From Hamlet to Haider - A Journey Transcending Centuries

From Hamlet to Haider - A Journey Transcending Centuries

By Shreya Sathish

“Art is the most intense mode of individualism.” (Wilde, n.p.) said Oscar Wilde and in these few words he signifies why art is so widely used as a source of expression.

Man connects his inner self with the outer world through his art. A bridge to fill the void inside him longing to be expressed and understood. This is a dive into Haider, an adaptation of what is considered by many to be Shakespeare’s greatest work of art, Hamlet. Being an ardent Shakespeare enthusiast, Bhardwaj once said, “I fell in love with Shakespeare...I had this instinctive connection with his literature, which probably nobody else had. I just wanted to see the conflicts he had in our own culture and society; Shakespeare is an inspiration.” (Vishal Bhardwaj, n.p.) It is no surprise that Haider is Bharadwaj’s third cinematic expression of a Shakespearean play, the first two of the trilogy being Maqbool (based on Macbeth) and Omkara (based on Othello). Wits at play, camera in action. 

Over the years, with countless critics and through studies and analysis, all the research strongly indicates one point - the greatness of Hamlet, its excellence stems from a fundamental fact - human nature. The difference in what ‘is’ and what ‘seems to be’ is locked and twisted throughout both, the adaptation and the play. The protagonist’s madness is never clearly defined, and perhaps, the idea is to bring to light the delirium of a mind bordering on insanity by a tragedy, adding to the struggle a deep sense of disbelief within himself. In Act 1, Scene 5 Hamlet confesses to his friend, marking the beginning of his bouts of generally assumed madness: 

 

I perchance hereafter shall think meet 

To put an antic disposition on. (Shakespeare 74) 

All of this leads to a kaleidoscope of emotions leaving the audience enthralled, amazed and sometimes empathetic while witnessing the passion and madness unfold on stage. With this extreme nature of inner struggle and turmoil, it’s perhaps only a matter of time before total insanity befriends Hamlet, blurring further the line that separates what ‘is’ and what ‘seems to be.’ 

 

On attempting to analyse Hamlet, one observes how the diverse components that Shakespeare managed to elucidate and exemplify for the audience, lead to an excellent finished product. Some pieces of the play, seemingly basic, deal with powerful concepts beneath the surface.

On being questioned about the location, Vishal Bhardwaj said: 

I strongly feel that Kashmir has been the biggest tragedy of modern Indian history and no film has been made to capture the real tragedy of what has been going on there for the last 25 years. I began to read Basharat’s (Kashmiri journalist Basharat Peer’s) book (Curfewed Nights) with Hamlet in mind… (Bhardwaj, n.p.) 

 

His determination to show Kashmir as it truly is from the point of view of an insider was motivated further on reading Bashrat Peer’s (the co-author of the script for Haider) Curfewed Nights. Bhardwaj created a contrast by choosing a location that majorly constituted scenic white to portray conflicts, challenges and crime. “Haider has borrowed many elements from Peer’s memoir, Curfewed Night, an account of growing up in conflict-ridden Kashmir. During the troubled 1990s when words like encounters, disappearances, half-widows, azadi and AFSPA [Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act] became common parlance for children in the Valley.” (Peer, n.p.) Bhardwaj and Peer focused their lens on the insurgency, the darkest phase of Kashmir, a land torn between the divide of Hindus and Muslims, with both communities forced into poor social, economic and political existence, and most importantly the enforcement of AFSPA leading to people living in constant fear of death. On deeper reflection, it seems clear that Bhardwaj transformed Hamlet’s fear of betrayal into one of the highlights of his film, capturing the same emotion of betrayal in the hearts of the Kashmiris. They are both constantly tormented by their fears, both legitimate fears. It is absolutely clever for Bhardwaj to have adapted to Shakespeare’s main element of ‘fear’ in Hamlet and to have made his entire film revolve around it. 

 

There’s heavy interdependence among the components of the film. The creative decision to encapsulate the film in hard colours of black, red and white speak for the situation of turmoil the characters and Kashmir finds itself in. What we have, as a result, is an interfusion of varying artistic notes orchestrated into a sophisticated beautiful symphony. 

 

There are several parts in the course of the film that Vishal Bhardwaj and Director of Photography Pankaj Kumar’s outstanding direction guides the viewer into a deeper portrayal of the story. In the first half of the film, the song ‘Jhelum’ captures Haider’s unceasing need to unravel the truth behind his father’s disappearance, searching far and wide, eventually joining protests and rallies, as a gradual sense of resentment toward continued oppression of the citizens of the state, sinks in him. ‘Jhelum’ begins with the screen offering wide angled shots to make the viewer grasp the location in order to specify the significance of the river later. 

 

Kisse Poochhein Kitni Der Se 

Dard Ko Sehte Jaana Hai 

Andhi Raat Ka Haath Pakad Kar 

Kab Tak Chalte Jaana Hai. (Gulzar, n.p.) 

The lyrics convey a sense of desperation coupled with despair for Haider’s disappeared father and the mystery behind his disappearance.

