Akaler Sandhane

Akaler Sandhane (AS2) was released nearly a decade after Satyajit Ray's Ashani Sanket (AS1) . There are a number of clues to help the viewer connect the two films, and read its message hidden between the lines; but for that, it is necessary to re-watch AS1 after AS2.

Early in AS2, a character says that the bamboo groves remind him of Pather Panchali. For any cinephile, it's fleeting invitation to recall Ray's work, specifically AS1, the only other significant film on the Bengal Famine of '43. Later, Dhritiman's character is annoyed that an actor has shaped her eyebrows, and admonishes her for being insincere. In another scene, a young woman, fan-girling over the "real" Soumitra Chatterjee, asks the "director" why the the great actor wasn't part of his project.

It is worth noting that by the time Soumitra Chatterjee took part in AS1, he was already a mega star, having taken part in over 40 popular films. Mrinal Sen must have watched Soumitra Chatterjee's stellar presence, and Babita's immaculately shaped eyebrows in a closeup of the harrowing climax in AS1, and mused how easily the veneer of the "real" breaks and exposes the "make-believe" underneath.

In fact Sen constantly plays with this idea of "real" and "make believe" with wit and satire. Smita Patil's character breaks down convincingly in front of the camera, but the audience is aware it is make-believe, because they see the camera and hear the director's running instructions on how to feel. In contrast, Durga's the emotions are real and present. Smita Patil snaps out of her character in the very next scene, but Durga can't. The viewer also becomes aware of the Sen casting choice for Durga, who genuinely looks rural and of low-caste, relative to Ray's casting of Chhutki, who glaringly does neither.

It may be a stretch to see Dhritiman's character, the high-intellect, charming, urbane, privileged "director" to be modelled after Ray. He is an outsider in a real village, with his imported classicist and humanist morality, searching for something that is staring right in the face.

I love Ray's work; his art, literature, music, and of course films, and until now, never got into Mrinal Sen's films. But with AS2, i'm beginning to appreciate Mrinal Sen's iconoclastic, provocative rebellious art. How fascinating!

St want to say shortly that this kind of flim are those types which should have won oscar at the academy awards

I watched this film with a lot of expectations. Maybe that is why now i feel kind of dissapointed. Don't get me wrong. It is an excellent film by its own merit. There is no doubt about it. It has a a unique 'film within a film' premise. It tries to focus on one of the the darkest corners of bengal history. There is also a ' art vs reality' vibe undercurrent here. Moreover it has a political element. The director tried to shed light on the class struggle between the proletariats and the elite and how it may have a role in engendering famine. This film deals with so many serious issues that it cannot help but be preachy at times. Especially the local school headmaster character and his sermons feel kind of forced. Look, i get the points the director wanted to make but in doing so, he sacrificed a good deal of spontaneity.

Akaler Shandhaney (1982): Brief Review -

Mrinal Sen's powerful commentary on the contrast between cinematic representation and harsh reality-set against the backdrop of the devastating Bengal Famine. While Satyajit Ray's Ashani Sanket brilliantly examined the consequences of World War II and the 1943 famine, Sen chooses to explore a different dimension of the same event. The result is both thought-provoking and unsettling. The film follows a movie crew arriving in a village to shoot a film about the famine. While the director is deeply committed to the subject, much of the crew remains disconnected from the gravity of the tragedy they're depicting. One of the actresses slowly begins to understand its weight-but by then, it's too late. The director himself faces mounting challenges while filming, as he becomes increasingly aware of the emotional and cultural scars the famine has left behind. The screenplay delves into the trauma through recreated scenes that stir haunting memories in the villagers-particularly a woman named Durga. It's a disturbing juxtaposition: the crew's attempt to dramatize suffering versus the villagers' lived experience. For those of us watching from urban comforts, the film reminds us how easily the depth of such a catastrophe can be overlooked. Mrinal Sen brings that discomfort close to the skin-you can feel its burn. Though the pacing falters at times, the narrative remains engaging. Dhritiman Chatterjee gives a standout performance, while Smita Patil effortlessly immerses herself in her role. Gita Sen is a revelation, and the rest of the cast adds strength to the ensemble. The headmaster's final speech is my high point here-poignant and unforgettable. While not overtly traumatic or harrowing, Akaler Shandhaney operates as a slow-burning exploration of truth versus artifice. It's a concept where the real famine victims confront the cinematic famine seekers-with haunting effect.

Rating - 7/10*

By - #samthebestest.

Just adding what I inferred as the message of the movie (Caveat: I am not an avid film buff and see very few movies in a year. So my interest and exposure to films is limited. This may be considered before the reader takes any of my ratings/comments/reviews seriously. Given this rider, I am open to correction anytime by anyone.)

The film tries to convey the message that there is often thin and blurred line between fiction and reality.

In the movie, the villagers fear that playing the role of a 'fallen woman' would make a woman a 'fallen woman' in the eyes of society (the villagers).

Similarly the film crew is insensitive to the villagers need and does not think it is creating a 'famine' by taking away the village produce for its own extravagant consumption.