D : Death Scenes' Anatomy in Hindi Films / Bollywood #AtoZChallenge 2019

Death is celebrated in Indian cinema like no other cinema. More so, the ones which take place near the climax, especially, if a lead protagonist is dying. The way the film-makers write these death scenes, or the way they shoot them, and the way the actors give their best in these scenes, clearly shows the effort. As most Hindi films end on a happy note, where all issues are resolved and where all knots are untied, death of a lead protagonist in a climax of a Hindi film is a rarity. 

Death that occurs early in a film serves three purposes according to my limited knowledge:

1. It sets into motion a revenge saga. (example : Sholay and all Telugu language films dubbed in Hindi, we get to see on Set Max)

2. It sets into motion a suspense film or a thriller. Either the dying person reveals half a secret and the film is about completely unraveling it or one has to find the killer by the end. (examples : Khiladi, Baazigar and all the decent films, director duo, Abbas-Mustan made before they launched RACE franchisee) 

3. It sets into motion a coming of age drama (example: Kuch Kuch Hota Hai where Karan Johar really milked the death scene, while other coming of age dramas are just about the death of dreams)

Coming back to death scenes of lead protagonists in climax of Hindi films. There are several movies that got it right. They did it with right amount of pathos and relevance. I really had goosebumps at the end of Rang De Basanti. And who can forget the climax of Anand, where a recorded message of the dying protagonist, makes the audience tear up! Watch it below.

But then the theme of my challenge is Bollywood Cliches. So I have to talk about those death scenes, which last for eternity. This cliche is  most common in those Hindi films which end with a series of fight scenes, where good eventually triumphs over the evil. But it takes a really long route. Almost 30 minutes. Here is the anatomy of that done to death (pun unintended) , Death Scene. 

0 - 5 minutes: Hero kills and maims almost everyone on the wrong side. But he gets hit by two bullets - one near his heart and other in the back during those 5 minutes.

6-10 minutes: Hero is about to kill the villain, when a loyal goon in the villain's gang back stabs the hero with a knife. What bullets couldn't achieve, a knife does dramatically. Hero falls to the ground and there is no chance of his revival. Villain appreciates the goon and gives him an on the spot appraisal. They celebrate the hero's death with really cheesy dialogues.

11-15 minutes: The hero's mother or wife or daughter (woman power) will shout and ask the hero to get up. Hero takes blows out a deep breath and dust flies around his face. (Cue for audience to clap). His one eye opens and then the other. Hero gets on his two feet without the villain realizing it. Hindi film villains are dumb. He then kills the villain, but not before the villain shoots another bullet in hero's heart. 

16-30 minutes: Villain is dead. Irreversibly. Period! But Hero falls down again though cushioned by a woman's embrace. Now is time for homilies. Last wishes. And the will. And the promises of meeting in next life. No one calls an ambulance. No one gives first aid or CPR. Police arrives, late as usual (another cliche in Hindi films). Hero gathers energy and gives his testimony. He also hands over the evidence against the gang, so that police can dismantle the network of the dead don. Police immediately awards him with a medal and a salute. Hero says, Äah! Maa! Aah ! Mala ! Aah!  Devki! . Exactly three Aah's with interchangeable names of women in his life and dies. Just like that.

On the screen Appears THE END.

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My theme for this year's #AtoZchallenge is Hindi Film Industry / Bollywood cliches. You can read the theme reveal post here.

2017 Challenge Post from Letter D : Divinity - It was a post about my experiments with things divine and religious. Click here to read.

2018 Challenge Post from Letter D: Do's and Don'ts of Life - It was a post about the codes we should live by. Click here to read.