 

Yet another song that plays a significant role in advancing the plot is ‘Bismil’, since it replaces the ‘The Mousetrap’ scene from the play, attempting to provoke a response from the protagonists’ uncle. Over the years, this scene has gained much prominence for what it meant in the context of the play and it is noteworthy how Bhardwaj magnifies the scene through the song masters the act of storytelling within a story. “We all know that the ‘Mousetrap’ is a very important plot point in Hamlet. So I knew that I was going to exploit that scene. When I decided to adapt Hamlet, I knew the mousetrap has to be a big big song number for me. It’s so unusual to have a song in that situation.” (Bhardwaj, n.p.) “Kashmir has a beautiful 200-year-old tradition called ‘Bhand Pather’, where they make stories by singing and dancing, although this folk art is almost dying today.” (Bhardwaj, n.p.) We see the usage of various elements through the dance, the puppetry, the martial arts, grandly put together to depict his pain and agitation, all shot with the stunning backdrop of the 1400-year-old Martand Sun Temple. The song was a crucial component of the film, quite beautifully narrated through Gulzar’s lyrics and performed equally stunningly by Shahid Kapoor. Bhardwaj and Kapoor, collectively craft an extravagant song based on the lyrics. It is noteworthy how the song takes a dramatic twist, Gulzar writes, in the beginning, “Khushbooein gul mein, ishq bhara ha...” while the same line is changed to, “Khushboo-e-gul mein zehar bhara…” in the end. While most Bollywood songs limit themselves to scenic locations and videography, Bhardwaj and Kumar, went one notch further by exploring not just the political angle of Kashmir, but also interweaving its geographical landscape and art form to become an integral part of his storytelling.

From the beginning, onwards, the pair, Bhardwaj and Kumar, gradually transcends into a deeper and an elaborate plot. I believe that the film exposes the viewers to some hard-hitting dialogues, complicated scenes, presenting quite a collection of distinct ingredients brewed together for a wholesome aesthetic as well as intellectual appeal. Instances such as the one where Haider confronts his mother, Ghazala about her demeanour, she says: 

 

Intezaar hi toh likha hai meri kismat main. Pehle tera karthi thi 

Aur ab...disappeared logon ki biwiyon ko half widows kehte hai, 

Main bhi sirf wohi kar sakti hoon, intezaar. (Bhardwaj and Peer, n.p.) 

It is rather surprising for Haider to grasp the fact that his mother wasn’t as affected as he was, that she seemed to have deftly moved on. About Tabu’s role as Ghazala in the film, Bhardwaj wanted to dwell further in her equation with Haider and his uncle. He said, “So to explore that, we created the situation where Hamlet, when he comes back home for the first time, sees his uncle dancing to his mother’s singing. That was the parallel to give him a shock – your husband just died, and you both are having fun.” (Bhardwaj, n.p.) And yet, like the enactment in the play, the protagonist never fully resents his mother, he remains compassionate and never colors her in any negative shades. In Act III, Scene 2, Hamlet’s deliberate move to direct ‘The Mousetrap’ and present his play to King Claudius, Gertrude and the remaining members proves right, giving him much awaited clarity. When he says at the end: 

 

Let me be cruel, not unnatural: 

I will speak daggers to her, but use none; 

My tongue and soul in this be hypocrites. (Shakespeare 182)

 

Hamlet denotes the contrast in what his mind commands him to do but not his heart. It is the moment he decides to seek revenge, to draw daggers and drink hot blood, unleash his wrath but dare not touch his mother. While nothing was clearly stated by this uncommon understanding between him and his mother, scholars have noted tones of the Oedipus’ Complex here. Critics have also commented that while Gertrude from the play didn’t carry much weightage, Ghazala played by Tabu in the film rises above from just being a supporting character. She’s shown to have control over her son and he finds himself in a conflict with his mother’s carefree behaviour, her supposed romantic inclination toward his uncle, and even though he wishes to reproach her for her attitude, he never quite gets there. However, since there are only several scattered instances pointing toward the complex, it is open to interpretation, one may choose to notice or not. 

“Dil ki suno, toh hai. Dimag ki, toh hai nahin. 

Jaan loon or ki jaan doon. Main rahoon ki main nahin.” (Bhardwaj and Peer, n.p.)

It is made abundantly clear that the most honest, raw and loving relationship Haider shares in the movie is only with Arshia. It is in one of these scenes, when Haider blatantly pulls out a gun and raises one question, the dialogue mentioned above, something we are so often tormented with, having to make a choice between our mind and our heart, puzzled at the need of our very own existence. 

 

However, Hamlet in the play takes it one notch further by degrading Ophelia’s passion, Act 3, Scene 1 captures, “Get thee to a nunnery, go. Farewell. 

 

Or, if thou wilt needs marry, marry a fool, for wise men know well enough what monsters you make of them. To a nunnery, go, and quickly too. Farewell.” (Shakespeare 144)

 

While Hamlet admonishes Ophelia, breaking her apart, it’s perhaps the same emotion we see translated in Haider’s pain on seeing Arshia being buried. So moved and deeply impacted was he that he endangered his own life to touch her for the last time and hold her close, bursting into rampant fits. 

