Umbertha (Marathi, 1982)

The difficulty of an educated modern woman finding a voice and her calling in life has not been explored in Indian films that extensively. Also the real picture of how many of the rehabilitation centers (for women in this film) in actuality runs as shady businesses for the powerful has been a rare subject in the cinema. These two-fold concerns makes Jabbar Patel’s 1982 Marathi language film UMBARTHA (The Doorstep) a distinguishing work embellished by the performance of the brilliant Smita Patil in the central role.

The film also highlights how the lofty idealism of those who set out to do good in this world gets shattered by the destructive elements that exists within the system. False allegations and victimization dogs such individuals every step of the way. Eventually they affect the dreams of the determined agents of change and leave them disillusioned. Through the protagonist Sulabha (Smita P) a city bred social worker who leaves her family temporarily and becomes the superintendent of a reformatory home at a rural area aided by her degree from Tata Institute of Social Sciences, the director JP explores several sensitive issues facing women in our society and even taboo topics for those day such as lesbianism. The director contrasts how the exploited women who faced oppression in the outside world themselves turn into being oppressors for their own kind within the rehab for immoral behavior such as when two of them were caught indulging in a carnal act.

There were a few scenes that seemed exaggerated to me. I couldn’t fathom how one mentally unstable woman could climb up to the top of a big building and positioned herself perilously on the roof (like Dharmendra in Sholay) with potential risk of the fall turning lethal when her rescuers were shown using a ladder to climb up to reach that same spot. The film directed by Jabbar Patel was based on a story ‘Beghar’ by Shanta Samil. It won the award for the Best Marathi film at the National awards that year. Smita Patil delivers a brilliant performance. The supporting cast includes Girish Karnad, Sulabha Deshpande, and others.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Monchora (Bengali, 2016)

Having an illustrious father can often mar the real appreciation one deserves. Probably people are always comparing the person with the icon. This can explain the fact that Sandip Ray, a director in his own right, never really got his due in terms of critical appreciation. I am not too sure but I think his Feluda films did good business at the box-office. But there is more to this director, and his films like Uttoran, Nishijapon and Monchora is a testament to that. And his subjects, besides the detective genre, too have been varied, from science fiction to romantic drama, ghost stories, humanistic tales (Phatikchand) to incisive social commentary (Uttoran) on the prevalent situation.

‘Monchora’ (Heart Burglar) is a 2016 film based on a story by Saradindu Bandopadhyay. It is a sweet romantic drama laced with mystery with an underlying message not to be judgemental about people, because an individual is a product of his circumstances and his resultant conduct bears a correlation to it. Bengali cinema regularly gives us gems like ‘Monchora’ keeping our faith alive that cinema from Bengal is still vibrant. The actors act superbly, and Abir Chaterjee as a petty thief who has a change of heart as the film progresses, excels in his role. Raima Sen is immensely likeable, and Paran Bandopadhyay and Saswato Chattopadhyay are brilliant as usual. June Maliah in a negative role is competent.

Rating: 4.1 out of 5

Mrigaya (Hindi, 1976)

• There’s something about the films of Mrinal Sen. Apart from the novel experimentation that characterised his film making, his unique perceptive view on a range of societal issues makes him a class apart. Hardly any Indian director has brought out so subtly the monstrosity that was colonialism the way Mrinal has done in his films like ‘ Mrigaya’ and ‘ Interview,’ two films that have very different storyline, different period setting (pre & post independence) yet interconnected through their thematic sameness. These films doesn’t possess the rabble rousing quality of a ‘Lagaan’ but linger because of the power of the narrative and their mode of expression. 
  Mrigaya is based on a story of an Oriya writer Bhagirathi Charan Panigrahi. The film featured Mithun Chakraborty in his award winning debut along with Mamata Shankar, 
  Jnanesh Mukherjee, Samit Bhanja, Sadhu Meher, Anoop Kumar and others. The film touches upon issues of nationalism, the muddled perception of justice, exploitation of the tribals, racial prejudices against the contrasting backdrop of verdant greenery and rocky terrian. I wouldn’t divulge the storyline and would encourage everyone to see this moving film by Mrinal Sen, his second Hindi film after the trend setter ‘Bhuvan Shome’
  Rating: 4.2 out of 5

Sanjhbatir Rupkathara (2002)

Bengali cinema is unlucky to have lost some of its most prodigious talent before they could reach anywhere near the end of their career – Ritwik Ghatak, Rituparna Ghosh, Bappaditya Bandopadhyay, Nabyendu Chaterjee and … Anjan Das. The last named is the director of SANJHBATIR ROOPKATHARA.

