Three Mumbaikars, who grew up on Soviet children's literature, pay an ode to the land of tales through a Marathi documentary
The vibrant illustrations were a departure from the typical artwork Indian readers were used to. Pics/Sneha Kharabe
Before the mighty USSR disintegrated in 1991, a mini literary revolution had unfolded in India for over 20 years, thanks to its friendly relations with the superpower, and the socialist outlook the two nations shared. Privy to this revolution were the kids growing up in the '70s and '80s in every metro and mofussil town of the country, who had easy and affordable access to a wealth of children's books published in the Soviet Union.
The books were translated in several Indian languages. One of the titles, When Daddy Was a Little Boy, was published in Gujarati, Punjabi, and Hindi
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If the mention of Viktor Dragunsky's Adventures of Dennis, beautifully illustrated tales from Moldova, or Raduga Publishers open the floodgates to nostalgia, tomorrow is your chance to take a trip down memory lane at the premiere of Dhukyat Haravlele Laal Taare (Red Stars Lost Behind the Mist), a documentary about Soviet and Russian children's literature translated in Marathi and other Indian languages.
Made by Devadatta Rajadhyaksha, Prasad Deshpande and Nikhil Rane, the film is a tribute to the steady diet of Soviet-era books they grew up on. "While I had always wanted to do something with my collection, it all began to come together when I started the Facebook page, Soviet Literature in Marathi, in 2012. It was a delight to see an entire community of book lovers discuss and share memories from the era. That's how I came to know Prasad and Nikhil," Rajadhyaksha, a Malad-based chartered accountant, tells us when we meet him and Deshpande, who is a filmmaker and graphic designer, ahead of the screening.
The Sun's Wind has been written and illustrated by cosmonaut Alexei Leonov, who was the first man to walk in space
When the trio — Rane is an HR professional — set out filming the documentary, they made it a point to weave in the voices of people involved with the translation, publishing and distribution of the books, along with the readers. They interviewed Megha Pansare, who teaches Russian at Shivaji University, Kolhapur, and has translated Russian children's books to Marathi.
Nikhil Rane
Rajadhyaksha adds that the documentary is also the result of several serendipitous events. When Vrunda Pathare, chief archivist of Godrej Archives, learnt of the film, she put them in touch with her aunt, who was associated with the distribution of the books in India. An online search led the filmmakers to Ravi Rasal, a reputed Marathi translator, who has been based in Russia since the Soviet era. The long wait for interviewing him came to fruition when he visited India in 2017.
Prasad Deshpande and Devadatta Rajadhyaksha with their prized collection
About the books themselves, Deshpande says, "Soviet literature never underestimated children's intelligence," reminding the writer of this article of the Russian stories she was read to as a child, which didn't necessarily have a happy ending. "The idea behind making this film is to start a dialogue about what early exposure to rich literature can do," shares Deshpande, adding that they plan to take the professional but not commercial film, as he calls it, to schools. "The red stars, which were an important symbol of the Soviet era, mean books in this context. And we want to reclaim them from the mist they got lost in," Rajadhyaksha sums up.
On: July 21, 3 pm
At: Godrej Auditorium, Godrej & Boyce Manufacturing Co. Ltd., Plant 13 annexe, Vikhroli East.
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