Mani Kaul — Director (14)

Movie

Chitrakathi (1977)
Chitrakathi IMDb TMDB
Chitrakathi is about the folk artists of western India who narrate with the help of leather puppets. Mani takes us to the sleepy Konkan coastal village and introduces us to the family that has preserved this unique art for several centuries.

Movie

The Indian Woman - An Historical Assessment (1975)
The Indian Woman - An Historical Assessment IMDb TMDB
Unpaid... overworked... a woman at home.... mother ! How muchdoes her labour cost ? Raising such a questions, this film fathomshistory - of matriarchy and patriarchy, of morality, of oppressiveanti-woman modes.

Movie

Danish Girls Show Everything (1996)
Danske piger viser alt WikiData IMDb TMDB
other title: Danske piger viser alt
Despite its suggestive title, this multi-part Danish omnibus film is not a work of exploitation. Instead, it presents 20 different short films (back-to-back) on the general theme of Danish women, directed by filmmakers including Krzysztof Zanussi, Monika Treut, Gustav Hamos, David Blair, Vibeke Vogel, Dusan Makavejev, Morten Skallerud and Lars Norgaard. Some dramatic vignettes mix with other comedic ones, but all are offbeat and experimental. The picture includes one animated sequence (by Norgaard).

Movie

One Day Before the Rainy Season (1971)
Ashad Ka Ek Din WikiData IMDb TMDB Douban
other title: Ashad Ka Ek Din / 雨季来临前的一天 …
A literary film based on a play in three acts, Ashad Ka Ek Din portrays the love of Mallika and Kalidasa, the renowned Sanskrit poet and dramatist. Vilom, a friend to both and interested in Mallika, is a passive onlooker for the first two acts. Kalidasa leaves his verdant mountain valley home for the splendour of far off Ujjain, where he wins fame. The action of the film is rooted in the village to which Kalidasa returns years later and finds Mallika married to Vilom and the mother of his child. Mallika sacrificed her love so that the poet could pursue his muse.

Movie

Siddeshwari (1989)
Siddeshwari WikiData IMDb TMDB Douban
other title: 希德什瓦里 / 斯德许瓦里 …
An impressionistic biographical look at Siddheshwari Devi (1908–1977), the classical Indian singer whose voice was appreciated by the maharajas and public alike.

Movie

The cloud door (1994)
the cloud door WikiData IMDb TMDB Douban
Mani Kaul actor: 阿努·阿格拉瓦 / Murad Ali …
other title: 云之门 / बादल द्वार …
A very clever parrot lives in a Hindu palace, surrounded by many beautiful girls, but the parrot escapes, and is trapped far from the palace. One day, when its new owner is sleeping, the bird convinces a young boy to open the cage door. In return, it shows the boy a secret passage to get into the palace.

Movie

Our Daily Bread (1970)
Uski Roti WikiData IMDb TMDB Douban
other title: 他的烤饼 / Uski Roti …
The film depicts the life of a truck driver Sucha Singh and his wife Balo. Balo has to get Sucha Singh's food ready every day, walk a long distance through the fields and wait for him on the highway as he drives past the village. He leads an independent life, playing cards with his friends and spending time with his mistress, and comes home only once a week. However, he expects his wife to play the traditional role of a devoted wife. One day Balo gets late, trying to save her sister from the advances of a lecherous villager. Sucha Singh is angry, and drives away without his food. She decides to wait for him until nightfall.

Movie

Duvidha (1973)
Duvidha WikiData IMDb TMDB Douban
★ 7.6 5 ratings
other title: 双重意识 / In Two Minds …
Film is Based on Duvidha by Vijayadan Detha, it's about merchant's son, whose relationship with his young bride, Lachhi is thwarted by his work and a ghost who falls in love with her, resulting in the ghost soon impersonating the husband.