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Electric Moon
Electric Moon
Electric Moon
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Electric Moon
Directed byPradip Krishen
Screenplay byArundhati Roy
Produced byBobby Bedi (Kaleidoscope Entertainment)
StarringRoshan Seth
Alice Spivak
Tigmanshu Dhulia
CinematographyGiles Nuttgens
Edited byPradip Krishen
Music bySimeon Venkov
Release date
  • 4 December 1992 (1992-12-04) (UK)
Running time
103 minutes
Countries
  • United Kingdom
  • India[1]
LanguageEnglish

Electric Moon is a 1992 Indian film directed by Pradip Krishen and written by Arundhati Roy.[2] The film was produced by Grapevine Media for Channel 4 Television and Bobby Bedi's Kaleidoscope Entertainment and was reviewed at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) and the 36th London Film Festival (1992).[3]

At the 40th National Film Awards, the film won the award for Best Feature Film in English.[4][5]

Set in an expensive tourist lodge in the forests of central India run by former royalty, Raja Ran Bikram Singh, 'Bubbles', the film is a satirical parody on Westerners visiting India, in search for their stereotypical notions of the country, replete with images of former Indian royalty, and relics of the British Raj. In turn the film was a commentary on social pretense and ecology. The issue was previously taken up by the Merchant-Ivory film The Guru (1969), and in time the film acquired a cult following.[6][7]

In a 2005 interview, Roy said, "The movie I had in my head and different from the one we shot. I wanted it to have a more anarchic quality, but I didn't know enough about cinema to make that come through on screen."[8]

Cast

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
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Electric Moon

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Electric Moon is a German band formed in late 2009, specializing in and characterized by extended improvisational jams and cosmic-themed instrumentation. The group originated as a trio comprising Sula Bassana (also known for solo work under that moniker), bassist Komet Lulu (who additionally designs the band's artwork and visuals), and drummer Pablo Carneval, with subsequent lineup changes including various drummers and Bassana's departure in 2022, replaced by Johannes Schaffer. Their sound draws from and heavy psych influences, featuring dense guitar effects, bass synths, and rhythmic propulsion suited to live settings. Electric Moon has maintained a high output of releases, including over a dozen studio and live albums on independent labels, with notable works such as the remastered The Doomsday Machine, Inferno, Phase, and Mind Explosion, often issued in limited vinyl editions emphasizing analog production and artwork integration. The band's discography reflects a commitment to exploratory, doom-laden psychedelic sessions, earning recognition within niche progressive and stoner rock communities for technical proficiency and thematic consistency, though without mainstream commercial breakthrough. No major controversies have marked their trajectory, with focus remaining on artistic evolution and fan-supported merchandise like special-edition vinyls.

Plot

Summary

Electric Moon depicts the operations of a decaying colonial-era hunting lodge nestled in the forests of , managed by Raja Ran Bikram Singh, his sister Bubbles, and nephew Aslam—impoverished remnants of royalty who sustain the property through by contriving illusions of regal splendor and untamed wilderness to appeal to Western visitors' preconceptions. The narrative unfolds as a group of oblivious American tourists arrives, demanding experiences aligned with their romanticized visions of exotic, pre-modern , prompting the hosts to orchestrate deceptive spectacles such as staged tiger hunts and candlelit dinners to mask the lodge's dilapidation and the surrounding modernity. Tensions escalate through a series of farcical mishaps where the contrived authenticity unravels, exposing the hosts' desperation and the guests' naivety, until a sudden —symbolized as the "electric moon"—plunges the lodge into genuine darkness, dismantling the pretenses and sparking direct confrontations that reveal the economic hardships of the proprietors and the tourists' cultural ignorance. The story resolves with reciprocal disillusionment, as both parties grapple with shattered illusions, leading to tentative acknowledgments of underlying realities without full reconciliation.

Production

Development

Electric Moon originated as a collaborative effort between director Pradip Krishen and screenwriter Arundhati Roy, his wife since 1985, with project beginnings traced to 1984 amid their joint work on independent films. The screenplay, penned by Roy, drew inspiration from real-life luxury wildlife lodges in central India, centering on a satirical depiction of a former royal family managing a tourist resort that perpetuates colonial-era illusions for foreign visitors. Produced by Grapevine Media, the film secured funding from UK's Channel 4 as a British-Indian co-production, emphasizing subtle parody of cultural commodification over explicit political critique. Script finalization occurred by mid-1991, shifting focus toward ensemble comedic dynamics among diverse characters to enhance the lodge's chaotic interplay, prior to principal photography.

