Le lâche

The most fascinating quality about Kapurush is its brevity – the brevity of the film runtime (74 mins), its terseness in dialogues and the concision in expressions delivered by the protagonists of this film. It is a remarkable craft.

It's hard to imagine for any film maker of international repute to deal with a subject like Kapurush and tackle in-depth human emotions and consciousness, so succinctly and precisely, in just about 74 minutes. Some filmmakers would take alteast the normal 120-140 minutes length to be able to deal with a subject like Kapurush in order to give a wholesome cinematic form. Satyajit Ray took just 74 times to tell a story revolving around 3 main characters, depicting their psyche and intense mental turmoil – all unspoken but using subtle eye movements and small body gestures. The film is the finest example of optimal usage of speech, gesture, expression and length. The film highlights Ray's prowess in the economy of speech and cinematic resources. Kapurush inevitably epitomizes Ray's mastery and control over every aspects of film-making.

The ending of the film is undoubtedly the most exciting part - as with many of Ray's films, it leaves the audience to draw several conclusions, and as a result makes you think. And that's what makes Ray's films so unique – they are all subtle, calm and composed films – but after you have seen them, they bore a deep imprint on your mind and makes you think. Kapurush is one of them.

Unfortunately, Kapurush is a highly underrated film, perhaps because Ray is impeccable and had consistently produced masterpieces. As a result of this, a film like Kapurush got overshadowed. For any other world-class film-maker of today, it would have been a jewel in his or her oeuvre. Well, as I always say – Satyajit Ray is the God of Cinemas....period.

(1965) The Coward/ Kapurush (In Bengali with English subtitles) DRAMA

Adapted from the short story ""Janaiko Kapurusher Kahini" by Premendra Mitra music, co-written and directed by Satyajit Ray that tells about an inspiring screenwriter, Soumitra Chattopadhyay as Amitabha Roy (also known as the Coward) by chance meeting an ex-former flame, Karuna (Madhabi Mukhopadhyay), and he continues to pursue for her affections despite her already married with an already successful owner Bimal Gupta (Haradhan Bandyopadhyay). Throughout the entire movie, viewers get to witness flashbacks how the two first met and what drove them apart.

It is not just a movie about a young man vying affections for a former flame, for it is also about class, culture and principle. I love the civil discussions that does not involve murder. This is the sixth of fourteen films actor Soumitra Chatterjee collaborated with writer/ director Satyajit Ray.

This is the story about regretting one's past life choices. Amitabha Roy is traveling from Calcutta to the country to visit his brother-in-law and to write, he's a tv screenwriter. Along the way he has car trouble and while at the mechanic's a friendly and rather round tea plantation owner named Bimal Gupta, insists on hosting him at his home while his car is being prepared.

"You want shelter and I want company."-Bimal

"You won't believe this but we get on average less than one Bengali in distress per year."-Bimal

They have a congenial drive in the rain to Bimal's plantation where Amitabha meets Bimal's wife who is none other than his ex-girlfriend Karuna. The two don't say anything to Bimal about knowing one another and have to endure an evening of Bimal pushing smokes and alcohol on Amitabha while Karuna knits quietly by the fire.

We see the end of their (Amitabha and Karuna's) relationship in a flashback. Then Amitabha asks Karuna if she is happy in her marriage. He tells her he must know, he never got married and he never could ask her forgiveness...he told her that everything seemed so pointless and Calcutta so boring.

"There's just one thing I couldn't do, fall in love again."-Amitabha "I didn't have the courage then, but now I do. Leave him...and come with me."

"You think you know my husband after one day? You don't know him."-Karuna

The next day is probably my favorite section of the film as Bimal and Karuna take Amitabha for a tour and picnic via their Jeep. It's the most visually appealing part of the film...and emotionally it adds to the ache as you can feel Amitabha's pain and regret and you can just about hear his what if.

While not my first Indian film by any means, it was only my second Satyajit Ray film as I had seen his film Devi (The Godess) previously. Like Devi, there is wonderful cinematography in this film and I enjoyed the slow moments...especially those that focused on facial expressions. Beautiful film that expresses ache and regret in such a straightforward way. I feel like it is an excellent cautionary tale.

Kapurush / The Coward (1965) : Brief Review -

Satyajit Ray's burning take on incomplete lovestory. A Classic contrary version to his own Masterpiece Charulata. You know i often say that Indian Cinema can never have a Masterpiece like Casablanca (1942) but we have Charulata (1964). It was Ray's visionary take on a Woman's Love for the other person than her Husband but the person with high ethics doens't fall for it. That reminds me of Casablanca, you know Rick sending off the couple to stay happy in their married life in the legendary climax scene. Though, Ray's Charulata was differen. But for me that's the only thing from India which i can compare to Casablanca and you know it's a big statment. So, Kapurush is contrary to Charulata or should i say it's a male version of it. A by chance meeting rekindles old memories between a screenwriter and his ex-girlfriend, who is by now married to a well-to-do man. Here, we see the woman having those ethics and showing her loyalty. However, her burning heart and pain does not remain hidden and that's what delivers a Classic heartbreaking climax to this short film. In 67 minutes, Kapurush smartly manages to showcase all the required things including past events. It's an achievement for any film with this much short runtime. Remember those Classic love stories of Hollywood from silent era? Kapurush is that for Indian cinema. I know it's too late, i mean 4 decades, yeah but still at last we have something to tell. Soumitra Chatterjee, Madhabi Mukherjee and Haradhan Bandopadhyay are in their sublime forms in the film. Satyajit Ray's dark theme and extremely earnest framework are the two major highlights of Kapurush. Even though that 'Coward' element seems little udiscovered considering the importance it holds towards the title, the rest of the narrative is nothing short of a Classic Cinematic Experience.

RATING - 8/10*

By - #samthebestest.

A short, simple & stimulating drama released as one half of the double bill presentation along with Mahapurush, Kapurush (The Coward) follows a screenwriter who rekindles old memories following a chance meeting with his ex-girlfriend who is now married to the person who offers him hospitality for the night after his car breaks down.

Written & directed by Satyajit Ray (The Apu Trilogy & Charulata), the premise is a love triangle brimming with strong emotional undercurrents & gradually increasing tension between the two characters with a shared past. Ray utilises the camera with a probing eye to keep us guessing and smoothly navigates from present to past to inform the viewers.

The drama isn't hurried and the actors play their roles with conviction but it still requires extra breathing space than what its 74 mins runtime offers. Performances from the trio are gripping throughout, plus their interactions also hint at complex emotions swirling beneath the surface, for our lovelorn protagonist pays the price for his earlier betrayal & cowardice.

Overall, Kapurush is the better & stronger story of the two entries that make this double feature offering as it not only narrates its story in more enriching & productive fashion but also benefits from sturdier inputs from its cast. A brutal reminder of how our past actions are responsible for our present being, this poignant drama doesn't dig too deep but still delivers the desired goods.