<p>Spending hours looking for books from one hall to another at the 19th Delhi Book Fair, Pragati Maidan, is undoubtedly a painstaking task. <br /><br /></p>.<p>A small break for relaxation is a must need. Sitting inside the hall and having tea or snacks is what a majority of them are doing. What if this time were utilised in a more leisurely manner? <br /><br />The Indian Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) in collaboration with Directorate of Film Festivals (DFF) is screening some of the best films by known directors like Guru Dutt, Shyam Benegal, Mrinal Sen and Paresh Mokashi. <br /><br />Coinciding with the 19th Delhi Book Fair, the ongoing film festival on the centenary of Indian cinema has already screened Lekhayude Manam: Oru Flashback (1983) by KG George, Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959) by Guru Dutt and Harischandrachi Factory (2009) by Paresh Mokashi.<br /><br />But there are still some excellent films left in the list. Like Shyam Benegal’s Bhumika (1977) which will be screened on Thursday. It is an autobiographical inspiration of the 1940s famous actress Hansa Wadkar who joined the film industry in order to support her family. The late Smita Patil essayed the role of Hansa, who in her quest for love, ends up being exploited each time by the men <br />she meets. <br /><br />Then there is Akaler Sandhaney (In Search of Famine, 1980) by Mrinal Sen. It’s a film about making a movie where a young director arrives in a village to make a film set during the Great Bengal Famine. He hopes to reveal the problems and privations current in rural India but the presence of the crew begins to drive up the price of food in the village, leaving the villagers angry and fearful of another famine. The film will be screened on August 30. <br /><br />On the last day, Guru Dutt’s eternal Kaagaz ke Phool will be a treat for all those who missed it on day one. This semi-autobiographical drama was the last film Dutt directed and India’s first cinemascope release. It is a story about director Suresh Sinha (played Guru Dutt himself) who discovers a star in the making (Waheeda Rehman) when she comes to his studio to return a borrowed coat. The actor’s subsequent relationship with the director ultimately destroys his career and personal life. A flop back then, the <br />film is now considered <br />a masterpiece.<br /></p>
<p>Spending hours looking for books from one hall to another at the 19th Delhi Book Fair, Pragati Maidan, is undoubtedly a painstaking task. <br /><br /></p>.<p>A small break for relaxation is a must need. Sitting inside the hall and having tea or snacks is what a majority of them are doing. What if this time were utilised in a more leisurely manner? <br /><br />The Indian Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) in collaboration with Directorate of Film Festivals (DFF) is screening some of the best films by known directors like Guru Dutt, Shyam Benegal, Mrinal Sen and Paresh Mokashi. <br /><br />Coinciding with the 19th Delhi Book Fair, the ongoing film festival on the centenary of Indian cinema has already screened Lekhayude Manam: Oru Flashback (1983) by KG George, Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959) by Guru Dutt and Harischandrachi Factory (2009) by Paresh Mokashi.<br /><br />But there are still some excellent films left in the list. Like Shyam Benegal’s Bhumika (1977) which will be screened on Thursday. It is an autobiographical inspiration of the 1940s famous actress Hansa Wadkar who joined the film industry in order to support her family. The late Smita Patil essayed the role of Hansa, who in her quest for love, ends up being exploited each time by the men <br />she meets. <br /><br />Then there is Akaler Sandhaney (In Search of Famine, 1980) by Mrinal Sen. It’s a film about making a movie where a young director arrives in a village to make a film set during the Great Bengal Famine. He hopes to reveal the problems and privations current in rural India but the presence of the crew begins to drive up the price of food in the village, leaving the villagers angry and fearful of another famine. The film will be screened on August 30. <br /><br />On the last day, Guru Dutt’s eternal Kaagaz ke Phool will be a treat for all those who missed it on day one. This semi-autobiographical drama was the last film Dutt directed and India’s first cinemascope release. It is a story about director Suresh Sinha (played Guru Dutt himself) who discovers a star in the making (Waheeda Rehman) when she comes to his studio to return a borrowed coat. The actor’s subsequent relationship with the director ultimately destroys his career and personal life. A flop back then, the <br />film is now considered <br />a masterpiece.<br /></p>
