Experimental, obscure, tangential, inaccessible and over indulgent. These are just some of the adjectives commonly used to define the cinema of Mani Kaul. If you ever tried watching (or watched) any of Kaul’s film, you will understand what these adjectives mean. And if you haven’t, then you must give it a try. Because if artists don’t indulge, experiment and go off tangent, then who will? The result might be inaccessible for the majority but when has the majority ever voted for anything that’s cult.
And the bigger problem is to find the resources to figure out what Kaul tried to say through his cinema. Thanks to our lack of interest in any kind of artistic documentation, we have access to best of cinema from across the world, but we don’t know where to look for the desi ones. So, in this post we are putting all the links related to Mani Kaul. If you have any, do comment or let us know.
Kaul’s essay – Beneath the surface: Cinematography and Time
The Films of Mani Kaul by Just Another Film Buff. Quite elaborate post that covers Uski Roti, Duvidha, Satah Se Uthata Aadmi, Dhrupad, Siddheshwari, Nazar, Naukar Ki Kameez and Een Aaps Regenjas (A Monkey’s Raincoat).
Filmmaker Sudipto Chattopadhyay’s tribute – The Magic Of Mani Kaul.
Kaul’s documentary Dhrupad in seven parts.
His short film The Cloud Door.
MUBI’s page on Mani Kaul and his films.
Mani Kaul’s interview in Tehelka and another interview.
Short film Arrival – Part 1 and Part 2.
Profile of Mani Kaul and his movies on Upperstall.
Excerpts from Satah Se Uthta Aadmi which was screened in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard section – click here, here and here.
Understanding Mani Kaul and his films by Devdutt Trivedi on DearCinema.com
Shubhra Gupta’s column His Visuals Talked.
Girish Shahane on Kaul and his cinema on his blog Shoot First, Mumble Later
Ode To A Guru by Bina Paul, Artistic Director of the IFFK.
An Interview with Mani Kaul by Tushar.
To Mani With Love by Neville Tulli.
RIP.
F.i.g.h.t C.l.u.b 
Thanks. That is a load of information , to watch and pay tribute.
It is sad that a large number of movie buffs of this generation may not have access to some of his great films like- Siddheswari. I remember seeing it on a VHS in film school. And have failed to locate a copy in stores or on youtube. It is one of the most brilliant pieces of cinema I’ve ever seen. Tragic, how we can find pirated DVDs of B-grade international cinema, but not classics that came from our own country.
You can watch Mani Kaul’s Siddheshwari here.
@Vani, You can get the DVD of Sidheshwari from Films Division office at Grant road. They sell dvd’s of films produced by them and I purchsed both Sidheshwari and Dhrupad by Mani Kaul from there.
Thanks Pushpendra!
Hi Pushpendra,
How much are they for? I’d really like to buy both…FTII needs to open a website for ordering such things and some of the proceeds can go towards clothing the starving Directors at FTII… 😉
Thanks!
Ajay
Super! Thanks for this.. Have only seen 4 of his films. This helps 🙂
pls share ashad ka ek din… any link
i m looking for Idiot Movie..
Kamal Swaroop uncle bol rahe hai –
he used to tell me that he is dreaming me.we were brothers.without him i would have been somebody else.he is the origin.
A wonderful source from where we can fill of our tiny cup and drink from the fount of a legend like Shri Mani Kaul.
Does anyone know where to find a copy of Ashadh Ka Ek Din? I really want to see this film. Please let me know. Thank you!