Bhuvan Shome

Mrinal Sen's low-budget film is one of the most touching movie. He brings out the nuances in this simple yet touching story so poignantly. No special effects, no dramatic moments! Just simple depiction captured on film to move the audience. The performers were so natural in their portrayal of the characters and effectively communicated & shared their feelings/ emotions/ attitudes with the audience. An exceptional artistic endeavour!

Bhuvan Shome is one of the most beautiful films I have ever seen. Mrinal Sen,director of the film once said "BHUVAN sHOME IS THE STORY OF TRAGIC REALISATION' However I do not agree with it.In my opinion:

This film is about the most beautiful experiences of man.First of all he is touched by the beauty of NATURE.The open land and wind and.sky and birds,...An altogether different life from his PRISON. Nature sooths his hard rigid persona.

Secondly it is the realization that there is a vast unknown world beyond our own.Bhuwan shome did not know the names of many birds,trees,people.He experiences the joy of knowing his own limitations.

THIRDLY he experiences the touch of "unselfish love".The simple village girl takes pains to do many things for him.She does it because it is her nature.She did not expect anything in return.

Now there is the last touch: The touch of pity and sympathy.Bhuvan is moved because of the captivity of the bird and its desperate efforts for escape.....It is very rare for a person to experience so many touches in one day.Naturally they make deep impression on his soul.He will always remember this day,will always thank the wonderful girl for the gift she has given to him.

Hence the realization of Shome is not a tragic one.On the contrary it is a sublime realization that he can throw his burdens ,though even for one day.So he does a thing which he has not done in his life.He pardons a criminal.He discovers that feeling which a man experiences when he does something for others,unselfishly.He feels relieved.

And the viewer also finds the relief :"When the film discovers something fine ,something good something wonderful about the human animal"

Contrary to the popular belief, this movie is not dark at all. But this had some shady colors, that is for sure. I am writing this here, but honestly, out of all the reviews I am putting in IMDb, I think this is the only movie I still do not understand. Watched this twice. Does not mean that Sen failed at communication, not at all. Sen never failed while telling something. This movie was one of the first NFDC funded film. Thematically, this movie shows solitude and monotony. This is about a man's life who loves and has chosen to be alone. His subordinates are afraid of him, and calls names when he is not around. Having known that, the protagonist here does not do anything to change that. And then he meets her during a hunt - how poetic - and the story gets one more second act. In other words, a man who is reluctant to like or love others starts getting into it. Let us give 2 trivia to make is a little bit interesting. One, this was Amitabh Bacchan's debut as a narrator. Yes, Sen was good in casting too. Secondly, this movie makes the first of the long going love story between Sen and the super-DOP, K K Mahajan.

Bhuvan Shome , a picture directed by master craftsman of the Indian films - Mrinal Sen , is about an orthodox man , who is recluse and loner. The old angry man is neither loves any body or is not loved by anybody.Disappointed with his own lifestyle , he decides to take vacation and lands in a village for duck hunting. Here he meets a beautiful young village belle called Gauri. She brings fun and a spirit of love in his drab life.unconsciously his lifestyle and philosophy of life changes. The location of film is breathtaking.His selection of a small village in a corner of Gujarat (Trapaj -Bhvnagar) is proof of his tireless search for location.Utpal Dutt , a brilliant actor, usually seen as comedian in Hindi films , portrays role of Bhuvanshome ,the old man to perfection.Suhasini Mulay as village girl is beauty and innocence incarnate. The film is all about lessons how life should be lived and discipline order and planning do have place but they are not all that is required to make life interesting.

A wonderful script with a brilliant performance by Utpal Dutt. I personally found the filmmaking a bit janky at times but to compensate for that there are some beautiful shots mixed in. Not quite a masterpiece but definitely could've been with a little more subtlety.