Split Wide Open
Encyclopedia
Split Wide Open is a 1999 Indian film and is Dev Benegal
's second feature film
after English, August
. The film primarily deals with the Water conflicts
in the slums of Bombay, and paedophilia, and also looks at the subversive sexuality in modern India
and how the notions of morality are challenged when sex and poverty collide. The film came under harsh criticism when released in India
and has been one of the most controversial Indian films.
tracks composed by Nitin Sawhney
.
The soundtrack also features:
The film also credits Massive Attack
, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Bob Dylan
, Mark Knopfler
, Pink Floyd
, Purvi Parikh, The Dagar Brothers and Kishori Amonkar
for their music used in the production of the film.
Dev Benegal
Dev Benegal is an Indian director and screenwriter, most known for his debut film English, August , which won the 1995 National Film Award for Best Feature Film in English....
's second feature film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
after English, August
English, August (film)
English, August, made in 1994, is Indian film director Dev Benegal's first feature film. This film ignited the next generation of Indian cinema and is acknowledged as a landmark in contemporary Indian cinema...
. The film primarily deals with the Water conflicts
Water conflicts
Water conflict is a term describing a conflict between countries, states, or groups over an access to water resources. The United Nations recognizes that water disputes result from opposing interests of water users, public or private....
in the slums of Bombay, and paedophilia, and also looks at the subversive sexuality in modern India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and how the notions of morality are challenged when sex and poverty collide. The film came under harsh criticism when released in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and has been one of the most controversial Indian films.
Cast and characters
- Rahul BoseRahul BoseRahul Bose is an Indian actor, screenwriter, director, social activist, and rugby union player.Bose has appeared in Hindi films such as Pyaar Ke Side Effects and Jhankaar Beats. Time magazine named him "the superstar of Indian arthouse cinema" for his work in parallel cinema films like English,...
as KP (Kut-Price) - Laila RouassLaila RouassLaila Abdesselam Rouass is a British actress. She is best known for her role as Amber Gates in the British television drama Footballers' Wives and as Sarah Page in the third season of Primeval .-Career:...
as Nandita - Abhimanyu Sharma as Shiv
- Farida Haider Mulla as Didi
- Kiran NagarkarKiran NagarkarKiran Nagarkar is an Indian novelist, playwright, film and drama critic and screenwriter both in Marathi and English, and is one of the most significant writers of postcolonial India....
as Brother Bono - Rajika Puri as Auntie
- Ayesha Dharkar as Leela
- Virendra SaxenaVirendra SaxenaVirendra Saxena is an Indian theater, film and television actor. He is an alumnus of the National School of Drama. Saxena is known for his character roles as well as his unique voice. He has acted in films such as Shool, Dhoop, Aks as well as many television serials...
as Altaf
Awards and recognition
- The official selection at the 1999 Venice Film FestivalVenice Film FestivalThe Venice International Film Festival is the oldest international film festival in the world. Founded by Count Giuseppe Volpi in 1932 as the "Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica", the festival has since taken place every year in late August or early September on the island of the...
. - Awarded a Special Jury Award to the film and the Best Actor award (Rahul BoseRahul BoseRahul Bose is an Indian actor, screenwriter, director, social activist, and rugby union player.Bose has appeared in Hindi films such as Pyaar Ke Side Effects and Jhankaar Beats. Time magazine named him "the superstar of Indian arthouse cinema" for his work in parallel cinema films like English,...
) at the 2000 Singapore International Film FestivalSingapore International Film FestivalThe Singapore International Film Festival was launched in 1987. The festival is an annual film event, held around April/May each year, and screens about 300 films from over 45 countries...
. - Won the Grand Prix at the 2000 Belgium International Film Festival.
- Nominated for the Grand Prix at the 2000 Bratislava International Film Festival.
Soundtrack
The original soundtrack of the film consists of 5 instrumentalInstrumental
An instrumental is a musical composition or recording without lyrics or singing, although it might include some non-articulate vocal input; the music is primarily or exclusively produced by musical instruments....
tracks composed by Nitin Sawhney
Nitin Sawhney
Nitin Sawhney is an Indian-British musician, producer and composer. His critically acclaimed work combines Asian and other worldwide influences with elements of jazz and electronica and often explores themes such as multiculturalism, politics and spirituality...
.
- "Welcome to Bombay" – 5:15
- "Yo KP!" (Trailer Theme) – 2:16
- "For Didi" – 1:39
- "Television Sting" – 1:15
- "A Golden Tap" (End Titles) – 4:19
The soundtrack also features:
- "You Are The Reason" by Australian soft rock band Air SupplyAir SupplyAir Supply is an Australian soft rock duo, consisting of Graham Russell as guitarist and singer-songwriter and Russell Hitchcock as lead vocalist. They had a succession of hits worldwide, including eight Top Ten hits in the United States, in the early 1980s...
& Indian singer Mehnaaz - "Dooba Dooba" by Indian band Silk RouteSilk Route (band)Silk Route consisted of Mohit Chauhan , Kem Trivedi on keyboards and Kenny Puri on percussion and drums.Only six months previous to this writing by manager Subir Malik, founding member of the band Parikrama one of the pioneers of rock in India.The band has also scored and performed soundtracks and...
The film also credits Massive Attack
Massive Attack
Massive Attack are an English DJ and trip hop duo from Bristol, England consisting of Robert "3D" Del Naja and Grant "Daddy G" Marshall. Working with co-producers, as well as various session musicians and guest vocalists, they make records and tour live. The duo are considered to be of the trip...
, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
, Mark Knopfler
Mark Knopfler
Mark Freuder Knopfler, OBE is a Scottish-born British guitarist, singer, songwriter, record producer and film score composer. He is best known as the lead guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter for the British rock band Dire Straits, which he co-founded in 1977...
, Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
, Purvi Parikh, The Dagar Brothers and Kishori Amonkar
Kishori Amonkar
Kishori AmonkarN- is an Indian singer who performs in the classical genre khyal and the light classical genres thumri and bhajan. Amonkar trained under her mother, classical singer Mogubai Kurdikar of the Jaipur gharana , but experimented with a variety of vocal styles in her career...
for their music used in the production of the film.