Sadgati

Ray throughout his career created films with a great human warmth that sometimes bordered on sentimentality (e.g., the Apu Trilogy, Two Daughters, Charulata). Others of his films seemed to me a bit dry and clinical, anthropological rather than deeply felt (e.g., The Middleman, Distant Thunder). And other works are just embarrassing failures (e.g., his adaptation of Ibsen's An Enemy of the People.) By coincidence, I saw Sadgati at the same festival and on the same day as Enemy of the People, and thus witnessed within hours the very worst and the very best of Ray. As for Sadgati, I don't know how to overpraise it. Made for TV, it is a brutally ironic condemnation of the Indian caste system and, by extension, all inequality and injustice. It has the concentrated power of a story from Russian literature. (Tolstoy would have loved it.) The cruel directness of this work displays an unexpected aspect of Ray's genius. The scenes in which Om Puri struggles to work for the disgustingly lazy Brahmin are almost unbearably painful. The scream that the late Smita Patil gives when she is told the tragic fate of her husband I will remember all my life. The final scene takes the story's irony to its logical, devastating conclusion. It's a matter of great regret that this work is not available on video: if it were, Ray's reputation would be even higher than it is.

what a beautiful picture, what a great puzzle of poetry. there are many things that can be said about 'Sadgati'.

first of all, men try to succeed but fail in doing so, while women accomplish everything they want to do. women are happy, but become sad because of men. does this mean women do things better than men? this thought is shown with the use of insects: every time a woman does something in the film, we see grand things, like a big pile of mud and an expensive house. every time a man tries something in the film, he is put in the picture with insects close to the work he tries to do. does this mean men are insects? the dust can be Representative for the awareness of the women, who know something bad is going to happen. the big house of the 'bad' woman is full of richness and luxury. does this mean money kills emotion? could be, because the owners of the big house sleep in separate beds. so there's no mention of love in money? money is bad? but if money is bad, why do the poor men die? is poverty a richness? could be, because the real problems are left for the rich men, who will now have to explain why everything went wrong. however, the last image of the film shows us the real 'bad guy': the work itself. there will always be poor people and rich people because of the differences of work. that's not fair. because of that, accidents do happen as in the end of the film. if they should accept each other for who they are and without profits from work, everything would be fine.

with the difference of work, changes in character are important to the story too. the ant works hard and the grasshopper does nothing. it would be great if the ant and the grasshopper would be the same.

because that's the meaning of the picture: acceptance of who we are, knowledge of each others differences and the love of understanding.

Satyajit RAy's SADGATI (DELIVERANCE, 1981), based on the Premchand story, does contain one of Smita Patil's best performances, as well as equally fine ones by Om Puri and Mohan Agashe. Om, a poor serf, must chop a log in two for Brahmin landlord Mohan, while the illiterate Smita must strive to remember her grocery list in her head. Starved, Om dies, and Mohan must dispose of his body without touching it. Ray adds so many details (a many- headed idol in the Brahmin's courtyard, the grocery list) that Mohan's dilemma finally takes up very little screen time. Made for TV, this 45- minute film also is now faded in the National Film Archives' copy, and has no subtitles.

Premchand-inspired, this film was second and last hindi film made by Ray. Story is about how caste system defines the social structure and existing in our villages. Camera did well with the shadow and light. And this movie is noted for its editing too, which itself will help a fresh viewer, unaware of Indian culture, to understand the different hierarchy among us. Only being 50 minutes' long, this is one more recommendation of mine for those who wants to start Ray syllabus.

Recommending the first telefilm of India, SADGATI. This is one of the few films of Satyajit Ray that is very less popular. The best thing of this film is it's strong story by Premchand. It made a very strong commentary on Indian caste system.

Undoubtedly Om Puri, Smita Patil & Mohan Agashe were great in this film. The last scene is so painful to watch that it can make you angry. It won Special Jury Award in the 29th National Film Awards.

Available On Youtube.

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