Cinema made with heart touches the heart and made by brains impresses the mind. Is there a cinema that touches the soul? The cinema, which is beyond body, heart and mind? The cinema, which questions the mere human existence? Or is it just confined to provide us the visual treat and entertain our senses? The questions I often ask myself whenever I come across movies like The Tree of Life and A hidden Life by a philosophical filmmaker Terrence Malick. The films that are beyond ordinary depiction of cinema. Both the films beautifully portray the coherence between the emotions and logic, the difference between the memory and existence; last but not the least the transient nature of human relations. The Tree of Life is like a meditation while ‘A hidden Life’ seeks answers to the questions that are hidden in subconscious mind and heart. The provocative unanimity of right and wrong is incomprehensible so is the dilemma of choosing between the heart and mind.
The cinema for the soul is often philosophical yet diabolical in nature. It questions the knowledge and challenges the belief system. But it also offers the solution. Cinema aims to offer entertainment but seldom asks questions. The questions of the subconscious realm that we don’t ask ourselves, the questions we avoid because they force us to seek answers we may or may not get. Hence, we like to keep the cinema confined to entertainment. Nobody wants to see serious, thought provoking and deep meaning cinema today until there is a subjective need. Thus, cinema for soul struggles to breathe in the dark rooms of commercial theatres. October is one such movie by Shoojit Sircar that touched the heart and soul. The mind searches the meaning but soul searches the peace. October is a staller example of strong yet unspoken human connections in selfish times of demising communication. Ship of Theseus was another movie by Anand Gandhi that redefined the meaning of cinema in changing times and fits perfectly into the category of ‘cinema for soul.’
But why do we need cinema for soul? What is the need to get too serious in life where everyone else is making degraded commercial films that make plethora of money? The ultimate goal for every film is supposed to be making profits. Isn’t it? Yes, making money is important for a film but it’s a responsibility of a filmmaker to also make a meaningful film. The consumption of content has drastically increased in the last few years because of OTT platforms but everyone is in the rat race to make a successful film or a web show. None wants to make the content that touches the soul that enhances knowledge or accentuates thoughtfulness.
Cinema has become a home to violence, sex and profanity. The filmmakers are blinded by huge profits that they have lost the sense of simplicity and innocence. All have one answer, “this is what sells.” They probably need to understand that the audience is forced to watch what has been serving to them for decades. The change is challenging but inevitable. The filmmakers are in their comfort zone and do not want to make something that challenges their skills and audience’s perception. Hence, we continue to pile up profits by deteriorating the cinema standards.
