If you have seen earlier movies of Mrinal Sen and had an opinion about those movies and didn't like it, you must try to see this one. A completely different movie. Love affair between a husband and a wife, between an ex-husband and a wife, affection in a family and a traditional village in India shown completely unique and different way. Traditional use of Tagore songs (very popular among the art film makers of Bengal, India) is also very unique and different. Since there is no copyright on Tagore songs any more, Mrinal Sen has used it very differently and the tune suites the environment; it brings a different meaning to "hope, joy, life, dance, death and birth".
Muslim minority community of Bengal is shown in this movie. I was afraid in the beginning as I am tired of seeing those riot scenes of India. (for which there is no solution, each religion kills the other and no one listens to their leaders, or do they listen?) But this movie was very different. Even with all the formula elements of a Bengali art film like Tagore songs, village scenes, minority community, a love affair between a wife and someone else etc., its very different, I was never bored.
I was also afraid in the beginning to see the name of only male voice singer..as I don't like the male voice in Tagore songs any more. However, Srikant Acharya has done an excellent job in these Tagore songs. Superb! After seeing the movie the very first time I am going to rate this movie higher than "Pather Panchali" by Satyajit Ray. I am going to watch it few more times in future (will update this review again).
I didn't see this movie even nominated in Cannes. Are Cannes folks missing something? Are they following the Hollywood trend these days? thank you for reading so far :-), som.