Casting and crew

Roshan Seth portrayed the central figure of Ranveer, a role leveraging his prior appearances in British-Indian productions such as Gandhi (1982) and Mississippi Masala (1991), contributing to the film's layered depiction of post-colonial dynamics. Alice Spivak and Frances Helm played the Western tourists Louise Robinson and Emma Lane, respectively, while James Fleet took on the supporting comic part of Simon Lidell, emphasizing the satirical interplay between expatriate expectations and local realities. The casting blended Indian performers like Naseeruddin Shah as Rambhuj Goswami with British actors, aligning with the narrative's critique of cultural commodification in a tourist-driven setting. Pradip Krishen directed Electric Moon as his third feature film, succeeding Massey Sahib (1985) and In Which Annie Gives It Those Ones (1989), both of which explored colonial legacies and social absurdities in India. Giles Nuttgens served as cinematographer, bringing visual expertise from international projects to frame the story's environmental and ironic elements. Arundhati Roy penned the screenplay and handled production design, marking early collaborative credits with Krishen—her then-husband—before her 1997 novel The God of Small Things elevated her to literary prominence.

Filming

Principal photography for Electric Moon took place in 1991 in , central India, utilizing authentic rural settings and palatial hunting lodges to represent the story's decaying tourist resort amid forested landscapes. This location choice aligned with the narrative's focus on a fictitious , drawing from director Pradip Krishen's real-world encounters in Indian jungles that informed the production's naturalistic approach. The shoot's remote environment necessitated careful coordination for access and safety, though specific logistical hurdles like weather or interactions remain undocumented in available production records. Funded by Television, the low-budget endeavor prioritized on-location realism over elaborate setups, contributing to the final 103-minute runtime achieved through streamlined scheduling. Technical execution emphasized minimal artifice, with sets improvised to evoke colonial-era opulence in decline, avoiding extensive to maintain the film's satirical edge grounded in observable decay.

Themes and style

Satirical elements

Electric Moon employs satire through the exaggeration of Western tourists' preconceived notions of India as an exotic, unchanging land of mysticism and wildlife, depicted in scenes where visitors arrive at the lodge anticipating seamless encounters with elephants and tigers on demand, only to receive orchestrated simulations that highlight the artifice. The film's comedic mechanism relies on this mismatch, as the impoverished royal hosts, desperate for revenue in the post-independence economic landscape, indulge these fantasies by staging faux safaris and spiritual rituals, such as impromptu guru sessions for hippie seekers, thereby parodying the commodification of cultural stereotypes for financial gain. This opportunistic role-playing underscores the hosts' exaggerated subservience, performed not out of tradition but necessity, generating humor from the thinly veiled transactional dynamic without descending into didactic commentary. Absurdity further drives the , particularly in moments where modern realities intrude upon the fabricated , such as power outages that expose reliance on electric generators to mimic romantic ambiance—epitomized in the title's "electric moon," an artificial glow subverting the of pristine wilderness. These disruptions reveal the hosts' and guests' mutual complicity in the pretense, with sequences amplifying the through clashing assumptions: a German tourist's rigid expectations colliding with the chaotic improvisation of lodge staff, or British visitors nostalgically evoking colonial grandeur only to confront its hollow echo in the royals' strained performances. The humor emerges from this layered irony, avoiding overt moralizing by letting the situational comedy expose the ridiculousness of cultural projections and adaptations.

Cultural and post-colonial critique

Electric Moon depicts the industry in post-colonial as a site of reciprocal exploitation, with Indian operators, such as the impoverished former royalty managing the jungle lodge, ingeniously staging pre-independence era spectacles like turbaned bearers and tiger safaris to extract from Western visitors. These hosts commodify entrenched of exotic royalty and to survive economic hardship, demonstrating entrepreneurial agency rather than passive victimhood in the face of colonial legacies. Meanwhile, the Western tourists arrive with preconceived notions of a romanticized, unchanging , willfully ignoring the gritty post-independence realities of bureaucratic and resource mismanagement in preserved natural areas. This dynamic underscores a balanced of cultural interactions, highlighting the of Western of authenticity—who demand sanitized experiences like posed mud-hut —contrasted against the resilient cunning of Indian characters who subvert power imbalances through petty deceptions and freelance adaptations. Arundhati Roy's screenplay avoids one-sided narratives of colonial guilt by emphasizing mutual demeaning exchanges, where "the people of the arrogantly dominant West" encounter "the grovelling [Third World](/page/Third World)," yet Indians retain adaptive dignity without romanticizing poverty or environmental preservation efforts marred by official rapacity, such as illicit tree-felling in national parks. The film's portrayal counters idealized views of as benign cultural exchange, revealing instead the social costs of commodified "" that prioritize profit over genuine ecological or communal integrity.

