1949 Jaipur, India

Kusum Tankha
Year born: 1939
City/town where movie was seen: Jaipur, Rajasthan (India)
Interviewed on: September 21st
by Aliesa Bahri

The first movie I ever saw was Andaz in 1949 when I was ten years old.  Andaz was a romantic drama bollywood movie featuring Raj Kappor and Nargis, a pair that used to act in many famous bollywood films together. What I remember most vividly about the film were the stars because they and their family members continued to be prominent influences in bollywood throughout my life. Ranbir Kapoor, the grandson of Raj Kapoor, and Kareena Kapoor, the grand daughter of Raj Kapoor, are both incredibly famous bollywood actors that my grandchildren have been seeing in many films to this day. 

I don’t have a very strong memory of the plot of Andaz. I only vaguely remember that it was about a hero pursuing the film’s heroine despite the objections of their families. What I do remember is the excitement of watching a movie. Where I grew up, it wasn’t safe for us to go out to movie theaters on our own. In fact, it wasn’t normal in our culture to go out to movie theaters even in groups. Most of our routine consisted of going to school, coming home to do chores and homework, spending time with the family, and going to bed. My family and I only went out to see a movie once or twice every year. That’s why whenever we did go, I remember how lively and animated everyone seemed to be.  We all dressed up nicely to go see the film. In fact, I wore a dress which, in my days, used to be called a “frock.” There were no snacks in the movie theater either. Unlike American movie theaters today, there was no popcorn or soda. The only food that attendees would eat were the roasted nuts that were sold outside. Watching movies back then was also a lot more of an interactive experience. Audience members would be yelling commentary, whistling, and laughing loudly throughout the movie. 

I was the youngest of four girls — whenever I watched a movie during my childhood, it was with these sisters and my parents. After the movie, my family and I would talk for days and days about the movie. Seeing a film was very much a community experience that outlived the hours that we spent in the movie theater. We didn’t have a radio at home and there were no TVs at the time, so the stories lived in our minds and in our conversations for quite some time. 

I also remember the movie theater structure quite well. It wasn’t very big, but it was still separated by class. The more luxurious seats used to be reserved for the more wealthy and educated while the lower quality seats were mostly occupied by the lower class. These different seats were sold at different prices. It was very different from most American theaters today in which all seats are very similar if not exactly the same. 

The best movie I’ve ever watched is called English Vinglish which I watched two or three years ago. It’s about a mother who immigrated to America without knowing English. The mother would be made fun of so often to the extent that she developed a deep insecurity. However, throughout the movie, she regains her confidence, learns English, and becomes incredibly successful. I like the innocence, truth, and reality behind it.