Set in 1938, this was intended as the third part in mehta s trilogy. Its six years now since deepa mehta first started production on her film water in the holy city of benares on the river ganges. Deepa mehta s movie water, which explored the lives of widows in india, was blatantly accused for violating hindu sentiments. Among other recent indian productions according to the hindu, the national newspaper are films about tranvestism, eunuchs, sadomasochism and male homosexuality. Deepa mehta is an indocanadian filmmaker who is known widely known for her elements trilogy fire, earth, and water. Lisa ray, john abraham, and sarala kariyawasam performed roles of their lives in this great artistic achievement of deepa mehta. Essay about analysis on movie water 1781 words 8 pages critical analysis on movie water by nadzirah nur in my opinion, deepa mehta is a courageous and bold director to produce a movie water which is intended to affront the tradition and living style of indians back then. Water is a bollywood movie directed by deepa mehta which was released in 2007. Deepa mehta biography and filmography deepa mehta movies. Deepa mehtas fire arrives advertised as the first indian film about lesbianism.
Deepa mehta is an indianborn film director who lives and works incanada. Deepa mehta s fire arrives advertised as the first indian film about lesbianism. This movie also suffers protest during its production period and a ban in india. Deepa mehta biography family, children, parents, story. Earth focused on how the relationships among a group of hindu, muslim, and sikh friends are tested during the partition of pakistan and india water is as poignant and moving as the other two, and as controversial in india. Deepa mehta is an indo canadian film maker best known for her elements trilogy, fire, earth and water. Water is the third film in deepa mehtas elements trilogy of indian films. Film ignites the wrath of hindu fundamentalists the new.
The first, fire, led to mehtas first run in with the hindu chauvinists because it featured a lesbian relationship. Torn from her fathers grasp, crying out for her mother, chuyia sarala disappears into an ashram controlled by the lifelong widows who live there. Essay about analysis on movie water 1781 words bartleby. Deepa mehtas water and homegrown indian feminism by. Director, screenwriter, producer, executive producer born. Deepa mehta celebrity profile check out the latest deepa mehta photo gallery, biography, pics, pictures, interviews, news, forums and blogs at rotten tomatoes. Women were not allowed to make their own decisions. Set in 1938, this was intended as the third part in mehtas trilogy. The attack at delhis regal cinema during a screening of deepa mehtas fire in december 1998. Deepa mehtas water focuses on widows in india in the year 1938, which was a time when men dominated society and did not accept womens rights. After a delay of more than three years, water was subsequently made in sri lanka under lessthanideal circumstances.
When the production of water at last remounted in sri lanka several years after deepa mehta had originally tried to make the movie in india, the director had to start anew, taking a fresh approach and recasting all of the roles. Apparently, the members of the shiv sena burned its pirated. Jul 05, 2012 deepa mehtas water and homegrown indian feminism by amy levin by amy levin on july 5, 2012 16 in the first scene of the deepa mehtas 2005 indian film water, a father tells his eight year old daughter, chuyia, child. Apr 01, 2000 an acclaimed auteurs new film gets caught in the cultural crossfire.
The fluid lyricism of the camera provides an unsettling contrast to the arid difficulties of the characters lives. Deepa mehta biography, movie highlights and photos allmovie. Hunting down a streaming service to buy, rent, download, or view the deepa mehtadirected movie via subscription can be tricky, so we here at. While a slower moving film than the first two it is also the most poetic in atmosphere and much more traditionally hindu in presentation. With lisa ray, john abraham, seema biswas, sarala kariyawasam. Water 2005, written and directed by deepa mehta an eightyear old childbride, chuyia, accompanies her dying husband on his last journey. Water is the third film in a trilogy about india by deepha mehta, whose earth 1998 dealt with the partition of india and pakistan, and whose fire 1996 dealt with lesbianism among traditional indian women. It is set in 1938 and explores the lives of widows at an. Water is a 2005 drama film written and directed by deepa mehta, with screenplay by anurag kashyap. Water, a meditative drama that evokes the movies of the great satyajit ray, brings deepa mehtas elemental trilogy to a close.
