TRISHNA

UK, 2011, 117 minutes, Colour.
Freida Pinto, Riz Ahmed, Roshan Seth.
Directed by Michael Winterbottom.

Trishna is Tess of the D’ Urbervilles transferred and adapted to the 21st century and to changing contemporary Indian culture.
Writer-director, Michael Winterbottom, one of the most consistently busy British directors with a film, feature or documentary, or a television film/series, every year since 1989, has a love for the novels of Thomas Hardy. He filmed Jude in the mid-90s as the period piece that it was. He adapted The Mayor of Casterbridge with The Claim in 2000, using a mining setting in America. Now, he has modernised Hardy.
Perhaps a good way to describe the drama and its impact is ‘slow-burn’. This is rarely an overtly passionate treatment of Tess. While there is an intensity within her, it bursts out only at the end. Her patron and lover, Jay, seems a decent enough type. While he does descend into a sexual obsession with Trishna, sometimes possessive, sometimes callous, Riz Ahmed seems just too nice or pleasant a type to be as bad as the screenplay suggests.
However, the turning point in the relationship between Trishna and Jay is a low-key scene but very effective. She confides trustingly in him, never expecting his hesitation, his criticising her, with a sense that their love can never be the same again.
One reason why Hardy’s story translates well to India is the continuing class separation, The gap (which might be lessening materially with growing Indian prosperity) in what each class is supposed to think and how they are to act, especially in an unmarried relationship, is powerful enough to produce deception, cover-up and humiliation in exposure. Jay is well-to-do, his father owning many hotels. Trishna comes from a Rajasthan village, very traditional in outlook. The propriety of attitudes contrasts with the more easy-going, accepting or permissive, attitudes of people in Mumbai.
Where the film is striking is in its portrayal of India. The visual detail of Rajastahn contrasting with the verve and colour of Mumbai, vista after vista, colour after colour, image after image, makes for constant amazement. The audience is immersed in India, poor village life, service in tourist hotels, wealthy apartments in Mumbai with ocean views, the details of the streets and ordinary life. But, the Mumbai episodes also focus on Indian cinema, Indian television and advertising. Trishna goes to dance classes, is on set for Bollywood musical numbers, is faced with a different and modern world that she is not used to. Her love for Jay carries her along but is tested by his mistrust, his possessing her, his taking her away from this gaudy but exhilarating world.
Put Hardy characters and themes together with Winterbottom’s portrait of changing India (more effective than a travel film) and the result is a lighter version of Hardy (except the end). Probably, the most intense love story we witness is that of Michael Winterbottom for India.

1. The prolific career of Michael Winterbottom? His interest in British literature classics? His interest in Thomas Hardy, adaptations?

2. A 19th century story, class, morals, transferred to the 21st century? Seemingly impossible for England unless working with Asian immigrant families? The story able to be transferred to contemporary India with its changes?

3. Hardy’s basic plot, its being simplified, made relevant to the present?

4. The choice of India for the setting, the reliance on the beauty of the visuals, the atmosphere? Light and colour? The sequences in Rajasthan, the open territory, arid, the isolated village, the countryside? The cultural background of Rajasthan and the beautiful palaces and buildings? The historical heritage? The contrast with 21st century tourism, the contemporary hotels and service? The middle class wealth? Affluent wealth? The poor of India? The contrast with Mumbai, modern, the scapes of the city, the buildings, hotels, views of the ocean? The poorer areas? The Indian heritage in Mumbai? The world of the media, photo shoots, film sets? The Bollywood songs and dances, rehearsals? The Bollywood tone and its growing popularity around the world?

5. Audience response to this transposing of Hardy to India, interest, fascination with India? Credible?

6. Trishna as the focus, her age, background, the members of her family, her father and his work, traditions? Her education? Speaking English and Hindi? Her work in the hotels, a servant, hostess? With her friends? The encounter with Jay and his friends? His interest in her? The lifts and the talk? Travelling with her father, his going to sleep at the wheel, the crash? His being in hospital? Trishna’s injuries? Jay and his concern, offering her the job? Her falling in love with him?

7. The couple going to Mumbai, their relationship, in private, in public? The wealthy apartment, its view of the water – and Trishna often looking out, the view of the masses of India, enjoying themselves in the water? The affluent background? Jay and his money, his meeting his father, his father’s interest in Trishna, his owning hotels? Returning to England? Trishna and her going to the dance lessons, the instructors? Her being reticent? With her friends, liking this world of Mumbai? Going to the photo shoot for the advertisement? The prim actress and her attitudes towards others, the directors, writers? The film world? Going to the film set – watching the filming of the Bollywood song and dance?

8. Jay, his growing love for Trishna, her trust in him and then telling him about the abortion, his hesitation, a dramatic turning point in their relationship, her trust and his lack of trust? His demanding to know why this had happened?

9. Jay leaving, giving her money, her being evicted from the apartment, no phone call from him, her finding her way in Mumbai? Hurt?

10. Jay’s return, his apology, yet his different attitudes? The hotels in Rajasthan, his father’s wishes, moving back to Rajasthan? Setting up Trishna, the poorer room? Her work in the hotel, serving him his meals? The sexual encounters, her clothes and uniform?

11. Jay reading the Kama Sutra, studying it, becoming more obsessed, sexually obsessed, wanting to possess Trishna? Using her?

12. Trishna’s reaction, the humiliation, her continuing to work, to serve? Her changing motivations? Her taking the knife, the brutality of her stabbing Jay? His being mystified?

13. Her return home, the gifts for all the family, seemingly normal, her father and his criticisms, her mother? The brothers and sisters, going to school?

14. Trishna and her going out onto the hill, sitting, reflecting on her life, killing herself? The screen going white and pausing after Trishna’s death?

15. The Hardy themes, pessimistic? The possibilities of happiness? A lower-key treatment of Hardy’s story with Jay as more of a potentially pleasant man and Trishna as somewhat passive?