Beyond Bollywood: the legacy Mira Nair

Mira Nair's debut “Salaam Bombay!” was one of a kind and redefined the Indian Cinema with a fresh perspective. .

Mira Nair is an internationally acclaimed independent filmmaker. Some of her best-known works include Salaam Bombay!, Monsoon Wedding, The Namesake, and Mississippi Masala.

 Before a successful filmmaking career, Nair made documentaries among which were Indian Cabaret, Jama Masjid Street Journal, and So Far from India. Salaam Bombay was initially a documentary on street poverty in India but Mira later fictionalised it which went on to win 23 international awards and a Best Foreign Language Film nomination at the 1989 Academy Awards.

Salaam Bombay follows a young orphaned boy named Krishna as he works to save enough money to get back together with his family. Themes of assault, drug abuse and other common plights of poverty are highlighted in the film. Nair did not hire any professionals she made real street kids act in the film to paint an authentic picture of South Asian poverty. 

Mira Nair on the making of Salaam Bombay and the discouragement she experienced:

“Filmmaking is a process of taking each other further, rather than just joining the dots and saying ‘yes’ and getting the job done, which is sort of the most unexciting thing for me. The most interesting thing is pushing the envelope and trying to do things you would not have done before. Who can take you further? Who can join the dream, and who can make the dream happen? [With] Salaam Bombay!, they told me a hundred times that it’s not possible. It’s not possible to shoot in the railway stations. It’s not possible to sing in the streets of India. It’s not possible to put an illiterate street kid opposite a movie star and expect the world to be real. But it’s important to work with people who share the same bit of madness and a lot of disciplined passion about how to get it done.”

Themes in Mira Nair's films

Identity and self-exploration 

Nair uses films to explore the universal yearning for self-expression and promote global awareness of culture and identity. She accepts and embraces the responsibility of her chosen profession.

 Salaam Bombay!, Kamasutra and Monsoon Wedding, all appear to share the same theme, despite different locations and socio-cultural settings: the search for identity and belonging.

Nair’s characters frequently feel out of place, they are outsiders, either physically or emotionally, from society. In Salaam Bombay!, Krishna’s parents sell him to a circus and he flees to Bombay to earn money so that he can return home. In Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love, Maya is driven out of her town but returns as the King's favorite courtesan

Cultural identity and crises

Cultural loss and identity are recurring themes in Mira Nair's films where her protagonist struggles to fit in.

 The  Namesake explores the dilemma of immigrants as they struggle to maintain their identities while also experiencing internalized shame. The first generation's stories revolve around adaptation, learning, and self-discovery. 

The second generation on the other hand finds opposing realities, cultures, and expectations incredibly difficult they struggle to belong in both their home countries and the countries they were born in.

Feminism 

Mira Nair is known for her breakthrough in writing powerful and intricate female characters one such female character is Ashima from the namesake. At first, Ashima appears playful and naive but as the Film develops we soon get to know her. Mira perfectly captured the essence of a lonely wife abroad. 

Unlike unrealistic female development in films, Ashima did not quickly blend into the landscape of a foreign land. She never stopped wearing a saree, she stayed true to her roots and values while longing for her home country dearly. 

Another seemingly ordinary yet multifaceted female character is Monsson Wedding's Ria. The plot revolves around the big fat wedding and the events that unfold. there are multiple subplots and narratives within the film. 

Ria who appears to be calm and obedient is suffocating inside. In her 30s, Ria is often made fun of for being single however no one knows that her struggle with intimacy is due to the abuse she endured as a child. 

In the climax of the scene, Ria breaks down and exposes her uncle who sexually harassed her but Lalit who raised Ria with her father silences her. Lalit has to decide whether to punish the perpetrator or save the family's reputation. In the events that follow Lalit eventually shows stands up for Ria.  

Realism 

Unlike mainstream films, Nair's films were divorced from the Bollywood archetype. Mira aimed to paint the life outside unrealistic portrayal of Bollywood. Being a documentarist she wanted to reveal the ugly and uncomfortable aspects of society. Bollywood

Salaam Bombay was shot in in the arrow and dirty Lanes of Mumbai’s Kamathipura area. More than 52 locations were used to film Salaam Bombay. Kamathipura is the city’s oldest and Asia's second-largest red-light district (prostitution zone).

Colour Palettes 

  Nair employs vivid colours in her storyline. She frequently uses contrast in colour palettes, switching between warm and cool colours. In Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love, Maya wears cool colours when carrying out her duties as a courtesan without emotion, and warm colours, such as red, when she expresses passion. 

Monsson Wedding has striking visuals, vibrant reds, oranges and greens are a perfect monsoon palette that stays true to the title of the film.  

Filmmaking Style 

Mira Nair's unique sense of filmmaking style and documentary approach made her stand out among the crowd. 

Mira followed the cinéma-vérité technique a blend of fictional and real narratives where a filmmaker uses actual footage and later turns them into a feature-length film. Mira draws inspiration from parallel cinema and uses long and close-up shots, real settings and soft natural lighting. 

Monsoon Wedding for example is a low-budget film and was filmed in one month with a handheld camera. The rule of thirds was rarely maintained; there are scenes in which people's limbs and heads are out of camera. the film has a distinctly documentary-like feel.