Into this milieu now comes the director deepa mehta with water, a lush new film that opened on friday, about chuyia, an 8yearold widow in. This movie also suffers protest during its production period. About the religious and civil war that broke out in india and pakistan in the 1947 battle to gain independence from the. One of the most provocative and exciting new directors to make her mark on world cinema at the turn of the millennium, deepa mehta is known for her rich, complex explorations of the cultural taboos and tensions at play in the society of her native. The widows of water driven out of india, filmmaker deepa mehta managed to finish her movie, which tells the story of hindu widows in an ashram. Her visually lush and emotionally resonating films have played at every major international film festival. Water is the third film in a trilogy from indian director deepa mehta. Earth, the trilogys second installment, was released in 1998. Even then, laws existed in india that gave widows the freedom to marry, but as one character observes, we. Deepa mehtas movie water, which explored the lives of widows in india, was blatantly accused for violating hindu sentiments. Earth focused on how the relationships among a group of hindu, muslim, and sikh friends are tested during the partition of pakistan and india. Under the heel of britain and the thumb of hindu law in water. Released 2005, water stars seema biswas, lisa ray, john abraham, sarala kariyawasam the pg movie has a runtime of about 1 hr 57 min, and received a score of 77 out of 100 on metacritic.
Critical analysis on movie water by nadzirah nur in my opinion, deepa mehta is a courageous and bold director to produce a movie water which is intended to affront the tradition and living style of indians back then. Deepa mehta is a transnational artist and a screenwriter, director, and producer whose work has been called courageous, provocative and breathtaking. Water is the third and most accomplished film in director deepa mehtas elements trilogy, which consists of three films that are thematically linked together rather than being films with an ongoing story and reoccurring characters. Even then, laws existed in india that gave widows the freedom to marry, but as one character observes, we do not always follow the law when it is inconvenient. Columnist bilal qureshi in conversation with filmmaker deepa mehta about her film earth and the 70th anniversary of indias partition. About the religious and civil war that broke out in india and pakistan. Deepa mehta bio, career, married life, husband, divorce and. Hunting down a streaming service to buy, rent, download, or view the deepa mehta directed movie via subscription can be tricky, so we here at.
Following the sudden and unexpected death of her husband, a widowed child bride lashes out against her fate in the hindu ashram where she is expected to atone for her sins. According to her daughter devyani saltzmans memoir, shooting water, director deepa mehta had an enormously difficult time producing the final entry of her elemental trilogy. Director deepa mehta s intention to address this situation from a critical perspective resulted in widespread protests that forced her to shut down filming in india during 2000. These are some of the last words chuyia hears from anyone familiar to her, as her condition abandons her in. The film is also the third and final instalment of mehtas elements trilogy. Check out the list of all deepa mehta movies along with photos, videos, biography and birthday. India, 1938, and traditional hindu scriptures said that widows have three. The history of how this film came to be is in itself dramatic filmmaker deepa mehtas tenacity along with producer david hamilton reaped the memorable result. Deepa mehta is an indo canadian filmmaker best known for her elements trilogy, fire, earth and water. Deepa mehtas movie water, which explored the lives. Set in colonial india against gandhis rise to power, its the story of 8yearold chuyia, who is widowed and sent to a home to live in penitence.
It tells the story of a 7yearold girl sent to live in a widows ashram. One of the most provocative and exciting new directors to make her mark on world cinema at the turn of the millennium, deepa mehta is known for her rich, complex explorations of the cultural taboos and tensions at play in the society of her native india. Many were married off at a young age to older men through arranged marriages. Pdf an analysis of deepa mehtas water jasmin mairhofer. Chuyia sarala kariyawasam water is the third and most accomplished film in director deepa mehtas elements trilogy, which consists of three films that are thematically linked together rather than being films with an ongoing story and reoccurring characters. Earth was submitted by india as its official entry for the academy award for best foreign language film, and water was canadas official entry for academy award for best foreign language film after attila bertalans 1990 inventedlanguage film a bullet to the head and zacharias kunuks 2001 inuktitutlanguage feature atanarjuat.
