Zee Classic Presents ‘Mirch Masala’ on 23rd July

By 121 News

Chandigarh 21^st July:-  With its proposition of 'Woh Zamaana Kare Deewana', Zee Classic is India's only Hindi movie channel that endeavors to recreate the magic of iconic classic and new age cinema by showcasing not just the films that shaped Indian cinema, but also acquaint viewers with the creative talent who were a part of that timeless era. 'India's Finest Films' is a distinguished property on Zee Classic showcasing masterpieces like 'Mirch Masala', 'Ek Doctor ki Maut', '27 Down'  and 'Salaam Bombay' amongst many other such gems from the NFDC library. These movies mark the debut of icons like Irrfan Khan, Pankaj Kapur, Naseeruddin Shah amongst others. This week, watch 'Mirch Masala' on Saturday, 23^rd July at 10 PM.

 For some Ketan Mehta will always remain the man who made 'Mirch Masala'. An attention grabbing film, it stars Naseeruddin Shah, Smita Patil, Paresh Rawal and Ratna Pathak Shah. Set in the colonial India in the early 1940s, it rotates around the gender divide in the society. It is the story of Sonabai (Smita Patil) and her struggle to protect her sanctity from the evil Subedar (Naseeruddin Shah)and a village full of sexist men. The dusty and dried surroundings of Kutch shown in the movie are an illustration for the values of a male and class-dominated Indian culture. Amongst other things 'Mirch Masala' has gone down in history as one of Smita Patil'sfinest performances with Forbes including her performance in the film on its list of '25 Greatest Acting Performances of Indian Cinema'.

Speaking on the film, director Ketan Mehta said that Mirch Masala was inspired from the story of a tobacco factory owner in Gujarat. He was once travelling through the state when he came across Mirchi factories which fascinated him. Later he came to know that Indian women use to use Mirchi powder for self-defense in the pre-independence era. This thought coupled with the basic idea led to this film. But he had only two months to finish shoot as the season for Mirchi was limited. Naseeruddin Shah, Om Puri and Smita Patil were all big stars by then so getting their dates was a worry. But everyone was generous enough to shuffle schedules within a week the shoot Mirch Masala at one go in original locations.

 Zee Classic has also curated an hour long special feature called 'India's Finest Films A Parallel Journey'. It includes views of stalwarts of Indian cinema like Shyam Benegal, Mahesh Bhatt, Saeed Mirza, Kundan Shah, Rohini Hattangadi and many more. Excerpts of this feature along with additional exclusive interviews will be showcased during 'Mirch Masala' on Zee Classic.