Idol making, once a thriving art, is now a dying industry. The glorious profession that once transcended generations is now considered unfashionable. During festivities, when everyone stares with wide eyed wonder at the Lalbaugcha Raja or the Maddox Square Maa Durga, there's immediate veneration of the artists behind them, but the adulation is transient. One hops on to the next marquee, and gawks in wonder at yet another idol, marvelling at the creator of this one, and the journey goes on. At the end of the festival, all is forgotten, including the very artists who gave their heart, soul, blood and sweat to the idols that transformed your world to one of piety, worship, purity on the one hand, and celebrations galore on the other. Living at the bottom end of the supply chain, the ideal makers wallow in ignominy, neglect, poverty while remaining inconspicuous to the festivities that turn the world into a dreamland. Waiting for recognition, upliftment and reward, the idol maker has nothing much to write about his achievements in life - it's just another common man who spent his days and nights working hard to make ends meet.
"Ankuran" is a wonderful documentary about the idol makers and their grind, a dying art and an industry that has fallen from its glory days. It has selected a village known for Ganpati idol making in Maharashtra and showcased interviews with a couple of artists who rue about the decadence of the art, shunned by the younger generation for making a living, while giving us an insight into the fine skills that create the atmosphere of worship and admiration. With a running time of just under 15 minutes, Ankuran is poignant, touching and a respectful tribute to these artists, their ecstasy and agony, and perhaps a last ditch effort to save an industry that's waiting to fall to the technological advancement.
It's crisp, focused and clear in its contents and message. The production values led by Shrushti Oswal have high integrity, the direction by Mukul Kapoor is neat and to the point. Shot and edited by Soham Banerjee, son of our good friends Supriya and Shubho Banerjee, a kid we saw growing up here in Dubai, Ankuran is a shot in the arm for arts in general, and is a promising start to his career in filmmaking.
