White Rainbow (film) explained

White Rainbow
Director:Dharan Mandrayar
Producer:Hannah Kirby
Linda Mandrayar
Starring:
  • Shameem Shaikh
Cinematography:B. Kannan
Editing:B. Lenin
Music:Score:
Marc Bonilla
Micheal Mason
Studio:Dharlin Entertainment
Released: (Mill Valley Film Festival)
(India)
(United States)
Runtime:92–94 minutes
Country:India
United States
Language:Hindi
English

White Rainbow (also known as Shwet) is a 2005 Indian Hindi and English-language film directed by Dharan Mandrayar and starring Sonali Kulkarni, Amardeep Jha, Shameem Shaikh, and Amruta Subhash.[1] [2] [3] The film is about the widows of Vrindavan: women who are married off at a young age, lost their husbands due to illness and wear white waiting to return with them in the afterlife. Several of these women are forced out of their house since they rejected a second marriage.[4] The film follows four different widows.

In 2013, Linda Mandrayar founded The White Rainbow Project that helps the widows of Vrindavan make handcrafted clothing and accessories from recycled saris.[5]

Cast

Production

Linda Mandrayar first learned about the widows of Vrindavan from her son's reading assignment Homeless Bird by Gloria Whelan and her husband Dharan Mandrayar decided to make a film about them.[7]

The film was named White Rainbow because Dharan Mandrayar felt that the widows still have lot of life in them.[8] The film began production after Waters (a film also about the Vrindavan widows) shooting was halted in 1999.[4] [9] Mandrayar was inspired to make this film after he read about a 13-year-old widow who was forced to go to Vrindavan.[2] [10]

Reception

A critic from The Hindu wrote that "Making a film on the plight of widows in a part of our country calls for strong conviction. Creator Dharan Mandrayar and Prabhu Movies have it in plenty. Otherwise they couldn't have taken up the subject and laid bare the stigma, subjugation and disgrace the husbandless face in a so-called pious milieu".[11] Dennis Harvey of Variety opined that "But writer-helmer Dharan Mandrayar lets episodic pic flatline between excessively melodramatic peaks; fans of florid bad acting will find the ham cut thick here. Tech aspects are decent".[12] A critic from Bollywood Hungama opined that "On the whole, SHWET - WHITE RAINBOW is a poor fare. At the box-office, it's a loser all the way".[13]

A critic from the Deccan Chronicle rated the film four out of five stars and wrote that "The writer/director Dharan Mandrayar should be commended for taking up such a controversial subject and portraying it effectively on screen".[14] A critic from The Economic Times wrote that "The film effectively attempts to highlight the plight of the widows in our society. Director Dharan Mandrayar, nephew of late Sivaji Ganesan should be applauded for the brave and sincere efforts".[15]

Accolades

The film won Best Feature Film at the Sedona International Film Festival.[16]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Jarman, Francis. White Skin, Dark Skin, Power, Dream. 1 June 2005. Wildside Press LLC. 9780809511884. 15 April 2022. 31 May 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220531043716/https://books.google.com/books?id=1bC85ZlQ9DsC&q=%22Dharan+Mandrayar%22+the+times+of+india&pg=PA98. live.
  2. Book: Fielding, Julien R.. Discovering World Religions at 24 Frames Per Second. 26 September 2008. Scarecrow Press. 9780810862661. 15 April 2022. 31 May 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220531043716/https://books.google.com/books?id=UVa2KtlPHocC&q=%22Dharan+Mandrayar&pg=PA69. live.
  3. Web site: Bonsall filmmakers tackle ostracism in India. 29 May 2005. San Diego Union-Tribune. 29 March 2022. 29 March 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220329192951/https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-bonsall-filmmakers-tackle-ostracism-in-india-2005may29-story.html. live.
  4. Web site: Film highlights widows' plight. 9 September 2004. BBC. 29 March 2022. 29 March 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220329192951/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3611848.stm. live.
  5. Web site: Dream in drape to empower women through fashion. DT Next. 20 March 2016.
  6. Web site: Moving ahead with zest. Rangajaran. Malathi. The Hindu. 20 May 2005. 7 April 2022. 7 April 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220407001914/https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/moving-ahead-with-zest/article28583092.ece. live.
  7. Web site: A colourful cause. Raveena. Joseph. The Hindu. 28 April 2015. subscription. https://web.archive.org/web/20220329194121/https://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/society/white-rainbow-project-creates-fashion-while-helping-women-from-vrindavan-learn-sustainable-lifeskills/article7150834.ece. 29 March 2022.
  8. Web site: 'I could see anguish in their eyes'. Rediff. 29 March 2022. 5 May 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210505170026/https://www.rediff.com/movies/2004/aug/02white.htm. live.
  9. Web site: Films on Widow Abuse Survive Their Own Ordeals. 14 May 2006. Women's eNews. 29 March 2022. 16 April 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210416085453/https://womensenews.org/2006/05/films-widow-abuse-survive-their-own-ordeals/. live.
  10. Web site: Film on widows brings Vrindavan to boil. 25 March 2004. Sify. https://web.archive.org/web/20040507073546/http://sify.com/movies/bollywood/fullstory.php?id=13439827. 7 May 2004.
  11. Web site: Where white is thrust on them. 7 July 2006. The Hindu. 29 March 2022. 29 March 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220329194121/https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/where-white-is-thrust-on-them/article3218680.ece. live.
  12. Web site: White Rainbow. Variety. Harvey. Dennis. 11 October 2004. 7 April 2022. 7 April 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220407000249/https://variety.com/2004/film/reviews/white-rainbow-1200530372/. live.
  13. Web site: Shwet – White Rainbow Review 1/5. Bollywood Hungama. 29 March 2022. 29 March 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220329192951/https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/shwet-white-rainbow/critic-review/shwet-white-rainbow-movie-review/. live.
  14. Web site: Powerful portrayals mark this film. Deccan Chronicle. 16 July 2006.
  15. Web site: Serious attempt to portray the plight of widows. The Economic Times. 22 July 2006.
  16. Web site: India's widows, philosophy mix in Coastside film night. Stacy. Trevenon. Half Moon Bay Review. 29 March 2022. 5 April 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220405140720/https://www.hmbreview.com/community/indias-widows-philosophy-mix-in-coastside-film-night/article_5ee93869-106b-5d12-b6d5-d9e02f653fc2.html. live.

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