Earth (1998 film)
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| Earth | |
|---|---|
| Image:Deepa Mehta - Earth DVD cover.jpg Cover to New Yorker Video release | |
| Directed by | Deepa Mehta |
| Produced by | Anne Masson Deepa Mehta |
| Written by | Deepa Mehta (screenplay) Bapsi Sidhwa (novel) |
| Starring | Aamir Khan Maia Sethna Nandita Das Shabana Azmi |
| Music by | A. R. Rahman |
| Cinematography | Giles Nuttgens |
| Editing by | Barry Farrell |
| Distributed by | New Yorker Video |
| Release date(s) | 16 September 1998 (Toronto Film Festival) |
| Running time | 101 min. |
| Language | Hindi English |
| Preceded by | Fire (1996) |
| Followed by | Water (2005) |
| IMDb profile | |
Bapsi Sidhwa's novel, Cracking India, (1991, U.S.; 1992, India; originally published as Ice Candy Man, 1988, England), was released as the 1998 film Earth (1947 in India), directed by Deepa Mehta.
Contents |
[edit] Plot
The story is set in Lahore in the time period directly before and during the partition of India in 1947.
A young girl with polio, Lenny (Maia Sethna), narrates the story through the voice of her adult self (Shabana Azmi). She is from a wealthy Parsi family who hopes to remain neutral to the rising tensions between Hindus, Sikhs, and Muslims in the area. She is cared for by her Ayah, the beautiful Hindu woman, Shanta (Nandita Das). Both Dil, the Ice-Candy Man (Aamir Khan) and Hassan, the Masseur (Rahul Khanna) are Muslim and in love with Shanta. Shanta, Dil, and Hassan are part of a larger multi-ethnic group of Hindu, Muslim, and Sikh friends (some of whom work for Lenny's family) who spend their days together in the park. With partition, however, this once unified group of friends becomes divided and tragedy ensues.
[edit] Elements trilogy
Earth is the second part of a linked trilogy by Mehta; it was preceded by Fire (1996) and followed by Water (2005).
[edit] Nominations
Earth was the Indian nominee for the 2000 72nd Academy Award for Best Foreign film, but was not included among the final five nominees selected by the AMPAS.
[edit] Cast and crew
- Aamir Khan - Dil Navaz, the Ice Candy Man
- Nandita Das - Shanta, the Ayah
- Rahul Khanna - Hassan, the Masseur
- Maia Sethna - Lenny Sethna
- Shabana Azmi - voice of older Lenny
- Kitu Gidwani - Bunty Sethna
- Arif Zakaria - Rustom Sethna
- Kulbhushan Kharbanda - Imam Din
- Rajendra Kumar - Refugee Police
