Movie review – “ Midnight’s children” directed by Deepa Mehta
This blog is part of my classroom activity of postcolonial studies, Here is the blog of a given task :
Post- colonialism ( or often post colonialism deals with the effects of colonization on cultures and societies. As originally used by historians after the second World War in terms such as the post colonial state, ‘ post colonial’ had a clearly chronological meaning , designating the post independent period. However , from the late 1970s the term has been used by literary critics to discuss the various cultural effects of colonization. ( Post – colonial Studies , The key concepts by Bill Ashcroft, Gareth Griffiths and Helen Tiffin )
“ Midnight’s children” film is based on the famous novel by the Booker prize winner Salman Rushdie. The film is directed by Deepa Mehta and screenplay by Salman Rushdie. This novel written in 1981 and the film made in 2012. Well known actors played a role like Shabana Azmi, Anupam Kher and many others.
This film deals with the historical events like Emergency, partition of India, Birth of Bangladesh etc which reflects the term Historiography Metafiction. Before freedom British government ruled over India and after freedom some of the powerful person got the power and they ruled their own people.
Plot of the movie is not easy to understand because it is very complicated. The story is about the two boys named Saleem and Shiva both are born the exact time 12 o’clock midnight of 14 th August of Independent of India . Both are symbolically represents as two nation like both nation born India and Pakistan. Many other children also born at same time and they all born with special powers. Salim had good telepathy power. But the Christian nurse Marry swapped both the children because her lover and she try that “ Poor be rich and rich be poor”, Nehru’ s idea. The death of Joe suggests the fall of Christianity in india. So the identity crises we find,
“ I had many families and I had no family”
“ I, orphaned survived”
In the film we find that how Vanita exploited by white person, because man are superior and women are inferior , patriarchy we find. In school also saleem humiliated by white teacher. During the establishment of Bangladesh only Saleem was survive at that time one Bangladeshi polish said that change your identity for survive.
Magic realism used well in the movie. It’s shoes that how at that time and still India belived in Black magic and like Abrakadabra. Parvati used well when she saved saleem in one basket. Then other midnight children also used magic. So it’s good treatment used by Rushdie that historical truth used with some magic. This movie shows important event of 1919 to 1977. Like 1605 ‘s war, 1701 Bangladesh war, Emergency time, etc.
Symbols : 1) image of “ Mother India”
2) mirror
3) Spittoon – memory lose
At the end of the movie Hindu , Muslim and Christian three identity present , so it’s deeply shows that we don’t know who we are? And from which community or from where ? from which religious? Salman Rushdie is not very good film writer that’s why it is not that much good.
Thanks.
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