Wednesday 10 December 2008

Chaturanga (Four Chapters) [2008]


Noted theatre personality Suman Mukhopadhyay, who made a name for himself with his brilliant debut feature Herbert, chose one of Tagore’s most famous novels for his sophomore film. This is a complex psychoanalytical tale on love, friendship, socio-religious beliefs and inner ideological conflicts. Though I haven’t read the novel, watching the film was evident enough that translating the work into celluloid must have been a very tough act; consequently the director's conviction and courage deserve appreciation. Set in colonial Bengal, this is the tale of Sachish, who experiences radical swings of personal beliefs from positivism (atheism) to mysticism to finally disillusionment, coupled with his complex relationships with Sribilash, a cynical man of the world, and Damini, a passionate lady albeit a widow. Though the director’s presence is undeniable, and the acting, art direction, etc., too, are good, the movie does end up leaving one a tad disappointed. The reason for that isn’t really the director’s fault; rather it could be attributed to the difficult (and extremely) philosophical subject and sheer depth of the characters.








Director: Suman Mukhopadhyay
Genre: Drama/Psychological Drama/Existential Drama/Religious Drama/Romance
Language: Bengali
Country: India

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