The Pune Festival now draws to a close with the Usha Uthup show. Art buffs can look forward to paintings on traditional themes by Radhikadevi Patwardhan at the Shyam Ahuja showroom. Moreover, an exhibition of paintings and sculptures by four of Mumbai’s renowned artists – Jyoti Puri, Prashant Hirlekar, Ravindra Pabrekar and Pradeep Shinde – promises works ranging from charcoal on paper, semi-abstract oils, abstract oil on canvas and sculpture from scrap material.
Alliance Francaise de Poona: Le Poulet Au Vinaigre (1985/ Col/ 100 min.) Directed by Claude Chabrol, the cast includes Jean Poiret, Michel Bouquet, Stephane Audran and Lucas Belvaux.
In a provincial town, Mrs. Lavoiser, Dr. Morasseau and a butcher Filiol start a real estate firm. The only obstacle, Mrs. Cuno and her son Louis, do not want to sell their house. Louis provokes the death of the butcher, to which the inspector Lavardin is assigned. The disappearance of the doctor’s wife and the notary’s mistress leads him to discover, though by unconventional means, that Dr. Morasseau is the culprit. He clears Louis of all the accusations and unites him with Henriette, an employee of the postal service. At 6 p.m. on Sunday.
Max Mueller Bhavan: Die Austernprinzessin (The Oyster Princess) Silent movie/ 1919/ B&W, 47 min. Directed by Ernst Lubitsch, the camera is handled by Theodor Sparkuhl. The cast includes Ossi Oswalda and Victor Janson.
Lubitsch considered this to be one of the three best comedies that he directed in Germany. The Oyster King is looking for a husband for his spoiled daughter. She is keen to marry but has decided that her future husband must be an aristocrat. This is the least she can expect in return for her father’s millions. At 7 p.m. on Friday.
National Film Archive of India: Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore (USA/ 1974/ Colour/ 112 min.) Directed by Martin Scorsese. the cast includes Ellen Burstyn, Kriss Kristofferson, Billy Green Bush, Diane Ladd, Leli Goldoni and Harvey Keitel.
Alice is a bruised widow, struggling to come to terms with her independence as she brings up her 12-year-old son. This film brought the female character back to the centre of American cinema after two decades of near visibility. Scorsese confronts the form of the melodramas of the 40s and 50s which reached their zenith in the films of Douglas Sirk, with the stylized realism of his own earlier films.
At 6.30 p.m. on Saturday
National Centre of Films for Children and Young People: Jawab Aayega (The Reply) 1968/ Hindi/ 81 min. Directed by Ismat Chugtai and Shahid Latif, the cast includes Yogita Bali, Chand Usmani, Meena Roy and Irshad.
An executive engineer goes on a holiday with his two daughters to a remote hill station. The younger one, Meena gives lessons on reading and writing to Badal, the house-keeper’s son. The boy also learns to paint. The children become good friends and roam the hills together with their large pet dog. The family returns to the big city. Badal is very disappointed at not hearing from Meena. He puts his book of paintings in a box addressed to Meena and sets it afloat. It gets picked up a long distance away, and finally is delivered to Meena at her school. She wins a prize thanks to these paintings, but confesses that the paintings are not by her – they are by Badal. Badal’s cherished dream comes true. He is invited to visit the city.
The show scheduled to be held at Vijay on Sunday has been postponed. Members will be allowed for the Prabhat show on September 13 at 9.30 a.m. Non-members are welcome for the show for a ticket price of Rs. 5 only.
Gharoghari Hich Bomb Written by Vasant Sabnis and directed by Shashikant Nikate, the cast includes Lata Thatte, and Sharad Talwalkar. At Balgandharva Rangmandir, 5 p.m. on Sunday.
Sakhi Shejarni Written by Suresh Khare, narrated by Nandkishor Bagade, the cast includes Nayan Joshi, Ashwini Desai and Sharad Talwalkar. At Balgandharva Rangmandir, 9.30 p.m. on Sunday.
Varhad Nighalay Londonla Written by Laxmanrao Deshpande. At Balgandharva Rangmandir, 5 p.m. on Saturday and 12.30 p.m. on Sunday.
Pune Festival: Usha Uthup – Live in Concert. At Nehru Stadium, 9.30 p.m. on Saturday.
Traditional paintings: An exhibition-cum-sale of paintings by Radhikadevi Patwardhan. Paintings on traditional themes in many styles will be on display. At Shyam Ahuja showroom under the aegis of Nag Foundation, an organisation that engages in promotion of art. On for the entire month of September.
Poompuhar: Crafts Mela orgnaised by The Tamil Nadu Handicrafts Development Corporation Ltd. An exclusive exhibition-cum-sale of exquisite handicrafts of Tamil Nadu. The exhibition offers a wide range of idols of Lord Ganesh in bronze, brass sandalwood, rosewood, papeir mache, granite, batik and other materials. At Tilak Smarak Mandir, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., on till September 16.