Locations in Europe: Corsica, France
Storyline
Director/Producer: Imtiaz Ali (Director), Sajid Nadiadwala (Producer)
Line Producer/Executive Producer: Jean-Patrick Costantini, Sandeep Leyzell, Naman Mehra (Line Producers)
Rajesh Sharma (Executive Producer)
Star(s): Ranbir Kapoor, Deepika Padukone
Songs/Dance: Song and dance sequences shot in Corsica, France
Indian/ International Crew: Indian and international.
Language: Hindi
Film Location Analysis
By Ranjani Mazumdar
While Tamasha deals with Bombay cinema’s staple romance form, it does so with a unique twist that takes us to a darker side of the romantic encounter. Ved’s personality disorder is staged in the film to critique the overwhelming role played by regimented social norms in psychologically damaging people. The romantic encounter is therefore the moment that allows Ved to become someone diametrically opposed to who he is in his mundane corporate job. The intensity of this transformation required a location that could hold together psychological forays, reflections on performance, and the power of romance. A typical and known location would not have served the purpose. Corsica, as a beautiful part of France, was therefore chosen as the location to experiment with the deeply personal experiences of the characters. Imtiaz Ali deployed spatial navigation deliberately to generate a mental map of inner turmoil, romantic attraction, and a desperate desire for freedom.
Corsica, located between France and Italy, is known for its beautiful Mediterranean architecture. It is a mountainous island with villages, harbours, and seawater that looks almost artificially turquoise. The views available from hotel windows are magnificent. The place is of historical significance—the birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte, among many others. Since the post-war period, Corsica has been a very popular tourist destination. It has museums, historical architecture, beaches, quaint villages, and a range of restaurants. All modes of transportation can be used to navigate the landscape and town, and the space looks uniquely different in its topography and architectural style.
In the film, we arrive in Corsica literally by sea as the camera glides in to reveal the blue-coloured water against amber-coloured buildings. This entry takes us to Tara and Ved’s chance encounter, also shot on a high platform to capture the sea view. A distressed Tara who has lost her passport needs to make a call, and Ved offers his mobile phone to her. After her conversation on the phone, Tara is about to introduce herself when Ved stops her. The pact to not reveal their real identities begins as the two protagonists enter a zone of performance. Ved pretends to be Don (a popular character from Bombay cinema), and Tara plays a popular femme fatale character, Mona.
The sequence then transitions to a large procession of local people in traditional costume making their way through the streets. The camera sculpts the walls of the ancient streets to reveal the scale of the procession. This is intercut with Tara making her way through the town as well. As spectators, we are getting introduced by the director to this new, different, and lively foreign location through a combined focus on a crowd moving through the streets as well as Tara’s solitary navigation. Tara meets Ved again at the city square café, and soon the two start drinking. This leads up to one of the film’s most spectacular songs, staged at the Place du Donjon.
A public square connected by several streets to other beautiful buildings and spots, Place du Donjon is an architectural treat for visitors. Its dramatic walls and open railings allow for the deployment of a wide range of camera angles. The song "Matargashti" was shot to ensure that the buildings, sea view, alleyways, and cafes were captured cinematically. For the song's picturisation, Imtiaz Ali introduced a costume extravaganza. We notice a festive air, a sunny disposition, and a constant highlighting of colonial style windows, the stone staircase, and the uniqueness of the buildings with their balconies. As the two protagonists perform in the midst of a lively crowd, they use an edgy, unconventional style in their performance to convey a sense of rebellion. Ved climbs on to a lamppost and then makes his way from the window to a balcony. All these movements are choreographed to both showcase the star as well as the physical texture of the scenic location. Low angle views of the balcony reveal the dramatic quality of the amber-coloured buildings. We see vegetables and typical French bread being sold, along with people sitting in outdoor cafes.
From certain angles we get views of the extended mountains with houses shot against a blue sky. The song literally turns Place du Donjon into a stage, using the site's unique architectural form to create a spectacular performance. The Bastia Museum of History is housed in the Palace of Governors, which is located on the square. We also get seaside views of the village cluster against the Corsican coast and skyline. The song ends at the well-known Staircase of the King of Aragon. This is a staircase carved into a limestone cliff that looks almost like a naturally covered walkway. It is a popular site for photographs and includes 187 steps. Legend has it that the steps were created in 1420 but have seen changes over a period of time. In mobilising these unusual sites for the song, Imtiaz Ali maps a psychological tale in spatial terms.
The song is literally followed by conversations of made-up stories that unfold across walks through the charming streets, the staircase in the hotel that the two protagonists check into, and the room with windows looking out at the mountains in the distance. The next day, Ved and Tara travel by road in a green convertible, continuing with their performance. This is where Corsica’s rocky interiors are revealed, alongside the sea on one side. We have long sequences of silence with music as the camera flies with our protagonists in their exploration of foliage, streams, and streetscapes. The break from routine opens the doors for a magical experience where Corsica’s visual landscape enters into dialogue with our two characters. Imtiaz Ali uses a visual and emotional intensity to map the physical texture of Corsica's landscape and Mediterranean architecture in order to stage mind games and intimate psychological forays. Here the language of space is crucial, and therefore the choice of the location was important.
Additional Information & Links
Corsica has no film infrastructure, which was one reason that the Tamasha team was hesitant about shooting there.
The place is also known for gang wars and political turbulence.
After a series of meetings with the President of the region, the production team agreed.
Hotel accommodation for 120 crew members at the peak of the summer proved to be very difficult so ultimately the shooting was done in the month of May in 2014.
Sajid Nadiadwala, the producer of the film, was awarded the “Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters” by the French for helping to boost Indo-French collaboration in the field of film production.
https://in.ambafrance.org/Sajid-Nadiadwala-conferred-Knight-of-the-Order-of-Arts-and-Letters
Tourism
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36A4vpS-W5Y