It is rather disappointing for Indian cinema to not have credited this genius enough for his third attempt at narrating a Shakespearean story and also thriving in it. It is absolutely brilliant to see how Vishal Bhardwaj captures and locks time through his adaptation of Hamlet. The original play is very complicated and to have added Kashmir’s political history to that was a courageous move. The beauty lies not just in the creation of such a film but also adding a fulfilling and complete Indian touch to it, portrayed through the folk art. It is common knowledge that the vast majority of people are not familiar with Kashmiri culture, Vishal Bhardwaj used his lens to enlighten the people to that culture. 

 

Since it is by far, one of the most enacted plays in the history of mankind, it has also garnered heavy praise and criticism. Classical scholar, Gabriel Harvey once opined that the play has the ability to “please the wisest sort.” While there are several critical statements to choose from, there is a particular opinion that catches one’s attention. James Baldwin highlighted one outstanding aspect of Shakespeare’s writings, in Why I Stopped Hating Shakespeare he said, “The greatest poet in the English language found his poetry where poetry is found: in the lives of the people. He could have done this only through love—by knowing, which is not the same thing as understanding, that whatever was happening to anyone was happening to him.” (Baldwin, n.p.) and another one, by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, “it is essential that we should reflect on the constitution of our own minds. I have a smack of Hamlet in myself.” (Coleridge and Shakespeare's Characters, 238.) His sentences provoke the reader to acknowledge the realisation that the one, mighty reason why the play turned out into what it currently is, is because Shakespeare, the worthiest playwright, spun a story of royalty and killings, of horror and tragedy, of fear and loss, all of it, around his protagonist - Hamlet, a young indecisive man, feeling the most common of all emotions, saddened and troubled, vengeful but a good man all the same, who wishes to do the right things. Here is a strong resemblance of every ordinary human, each one of us, reflected in a Shakespeare play. It leads to a sense of connection, not in the dramatic way but drawing a connection only with Hamlet, the person he is. Perhaps, this is also where Vishal Bhardwaj managed to strike a chord with the audience by portraying human nature in its rawest form and that’s why the film stands for everything a cinematic adaptation of such an exceptional play could offer.

 

Works Cited 

·       Internet Shakespeare Editions, https://internetshakespeare.uvic.ca/. 

·       Baldwin, James. Why I Stopped Hating Shakespeare, 

https://www.folger.edu/sites/default/files/Why%20I%20Stopped%20Hating%20Shakes peare_JamesBaldwin.pdf. 

·       Lynn, Carla. CliffsNotes on Hamlet. CliffsNotes. CliffsNotes on Hamlet, 

https://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/h/hamlet/summary-and-analysis/act-v-scene-2. 

·     Popova, Maria. “Brainpickings by Maria Popova.” What Is Art? Favorite Famous Definitions, from Antiquity to Today, 2012,  https://www.brainpickings.org/about/. Accessed 29 October 2020. 

·       SparkNotes Editors. 2005, https://www.sparknotes.com/writinghelp/citing/ . 

·     Popova, Maria. “Brainpickings by Maria Popova.” What Is Art? Favorite Famous Definitions, from Antiquity to Today, 2012,  https://www.brainpickings.org/about/. Accessed 29 October 2020. 

·       “Act 3, Scene 2.” Hamlet, 1999, pp. 186–203., doi:10.1017/9781316563939.012. 

·    Baldwin, James, and Randall Kenan. The Cross of Redemption: Uncollected Writings. Vintage Books, 2011.

·      Bhatia, Ritika. “Basharat Peer: The Man Who Scripted Haider.” Business Standard, Business-Standard, 31 Oct. 2014, 

www.business-standard.com/article/specials/basharat-peer-the-man-who-scripted-haide r-114103000877_1.html. 

·    Chakravarti, Paromita. “Haider Dir. by Vishal Bhardwaj.” Shakespeare Bulletin, vol. 34, no. 1, 2016, pp. 129–132., doi:10.1353/shb.2016.0001. 

·     Hardy, Barbara. “‘I Have a Smack of Hamlet’: Coleridge and Shakespeare's Characters.” Essays in Criticism, VIII, no. 3, 1958, pp. 238–255., doi:10.1093/eic/viii.3.238. 

·     “Remembering 'Haider' and Its Depiction of the Prison That Is Kashmir.” The Wire, thewire.in/film/article-370-haider-vishal-bharadwaj-kashmir. 

·    Wilde, Oscar. The Soul of Man under Socialism: Miscellanies. Fredonia Books, 2002. Sparknotes. Hamlet Sparknotes Literature Guide. Spark Notes, 2014. 

·   “Vishal Bhardwaj: William Shakespeare Is an Inspiration for Me.” The Indian Express, 20 May 2018, indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/vishal-bhardwaj-william-shakespea re-5184564/.