Synthesis of Cinema and Literature

We have always heard people say things like "The book is better than the movie" or "The film didn't do justice to the novel." Many a times even I have put across such opinions. But I sometimes even wonder that books and films are two very different mediums and they convey the idea in totally different ways. So, why make such comparisons!

Cinema and literature are both creative texts and both require a thorough study for the understanding of the medium. Cinema, as commonly perceived is not only a form of entertainment, but also an art form which transcends to evoke a range of emotions in its viewers. Unlike literature, films are considered less serious art form. But with the magnitude of the growth in the industry and its reach, films have widened their horizon not only as an entertainment medium but also as arts of expression.

Literature and cinema differ in their style of storytelling. With a rich literary heritage at our disposal, film makers have always been fascinated and inspired to give expression to their understanding of the literary texts. Film adaptations of literary work are not a new phenomenon. Films adaptations of Jane Austen and Shakespeare’s works are testimony to such a trend. Now we have before us a plethora of options for films – from classic works of literature to modern novels written by young writers.

Films are an expression of the literary work by the director. It is his/her way of interpreting the written text. Roman Polanski’s Macbeth and Vishal Bhardwaj’s Maqbool derive their story from Shakespeare’s play Macbeth. Both films are adapted from the same literary text but still the films are completely different in terms of the backdrop in which they are set. A director takes cinematic liberty in order to devise a distinct narrative strategy. Such creative (cinematic) liberty may at times, enrich the essence of the original work by adding new layers of meaning to the writer’s vision. At other times, it may dilute the effect as well. 

Nevertheless, film adaptations serve a great purpose when it comes to understanding of literature. They not only interpret literature through a new medium but in some cases, also encourage people to read the original text.