Doordarshan’s: The Paintings of India

Director: Benoy Behl

1. 2,000 Years of Painting (Covering the classic tradition of painting in India)
2. Rome of the East (Covering the rarely seen paintings of Old Goa)
3. Pan-Asian Art (Covering the mural paintings of Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand and Bali)
4. The Eternal Dance (Covering tribal paintings of Saoras in Orissa, Kurmis and Ganjus in Jharkhand, Rathavas in Gujarat and Warlis in Maharashtra)

March 18 and 19, 2005 | 6.30 pm
Little Theatre, National Centre for the Performing Arts, Mumbai

Film I: 2,000 Years of Painting (Covering the classic tradition of painting in India)

This film takes us on a marvellous journey through the pages of the history of Indian art. The Indian tradition of painting has been seen as fragmented and disconnected.  This is the first time that this deeply connected tradition is shown, from the ancient murals onwards to the paintings of modern India.

Film II: Rome of the East  (Covering the rarely-seen paintings of Old Goa)

The film presents the paintings of Old Goa, many of which have been scarcely seen. Tucked away in the quiet of the basement of the convent of the Santa Monica are some of the finest frescoes of Goa, which this film presents for the first time.

Film III: Pan-Asian Art (Covering the mural paintings of Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand and Bali)

In ancient times, there was a great and shared culture of the countries of Asia. With the spread of Buddhism, artistic ideas and influences travelled across the entire continent. This film entitled ‘Pan-Asian Art’ takes us to Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Indonesia, Thailand, China and Japan and traces the spread of philosophy and art in these areas.

Film IV: The Eternal Dance (Covering tribal paintings of Saoras in Orissa, Kurmis and Ganjus in Jharkhand, Rathavas in Gujarat and Warlis in Maharashtra)

Besides the classic tradition of art, the art of the tribals’ present an ancient legacy of expression that has continued till the present day.  This film takes us on a journey to the villages and lives of many tribal communities in India and examines the changing world around these tribal people, and their responses to these changes, which finds manifestation in their paintings.

The renowned filmmaker and photographer, Benoy K. Behl, will introduce each film before their screenings, and an interactive discussion with the audience will follow after the screenings.