The Importance of Subtitles in Feature Films

Ram Gopal Verma's - Shiva
http://allafrica.com/stories/200611211048.html
Mauritius: The Importance of Subtitles in Feature Films
L'Express (Port Louis) November 21, 2006

Suresh Ramphul, Port Louis

The recently released Shiva, directed by Ram Gopal Varma, is routine fare about a young policeman who makes himself a few enemies because he flatly refuses to be a part of their underworld activities. The film is slickly edited and appropriate for killing time, but the problem is with the subtitles. These are amateurishly done and you end up wondering why producers don't give much importance to subtitles as these are vital in helping those who have trouble with Hindi to make sense of what is going on in a film. Subtitles must communicate effectively and clearly. They must add to our understanding and enjoyment. We rely on the subtitles to assist us to get into a film. I experience no difficulty with Hindi myself but I shudder to think of those who need to read the subtitles of Shiva all the way through to derive full understanding of the film. Grammatical errors, inaccurate translation, spelling mistakes, etc. mar the film shamefully. How then can we expect our students to improve their English and love this language when they are so blatantly exposed to a deplorable level of English?

"Somebody will going", "More harder!" "Maybe the John" when the article is not necessary, "He's was", "Is police come from the sky?" "He's having so much self-respect" when we would say "He has so much..." "Leave this duty task" when the correct way of putting it is "leave this talk about duty", "I think he earn a lot" with "s" missing in the verb, "He stroke" instead of "stroked", "one of my friend" instead of "friends" are all examples of the kind of subtitles we have to endure. "We lived in the same area" is translated in the past tense when the dialogue in Hindi is in the present. We have "I'm taking you to home" where the preposition is unnecessary, "policemen is" rather than "are", "What do you saying" for "What are you saying", "what do with..." which is plainly nonsense, "Sometimes I'm going to meet them" when what is meant is "I go", "That right" when it should be "That's right", and "How can I'll". The villain says that he has never been to school but in prison "I red some books" when "read" is the word. Enhancing enjoyment "I work for the peace" where the article is not necessary; in "I just totally condemn it" "just" is redundant and in "17 cases was registered" it should be "were".

"Any judge will jailed him" is obviously wrong as is "I'm congratulate you" as well as "Police is full of". "Kya hua" is translated as "What happen?" when it would be better to say, "What's the matter" "Every man have a price", "Hi everything will be closed" and "I can do that thing what I feel is right" and "bare the pain" are bound to drive you mad. "Malaysia mein rehta hai" means "He lives in Malaysia" but here we have "He lived in...", "It look like", "Shiva height is" without the apostrophe after the name, "How many time I said" with the missing "s", "I buy it for one of my friend", "If you don't tell me who are you" where "who you are" is suitable, "Your name is forever in all over the country" when the right way of expressing it is "You will be famous all over the country", "Where is he hide" are all irritating and make you feel ashamed that the English language is so mercilessly treated.

Subtitles should be a means to expand the audience. In the context of globalisation films are marketed widely and subtitles should attract more and more people and conquer new pastures rather than discourage such a trend. "He have one brother", "How much we discussed about you", "if you insist me to do", "temporary we people are safe", "your all gang" instead of "your whole gang", the Hindi words "soun soun ke" meaning having heard much about are translated as "after listing". Subtitling is no child's play. It must be meticulously done to bring out the basic meaning of the dialogue and the nuances of the words in the original. It must also be pleasant to read while enhancing enjoyment. Moreover, one picks up words and this does improve one's vocabulary.

Subtitles must be able to reflect the humour, the shades of emotion, and the tone in the speech. A spate of faults in the subtitles, as in the case of Shiva, is an insult to the intelligence of the viewer. Those in the entertainment business should know that taking the viewers for granted is mistaken thinking.