Heat And The Dust Of India example essay topic

Despite differing in form, the film "Monsoon Wedding", directed by Mira Nair and the novel "Heat and Dust", by Ruth Prowler Jhabvala, have many similarities. Both of these texts convey an Indian world and the people in it". Monsoon Wedding" is a party art house, party Bollywood film which deals with the lead up to the wedding of two young people, Aditi and Hermant. It combines their story with that of Aditi's father, Lalit, and his family responsibilities, as well as the events occurring in the lives of their servants, Dubey and Alice.

This combining of multiple storyline's into one cohesive narrative is one of the characteristics of Bollywood films. The title of the film refers to the monsoon, or rainy season, in India. The majority of the film is set in the buildup to the monsoon, when the oppressive heat is at its strongest. This is metaphorically linked to the buildup of tension and anxiety in the days leading up to the wedding. The monsoon itself, like the wedding, symbolizes cleansing and renewal before a new start. One thing that sets this film apart from other Bollywood films is that it deals with taboo issues in its portrayal of Uncle Tej's pedophilia.

This is seen from the point of view of his pat victim, Ria. The audience is not told explicitly what is occurring, but through the use of shots of Ria appearing distressed followed by shots of Tej, it becomes apparent that something sinister is happening. This particular storyline climaxes with Ria's public accusation of Tej as he is driving away with his new victim. This is not a subject that is usually dealt with in society, especially Indian society. Through the portrayal of these events Nair has also shown the pressure of the family responsibility placed upon Lalit, When he learns of Tej's past attacks on Ria, we see that he is torn between keeping up appearances of family unity and doing what he knows is right. This culminates in Lalit kicking Tej out of his home after the formal photography session where Ria, ironically, is asked to pose at Tej's feet.

In the scene where Lalit is overwhelmed by the responsibility placed upon him, and goes to his wife, P immi, sobbing, the depth of love between them is apparent. This portrayal of different types of love is another major feature of the film. At the beginning of the film, Aditi is in love with Vikram, a married man, but throughout the film, she is able to distinguish between purely physical love, and the deeper love she later feels for Hermant. She comes to this realisation when Vikram abandons her in a potentially dangerous situation to take a phone call from his wife".

Heat and Dust" deals with how India is viewed by Europeans visiting or living there. It tells the story of Olivia, who outraged society in 1923 when she eloped with an Indian Nawab, and her step-granddaughter who travels to India 50 years later to try to find out more about Olivia. Like "Monsoon Wedding", the title of the novel uses natural aspects of India as a metaphor for life in the country. The heat and the dust of India are almost unbearable, especially for Europeans. Those in Olivia's time tried to shut them out, or even traveled to the mountains to avoid the worst of the heat. The Europeans of this time also tried to shut themselves off from Indian life and culture.

They retained their own customs, as impractical as they sometimes were in the conditions, and viewed themselves as vastly superior to the native Indians. In contrast the narrator and other visitors to India in this time, tend to accept the heat and dust, as they try to accept the Indian people and culture. The narrator says, "India always changes people, and I have been no exception". People in Olivia's time also be lived this, but tried to resist the change, whereas the narrator embraces the changes. Portrayal of a taboo subject is also a similarity "Heat and Dust" has to "Monsoon Wedding". In this case the subject of abortions is dealt with.

The scene in which Olivia has her abortion is strange in that is describes a rather graphic procedure using unremarkable language. Rather than focus on the emotional side of having an abortion, Olivia is curious about the procedure itself. This seeming disconnection from what is happening to her is quite disturbing.