A rush print screened amid interruptions. And director Sai Paranjpye kept apologising. She needn't have. For those who know Sai and her works will not mind minor technical hassles.

Sai's just-completed film Saaz (musical accompaniment) is a bold and sincere probe into the competitive and manipulative world of playback singing in the Hindi film industry. Expectedly, the film has some memorable music, composed by a formidable team of four music directors -Zakir Hussain, Yashwant Deo, Bupen Hazarika and Raj Kamal. Lyrics are mainly by Javed Akhtar.

Saaz is about two sisters who are into professional singing, their love for each other and their conflicting career aspirations. Sai's narration traces their childhood days in a village of rural Maharashtra.

Manasi and Bansi grow up singing with their father Vrindavan, a Marathi stage artiste. The Vrindavans aspire for a boy, but the girls are no less loved. The death of both the parents brings the sisters to the city where the elder Manasi dons the breadwinner's role. From taking bhajan classes for neighbourhood women, she graduates to chorus singing in films before going on to become a top playback singer; Manasi's career graph has no 'downs'. protected by her sister, Bansi stays where she is but not for very long. because she can sing equally well.

Saaz is written for Shabana Azmi. In fact, it is a tribute to Shabana, the actress. "This is the first time I wrote a script for an artiste," said Sai who had been toying with the idea of doing a woman-oriented project with Shabana ever since she played a small role in her Disha (1992). "The film industry has had a number of vibrant female singers, but no serious attempt has been made to portray them," she said. She hastened to add that her characters are totally fictitious. "I have only put together my observations and understanding of human nature. My films have always been about people and the intricacies of relationships," she said.

Saaz is full of such intricacies and complexities in personal relationships. Bansi (Shabana Azmi) has these varied relationships with her father, sister Manasi (Aruna Irani), husband, music director, daughter, the young composer who falls in love with her and the doctor whom she visits for counselling sessions.

Even as schoolgirls, the sisters have a love-hate relationship. Years later, Manasi prevents Bansi from getting a chance to sing. And finally when she does take her sister to the recording studio for a 'duet', all that Bansi gets to sing is rim jhim is between.

Bansi decides to part company. Bansi is not a perfect woman-she is ambitious, a neglectful mother and a career woman. In the role of Bansi, Shabana not only excels but has surpassed her director's expectations.

But the real surprise is Aruna Irani. There are few roles as hard to play as being selfless and selfish simultaneously. And Aruna does it with tremendous ease. From the successful young singer's exuberance, to the seasoned professional's manipulations, to a considerate sister's maturity, Manasi's character has varying shades to it. "It was difficult convincing Aruna to accept the role," said Sai. "In fact she was quite intrigued. But once she agreed, she executed the role beautifully."

This is Aruna's first shot at a non-commercial movie. "I don't think my role is vampish," she said. "It is just that Manasi wants to be at the top and believes that there is no room for anybody else there, not even for her dear sister. Yet, with a little bit of change in movements or expression, the character could have turned vampish. In this, I have to thank Sai for her help."

Another artiste thrilled about his role is Parikshit Sahni, who plays Dr Ranjit, the psychiatrist. He is getting to do a good film perhaps after a gap of 10 to 15 years and is amazed by the way Shabana has evolved over the years as an actress. "I had a second director in Shabana who got into my character," said Parikshit.

The little Manasi and Bansi are played by Vaidehi Varekar and Yogita Deshmukh from the children's theater Shreyas Akar run by Vidya Patwardhan. Vrindavan (Raghuvir Yadav) represents a class of actor5s of musical dramas of the early Marathi theater such as Narayanrao, Choota Gandharva and Vasantrao Deshpande. The Marathi actors had to be classical singers and their success was measured by the number of encores. Many of them had fractured personal lives.

Vrindavan's personal tragedies made him hit the bottle; yet he would rather sing in the pouring rain than expect charity. Yet another surprise of the movie is tabla maestro Zakir Hussain playing Himan, the young composer who falls in love with the much older Bansi and her voice. He composed four songs for the film.

In terms of sensitivity, Sparsh still remains Sai's best film. In terms of entertainment, Chashme Buddoor and Katha score the most. Now Saaz, at times betraying the constraints of a shoe-string budget, has to find its own slot. "I know I am not a very good director," she said. But what is important is that she is an excellent storyteller.

MANGALA CHANDRAN

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