Pillars of Parallel Cinema | Garm Hawa

Conceived, Written and Produced by Irfan

Based on the book Pillars of Parallel Cinema by O.P. Srivastava

Introduction to Podcasts: Pillars of Parallel Cinema

In a world where Artificial Intelligence increasingly shapes our films, where voices, faces, and mannerisms are becoming deeply fake, we invite you on a journey back to a time, when cinema was a mirror to real life. This was an era where stories, characters, and settings were grounded in realism and human sensibilities. We are talking about the golden phase of Hindi cinema, known as Parallel Cinema-a movement unparalleled in the history of Indian cinema.

Spanning from 1969 to 1999, this period stands out as the most creative and realistic phase in Indian cinema history. It gave birth to immortal films like Bhumika, Akrosh, Paar, and Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro, to name a few. The Parallel Cinema movement also introduced us to visionary filmmakers such as Shyam Benegal, Govind Nihalani, Goutam Ghose, and Sai Paranjape. Additionally, this era brought forth an array of brilliant actors including Naseeruddin Shah, Om Puri, Smita Patil, Shabana Azmi, Deepti Naval, Farooq Sheikh, Amrish Puri, Sadhu Meher, Surekha Sikri, and Mohan Agashe.

In our new series of podcasts, Pillars of Parallel Cinema, we will explore some groundbreaking films meticulously selected by banker-turned-filmmaker OP Srivastava for his book Pillars of Parallel Cinema.

Join us on this exciting journey to rediscover the essence of cinema that was not just a reflection of society, but also a powerful medium of expression that connected deeply with human experiences and emotions.

The Book Pillars of Parallel Cinema

The book offers a retrospective of 50 landmark films that defined Hindi parallel cinema, covering the period from the late 1960s to themid-1990s. It explores the emergence of parallel cinema as an alternative to mainstream Bollywood, emphasizing films driven by creative vision rather than commercial motivations. Srivastava highlights the socio-political contexts these films were set in and how they resonated with the middle-class audience by reflecting their realities.

The book includes background stories about how each film was made and delves into the significant role these films played in shaping the "new wave" of Indian cinema. Filmmakers like Shyam Benegal, who contributed to this movement, praised the book for its comprehensive approach to documenting this important era in Indian film history.

It could be a valuable read if you're interested in the history of Indian parallel cinema and the filmmaking processes behind some of its most iconic films.

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