Montage: Life. Politics. Cinema

'Even when I go outside my time, I cannot go outside history ...I have seen history as a continuous, growing phenomenon, marching almost imperceptibly into the character of our own time. Above everything else. I am committed to my own time.'

Veteran filmmaker Mrinal Sen has always seen his life and work as part of the social and political fabric of his time. As he has continued to experiment with cinema over the decades, evolving his own quest in response to the changing times, he has also maintained an acute social critique, which shows in his films, writings and interviews. The enfant terrible of Indian cinema in the 60s and 70s, he is now known for his subtle, nuanced films which capture a moment of crisis, a moment of truth, in the ordinary lives of ordinary people.

This collection encapsulates close to half a century of filmmaking. It includes original writings - memoirs, letters, musings on politics, literature, theatre and cinema; critiques of Satyajit Ray, Ritwik Ghatak, Chaplin and a host of other international film makers, especially those from Latin America; and intensive interviews with scholars, critics and filmmakers such as Samik Banerjee, Swapan Mullick and Reinhard Hauff. In juxtaposition with intimate photographs of the artist at work and stills from his movies, these form a rare montage of the filmmaker and the man, mapping an unusual creative landscape which offers valuable insights into his films. There is also a complete filmography encompassing his features, telefilms and documentaries.

About the Author

Mrinal Sen (b. 1923) made his first feature film in 1950s; he has since made twenty-eight features, four documentaries and several telefilms. He is a veteran of all the major national and international film festivals, as participant, award winner and member of the jury.

Subhash Nandy (b. 1944) began his career as a commercial and industrial photographer immediately on passing out of school. He has been working with Mrinal Sen from 1973. His stills in this volume date from this period and range right upto Sen's most recent film, completed this year.

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