'Neecha Nagar' To 'Mandi': Indian Art Cinema Classics You Should Watch

Indian parallel films were non-commercial movies that depicted the true face and issues of the society without any unnecessary drama or dance numbers. These movies are credited for making Bollywood known in the World cinema. Bollywood films that are largely known for their groovy dance numbers and catchy songs had a glorious Golden era that consisted of non-commercial, serious and socially awakening films.

Parallel cinema was at its peak from the 1940s to the 1980s and many iconic movies based on social stories and Hindi literary pieces made the country aware of its culture and the condition of the society. They are also credited for bringing phenomenal actors like Shabana Azmi, Naseeruddin Shah, Smita Patil, Farooq Sheikh, Om Puri and others to the limelight.

The Golden era of such social and realistic films came to a halt during the 90's era when commercial movies with uncountable songs became popular. However, the beauty of such films could not be faded and they still remain iconic to the world. With recent movies like Parched, Satya and Dor, parallel cinema is again finding a place in the hearts of the audience and while we welcome the fresh batch of such social films, it is important that we look back to the ones that actually paved the way.

Indian Parallel Films

Neecha Nagar

Regarded as one of the first parallel films that paved the way, Neecha Nagar grabbed the Palme d'Or at the first Cannes Film Festival in 1946. The movie is the only film to have won that award at Cannes and brought Indian cinema on the map. The movie, although never released in India, was based on a Hindi story of the same name and was about the differences between the rich and poor sections of society.

Pather Panchali

This Satyajit Ray film was released in 1955 and its production cost was borne by the Government of Bengal. One of Ray's Apu trilogy films, this movie won Best Human Document at Cannes in 1956 and 1955's National Award For Best Feature Film. The movie depicted the struggling life of Harihar Roy and his family that live in the absence of basic amenities and food eventually forcing him to leave the village and move to the city for work leaving his family behind.

Aparajito

A continuation of the life of Harihar's son Apu, this movie by Satyajit Ray was released in 1956 and featured the story of Apu who, after the death of Harihar, moves to Kolkata for studies leaving his mother behind who falls gravely sick in his absence. The movie won the Critics Award at the Venice Film Festival and 11 other international awards. The movie was based on the novel by the same name by Bibhutibhushan Bannerjee. This was the second film in the Apu trilogy that is considered to have brought Ray to recognition.

Still from Aparajito

Apur Sansar

The World of Apu or Apur Sansar, released in 1959, featured the life of Apu during adulthood, unemployment, living costs, his accidental marriage and troubling fatherhood. The movie was the debut film of eminent Indian actors Sharmila Tagore and Soumitra Chatterjee. The film got the President's gold medal for the All India Best Feature Film at the 1959 National Awards, Sutherland Award at the 1960 British Film Institute Awards and was also nominated for the 1962 BAFTA.

Do Bigha Zamin

This 1953 film starred Balraj Sahani, Meena Kumari, Nirupa Roy and Ratan Kumar in pivotal roles. This movie by Bimal Roy is based on Rabindranath Tagore's poem and it won the International Prize at 1954 Cannes and Best Movie Filmfare. The movie is about a poor farmer who fails to pay the debt of an exploiting landlord who seizes his land. In order to gain back his family land, he works as a rickshaw puller in Calcutta to earn money.

Pyaasa

Released in 1957, this movie by Guru Dutt was included in the All-Time 100 Best Films list of Time's Magazine. The movie featured Guru Dutt, Mala Sinha, Waheeda Rehman and Mehmood in pivotal roles. The movie is about a poet who is struggling with the constant rejection of his work and finds assistance from a prostitute who falls in love with him and admires his work.

Elippathayam

Winning the Sutherland Trophy at the London Film Festival, this Malayalam parallel movie featured the feudal life of the Kerala society and tells the story of the last male heir of one such declining feudal family who finds it hard to adapt to the social changes occurring around him. The movie premiered at the Cannes in 1982, won the Best Film at Kerala State Film Awards in 1982 and is still regarded as the best Indian film ever made.

Still from Elippathayam (Upperstall)

Piravi

Released in 1989, this Malayalam film is about a professor whose son is taken into custody during the National Emergency of 1976 while his father awaits his return. When he approached the police regarding the whereabouts of his son, they refused to know about anyone of his name. The movie won Camera d'Or at Cannes in 1989 and Best Feature Film at National Film Awards in 1989.

Mathilukal

Released in 1990, this movie based on Viakom Muhammad Basheer's novel of the same name traced Basheer's life in prison and his unfulfilled love affair with a prison inmate Narayani. The movie won major prizes at Venice film Festival and National Film Awards in 1989. The movie starred Mammootty in the lead role which gained him national and international acclaim.

Mandi

Starring Smita Patil, Shabana Azmi, Neena Gupta and Naseeruddin Shah in pivotal roles, this 1983 movie depicted the life of the prostitutes living in a brothel in Hyderabad. The brothel is the target of many politicians and when a prostitute falls in love with a customer's son, the brothel falls into a struggle for survival. The movie holds the record of being the only Hindi film with the highest number of Filmfare awards and won National Film Award For Best Art Direction in 1984.

Still from Mandi (Firstpost)

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