that relegates them to miserable unions, find solace and love in each other's arms. The film opens as an unhappy young couple, Jatin and Sita, fumble through a conversation. Neither wanted to marry each other, but as it was arranged by Jatin's family, they had no choice. Marriage does not stop Jatin, who owns a video store, from continuing his long-time love affair with a Chinese hairdresser. Caring nothing for Sita, he doesn't even try to hide the affair. Jatin's brother Ashok (who forced Jatin's marriage) is married to Radha. Deeply frustrated at her inability to conceive, he has joined a radical cult that forbids all sexual contact. Ashok and Jatin's demanding mother doesn't help matters nor does the family's twisted servant Mundu.

 

REVIEW

While Fire did cause a controversy in India for its sexually transgressive subject matter, it is more of a subdued family melodrama than the erotic drama suggested by its title. This love story set in New Delhi is the first of a trilogy from Canadian filmmaker Deepa Mehta titled Fire, Earth, and Water. Much of the drama is a result of conflicts between the traditional Hindu family structure, represented by the bedridden Biji (Kushal Rekhi), and the influences of the West. Mehta effectively places the action in these political terms, even making the simple act of wearing pants seem like a rebellion. Combining elements of memory flashbacks and folktale reenactments, the narrative really necessitates the union of Sita (Nandita Das) and Radha (Bollywood film star Shabana Azmi). They are the only two caring individuals in a household of men who are either celibate, faithless, or abusive. The two neglected women have a growing friendship that is portrayed with naturalistic compassion in very darkly lit scenes, hardly steamy enough to warrant the extreme censorship it received upon release. However, it is understandable that fundamentalists had such a reaction to this film because there isn't even a word for lesbian in the Hindi language. Though the ending is a bit obvious and at times it falls into soap opera territory, Fire is still a controversial stepping stone in the powerful Indian film industry.
 

CREDITED CAST:
Ramanjeet Kaur
Karishma Jhalani
Jaaved Jaaferi	Jatin
Dilip Mehta
Kushal Rekhi	Biji
Ranjit Chowdhry	Mundu
Shabana Azmi	Radha

PRODUCTION CREDITS