The Human Factor: The Untold Story of the Bombay Film Orchestras

The Human Factor: The Untold Story of the Bombay Film Orchestras is a fascinating documentary film, released in 2013, which dives into the mesmerizing world of Indian cinema, specifically the Bombay film orchestras' impactful and diverse music industry. Directed by Rudradeep Bhattacharjee and produced by Public Service Broadcasting Trust, the film goes beyond the glorious facade of Indian cinema, shedding light on some untold stories from behind the scene, primarily focusing on the evolution of music and its role in shaping the Indian film industry.

The 55-minute long documentary follows the life stories of the members of the Goa-based de Souza family, a group of talented musicians who took up the musician’s baton from their Portuguese colonizers, thus organically assimilating the Western music into an Indian milieu. With the main protagonists of this cinematic story, Anthony Gonsalves and Chic Chocolate, constituting an inseparable part of the quintessentially Indian film sound, the movie manages to sensibly connect the two divergent universes of cinema and music.

Notably, The Human Factor reveals how local musicians in Bombay transformed Western-influenced symphonic music into a distinct sound that became a central characteristic of Indian cinema music. The movie brings to fore personal narratives of these musicians who remained anonymous despite their significant contribution to movies' background scores, a stark contrast to the much-celebrated actors and directors.

The documentary captures the complex and often challenging journey of these background musicians through the 'Golden Age' of Bollywood music up to the '80s when synthesizers largely replaced the orchestras. The narrative navigates these changes, subtly questioning the dilution of the human touch in musical compositions due to increasing technological advancements.

Bringing historical and social contexts into the narrative, the movie shares the musicians' struggle to adapt to changing times due to industrial, economic, and technological shifts. This adds a line of contemplative tension through the documentary, keeping the viewers engaged, while enabling them to empathize with those seemingly forgotten musical maestros of Indian cinema.

Rudradeep Bhattacharjee's filmmaking style strikes a chord with the audience as he orchestrates the documentary to resemble a pleasing symphony. A captivating blend of colorful visuals, engaging narratives, and historical anecdotes that breathe life into neglected figures of Indian cinema, this documentary is more than just an informational movie; it's an immersive experience that resonates with nostalgia.

In a nutshell, The Human Factor: The Untold Story of the Bombay Film Orchestras is a poignant and heartfelt documentary. It serves as a mesmerizing tribute not only to the de Souza family or the unnoticed music contributors but to the silent voices behind Indian cinema that often remain unheard. This film is an eloquent assertion of the irreplaceable 'human factor' in music, emphasizing the emotional and expressive connection that live orchestras bring to film music, which no amount of technology or digitization can replace.

By opening a window into the world of Bombay film orchestras, this documentary will undoubtedly appeal to those enchanted by Indian cinema and its melodious music. Regardless of whether you're an avid Bollywood fan or someone keen to explore the history of global cinema, The Human Factor: The Untold Story of the Bombay Film Orchestras is likely to strike a deep chord, leaving you enriched with a new perspective and enhanced appreciation for the symphony of human endeavor that resonates behind the screen.