PRITHVI DATTA CHANDRA SHOBHI writes: What’s in a name? What’s the problem with making a film entitled Masti?
Sure, the film isn’t a biopic on the life of Masti Venkatesh Iyengar, Jnanapith award winner, who is known as Kannadada Asti. Rather, it is on the life of a notorious underworld figure from the 1970s, widely known as Mastiyappa. There ought to be no question with regard to whom should Kannadigas remember fondly and respectfully.
From all reports, it appears as if producer Ramu, director Shivamani and hero Upendra didn’t know about Masti, the writer. Nor could they appreciate the intensity of protest against using this title by Kannada writers and activists of Kannada Rakshana Vedike, who in fact, attacked Ramu’s office aggressively and somewhat violently, manhandling Ramu and Upendra among others. Shivrajkumar apparently intervened, pacified the protesters and brokered a deal, forcing the filmmakers to withdraw the name.
All the Kannada dailies have reported this controversy at some length but we need to ask ourselves some serious questions.
Have we, Kannadigas, become too sensitive? If we begin to protest against using names such as Masti (or Hubli, Tirupati, Mandya or Shiva) as director Shivamani pointed out, where and when will this end?
Will a film on the life of a criminal (even if it celebrates such a life) make a community forget one of its most important writers? If that is the case, shouldn’t we be more worried since such amnesia is a symptom of a deeper malaise in our culture?
What about the methods of Kannada activists? Will the cause of Kannada be protected by violent and aggressive posturing against perceived slights and alleged transgressions? Is “mettu tagandu hoditivi” (we will beat you with chappal) the appropriate response, even after factoring the injured sentiments?
Masti himself was a man of graceful conduct, cultured behavior and refinement. Doesn’t beating up people to protect his name go against the Masti spirit?
Shouldn’t our sensitivity and love for language, literature and culture lead us to read writers like Masti instead of merely celebrating whatever we celebrate? How do we choose to remember such writers? Only through beating up other people in their name or further our political interests on occasions such as this?
Ravi Belagere offers a reasonable argument in a brief intervention. He suggested: “Masti isn’t merely the name of a village. It is the popular form of the term Mahasati (great wife). When a warrior dies in the battlefield, his wife would commit suicide and thereby comes to be known as a brave woman. She is a mahasati. In her name, there is an agrahara, village, which has now become Masti.” Such subtleties are beyond cinema people.
I agree with Belagere. But I also expect more of us, as Kannadigas. A community should be able to distinguish between a gentle writer and a violent criminal, even if they share the same name. If it doesn’t, if it can not, then no activism can save that culture. Surely, if we want to emulate Masti, the writer, then deploying the criminal’s methods to save the writer’s name is an offense that we should be cognizant of and try to avoid at all costs.
sumne idre naale, karantha kuvempu gokak hesaru ittu pakkadalli long idthare.
But shouldnt film makers be a bit sensitive too- it’s not like their titles are the soul of their movies- why drag in respected names- unintentionally- for their horrid movies. Is nothing sacred anymore. it isnt the case of any community becoming fanatics- its about being sincere and and perhaps a bit respectful to the local ethos
Masti doesn’t need anyone to protect his name. He lives with dignity in the hearts of those who respect and celebrate his literature. The rest may go ahead and amuse themselves, in their separate ways.
Dont get me wrong – I am a great advocate of Free speech and the first amendment.Masti is a giant- no two words about that but arent the people attempting to scale Mt Everest asked and then instructed not to strew garbage around the mountain. Even the name of Masti is like a whiff opf fresh breeze in this suffocating world. We need to keep it that way.
enidhu.. kannadigaru summnidhre abhimaana illaamthiri, thamiLnaadalli I thara maadakke bidthaaramthiri, summane idhru kasta illaamdhru kasta.
hey imahotgal…I dont see your signature sign-off line `bathini’ – that was kinda…er!…cute
The problem with our prouducers is that other than investing money to a picture they know nothing about this lands language, culture and heritage. They have no proper advisers about allthose things, I think in the recent times this started with music director Hamsa Lekha who was Manfriday to Ravichandran when it came to writing for the movie ( Ramachari for example) any legendry name was kept for a movie to gain instant popularity, and cheating the mass to an extent, Is it possible to do such blunders and getaway in other south Indian states?.
All said and done, what ever name the film gets changed into now, people will always remember that this movie was first named MASTI!
I was present in the Muhurut of the Movie “Maasti”. I know this name much before and expecting a conteraversy. Because one of my friend is working for this movie. But when I observed there, the movie people really wanted a publicity and they got it. Instead of doing such drama, our kannada activists have resolved this issue before (when they got news about “Maasti” name) with film chamber. Then there wouldn’t been any publicity and no controversy. Now whatever they do, Maasti’s name come with that. With the new name, release, hit/flop….
For one, my first question to the so called Kananda activists are “magA, nInu Mastiyavara eShTu kathegaLannu Odidyappa ?”, or maybe a better question would be “guru, mAsti Enu barItidru hELu ?”.
Isn’t this kannaDa chaLuvaLigAra the same guy who went berserk when Rajkumar died ? I bet there is just 1 guy at the top of such Kananda Organizations who would ahve ehard of Masti. And, I also think that that guy hated somoen in the movie business. What better way for revenge ?
And, I completely disagree with “bondu”. I doubt the movie producers wanted to bank on a “possible” controversy over the movie name. That was too hard to predict, I think.
And, I really don’t get Ravi Belagere’s point. Sure, Mahasati is Masti. Soooo…..what’s the point ? There was a masti who was a rowdy. What can anyone do about it ?
The name Maasti is symbolic with the great writer Dr. Masti Venkatesha Iyengar. Maasti Kannadada Aasthi – aptly shows the high respect and honour that Kannadigas showered on him. To name a film whose theme is violence, bloodshed and rowdyism is absolutely not correct.
One certainly needs to have proper understanding of one’s culture and the ethos which it represents and also respect them. The intention of the film makers is only to make money and not a good movie. They named a movie after a literary figure oblivous of the fact that the name also referred to Dr.Maasti.
To name a film after Tirupati was also not correct. If you were to go by the violence and bloodshed that is occuring across the world, it would be apt to name a film after Mecca or Madina!! But why is it not the case? this would be a good topic to debate which could be taken up as a separate thread.
The violence by the so called Kannada activists was bad and not justifiable. Had saner minds prevailed, this issue need not have blown out of proportion and could have been resolved in the begining itself, without the hype and publicity.
I agree with RK