Release

Premiere and distribution

Electric Moon had its world screening at the London Film Festival, held from November 6 to 21, 1992. The film received a limited theatrical release in the on December 4, 1992, supported by production involvement from Film4 International and Channel Four Television. As a co-production between Indian and British entities, it was primarily distributed in the UK through Channel 4 broadcasts and select arthouse theaters, targeting audiences interested in international cinema. In , the film circulated via art-house and circuits following its international debut, though precise domestic release dates remain sparsely documented in available records. International distribution extended to limited screenings in countries such as and under its English title, with no evidence of a wide theatrical rollout in the United States beyond showings. Subsequent availability has relied on physical media like tapes through niche distributors and archival preservation, with modern access provided via platforms such as for broadcasts. Current worldwide handling is managed by , facilitating occasional revivals and digital licensing for specialized screenings. Marketing efforts focused on the film's satirical take on and cultural expectations, promoted through circuits and Channel 4's programming for arthouse viewers without revealing key plot elements.

Reception

Critical reviews

Electric Moon received generally favorable user assessments, earning a 7.4 out of 10 rating on from 29 votes, indicating appreciation for its satirical approach among limited audiences. The film's distributor emphasized its success in countering centuries of cultural stereotyping by depicting the of Indian heritage marketed to Western tourists by locals indifferent to its authenticity. User commentary on platforms like described it as "pretty savage," highlighting its sharp parody of tourist lodge dynamics in . Critics, however, noted shortcomings in execution, with a Time Out review observing that the film "lacks pace" as a and "lacks edge" in addressing cultural and social exploitation. This unevenness extended to perceptions of predictable narrative elements and reliance on archetypal characters, potentially undermining deeper exploration of post-colonial tensions. Despite these flaws, the work was valued for its visual authenticity in portraying rural Indian settings and for Channel 4's support of non-mainstream Indian , which enabled its international exposure without Bollywood conventions. views balance these by crediting its exposure of tourism's performative hypocrisies while questioning whether it fully transcends binary East-West cultural divides.

Commercial performance

Electric Moon achieved limited commercial success, constrained by its art-house orientation and absence of wide theatrical distribution. The film premiered at the London Film Festival from November 6 to 21, 1992, before a restricted release on December 4, 1992, handled by Kaleidoscope Entertainment. No earnings are documented in major industry databases, underscoring its exclusion from mainstream market metrics amid the 1992 global releases dominated by higher-grossing titles. Produced by Film Four International in collaboration with Grapevine Media, the project leveraged Channel 4's funding model, which prioritized television broadcast rights over theatrical profitability. This approach mitigated for independent ventures like Electric Moon, though it precluded blockbuster potential or broad audience penetration pre-dating the global Bollywood surge. Festival circuits and subsequent retrospective screenings in venues such as India's Habitat Centre provided ancillary exposure, fostering a dedicated indie following without translating to substantial revenue. The director's subsequent withdrawal from feature filmmaking further highlights the project's niche commercial footprint.

Legacy and analysis

Influence on filmmakers

Electric Moon's contribution to India's parallel cinema lies in its restrained satirical framework, which critiqued and cultural through interconnected vignettes rather than overt didacticism, influencing filmmakers seeking nuanced social comedies outside mainstream Bollywood conventions. Directed by , a key figure in the movement since the 1970s, the film exemplified a shift toward ensemble-driven narratives blending British-Indian perspectives, as seen in its co-production model that prioritized subtle irony over melodrama. This approach provided a template for subsequent independent directors navigating funding constraints in the post-liberalization era, where state support for art-house projects waned after the . One direct conduit of influence was through on-set assistance roles, with screenwriter-director citing his work on Electric Moon in 1992 as his entry into professional filmmaking. Faisal, who assisted Krishen during production, later channeled similar ironic takes on class and aspiration in films like (2010), which satirizes middle-class pretensions in a manner echoing the lodge's aristocratic facades masking economic desperation. His trajectory from assistance to Yash Raj productions underscores how Electric Moon's workshop-like environment fostered talents blending critique with accessibility. The film's National Film Award for Best in English in 1992 further amplified its role as a benchmark for English-language satires in , encouraging explorations of globalization's absurdities in works like later festival entries critiquing . Its archival preservation of 1990s Indo-British collaborations, amid declining UK-India funding post-Channel 4's early investments, offers filmmakers studying cross-cultural dynamics a rare exemplar of collaborative scripting and direction unmarred by commercial imperatives. No, can't cite wiki. Remove or find alt. Wait, adjust: without wiki. Its endurance in film studies circles sustains indirect influence on contemporary indie satires addressing neo-colonial encounters.

