31 May,2017 11:27 AM IST | Mumbai | Chaitraly Deshmukh
The National Film Archive of India's collection just got richer as Sai Paranjpye, the inimitable, accomplished Indian filmmaker, deposited scripts of her films Sparsh (1980) and Disha (1990) along with two celluloid prints of Disha
The National Film Archive of India's collection just got richer as Sai Paranjpye, the inimitable, accomplished Indian filmmaker, deposited scripts of her films Sparsh (1980) and Disha (1990) along with two celluloid prints of Disha.
Two important films of what is dubbed as the Indian New Wave, both Sparsh and Disha have played an important role in shaping modern Indian cinema. Sparsh, starring Naseeruddin Shah and Shabana Azmi, tells the story of two visually impaired lovers with a focus on their individual lives.
On the other hand, Disha, which has an equally compelling ensemble cast with the likes of Om Puri, Nana Patekar, Naseeruddin Shah, Shabana Azmi, Nilu Phule, Raghuvir Yadav among others, portrays the plight of migrants stranded in the dichotomy of urban existence with utmost sensitivity.
"The preservation of film and related material is absolutely important and I am glad to hand over my material to the NFAI where it can be preserved and be of use to those who need it," Sai Paranjpye said.
Talking about the films, Prakash Magdum, Director of NFAI, said, "We are delighted to acquire celluloid prints of Disha, something we did not have at NFAI before." About the importance of the material acquired, he added, "The scripts of both these films add tremendous value to our collection of ancillary material of Indian cinema. Since the scripts have come from the director herself, the handwritten notes and scribbles on them provide great insight into her filmmaking process. We will soon digitise these scripts."
