But that wudnt stop me from going gaga over Charulata - which I had watched recently.The only other Ray movie I had watched was Nayak - while in school and all that I can recollect are the odd bits and pieces of it.
Without further delay, lemme proceed to 'Charulata' -which seemed to me like poetry on celluloid. Since the greatness of this film perhaps lies in the emotions spoken through silence I wasn’t in the least concerned about my not knowing Bengali.(but yaa the English sub-titles helped)
What is amazing is the way u can actually feel Charu's loneliness, whether it a simple glance at her husband or the way she looks at Amol.
The story actually is like a breeze and u feel sad for Charu - not the melancholy type of sadness (if u know what I mean) because u must remember she has a loving husband who has no time for her whatsoever and realizing this he asks Amol to look after her.
My favorite scene is the one in the garden where Charu is on the swing and looks at Amol through her opera glasses -it is then u start realizing that she is in love with Amol -heard that this was a 8 minute long sequence but with no dialogues spoken at all!
'nother scene worth mentioning is when Amol's work gets published and Charu locks herself and is suddenly teary-eyed -I think any woman can relate to this feeling -tears because of jealousy.
But one thing I pondered 'bout was what exactly did Amol feel for her? Perhaps I must read Tagore's original story to find it because in the movie u get so engrossed in Charu's feeling that u dun seem to care 'bout anyone else but her.
Never before have I seen love depicted so beautifully -there is no mention of it whatsoever but the small acts of everyday life bring out the feeling so beautifully.
Charulata is a must-watch for anyone who enjoys watching a beautiful and well-made movie.
I think this is just the beginning of my foray into Satyajit Ray's works, I’m now eager to watch all his major works, all the while ensuring that I bug u people ‘bout it….
23 comments:
ohh nice write up...
and I haven't watched this movie...rather i haven't seen any movie lately...yeah "company" is making me work these days...can u believe it ? :( :(
I haven;t watched the movie.. but there are few bong labmates.. will ask them and try to watch.. thanks for the lightup!..:)
ahh, me bengali and all, heartily encourage ur foray into Ray's works... its an open mine-field with xplosive works. u havnt even scratched the surface... try tin konya next. later move on to the pather panchali trilogy. i wnt bore u any longer
hmmm remember mom talkin abt de movie long back...will try 2 get it asap
nice writeup. U get lost in charus sadness cos the movie is abt charu ;). Shakha Proshakha is a great watch. So now be prepared to be adicted. peace
Ashamed to say I still haven't got down to watching this classic. And I understand Bengali too!
ahhh..
so now the lady has a new exciting hobby ( if we can call it that )...
bending towards the artistic side...:)
I loved this movie... watched it long long time ago.. Have you watched .. Appu's Sansar. the trilogy... you must if you havent..
another of his classics which i liked was pather panchali and gopi gain bagga bain.
And there was this another series called Srikanta Series.. not Ray but a very well made story..
recently I liked the novel on CHoker Bali.. the book was better than the movie
ohh
that anonymous was me...
@raul
perhaps 'company' is also giving u good incentives for all the slogging u r doing...
@Sujit
to make the best opportunity,look out for ladies among ur labmates :))
@Shyo
jus those inputs required from u bong folks...
@cherubic
asap??? common i thot u were neck deep in studies right now ;)
@zombiee
i'm already addicted n yaa i've added Shakha Proshakha to the list, btw r u also bong??
@anumita
if u do understand bengali,wat r u waiting for??? i'm sure u r gonna love 'Charulata' (afterall dun we both love Egypt?? as also half the junta out there :))
@Vicky
u killed the suspense of the anonymous comment!
btw u stand corrected all my hobbies r towards the artistic side, only that they never see the light of the day ...
@pallavi
that seems like a nice list for me n by the end of it, i wud've become an expert on bengali movies (no, make that good bengali movies)
nah Me not bong but close. Im a mallu :)
Hey so planning for the trip is on? :).. Do start planning now itself..in the sense, check out nearby places to visit, and how to chalk out itineraries, especially combining them with the trip to and fro (break journey while coming back to India).
and regarding luggage, babes, if you are flying Lufthansa, then you better travel light..or have your company pay your relocation expenses (as in my case)
Very endearing write-up. Had heard about Charulata from mom - and she had made me watch it one night years ago. I dont remember anything coz I was a kid, and did not understand subtleties of emotions - and I was too sleepy to read the sub-titles. (subtleties and subtitles - now I had not planned that :) Now after reading your review - have to catch the movie!
By the way, your template is very pretty - the purple with the patterns - its beautiful!
Thanks for dropping by my blog!
@zombiee
yaa mallu n bongs r so close - Communists, fish-eaters, football-lovers, fundu arty sorta movies... the list seems a big long :)
@twilight fairy
all i do these days is plan n re-plan :) n wat with inputs from u, i shall ensure that it is one memorable trip.
(btw gud news is i can take xtra luggage at sarkari paise :))
@Shruthi
subtleties and subtitles indeed n make sure u dun miss them this time.
'am glad someone likes me template else all i hear is complaints from my frends 'bout how obssessed I am 'bout all shades of purple/lavender/lilac :)
(also luved ur rants on Hyd'bad, hopefully u shud revisit it someday...)
indeed indeed *nod*nod*
na...no incentives girl :( :(
just they are making me work...they don't know that they are stirring a rebel inside me....
grrrrrrrr
havent watched charulata though i've heard its brilliant. i can imagine....vintage ray....but where the heck does one get a bengali movie in the south??
watched the apu trilogy and devi...loved 'em all, in spite of making out teh plot with subtitles
@raul
i wud love to see the rebel in u woken up (n of course the C's reaction :))
@rapunzel
Cinema Paradiso is the answer for all things on DVD whether it is Bengali or French flicks!
hi swathi
loved your charulata post.its one of my favourite ray movies.actually ray based the movie on a tagore story which was heavily autobiographical-tagore had a special relationship with his sister-in-law kadambari debi; a lot of the amal-charu relationship is based on that.
see rays "seemabaddha" with a very young sharmila tagore.its also about loneliness-in urban glamorourous lives.
tani
@sayantani
i knew that it was a story by Tagore but I din know that it was autobiographical...
now lemme make a note of 'seemabhanda'.
thanx for dropping by my blog..
It's baffling that these films are hailed as classics all over the place and yet its so freakin' hard to lay your hands on one of these!
The only one I have seen is
Agantuk. Want to watch the apu trilogy
swathi - I liked the story much more than the movie - I started crying halfway through what was not even a very good translation.
How could any man have understood a woman's feelings so well, I thought.
When she telegraphs the guy on not getting a letter in weeks, OMG it was unbearable.
If you have actually researched this some more you will realize the autobiographical elements of Tagore's story.
Vey evocative little review which summons indeed some of the ambiguous and mysterious nature of Charu's personality!
thanks
Post a Comment