The era surrounding India’s Independence and thereafter witnessed a remarkable flourishing of Hindi literature, with esteemed authors like Kamleshwar, Munshi Premchand, and Bhisham Sahni captivating the world with their poignant and compelling stories.
Amidst a backdrop of challenging times, people yearned for uplifting tales of heroism and romance. It was the perfect opportunity to bring these literary gems to the silver screen. Iconic films such as Chitralekha, Kati Patang, and Pati Patni Aur Woh were born from the brilliance of Hindi literature, providing a positive and even comical outlook on life for a nation recovering from the scars of Partition.
During this period, authors delved deeply into the social issues plaguing society, addressing topics like caste discrimination, inequality, and poverty. As the visual medium gained popularity, books highlighting these societal ills found their way into movie adaptations, fostering greater awareness within the nation.
Movies like Satgati and Tamas fearlessly portrayed the stark realities faced by the people, forging a profound connection between films and Hindi literature. These thought-provoking stories, depicted with authenticity on the silver screen, nurtured a profound appreciation for the bond between cinema and Hindi literary works. As films based on pressing social issues resonated with the audience, Hindi literature truly experienced its Golden Age of adaptations.
The Neglected Realm: Hindi Literature and its Absence in Screen Adaptations
Sacred Games, Leila, and Calling Sehmat are just a few examples of recent screen adaptations that have delighted book lovers, bringing Indian literature to the forefront. However, a closer inspection reveals a striking trend – these adaptations predominantly hail from Indian literature written in English.
This observation leads us to ponder: what about Hindi literature? Why do we see a lack of screen adaptations for Hindi books when India boasts over 400 million Hindi speakers? The dearth of Hindi literature adaptations, given the rich heritage of Hindi writing, is perplexing.
Despite the growing trend of contemporary book adaptations in the Hindi film industry and streaming services, the overwhelming majority of these works are originally penned in English. As we commemorate World Hindi Day, it becomes imperative to explore the reasons behind this gap and the underrepresentation of Hindi literature in on-screen adaptations.
The Dominance of English: A Hindrance to Hindi Literary Adaptations
In recent decades, the Indian education system has witnessed a gradual shift towards English as the primary medium of instruction. With the growing impact of globalization and the pervasive influence of social media, English has gained immense popularity as the preferred mode of communication across the country. Consequently, Hindi, once widely spoken, has now been relegated to a mere subject studied in schools, as children increasingly opt to communicate in English. The number of English speakers in India has surpassed 256,000.
Based in Mumbai, where English serves as the primary language of communication, the film industry heavily relies on the accessibility and universality of the English language. As people from diverse regions with various mother tongues come together, English acts as a common thread binding them.
Gaurav Solanki, co-writer of the acclaimed film “Article 15,” reveals that many filmmakers do not read books written in Indian languages. Expanding on this, Sidharth explains that most film scripts, including those for Hindi movies, are initially written in English. Consequently, adapting an English book is a smoother process than its Hindi counterpart. When considering a Hindi novel for adaptation, filmmakers often need to hire a Hindi reader and a screenwriter, making the process more laborious. Given the abundance of brilliant English books available, this factor further contributes to the dearth of Hindi literary adaptations.
In summary, the overwhelming dominance of English in India presents a considerable obstacle to the adaptation of Hindi literature, casting a shadow on its future prospects.
Unexplored Potential: The Role of Publishers in Hindi Literary Adaptations
The responsibility of adapting Hindi literature into film or TV series does not rest solely on the shoulders of the film industry and streaming services. The onus also lies on publishers and writers, who, unfortunately, seem disinterested in seeing their books brought to the big screen. In an era abundant with content and OTT platforms actively seeking material for adaptation, it becomes crucial for Hindi publishers to study the Hindi film industry and OTT platforms, devising strategies to facilitate the adaptation process for their authors’ works. However, this aspect remains largely underdeveloped in India.
The publishing industry has a long way to go. Although they have significant growth opportunities in the digital age, they often seem unaware or uninterested in harnessing the internet’s potential for their benefit. MAMI’s Words to Screen initiative in 2019, which aimed to provide writers with a platform to sell their books to filmmakers. A few Hindi publishers at the event, approach with ideas to the filmmakers or Flip to Flix company owners or agents.
Gaurav Solanki shares a similar sentiment, noting that while many production houses actively seek Hindi literature for adaptation, publishers and authors must also make efforts to bridge the gap. Raj Nidimoru, co-writer of the film “Stree,” concurs, emphasizing that the Indian film industry lacks a sufficient focus on Hindi literature, despite its profound depth. He believes it’s high time to recognize and embrace the great stories found in Hindi literature.
Contemporary Hindi literature boasts several remarkable books, which delve into delicate and crucial societal issues like women’s oppression, genital mutilation, and Naxalism. While audiences are eager to witness films based on such topics, their reach remains limited.
Pradeep Sarkar, known for adapting Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s renowned novel “Parineeta,” points out that the new generation of filmmakers, although fast-paced and edgy, must not forget the cultural treasures left behind in the pursuit of modernity.
Reviving Hindi Literary Adaptations: A Call for Combined Efforts
In today’s era, the film industry and OTT platforms often cater to audiences seeking sensational potboiler films brimming with action, goons, and damsels-in-distress. The focus lies on profit margins, leading to a flood of similar formulaic films. While these commercial entertainers serve as stress-relievers for the audience, they often overlook intricate plots and compelling stories.
Surprisingly, amidst the prevalence of action-packed films, Hindi pulp fiction novels seem neglected. These novels embody quintessential Bollywood commercial film stories, featuring action-packed thrillers, mysteries, damsels, and brave heroes ready to save the day. Renowned authors like Surendra Mohan Pathak and Ved Prakash Sharma have an abundant repertoire of such stories. So, why has the film and television industry overlooked these hidden gems?
Today, Hindi literature appears to lag behind English books in terms of literary adaptations. To preserve and celebrate the richness of our language and its stories, readers must actively seek out Hindi literature. Filmmakers, too, should explore Hindi books for inspiring stories that have the potential to reach a wider audience through adaptations.
The responsibility to propel Hindi literary adaptations into the limelight rests on the shoulders of publishers and authors. They must put in concerted efforts to not only promote their stories but also ensure that their works find their way to the big screen, thus reaching more people.
A combined effort from all stakeholders is needed to revive the Golden Age of Hindi literary adaptations and make them shine once again.