The run-up to this auction has led to much excitement among both serious art collectors and Bollywood buffs as everyone is eagerly awaiting the preview on 16th June 2017
If cinema is art, can film memorabilia be considered anything less than artefacts? Continuing with its tradition of celebrating cinema which Osian’s pioneered with “The Historical Mela” auction in 2002, is the latest auction which is opening on 22nd June 2017. The run-up to this auction has led to much excitement among both serious art collectors and Bollywood buffs as everyone is eagerly awaiting the preview on 16th June 2017.
Osian’s Chairman, Neville Tuli, spoke of the eight major sections in the auction. “From original artworks by Baburao Painter, Satyajit Ray, Mani Kaul, Shah Rukh Khan, among others, to a focus on legendary thespian Dilip Kumar; from a focus on the cinematic epic Mughal-e-Azam to the unique jubilee trophies of Bobby, Deewaar & Ram Teri Ganga Maili among others; from original publicity-material art for Andaz (1949), Anari (1959), Guide (1965), Deewaar (1973) among others to rare vintage 12 and 6-sheeter posters of Kranti (1981), Kal Aaj Aur Kal (1971) among others; from a focus on the Kapoors – the first family of Indian cinema to rare posters, showcards, lobby cards, photographic stills from the golden 1950s to the era of superstar Amitabh Bachchan and then the Khan trinity: Salman, Shah Rukh and Aamir. We have a sizeable collection of a bit of everything to appeal to everyone from 18 to 80.”
Speaking of these auctions which have triggered and created the transformation in the public’s awareness towards the art of India’s cinematic heritage, Tuli admitted that the market for India’s film memorabilia has evolved. “However we still have a very long way to travel before united action towards preservation within the film fraternity emerges or the understanding that film memorabilia can play a major role in the education of many subjects beyond film and media studies,” he averred.
Having spent twenty years putting together the foremost archive, library and collection on India’s cinematic heritage, Tuli speaks with authority as he highlights the role of auctions in the film preservation process: “If we hadn't placed credible financial value on these related objects of our film culture, that desire to preserve, love and respect would have been much more difficult to emerge. Today centres of research, museums, archives, collections, related to not just Indian film but all cinemas will emerge deeper and faster with India as a potential hub,” he said and added, “It is not very far away when the finest scholars and researchers will flock to India to understand the profound role the cinematic and related arts have played in developing culture and a thousand influences thereon. The auctions have facilitated this journey just like film festivals facilitate a film appreciation culture. One has to only see the growth of the Hollywood memorabilia market to understand the vast energies that get energised when the film fraternity, media and the public work in unity to respect one’s history and hence one’s current creativity.”
We couldn't agree more...
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