Love in the Time of Malaria (Hun Hunshi Hunshi Lal) (1992)
RESTORED VERSION
Directed by: Sanjiv Shah
Runtime: 128 minutes
Country: India
Language: Gujarati with English subtitles
Rating: PG (Some Violence and Brief Nudity)
INTERNATIONAL THEATRICAL PREMIERE
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Full Synopsis
The film is a darkly comedic fable about a fictitious country Khojpuri, ruled by King Bhadrabhoop. Caused by mysterious mosquitos, a strange illness spreads through the land, causing restlessness and agitation among the people. Young, ambitious and loyal to the throne, Hunshilal steps up to develop anti-mosquito medicines from onions. While doing so, he falls in love with his colleague Parveen who soon becomes afflicted by the disease.
Other than a handful of screenings on domestic television and in festivals, the film was never released theatrically, even in India. The only work of fiction by documentarian Sanjiv Shah, Hun Hunshi Hunshi Lal is a rare cult classic, that is now seeing a resurgence of interest, following its recent restoration.
Restoration Note
Hun Hunshi Hunshi Lal was a low-budget film shot on 16mm print. To minimise the problem of exaggerated jumps on the negative cuts, the negative was put into a checkerboard A/B roll. The eventual mixed sound was transferred from a 35mm magnetic tape to a 35mm sound negative. The final, married release positive was blown-up to 35mm, for a possible theatrical release.
About 5 years ago the negatives were scanned in 2K resolution and the audio was digitally transferred from the negatives. While the picture negative was in reasonably good condition, the sound negative was not. The picture was colour corrected in a small facility in Mumbai. While most of the negatives (and the subsequent scan) were fairly clean, there were problems with dust, scratches and the occasional jerky cuts, which were fixed in Prasad Labs, a digital restoration facility in Mumbai.
The audio was acquired from a beta tape which was telecined from the 35mm release print. The digitised audio was restored and synced to the video, which went through one more round of colour correction/grading. New subtitles were also created.
A largely DIY and self-financed effort, the restoration of the film took 4 years to complete.
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The Reframe: A Time to Resist programme will run from
9 to 25 April 2021 at Oldham Theatre.
Selected films from the programme will also screen online from
12 April – 9 May 2021 on our Rewired platform.
If you have any trouble purchasing your tickets, please contact us at ticketing@asianfilmarchive.org
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Important Notice:
Do note that Oldham Theatre does not play ads and screenings will start promptly. Arrive early so as not to disrupt the screenings. All patrons are encouraged to purchase your tickets online to be able to secure a seat. Seats are limited due to social distancing regulations. If you choose to purchase tickets or merchandise at Oldham Theatre’s box office, cashless payment is preferred.
Measures will be taken to ensure the health and safety of all patrons at Oldham Theatre. This includes wearing a mask at all times for both staff and patrons, temperature taking, SafeEntry logging and observance of social distancing around the theatre. Doors will open 20 minutes before showtime, so arrive early to register, take your temperature and find a seat.
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