{"id":3860,"date":"2017-11-13T11:21:27","date_gmt":"2017-11-13T05:51:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/learningandcreativity.com\/silhouette\/?p=3860"},"modified":"2017-11-13T19:04:49","modified_gmt":"2017-11-13T13:34:49","slug":"trishagni-nabendu-ghosh","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/learningandcreativity.com\/silhouette\/trishagni-nabendu-ghosh\/","title":{"rendered":"On the Buddha\u2019s Trail\u2026 Nabendu Ghosh’s Trishagni"},"content":{"rendered":"

Trishagni –<\/em>\u00a0An eternal story of burning desire.<\/h2>\n

Life cannot come into being without desire. But an excess of it? Or an unreasonable complexion? That spells disaster. Perhaps that is why Buddha cautions in his Agni Upadesh<\/em>: \u201cEvery creature on this planet is scorching in the flame of desire\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Alok

Alok Nath and Nana Patekar in Trishagni<\/p><\/div>\n

For his first outing as Director, writer Nabendu Ghosh externalised this internal hellfire by locating Trishagni<\/em> (Sandstorm) on the Silk Route. The Central Asian desert was comfortably transported to Sam bordering Jaisalmer in Rajasthan. How did the 72-year-old director protect himself and his team from the raging sun and stormy winds? \u201cBy constantly feeding us Glonoine 30!\u201d \u2013 lead actor Nitish Bharadwaj had shared at a Nabendu Ghosh Birth Centenary event in Indore earlier this year.<\/p>\n

\"Trishagni

Nabendu Ghosh directing Pallavi Joshi and Nitish Bharadwaj in Trishagni<\/p><\/div>\n

NFDC in mid-1980s, keen to create a script bank, initiated a Screenplay Competition. Trishagni\/ Sandstorm<\/em> came to be adjudged the best in the first one. According to its terms NFDC gave no cash award; instead it assisted in the production of the film. To complete the outdoors in the open desert within mere Rs 10 lakh was not easy. And how much can a writer have by way of savings? Another 10 lakhs.<\/p>\n

But Nabendu Ghosh, still squirming from the disappointment of abandoning Dagdar Babu<\/em> after 80 per cent of the shooting was canned, was determined to complete Trishagn<\/em>i. And when he set out, he found by his side his old-time friend Salil Chowdhury ready with haunting melody. Gautam Sen with his Art, and Moloy Dasgupta with his Camera, transported viewers to the Silk Route 2000 years back in time. Nana Patekar, Pallavi Joshi, Nitish Bharadwaj, Alok Nath\u2026 each one was a character whose like is yet to be seen.<\/p>\n

\"nabendu

Nabendu Ghosh receiving the National Award for Best First Film of a Director from President R. Venkataraman in 1989<\/p><\/div>\n

Normally the films he scripted were studded with songs that are hummed even today \u2013 when some of the films are untraceable.\u00a0Yahudi, Sujata, Bandini, Teesri Kasam, Abhimaan<\/em>\u2026 or even Parineeta<\/em> (Gore gore haathon mein<\/em>), Baadbaan<\/em> (Kaise koi jeeye<\/em>), Insan Jaag Utha<\/em> (Janoo janoo main<\/em>)!\u00a0Indeed, in And They Made Classics<\/em>\u2026 Nabendu Ghosh stresses the importance of songs and music in our films. \u201cMusic,\u201d he quotes the Natya Shastra<\/em>, \u201cis the sukh sajja<\/em> \u2013 warm bed \u2013 of emotion!\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Nabendu

Nabendu Ghosh, Salil Chowdhury and Asha Bhosle<\/p><\/div>\n

However Trishagni<\/em> had a single song rendered in the lilting voice of Asha Bhosle. Salil Chowdhury composed the entire music \u2013 background score as well as the song, Aisa lage kahin door se<\/em>\u2026<\/p>\n

His music, with the striking use of a rabab<\/em> – folksy ancestor of the sarod he made unforgettable in Kabuliwala<\/em> – brings alive the dual ambience of windswept desert and the meditative monastery. But there are few songs because the script doesn\u2019t offer scope for the protagonists to render songs. It would not be in character. In fact, in one of the scenes Iti (Pallavi) is rebuked by Ucchanda (Nana) for singing to herself: \u201cYeh kaisa ashistachar hai<\/em>\/ What misbehaviour!\u201d<\/p>\n

Aisa lage kahin door se<\/em><\/strong> (Trishagni<\/em>, 1988) Salil Chowdhury \/ Asha Bhosle<\/span><\/p>\n