This film starts on a predictable note. One was beginning to feel that it was just another ‘exploitation of women’ kind of film about the protagonist daughter Saajhbati (Indrani Halder) of a well-known painter (Soumitro Chattopadhyay). Midway through the movie, the film unfolds an unexpected development and thereafter the film becomes a powerful exploration of the perils of fame, the father-daughter relationship, love and betrayal, lust and insanity, hope and longings, setbacks and comebacks.

The performances are praiseworthy. Indrani Halder in the titular role is convincing. After Pramathesh Barua’s MUKTI in the 1930s, we have the painter as a major character in Bengali films like SWET PATHARER THALA & this one. The supporting cast includes Paran Bandopadhyay, Ketaki Dutta, Firdaus and others.

I discovered that the film was based on a story by eminent poet Joy Goswami which is why the film appears lyrical in several parts…

Rating: 4.1 out of 5

 

Abhiman (1973)

The inspiration behind the film ABHIMAN could have been any of the following (i) The singer-actor duo Kishore Kumar & Ruma Guha Thakurta and their lives

(ii) The actors Amitabh Bachchan & Jaya Bhaduri (many opined that Jaya was a superior actor than Amitabh in those days) and their lives

(iii) The Hollywood film A STAR IS BORN

Whatever may have been the inspiration, this is a beautiful film laden with wonderful songs unfolding a tale of a singer couple (Amitabh & Jaya) , their quick romance and marriage and thereafter making music together. When the wife starts getting more recognition, male ego gets hurt and husband starts sulking endlessly taking recourse to booze and ex-flame (Bindu). Kudos to Hrishikesh Mukherjee for offering the role to Bindu as a sensitive friend, as it shows her in a different light  and a far cry from her usual vampish roles. The directorial style is muted; to convey the deep agony of Usha (Jaya) upon losing her son at childbirth, the director uses a long shot, and the distance between Usha and her father (A. K. Hangal) in the same frame highlights the gulf that exists between them (signifying the loneliness of Usha) , even though Usha respected and cared for her father immensely.

The acting is first-rate; Jaya and Amitabh are outstanding. David, Asrani, Durga Khote and A.K.Hangal are also memorable in the portrayal of their respective characters. The unspoiled village with its purity and keeper of the classical music tradition alive is contrasted with a materialistic music driven industry in its urban setting.

Rating : 4.1 out of 5

Devara Kadu (Kannada, 1993)

DEVARU KADU is a film written and directed by Pratibha Ram Reddy. It is a heart-rending tale of a family’s battle for survival. Upon losing his father, the protagonist Deva and his mother leave their native place in the forest & go to the city in search of livelihood. While the mother works in other people’s houses, the young boy added to the kitty by doing odd jobs as a rag-picker. Finally when he grows up, he takes a loan and purchases a rickshaw and lugs it to make his living.

In the meanwhile, health of his mother deteriorates and she longs to go back to her native place. Deva attempts to carry out her final wish, but she die during the return journey. Deva buries her ‘ashes’ besides that of his father’s grave. Hereafter, Deva starts growing trees in the surrounding areas (as per the wishes of his parents & manage to convert the barren land which his family had to abandon to seek greener pastures in the city) and within forty years, a forest emerges out of his extraordinary efforts.

Quite a powerful film, this.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Poddokkep (2006)

PODDOKKEP highlights the loneliness faced by the elderly in our so-called modern society under transition from conservative values to newer liberal ones. The story is credited to the director Suman Ghosh (Nobel Chor, Kadambari) himself.
The film comprises of three acts: Act 1 is named SHASANKHA & MEGHA, Act 2 is TRISHA & Act 3 is titled THE FINALE.
Shasankha (Soumitro Chatterjee) is an elderly man living with his daughter Megha (Nandita Das) who works in a corporate office and an elderly spinster woman (Sabitri Chaterjee) – a relative of theirs. Soumitro has lost his wife around three years back in an accident. The lives of the protagonist delineates the conflict that exist between the new (daughter Nandita) and the old(dad Soumitro) through incidents about the kind of calendar hangings fit for walls of the living room (a rather cutesy scene this) or the Tagore fixation of Bengalis
Nandita: “Why’re Bengalis obsessed with Rabindranath Tagore? When you elevate a human being to the level of God, doesn’t it imply stagnancy of intellectualism?”
Soumitro: “He is timeless, just like Shakespeare”
Through course of interaction between the daughter and the father, we are given hints about the leftist leanings of Soumitro. When the daughter mentions of having watched a good film GOODBYE LENIN on collapse of Communism, the father questioned as to whether his daughter was mocking him.
A couple (Tota Roy Choudhury & June Malliya) has returned from America and is a neighbor of the father-daughter duo. The US returned couple has a 7 year old daughter Trisha. A strong bond develops between Soumitro and Trisha. Megha is in love with a Muslim colleague of hers, looks for opportunity and goes on a two-day visit with her paramour to Bangalore. When Soumitro makes a call to her when she was in bed with the guy, a male voice response informs the father of the relationship.
The film explores a gamut of issues – flight of professionals from the City of Joy to places like America and the Silicon Valley of India, the pangs of separation for the elderly and the challenge to adapt to liberal values in vogue, apprehension of forging alliances across religious divide. The sequence where Soumitro is shown playing with Trisha during a picnic and collapsing is reminiscent of the sequence of Marlon Brando as Don Corleone, succumbing while playing with his grandchild in THE GODFATHER.
The film has quite a few poetic shots capturing the locales of Kolkata and its neighborhood with great finesse.
Rating: 4 out of 5

