German language students of Mumbai University are trying to decipher the mysteries of why filmmakers have started to include ‘scenes by the sea side’ in Hindi and German movies.
Ever wondered why Marine Drive is making increasing number of appearances in Indian cinema? German language students of Mumbai University are trying to decipher the mysteries of why filmmakers have started to include ‘scenes by the sea side’ in Hindi and German movies.
Preliminary research by these students has indicated that Bollywood directors have started to look at the sea as the ‘decision maker’. Be it Kismat Konnection or Wake up Sid, the hero of the film always goes to the sea side to make important decisions, states the study.
“We found that the role played by sea in films has changed from that of a mere scenic backdrop to a reflection of the actors’ moods or the film’s theme. We looked at over a hundred films which featured the sea and found that sea has now become a place where the actors make their choices,” said Vibha Surana, head of the German department at the university.
Started in collaboration with University of Hamburg, the research project involves Indian and German students exploring the various themes and implications in the depiction of the Mumbai and Hamburg harbour in Bollywood and German cinema.
“Sea changes with history in cinema. Over the years it has turned into places of crime, lovemaking, inter-cultural encounters and fun and frolic. We hope to unearth the underlying motifs behind it,” Surana said.
Also, the research looks at how Indian socio-political history is projected through the image of the choppy waters or calm sea in films.
“We are encouraging our students to publish this research in a book. It would interest not only film lovers but also give us an understanding of cultures,” she added.
Moreover, besides films several poems have been written where the nation’s entire political history has been demonstrated through ups and downs of the ocean, she added.
In the second leg of the research, four students will go to Hamburg and study the symbolism behind the Hamburg harbour in German films. The research study has been the only project in humanities to be sanctioned by the Hamburg University this year, other studies were based on natural sciences.
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