Film and the Urban Fabric

Exploring the urban fabric through the cinematic lens

of terrorism, militarization and curfews Sagarika Sengupta 2016BARC028

The Process

A list of various cinematic themes explored

Establishing a background

A glimpse of the plot and characters

Analyzing how the urban spaces reflect cinematic themes • • •

Spatial/Built Conditions Camera Angles Light and Shadow

Establishing a Background • Whilst India has come a long way since Independence, our borders continue to be extremely sensitive to terrorism due to unresolved conflicts.

• Being brought up in a defense background, and having stayed in remote places at the borders, I have seen these conflicts from a close range.

• Terrorism and violence has a severe impact on innocent people, families, the economy, and to a great extent- the city, its fabric and its overall essence.

• In view of this, I have chosen the film Haider which was shot in Srinagar, Kashmir; having spent the past four months in Srinagar and its surrounding districts.

Characters

• Haider is a 2014 Indian crime drama written, produced and directed

by Vishal Bhardwaj, co-produced

by Siddharth Roy Kapur, and co-written

by Basharat Peer.

• Actors – Shahid Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor, Tabu, Irrfan Khan, Kay Kay Menon

Inspiration | Plot • Haider is both a modern-day adaptation of William Shakespeare's tragedy Hamlet and an adaptation of Basharat Peer's memoir Curfewed Night, set amidst the insurgencyhit Kashmir conflicts of 1995 and civilian disappearances.

• Plot - Haider, a young student and a poet, returns to Kashmir at the peak of the conflict to seek answers about his father's disappearance and ends up being tugged into the politics of the state.

Explored Cinematic Themes

Destruction and abandonment

Protests and Voices

Terror and Fear

Bloodshed, death and loss Culture, Traditions, Family Values

Reflection of Cinematic Themes through Urban Spaces

Destruction and Abandonment

Throughout the film, destruction due to attacks is displayed. This destruction is reflected in every aspect- people, families and the built fabric. One of the major tangible forms of destruction is perhaps reflected in the architecture of spaces and on a larger scale, the urban fabric.

Destruction and Abandonment

This scene shows a transition from calm to chaos in less than five seconds. The sudden transition makes a lasting impact on the viewer and sets the tone for the rest of the film. This shows uncertainty and absolute unpredictability.

This scene displays a slower transition where the protagonist remembers his memories of the house. The scene is shot from an aerial point of view which displays the scale of destruction and loss. The colors also change from soft bright hues to blue and gloomy hues.

Terror and Fear

Throughout the film, one observes a gradual ensuing aura of terror and fear. This is displayed suddenly at times, perhaps right after a festive or jovial scene. Or perhaps, in the serene backdrop of the Himalayas. This contrast is reflects the reality of the valley to a great extent, where one never knows what to expect next.

Terror and Fear

These two shots display how the architecture has incorporates secret hiding places owing to the circumstances. Both scenes display the few minutes before an attack takes place. A sense of calm fear ensues with no background music. The dark hues and closeups reflect the same

These two shots display an eerie contrast. The first shot is a disturbing scene of dead bodies being transported to a mortuary.

However its shot in the golden hour (apparently spiritual). The second scene shows the protagonist approaching a highly confined military area situated in the serene Kashmir valley. The contrast with respect to color and backgrounds creates a disturbing impact.

Protests and Voices

The film shows a large number of protests by the people throughout its course. These are protests against the government, the military or to find the ever increasing number of disappeared individuals. More often than not, what were previously active market areas would be shut down and people would gather in large numbers to protest. This is also indicative of the current situation in Kashmir where the cities become ghost towns from time to time.

Protests and Voices

Urban areas and public spaces are shut down and become barren with protests as the only activity. These scenes are mostly shot from an aerial view probably to show the scale of protests. The colors are often in dark gloomy and cold hues.

This creates a stressful and anxious scenario.

These shots seem to be poetic shots that are shot through barbed wires which create a feeling of being trapped.

Culture, Tradition, Family Values

Despite the prevalent destruction and terror in the state, the film displays how cultures and traditions find their ways to survive in this atmosphere. This is displayed through the architecture, festive grounds and interactions between people.

Culture, Tradition, Family Values

These shots show the cultural aspect of Kashmir. This includes religious as well as festive spaces. Scenes such as these are shot in warm hues where the spatial background is in focus. The grand bungalows of Kashmir are displayed. However the beauty of the architecture seems fragile like its about to wither away into smoke. This is perhaps due to continual looming threats

These shots show the cultural aspect of Kashmir. This includes religious as well as festive spaces. Scenes such as these are shot in warm hues where the spatial background is in focus. The grand bungalows of Kashmir are displayed. However the beauty of the architecture seems fragile like its about to wither away into smoke. This is perhaps due to continual looming threats

Bloodshed, Death and Loss

An unfortunate and disturbing outcome of these endless wars at our borders is the bloodshed. Whilst Kashmir may be called “Jannat on earth�, but amidst the apple orchards and the lush meadows, the snow is stained red. This inevitably has an impact on the traditional and vernacular urban fabric of Kashmir. With every passing day of unresolved conflict, the cultural heritage slowly withers away.

Bloodshed, Death and Loss

These shots display the unimaginable scale of lives lost.

Displayed in a gruesome manner, all these scenes are shot from an aerial view, with dark blue hues against the pristine white snowscapes. The contrast of serenity and bloodshed marks the end of the film

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