Phoring (2013)

Bengali cinema surprises us with gems once in a while. PHORING is one such film.

PHORING (which is Bengali for Grasshopper) is an imaginative boy who lives in a village in North Bengal near Maynaguri. He flunks his exams and incurs the wrath of his alcoholic father who beats him mercilessly.

A pretty young female teacher (Sohini Sarkar) joins the school of the boy, and starts taking an interest in the boy and his studies. The bond between the boy and the teacher grows stronger. She calls the boy to her residence, celebrates his birthday and gifts him a smart-phone. This leads to suspicion and questioning of her code of conduct.

The present situation of unrest in North Bengal have been effectively captured on screen. The film touches issues of education, childhood obsession, involvement of promising youths in terrorism, and ruthless parenting.

The filming qualities are superlative, and the natural beauty of North Bengal have been lovingly captured by the cameraman Indranil Mukherjee. The film is directed by Indranil RoyChoudhury. The supporting actors are Ritwik Chakraborty and others.

Rating: 4 out of 5

CHALCHITRO (1981)

Recently the versatile actress Geeta Sen passed away. Besides acting in the films of her husband Mrinal Sen, she has also acted in Ghatak’s NAGARIK and Shyam Benegal’s AROHAN. Kolkata DD showed her film CHALCHITRO recently as a mark of respect.

The Mrinal Sen directed CHALCHITRO (Kaleidoscope, 1981) is a film that has not been screened in India previously as far as I know. It is a film that only a Mrinal Sen would have the courage to make. There is hardly any story so to speak, no attractive heroine features in it to make it pleasing to a viewer. But Mrinal Sen being Mrinal Sen, he has the rare ability to make the mundane the stuff of great cinematic material. Like Jean Luc Godard, MS captures life in everyday Kolkata with its vicissitudes, idiosyncrasies, humaneness and pettiness under the pretext of a storyline – the hunt of a print journalist (Anjan Dutt) for a story/scoop that is saleable. The editor of the newspaper (Utpal Dutt) likens modern life to a stock market – every aspect of it involve a kind of buying and selling.

“How many ovens are there in Kolkata?” The director also highlights environmental concern with rapid urbanization and use of unclean energy used for cooking during the late seventies. Gita Sen acts as the mother of the protagonist struggling to make ends meet for the family. The lives of several independent families all living under a common roof quibbling and sharing joys and miseries have been depicted aptly.

The film was screened at London and Venice Film festivals. Watching CHALCHITRO recently one felt sad for the demise of THE ACTRESS who brilliantly brought to life the quotidian characters in the films of Mrinal Sen, be it in CHORUS, EK DIN PRATIDIN or KHANDAHAR.

Rating: 4 out of 5

BHARAT STORES (2012, Kannada)

BHARAT STORES (Kannada) highlights a topical theme – the small time trader’s hardship to keep afloat in this age of liberalised economy, multinational and ‘mall cultures.’ With the exception of Jahnu Barua’s HKGOROLOI BOHU DOOR (Assamese) & DIGANT (Konkani) there have been very few films that speak about the threat faced by conventional professions in the wake of urbanization and modernization. The film weaves in sub-text of a NRI couple – the woman making an all out effort to keep her promise to her dying father to repay the debt he owed to the protagonist trader – the struggle of the family of the protagonist in the face of declining business & physical ailment. The moving drama is directed by P. Seshadiri

Rating: 4 out of 5