Shooting in the indian holy city of varanasi was initially forced to shut down after hindu fundamentalists and officials with the rightwing rashtriya swayamsevak sangh party raised objects to its criticism of hindu society. Water is the final film in a trilogy by director deepa mehta. In a time of relentless news and disruptions, one of this years defining milestones in world history may pass without much consideration. Publication date 19980101 topics india and pakistan language english. With her epic trilogy of films named after the elemental forces of fire, earth, and water, indiancanadian director deepa mehta born 1950 vaulted to the first rank of artists concerned with the status of women, as traditional roles collided with the forces of the contemporary world.
She is recognized worldwide for her brave and critical choice of issues with her work despite several attempts of people to disrupt her. The film examines the plight of a group of widows forced into poverty at a. The storyline of fire 1996 revolves around the life of two married women ignored and snubbed by their husbands who fall in love with each other. The politics of deepa mehtas water bright lights film journal. It is set in 1938 and explores the lives of widows at an ashram in varanasi, india.
Essay about analysis on movie water essay about analysis on movie water 1781 words 8 pages. In february this year i traveled to india to work as a camera assistant on the film water, which was to be directed by deepa mehta the third film of the trilogy after fire and earth. Born in india in 1950, mehta received a degree in philosophy from the university of new delhi. Within the walls of the house the first zone of conflict for many queer people heterosexuality is a norm, for it takes patriarchy into the future by propagating sons. Deepa mehtas movie water, which explored the lives of. A tale of love released earlier this year, fire seems to be part of a new freedom in films from the. Fire centered around two married women, ignored and neglected by their husbands, who fall in love with each other. Born in india, deepa mehta received a degree in philosophy from the. Deepa mehtas new film, water, about the degradation of hindu widows in india in the 1930s, has sparked protests from its onset.
In the story behind the making of water, one of two behind the scenes documentaries included on the dvd, director deepa mehta says, there was one thing i. Beginning with 1996s controversial fire, mehta embarked on her ambitious trilogy of the elements. Water 2005 water is a 2005 indian hindi film directed by deepa mehta and produced by david hamilton under the banners sony bmg. May 03, 2006 deepa mehta s new film, water, about the degradation of hindu widows in india in the 1930s, has sparked protests from its onset. The politics of deepa mehtas water bright lights film. A tale of love released earlier this year, fire seems to be part of a new freedom in films from the subcontinent. Deepa mehta bio, career, married life, husband, divorce. Written and directed by deepa mehta, water is an exquisite film about the institutionalized oppression of an entire class of women and the. Deepa mehtas water and homegrown indian feminism by amy levin. The ensemble acting of the women in the widows hostel is exceptional. Deepa mehta, oc oont is an indocanadian film director and screenwriter, best known for her elements trilogy, fire, earth, and water.
Water is the third and the last part of her elements trilogy. When indian cinemas refused to show it, it went on to become one of the biggest selling pirate dvds in india. A film that takes a long, hard look at the secondclass status of widows in fundamentalist hindu society, water has been battered, protested, and banned by elements of indian society for what it depicts. Film ignites the wrath of hindu fundamentalists the new york times. The discomforting legacy of deepa mehtas earth film. The conclusion of deepa mehtas elements trilogy and possibly the. Fire centered around two married women, ignored and neglected by their husbands, who fall in love. Jun 30, 2019 following the sudden and unexpected death of her husband, a widowed child bride lashes out against her fate in the hindu ashram where she is expected to atone for her sins. It was to be a period piece about the plight of widows in india to be made in the city of varanasi. In the first scene of the deepa mehtas 2005 indian film water, a father tells his eight year old daughter, chuyia, child. Deepa mehta biography, movie highlights and photos. In the story behind the making of water, one of two behind the scenes documentaries included on the dvd, director deepa mehta says, there was one thing i never lost and that was the resolve.