Symbolism in Films

Symbolism in Films

There are some films which are realistic and fantastic.Like “Satya” of Ram Gopal Verma starring Manoj Bajpayee depicting the underworld.

On the other hand there are films with Sybolism which give their social message indirectly.The following films are good examples of symbolism.

The following is my interpretation of the fiction ie. Films only for the analysis of thought process in the art. I do not claim this interpretation to be fully or even partly truthful in reality.

1) Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro

Released in 1983 starring Nasseruddin Shah and Ravi Baswani.

It’s a popular film known as a black comedy.

I interpret it as under.

The film has many funny events which symbolically show the dark side of corruption in our system.The beauty of the film is that these bitter truths are sugarcoated in humor and sattire.

Say for example,

The funniest part of the film is the last sequence of Mahabharat.This entire scene indicates how an Enquiry Commission pretends to investigate any scam.

The scene in the film is like this.

Satish Shah was murdered and his dead body was the last and only proof to punish the murderer.The two honest protagonists who were Naseeruddin Shah and Ravi Baswani were running away with the dead body to take it to police station so that the real murderer Pankaj Kapoor could be punished.Pankaj Kapoor,his staff and supporters were chasing Naseer and Ravi to get the dead body from them and destroy it to save Pankaj Kapoor.Pankaj Kappor’s enemies were also chasing the two protagonists to get the dead body so that they could blackmail Pankaj Kapoor.So all the three parties had a single aim which was to get and then use or misuse the dead body.

On the run, the two protagonists accidentally landed in a Theatre where the show of Mahabharat was being performed.All the other characters also landed at the same place as they were chasing them.The two protagonists were hiding in the backstage.By mistake,they made the dead body wear Draupadi’s saree.The real actors who were performing on stage pulled the dead body from the backstage as they mistook it as Draupadi.(the director has taken a poetic license by making the dead body stand on its feet without any support).Now the dead body is right in the middle of the stage but fully covered in saree as Draupadi in view of the audience and the show of Mahabharat is going on.As per the script, Dushasan was supposed to disrobe Draupadi.But all the people at the backstage knew that if Dushasan disrobes draupadi,the dead body would be exposed in front of everyone.So they all decided that by hook or crook they would not allow Dushasan to remove Draupadi’s saree but would somehow manage to take Draupadi/dead body off the stage and then run away with it without letting the audience realize what was happening.

So the fun starts.One after another person from backstage replaces the real actors by playing their characters on stage.Actors,Script,dialogues,story and even the background of the original story is changed and turned upside down by each fake actor to hide Draupadi/dead body from being disrobed.This was against the script of the play.But the audience is shown to be enjoying this fiasco even more than they would have enjoyed the original play.

The film suggests that similar thing happens in an Enquiry Commission as well after most scams.Here the dead body is a symbol of the scam or the real culprit.Story/Script is a symbol of the Law which is to be strictly and honestly adhered to.Actors are the symbols of the officers involved in the enquiry commission.In the play,Actors could expose Draupadi if they honestly adhered to the script.Similarly,in an enquiry commission,officers can investigate the scam and expose the real culprit if they honestly adhere to the law.But it does not happen.In fact Dishonest officers,twist the law to hide and help the culprit. Facts,witnesses,proof are all manipulated like the dialogues,actors and script of the play to not expose the real culprit.(Like, contrary to the script, they did not want to disrobe draupadi in the play).The officers which are honest and who want to adhere to law are first brainwashed,then threatened, and finally transferred if they don’t agree to be corrupt.(in the film when a real actor could not be convinced to not disrobe Draupadi,he was taken in the wings of the stage by the fake actor and then replaced by another fake actor who would do what he wanted.) In this way,all the honest officers are either turned dishonest or transferred and replaced by dishonest officers.Dishonest investigating officers turn the whole story upside down to help the real criminals.They generate new stories which are irrelevant,funny and entertaining but far away from truth.These stories are like foreign hand in the scam or some monkey bothering people,etc.Truth never comes out and enquiry goes on and on.And during all this we audience do not protest but enjoy the headlines.

There is one more scene in which Naseeruddin Shah eats a cake and throws a piece outside the window for his friends waiting outside.Satish Shah says, “Yeh Kya Karta Hai?Yeh Switzerland Ka cake hai. !”
Naseeruddin Shah says, “Humare India me log khata kum hai,fekta zyada hai.Thoda Khao Thoda Feko…Tum bhi karo…mazza aayega.”
Satish Shah also throws a small piece outside the window.Naseer asks,” Mazaa Aaya?”.The friend outside says ,”No”.Naseer says, “Yeh Bada wala piece feko….Ab mazaa aaya?”His friend says ,”Yes”

In This scene,the director shows how other officers make noise when one officer takes bribe.But when that officer gives them a share in the bribe,they keep quiet.If the share is a small amount,other officers still protest,but when it is a big amount,they are satisfied and then keep quiet.So that dialogue, “Humare India me log khata kum hai,fekta zyada hai.Thoda Khao Thoda Feko……mazaa aayega.”

So next time when you watch this great film please watch it with this angle.Maybe you will find many more symbols in the film.Please share the same.

2) Khakee

Released in 2004, starring Amitabh Bachchan,Aishwarya Rai,Akshay Kumar and Tushar Kappor.

The moral of the story is how the system does not allow a policeman to do his duty honestly though he wants to and is capable of.Amitabh sums this up in one of his dialogues in the film, “If the police wants and the government allows,then nobody can steal even a toy from a child.But unfortunately it does not happen.”

While “Satya” of Manoj Bajpayee was a realistic film,the director here chooses to give his message symbolically.

The director has created 3 characters as three symbols.

The first is of Tushar Kapoor who has just joined the police force.He is honest,idealistic and his ideal is Amitabh Bachchan’s character of the film.

The second is Akshay Kumar who has 10 years experience in police force.And this experience has made him corrupt and manipulative.

The third character is of Amitabh Bachchan who spent his whole life as a Policeman and is on the verge of his retirement.He is honest and idealistic and lived his whole life suffering with his family because of lack of money and promotions.

In the very last scene of the film,Tushar Kapoor also turns corrupt by doing a fake encounter of the villain.So the film gave a message that it is very difficult or almost impossible to be honest in the police force.And if one chooses to be honest,he suffers like Amitabh’s character did throughout his life.

The rest of the film is self explanatory.

3) Slumdog Millionaire:

Oscar Winner film released about 2 years ago.

The film indirectly says that

“In this big bad world,everybody tries to push you down whether he is a pimp in Dharavi slum or the most popular and powerful person as a host of the TV show.The only person who can help you here is yourself.”

The hero here is a simple,idealistic and a noble boy/man who meets people from different socio-economic status throughout the film and realizes the above fact that human nature is the same no matter how wealthy,poor,powerful or helpless you are.Everybody tries to exploit you for his benefit or even for sadistic pleasure.The pimp in Dharavi sold kids for money.But the corrupt host of the TV show had nothing to gain or lose even if the hero won full prize money of Rs.1 crore.But he misguided him in any case for sadistic pleasure.Despite being on top it was his nature/ bad habit to feel gratified when he saw others losing/suffering.