Transcript Mira Nair and Salaam Bombay

Mira Nair and Salaam Bombay
Introduction to Mira Nair
Born in Bhubaneshwar, Orissa in
1957 (middle class family)
 Attended the University of New
Delhi (Sociology and Theater)
 Went to Harvard in 1976
(Sociology)
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Films by Mira Nair
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Jama Masjid Street Journal (1979)
So Far From India (1982)
India Cabaret (1985)
Children of a Desired Sex (1987)
Salaam Bombay (1988)
Mississippi Masala (1991)
The Perez Family (1993)
Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love (1997)
My Own Country (1998)
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Monsoon Wedding (2001)
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Salaam Bombay
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Awards:
the New Director's Award at the Cannes
Film Festival in 1988 an Academy Award
nomination for best foreign film in 1989
A departure from Bollywood
Are there any traces of Bollywood
influence in the film?
Name and Identity
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What is the significance of name change in
the film? (Krishna
Chaipau)
Krishna
Herdsman and flutist
8th avatar of Vishnu
Major Themes in Salaam Bombay
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Growth and coming of age
Migratory identity: people drifted to the
metropolis (ex) shots of the train station
Desire for home: Krishna tries to write home
(needs 500 rupees so that he can go home),
forms a “family” in Bombay (Chillum, the other
children).
What about Manju’s family?
Major Themes (2)
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Comradeship and betrayal
What are Krishna’s relationships with other
street children?
Why does Krishna fall in love with Sweet
Sixteen?
What are the many betrayals in the film?
Repetition: Krishna
Chillum
The Sweet Sixteen
Manju’s mother
Social Realism and criticism
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the production: shot on location, street children
Homeless children (Dickensian)
Prostitution
Drug trade
Traces of colonialism (ex. the foreigner)
Class difference
Well-fare institutions (ex. Chiller room)
How is the Chiller room portrayed in the film?
Salaam Bombay and Earth
What do you think about the ending
of Salaam Bombay? Is there any
hope for the street children?
 Compare and contrast the two films.
 Can you think of any other film that
is comparable to Salaam Bombay?
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