THE COLOUR OF POMEGRANATES

       THE COLOUR OF POMEGRANATES

The Colour of Pomegranates is a 1969 Armenian Surrealistic work by the virtuoso director

Sergei Parajanov.The function of any work of art is either to please or to instruct,by instruct I do not

intend the cliched notion of moralizing,but to teach the audience something new, and any work

which satisfies both of the demands is a superior work.In that case,this movie which pleases both

aesthetic and political audience alike is undoubtedly a lofty work!When we attempt watching this film

for the first time we might not be understanding much details unless we know something of the

Armenian poet Sayat-Nova and the Armenian director Sergei Parajanov.But the fascinating

stills,captivating colours,subtle movements-in short the enchanting mise-en-scene makes the

audience stand agog.Every gesture is well-crafted ,even a single glance of the protagonist is symbolic

of something significant ,only that we might not discern it in the first screening. Costumes-One of the pivotal aspects of the mise-en-scene is of great importance here

since it gives us a glimpse into the culture of Armenians, their milieu and their tradition.The mood of

the film is Melancholic perhaps the melancholy which has haunted the filmmaker for years had crept

into his magnum opus!This movie explores the life of the Armenian lyric poet Sayat-Nova

poetically.The enticing aspect of this film is the way contrasting colours are coalesced.The way the

film maker employed colour is incredible as we never get bored watching it.These colours signify

various emotions. To give you an idea- white stands for innocence,Red denotes passion( at times

blood) and black obviously signifies Death and mourning.The entire celluloid of Parajanov is

illuminated with various shades of eye-catching colours.Parajanov indubitably had an eye for

perfection!

Sergei Parajanov was an Armenian film maker who endured a tumultuous life.Many a

times he was vocal about his opinions which were a taboo in his contemporary society and had

constant fall outs with the leaders.Firstly he was jailed for allegedly committing homosexual acts.Even

in our current film The Colour of Pomegranates he was hinting at the homosexuality of the famous

Armenian poet Sayat-Nova.With his unconventional and unique filming techniques he created a film

language of his own.This technique was so unique that the attempts of his admirers to appropriate

this technique were in vain and no ardent director was able to master it.Parajanov proved that he

had a Midas touch in film making. Sayat- Nova,an Eighteenth Century Armenian poet was a polyglot who wrote in many

languages including Georgian,Persian,Armenian etc.His life was a religious one and he spent his later

years as a monk.This accounts for the seemingly religious motif of The Colour of Pomegranates.I call

religion a motif because the film constantly alludes to religion,God and Prayer.It is said that Sayat

Nova was a homosexual and this is symbolically portrayed in the film The Colour of Pomegranates but

there is also a myth regarding him falling in love with the sister of his Patron King Heracle II of

Georgia and subsequently was deprived of the post of court poet and was also expelled out of the

court.I’ve mentioned about Parajanov’s unique filming techniques and his hero Sayat Nova was well

known for his unique musical notes. The Colour of Pomegranates which was meant to be an authentic biopic of Sayat- Nova

was originally named Sayat- Nova but Parajanov was forced to change the title to The Colour of

Pomegranates since the film maker had taken too many liberties in modifying the subject’s life by

incorporating his own imagination and ideas.The film employs a linear narrative by portraying the

events from the poet’s birth to his death through his life as a court poet and as a monk.The

commentary at the onset of the film goes “I am the man whose life and soul are torture”This can

signify the life of Sayat- Nova who was torn between spiritual and material life and also of Prajanov

himself who was no stranger to adversity.The later scenes wherein a white cloth was dyed with

Pomegranate juice superficially signify Sayat- Nova’s job as a dyer and it covertly signifies passion(Red)

creeping into his holy or spiritual (white) life.The background music creates a melancholic

atmosphere.The next scene portrays grapes being crushed under a man’s feet.This is symbolic of the oppression endured by Sayat- Nova in his career as a court poet and the challenges endured by

Parajanov in his filming career. Then we are shown the images of a string instrument and a Rose juxtaposed against each

other.I believe that this dichotomy is the cause for all the misery and torture endured by Sayat Nova

wherein the poet had to choose between his spiritual responsibility as a monk which is signified by

the instrument and his emotional attachment with the King’s sister which is signified by the Rose.This

dichotomy and the poet’s ambivalence is clearly portrayed in the scenes where the poet is at the

King’s court.In this scene the poet who was clothed in red holding a red ribbon switched to black

immediately which signifies him mourning for his love.Later we find him moving away from the court

which symbolically represents his eventual departure from the court.So friends!This film which is the

masterpiece of the great master of film is indubitably an eye-feast….I wish you watch this film soon and come up with your own interpretations!

-Santhwana Thomas