Swinging into auction: Bollywood memorabilia goes under the hammer

Bollywood memorabilia goes under the hammer and skyrockets in value
Swinging into auction: Bollywood memorabilia goes under the hammer

It's an innocuous schoolboy doodle that one might readily toss out with the weekly newsprint, and never get blamed for doing so. Only, in this case, the budding artist in question is Shah Rukh Khan. 

When it goes up on auction later this month as a part of Osian’s “The Greatest Indian Show On Earth 2” event, the sketch will open bids with a base price of Rs 1.2-1.8 lakh, and expect to fetch a lot more.

Titled “(An evening in) Paris”, the sketch was made by the actor on a trip to Paris in 1997, and includes a bunch of pictograms referring to the Bastille, the Concorde, Voltaire, the (French) Revolution, and General Charles de Gaulle. Khan makes a drawing of King Kong too, clambering up the Eiffel Tower, and seemingly rescuing a damsel in distress, with the words “Bhagwan ke liye mujhe chhor do” scrawled in alongside.

The Bollywood identity is evident, with a dancing couple described with the line “Tu Mera Hero No. 1”, a pair of lips indicating “French kissing”, and a bottle of alcohol spilling over, inscribed with the words, “L’amour, in Paris do as the Indians do”.

<em> “Paris” (1997) by Shah Rukh Khan (Rs. 120,000- Rs. 180,000)</em>
 “Paris” (1997) by Shah Rukh Khan (Rs. 120,000- Rs. 180,000)

Khan’s sketch sits alongside a few other works by Bollywood stars, such as an untitled 2006 oil 
on canvas by Deepti Naval (Rs. 2-3 lakh), and a 2017 mixed media painting titled “12 days” by filmmaker Pankaj Parashar (Rs 40,000-60,000). The selection extends to original works by Mani Kaul, Baburao Painter and a rare lot of drawings by Satyajit Ray.


Value, won’t you?

The forthcoming two Osian’s auctions — on Indian Modern Fine Arts & Vintage Indian Film Memorabilia — represent very different aesthetic traditions, offers Neville Tuli, Chairman, Osian’s Group. “But each auction reveals objects of our cultural heritage which are significant and have delighted the public over the last hundred years,” he said, in an email interaction.

“From VS Gaitonde’s 1962 Master-piece to Kranti’s (1981) 12 Sheeter poster designed by Ram Kumar Sharma; from Nicholas Roerich’s 1930s magnificent painting ‘Sacred Himalayas’ to Raj Kapoor’s 1958 East German poster of Jagte Raho; from Ganesh Pyne’s brilliant 1978 pen and ink drawing Seated Man to Amitabh Bachchan’s original hoarding art of Deewaar epitomising the Angry Young Man...” such a range, which reveals the vast diversity of joy and nostalgia of decades, which the Indian public have experienced, and deeply respect. It is essential to recognise that irrespective of financial value, great aesthetic and historical value resides in millions of objects which civilisation has created, and by which it is defined — at least over time,” offers Tuli.

<em>Kal Aaj Aur Kal (1971) six-sheeter poster (Rs. 100,000 - Rs. 150,000)</em>
Kal Aaj Aur Kal (1971) six-sheeter poster (Rs. 100,000 - Rs. 150,000)

The first auctions for Vintage Indian Film Memorabilia were held by Osian’s in 2002, recalls Tuli, explaining, “Fifteen years on, there is a significant change in prices, though naturally, a very long journey remains for any parity to Hollywood or European Cinema, especially at the very top end of the collection-building process.”

“For example, an original full-sheet poster of rare good quality publicity material-driven films would’ve increased from (on average) Rs. 4,000 in 2002 to approx. Rs. 40,000 in 2017, song-synopsis booklets from Rs. 800 to Rs. 9,000; showcards from Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 40,000; rare photographic stills from Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 15,000. More and more the condition, scarcity and rarity of the object; the provenance, first release status, the technical nature of the artwork, the popularity of the film and celebrity involved are all critical in providing valuation progress,” he elaborates.

All of that plays into the role of auctions in the preservation of cultural history. As Tuli puts it, “International awareness and comparison aids the process, as does an education of one’s cinematic and artistic heritage, its fragile nature, and the need to preserve such, in whatever way possible.”

Sustaining time with joy

Instituted as the country’s pioneering Arts Institution & Auction House in 2000, the Osian’s group made a recent comeback following an extended break of activities. “It has been a long seven years of consolidation, rebuilding, and now a stable and systematic process of growth,” reflects Tuli.

“Many lessons, many wonderful moments within the dire challenges, but fundamentally, the greatest lesson is one of realising the ‘correct’ pace, regarding time and in harnessing one’s energy — individual and institutional — at a sustainable and clear rhythm,” he says. In that sense, Osian’s remains rooted in the natural course of things, enthuses Tuli.

“This rhythm is sensed by most, best realised when raising young children, understanding how moment upon moment of loving, care, protection and feeding, leads to radical change in a very short time, if the foundations are strong, the supporting infrastructure deep, and if you sustain the time with joy irrespective of circumstances.” It has been the same for Osian’s, he avers, as they venture into their seventeenth year of efforts “towards helping to transform India’s cultural and educational infrastructure”.

At the core of all that is a simple sentiment. “Respect the joy of each moment, irrespective of every
thing,” proposes Tuli. “In that respect, an energy is imparted and shared with the public which 
inspires many, and suddenly the journey is so very easy again.”

Building a civilisation

For now, buyer profiles remain fairly mixed, even for Bollywood memorabilia. “It is a growing process,” offers Tuli, “very nascent, but growing fast, as many wish to help preserve the cinematic heritage, recognising its fragile and mostly destroyed status.”

“India still does not have the institutional unity of Hollywood or the vast daily discourse on cinematic culture which many countries do,” he adds in explanation. “But still, the future is bright,” adds Tuli. 

“Many stars and directors have begun to take the lead, from Shah Rukh Khan to Aamir Khan. Many more will follow, and once a momentum of respect and understanding emerges, every relevant object which was associated with Indian cinema will begin to have value, and the desire to collect and preserve.”

There’s also the concern about changing perceptions, especially about contemporary art. “Unfor-tunately, at present, this perception is one driven by market reasons rather than any deeper understanding of contemporary creativity, comparative aesthetics, history, and the relevance of these to the building of a civilisation,” suggests Tuli. 

“The hope is that once this market deepens, other frameworks and platforms will emerge, which take forward the process of sensitising our people. Suddenly, values may begin to be meaningfully influenced, because they represent a vibrant creative life rather than a successful financial life. Nevertheless, at a superficial level, the young mind is more rooted in the contemporary moment, though less aware of one’s history and context. And so it is difficult to say how relevant such a change is today.”

Osian’s auctions of cinema memorabilia and Indian modern fine arts will be held as a part of The Greatest Indian Show on Earth 2, in Mumbai. Opening Preview Party on June 16, at G-2B Nariman Bhavan, Nariman Point. Artworks will remain on preview until June 21, with a one-day exhibition on the day of the auction at Taj Land’s End. June 22, 7 pm. View the e-catalogue at osianama.com

Related Stories

No stories found.
Indulgexpress
www.indulgexpress.com