Cinema Marte Dum Tak is a six-part documentary series that explores the journeys of filmmakers J Neelam, Vinod Talwar, Kishan Shah, and Dilip Gulati as they make a comeback to directing movies, and paying homage to a bygone era. The series is created by Vasan Bala and the episodes are directed by Disha Rindani, Xulfee and Kulish Kant Thakur.
Notably, the series features several talking head interviews from the filmmakers and their frequent collaborators. Including Raza Murad, Mukesh Rishi, and Harish Patel, along with a special appearance from Arjun Kapoor.
-Cinema Marte Dum Tak Review Does Not Contain Spoilers-
If films like Gunda (1998), and Loha (1997) remind you of raunchy dialogues and over-the-top action sequences (some of which have become a cult of their own) then you might have some context about this raw and real series about the unconventional aspect of Hindi cinema. Moreover, even if you have zero ideas about the lesser-known filmmaking sub-industry (within the industry itself), then you are definitely in a treat for some passionate display of pulp movies.
Vasan Bala’s encyclopedic journey into the world of B-movies (a term which you won’t prefer using, especially after watching the series), takes you into the era of filmmaking that was specially curated for the mainstream reluctant audience. The series features notable figures from the late nineties era, who infused life and blood into the genre by transforming the approach towards filmmaking in general.
The four sets of directors, J Neelam, Vinod Talwar, Kishan Shah, and Dilip Gulati make a comeback from their retired and semi-retired phase, to make a short film using their tried and tested methods, and with zero compromises to their vision. The trajectory of the episode follows a behind the scene journey into their process and dives deep into their passion for the profession.
More than the movies themselves, the series focuses on the journey of the filmmakers, as they provide a complete context about their personal life and career. The project itself embarks on a fitting tribute to the mad love for movie-making. And scales the pathway of their grand rise, bumper collections, and eventual demise of the industry.
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The series does a great job of educating the viewer about the films that you won’t find on Wikipedia entries. And provides thorough reasoning for their existence in the first place. It highlights the prejudice of individuals, organizations as well as mainstream functionaries, towards this parallel track of filmmaking, which feels like a saga of its own.
Furthermore, you don’t need to be a hardcore cinephile to relate to the series. All you need is a certain amount of curiosity, that will lead you into a world of hit and trial. All in all, the series is stellar research, that compounds over time to produce several awe-worthy moments.
Cinema Marte Dum Tak Final Thoughts
There is absolutely no reason why you should miss out on this unconventional ode. And miss out on the plethora of hardcore, raw, problematic, controversial and unique branches of cinema.
You can stream Cinema Marte Dum Tak on Amazon Prime Video. Let us know your thoughts about it in the comment section below.
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sounds like the same terrain as Ashim Ahluwalia’s Miss Lovely