The narrative of the surreal fantasy is embedded within a framing story of a writer telling a story to a film producer, who eventually declines to make the movie.
The writer tells of Udayan (Shankar) and Kamini (Kanta) and the young man’s dream of establishing an art centre, Kalakendra (a fictional equivalent of Shankar’s India Cultural Centre at Almora) in the Himalayas.
The film which has acquired a cult status follows the format of a story within a story being told by an old man about Udayan (Uday Shankar) who wants to set up a dance academy. With the cast comprising mainly dancers, the film makes a strong case for alternative education rather than conventional pedagogies which doggedly dictate our educational system. The effort is to synergize modern aesthetics while remaining rooted in traditions. The sub-plot follows a love triangle between Udayan, his childhood friend Uma (Amala Shankar) and lover Kamini (Laxmikanta).
This film has recently been restored by World Cinema Foundation, helmed by Martin Scorsese.
The director of this movie, Uday Anand taught dance to Guru Dutt.
This was India's first ballet film.
For many years, the unusual film was seen as exemplifying a successful fusion of Indian modernism and the cinema. Shankar, who had danced with Pavlova, was lauded by James Joyce in a letter to his daughter: ‘He moves on the stage like a semi-divine being. Believe me, there are still some beautiful things left in this poor old world.’
This is the only film Uday Shankar ever directed, as well as the only one he ever appeared in.
This film was shown at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI-Goa) 2008, as a part of the section "Treasures from NFAI" (National Film Archive of India).
Kalpana 1948
01 Jan 1948 ● Hindi ● 2 hrs 2 mins
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