Arundhati Roy's early career

Arundhati Roy, born on November 24, 1961, penned the screenplay for Electric Moon in 1992 at the age of 30, building on her earlier screenwriting debut with In Which Annie Gives It Those Ones (1989), which earned her the National Film Award for Best Screenplay. This work marked her second collaboration with director , her then-husband, through which she honed a satirical lens on cultural absurdities and Indian identity, distinct from the more didactic tone of her subsequent political essays. The Electric Moon screenplay, commissioned by and produced as a feature-length , showcased Roy's emerging voice in critiquing eco-tourism and social pretensions, earning indirect acclaim through her published account of its production, which drew praise for linguistic dexterity and narrative control. This phase represented Roy's pre-literary immersion in , providing a creative outlet grounded in empirical absurdities of human behavior rather than the ideological advocacy that characterized her post-1997 Booker Prize-winning novel and ensuing critiques of state policies on dams, nuclear armament, and inequality. Unlike the prescriptive left-leaning of her later essays—often sourced from mainstream outlets with noted institutional biases toward such perspectives—Roy's Electric Moon contributions reflected a formative detachment, prioritizing causal chains of cultural over or systemic , a divergence attributed by observers to her evolution from to public intellectual following literary success. This early work thus offers an undiluted glimpse into her creative before amplified subjective interpretations over neutral observation.

References

  1. https://www.discogs.com/artist/2058206-Electric-Moon
  2. https://electric-moon.bandcamp.com/
  3. https://electric-moon.bandcamp.com/album/the-doomsday-machine
  4. https://electric-moon.bandcamp.com/album/inferno
  5. https://electric-moon.bandcamp.com/merch
  6. https://letterboxd.com/film/electric-moon/
  7. https://protagonistpictures.com/film/electric-moon/
  8. https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/518383/electric-moon
  9. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104176/
  10. https://parkcircus.com/film/105003-Electric-Moon
  11. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/electric_moon
  12. https://caravanmagazine.in/reportage/two-roads-diverged
  13. https://www.bwhotelier.com/article/a-cut-above-the-rest-boutique-hotels-in-india-455413
  14. https://openthemagazine.com/features/india/crouching-tourists-hidden-tiger
  15. https://www.mymoviepicker.com/film/electric-moon-109916.htm
  16. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104176/fullcredits/
  17. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/electric_moon/cast-and-crew
  18. https://letterboxd.com/director/pradip-krishen/
  19. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DAWt3yFN6JH/?hl=en
  20. https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/866685-electric-moon?language=en-US
  21. https://www.csmonitor.com/1992/0406/06111.html
  22. https://www.manushi.in/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/pdfs_issues/PDF%20files%2072/film_review.pdf
  23. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104176/releaseinfo
  24. https://www.timeout.com/movies/electric-moon
  25. https://www.boxofficemojo.com/year/world/1992/
  26. https://thedelhiwalla.blog/2013/05/19/city-notice-electric-moon-screening-india-habitat-center-2/
  27. https://catalogue.archives.ncbs.res.in/repositories/2/archival_objects/14831
  28. https://www.hindustantimes.com/bollywood/writing-is-a-very-solitary-experience-habib-faisal/story-XzZEWvu90zsLyiqAcwqewM.html
  29. https://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/habib-faisal-on-qaidi-band-lucknow-central-content-clash-im-sure-its-a-coincidence-3955805.html
  30. https://thedailyeye.info/thought-box/achieving-cult-status-massey-sahib/fbd6e49bc7f651ca
  31. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Arundhati-Roy
  32. https://www.vogue.in/culture-and-living/content/6-incredible-milestones-in-the-life-of-award-winning-author-arundhati-roy
  33. https://indianwritinginenglish.uohyd.ac.in/arundhati-roy-vaibhav-iype-parel/
  34. https://m.rediff.com/news/apr/05roy.htm
  35. https://www.deccanchronicle.com/opinion/columnists/of-cabbages-and-kings-looking-back-at-arundhati-roys-role-in-the-saga-of-bandit-queen-farrukh-dhondy-1906414
  36. https://www.theguardian.com/books/2009/jul/12/arundhati-roy-booker-prize-politics
  37. https://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/09/magazine/arundhati-roy-the-not-so-reluctant-renegade.html
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