Fire [VHS]

This movie explores desire in many of its forms and all of them under the same roof. Forbidden, repressed, "controlled", denied, unfulfilled desires. Kulbhushan Kharbanda's character, Ashok, insists that all desires are the root of evil, and a local swami reinforces this belief in him. He does his best controlling all his desires but never takes into account his wife, Radha, for that matter. Being this a male dominant heteropatriarchal society she's just useless and unworthy of any consideration. The same goes for the other characters and family members. The newlywed couple, Jatin and Sita, has issues of its own. Being frustration the main one.However, desire is involuntary and spontaneous, and whoever falls prey of desire doesn't own it either. We can act against our impulses, but these stay alive, demanding and insistent. Some desires are more irresistible than others. And this is how we get to the point where the only thing left is to abandon ourselves into it. All control is lost. We then are willing to be seen whole and as we truly are. Reason is lost. All we are left is our desire knocking at our door, and sooner or later we have to decide between opening the door or shutting it forever with all the consequences both choices imply. Their family dynamic is so emotionally unhealthy, but yet so expected in their society, that no one could have imagined that these ladies would succumb to their desires. Radha and Sita end up entangled together, contacting with and unleashing their own desires. Desire for each other, for love, for passion, for life itself. It's truly interesting to see how this desire shakes everyone and everything around.It's a good movie, but if English is not your mother tongue you might have a hard time getting some of the dialogues. As it's expected they speak with a heavy accent as many us foreigners do, and I couldn't get all the dialogues all the time which frustrated me a bit. I wish the DVD had at least close caption so I could read what they were saying in some parts. The only character I understood well whenever she appeared was Julie, the Chinese mistress. Still, it's a beautiful movie and if you like foreign cinema you might enjoy it. But be warned, the movie is kind of slow and feels week at certain points, and most Westerners are used to live life and expect almost everything on it to happen in a rush. Still, if you decide to give it a chance, the topic and plot are quite interesting.

Fire... is a great story about the dynamics of freeing yourself from the sometimes unbearble chains of tradition. The hidden treasure in this story is the discovery that even the ones who seemingly hold the keys to the locks on these chains are themselves bound by them.With the third installment of this trilogy (Fire, Earth and Water) finally completed, I thought I would throw in my take on this wonderful movie. In short this is a study that proves my understanding that everyone in this life needs attention and everyone seeks it and obtains it in their own way...sometimes without regard for themselves, others, their traditions, or for the society in which they live.Until Radha and Sita connect in spirit, each lacks in the fulfillment of knowing their value, self worth, purpose, potential for happiness or the warmth of intimacy that any human desires. Unfortunately too often too many fail to realize this need until it is too late. For Sita and Radha, they manage to break through the veil of oppression and do so because of their new found selves. Sita, too young to go gentle into that dreariest of dreary life, and Radha who long ago accepted her fate as a wife filled with guilt instead of life, must embrace each other to feel themselves and their worth...and their desires. How inspirational!Truly this discovery has nothing to do with the sexual side of the relationship. This is not about being lesbians...which I am. For some lesbians this is precisely the thread that draws us to another. It's about needing to feel alive. In which case we are no different than anyone else. Neither are Sita and Radha.But if it were about sex, which it is not, in truth sexual desire has been a driving catalyst for many fairy tales, wars and the sole inspiration of many conquerors. Why shouldn't it be the same for these two? They have conquered the norm through tremendous risk. Not unlike Snow White or Sleeping Beauty, they are brought back to life with a kiss. It is a revelation for both women. They desire life. Isn't that what any of us wants? A desire to live and feel...not just exist.In Hindu tradition, even after walking through the fire to prove her purity and faithfulness...Ram still send his love away...and it breaks his heart to do so. The truth is that she has proven to be too pure of heart. A purity that even he was not wirthy of. Radha walks through the fire of her life, survives and is cleansed by the rain. It is predictable but still poetic.I love all of the characters in this story. From the muted bell-ringing- see all grandmother to the hopelessly in-love self-pleasuring saboteur servant. It is all poetic because in life the flicker of flames and pangs of desire are, in all their pain and glory, poetry.It's just a story but I believe it to be very inspiring.

I bought this DVD because it was on one of those listmania and also I remembered liking "Salaam Bombay" "Home and the World" and "Bandit Queen." But this is really not an Indian movie or a lesbian movie either. A typical Indian movie is like a cheesy Hollywood musical. A Lesbian movie?? Hardly. It isn't about lesbianism because the sister-in-laws were desperate to be loved by someone who's understanding, tender and selfless and they found that in each other without considering that they are about to embark on a lesbian love affair. This is believeable when you see that there is an abyss in their lives that only the other can fill. I think this is more like a sociology film that attempts to show the cultural and moral constraints that are burdened on Indian women and on some level, Indian men. It is a lot to absorb in one film but Deepa Metha did such a great job in keeping the story tight that you never lose interest. It is also clastrophobically filmed in a tight apartment complex, that is both physically and mentally choking. I dropped one star because I think Mehta had a chance to make a stylistic sequence with the two women. Nandita Das and Shabana Azmi are etheral and this fact was not taken advantage of. Other than that, I really like this movie. I do recommend the DVD version because it includes a news footage of a religous cult attacking and smashing a theater in New Delhi showing this film because it did not conform with their dogmatic beliefs. It also includes interviews with the director, the actresses and the cult leader(she's a real Hoot). I think it enhances your appreciation for the movie to learn a little bit about the making of this film and the controversy that it created.

A daring movie for India. For any country really, but especially for a country like India where the issue of female homosexuality was a big taboo in the mid-1990s and it still is. We learn a lot about an India which travelers hardly ever read of hear about, let alone see with their own eyes. It is an optimistic movie, in the end the right of the women to pursue their own path to happiness wins the day.The pace of the movie is deliberate, with no rush and no slack, it is just right. We are taken into the home of a traditional Indian family where the modern lifestyle of one young husband contrasts with the stale tradition of another husband of a generation earlier. Both neglect their women and this brings the two ladies together more than they would ever have planned. It is ultimately a movie about freedom and love, not necessarily a movie about male chauvinism in India.It is also a movie about changing India: millenary traditions crumble under the impact of modernity, and the movie suggests that this is a necessary transformation for the country.This movie is one of three sometimes referred to as the "Elements Trilogy" by Mehta, including "Water" and "Earth".

Another gem by director Deepa Mehta. A gripping portrait of what life can/has to be for women in India. Affection was, and maybe still is, forbidden. The storyline is straight to the point without becoming a pamflet. Superb acting by all. You will remember this film for a long time.

Certainly a very good film, beautiful to watch.Unfortunately the very poor quality of the copy wastes the pleasure of seeing it. Too dark, fuzzy images... These kind of once beautiful films need to be adjusted and remastered to our current demanding tastes which have changed a lot since the last 10 years.

The actual film was okay. Not something I’d choose to watch again, but the quality of the disc was poor! It was scratched so kept jumping. Would not buy from this seller again.

Wonderful film. Not just an LGBT film, but a story of relationships, culture and strength.