Known as Thamp̄, a title which translates into The Circus Tent, the acclaimed third film of Indian writer/director Govindan Aravindan was once thought to be lost. The Film Heritage Foundation spent nearly eight painstaking months restoring the film from a duplicate negative taken from a 35mm print and managed to craft a 4K restoration which received a screening at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival.
The opening shows a truck being driven with the back full of workers for a travelling circus troupe. Upon arriving at the village of Thirunavaya on the banks of India’s Bharathappuzha river, the group begin unloading their truck of its contents, including caged animals. The slow process brings out a crowd of village residents as they watch in wonder while laughing at the monkeys. The most painstaking element is erecting the big top, as the newly built location stands like a church welcoming all into its confines.
Aravindan made this film without a script, forgoing conventional plotting to adopt a documentary style shot in black and white, blurring the line between performances and reality with a cast combining actors with circus performers. The incidents were shot as they happened, with various closeups capturing the visible enchantment of an audience immersed in the circus, joyously watching events such as a slapstick routine and a goat on a tightrope.
From a former soldier befriending the strongman to people watching a little person carrying a large watermelon, the locals are enamoured with the circus performers. Ripples are sent through the village as the new arrivals are welcomed into the community, with a highlight being men bonding through music as their unified sound makes for a terrific soundtrack. Like all good things, it must come to an end as the villagers lose interest and turn their attention to planning a local festival. All they can do is remove any trace of themselves, and move onto the next location to share the joy their circus brings.
Bringing alive the film is a gorgeous visual flair that captures a true-to-life look which aids this documentary style. The camera lingers on scenes as though it does not want to move, preferring to soak up the real instances of audiences entranced or people hard at work. It must be said that the 130-minute runtime does admittedly test one’s patience, with attention spans struggling during segments, although it is worthwhile for this glimpse at the fleeting human relationships central to the drifting lifestyle adopted by these marginalised people. Thank goodness this work is preserved for future generations to readily experience.
The Circus Tent (Thamp̄) is out now on SECOND RUN Blu-Ray
James’s Archive: The Circus Tent (1978)
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