Unfurling an entire life of failed artistic ambitions in the span of a two-hour film, Chaitanya Tamhane’s remarkable sophomore feature “The Disciple” is decidedly leisurely in its approach. Executive produced by Alfonso Cuarón, Tamhane’s film centralizes the world of Hindustani classical music, in which singers perform an improvised raga, modulating their voices depending on the singer’s emotional state. This highly technical musical form, perhaps most famously popularized in America by Ravi Shankar, serves as the backdrop to the ambitious struggles of Sharad Nerulkar (Aditya Modak), a musical protégé who may not be as talented as he believes he is. “The Disciple” distills the all-consuming nature of an artistic calling, while questioning the relationship between innate talent and hard work. Sharad, on the surface, may seem as talented as the other young performers he competes against, but even his monk-like commitment to learning the form may not be enough for a musical genre that is primarily judged based on micro-changes of pitch and intonation.
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Bifurcated into two distinct sections, each with its own corresponding color palette, Tamhane follows Sharad through a series of seemingly minor moments in his life, as he physically cares for his guru (Arun Dravid), who only offers harsh feedback as a return on Sharad’s emotional investment, and his perpetually frustrated grandmother (Neela Khedkar), who only wishes Sharad would get an actual job. Besides his constant auditioning, Sharad also works for friend Kishore (Makarand Mukund) selling CDs of rare Hindustani musical performances. His entire life encircled by Hindustani music. Serving as interludes, Sharad often rides his motorcycle listening to lectures from the legendary Maai (Sumitra Bhave, only appearing in voice). A teacher of his guru, and Sharad’s father, himself a failed musician, Sharad takes in Maai’s philosophical lessons, in which she rhapsodizes about the “eternal quest” of singing raga, elevating the musical form to a spiritual calling.
Yet, as the film follows Sharad through his routine, from repetitive practices to late-night porn watching, all of which Tamhane films at a removed distance, it becomes painfully obvious that Sharad is talented, but just not talented enough. Halfway through the film, the color mutes and Sharad emerges with a bit more weight on him, as “The Disciple” jumps forward in time, Sharad still not the successful musician he imagined. His routine is more lax than his early years, as his musical ambitions are now juxtaposed against a reality competition star Shaswati Bose (Kristy Banerjee), whose music has taken on a more pop-like sensibility as she climbs the ranks. As Sharad’s musical ambitions continue to shrivel, he remains steadfastly focused on his craft, dismissing Shaswati’s performances as selling out, but with a bit more wariness about the whole experience.
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For a film of such a large scope, filtering an entire artistic life through a series of repetitive moments, Tamhane is considerably unhurried in his approach, demonstrating Sharad’s commitment through recursive scenes that echo each other, as we witness how his routine transitions from hopeful to oppressive as time goes on. Yet, “The Disciple” never approaches the underlying questions about artistic merit easily. Instead, everyone who strives for perfection is revealed to be flawed, as Sharad soon learns about Maai’s history from a music critic (Prasad Vanarse), who essentially exposes her as a charlatan.
Formally, Tamhane rarely moves the camera, preferring static shots that centralize Sharad in relation to the other people around him. Though he might be the central figure on the stage, Tamhane never forgets to remind the viewer of the judges and audience, whose reactions dictate the reception of Sharad’s performances. While Sharad perhaps never fully accepts his inability to realize his artistic ambition, the film, in the end, posits that for an artistic medium to succeed, there needs to be an ecosystem of critics, historians, and fans. Although Tamhane’s sedate pacing might put off those expecting a more visceral dive into the culture of Hindustani music, “The Disciple” is profound in its microcosmic world-building, slowly creating Sharad’s life through individually realized moments, adding up to an extraordinary portrait of a failed artist. [A]
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