Ajoy Kar would forever be remembered for Harano Sur and Saptapadi, two of the most enduring romantic films that took the
legendary Uttam Kumar-Suchitra Sen pair to its zenith in Bengali pop culture. Though
Saat Pake Bandha might pale in comparison
in terms of sheer popular success, this heart-wrenching examination of marital
breakdown would probably remain as his greatest achievement; and, possibly
Suchitra Sen’s too along with Deep Jwele
Jai. The film begins with Archana (Suchitra Sen), a disillusioned lady on a
self-imposed exile, taking the job of a teacher in a school. After coldly
spurning the advances of a besotted young colleague, she starts reminiscing about
her life. Thus, through extended flashback sequences, along with voiceovers to
reflect her inner turbulence vis-à-vis her stoic demeanour, we are told about
her falling for Subhendu (Soumitra Chatterjee), an erudite college
professor, and their subsequent marriage. Unfortunately, post the initial
bliss, their economic difference and the presence of her overbearing mother start
making inroads into their happiness; and these, along
with their own egos, take them beyond any chances of reconciliation. Though not
a flawless film, this was nonetheless a realistic, nuanced, affecting and
brilliantly enacted work, and comprised of a recurring and mesmerizing
background score by Hemanta Mukherjee that managed to beautifully accentuate
the movie’s themes of lost love, separation and one’s futile attempts at coming
to terms with that. The masterclass slow overhead zoom-out shot of the emotionally
imprisoned Archana lost in thought in her rocking chair with which the movie ends, with
the haunting motif softly playing on the background, was a truly heartbreaking
moment. The movie was remade in Hindi as Kora Kagaz.
Director: Ajoy Kar
Genre: Drama/Marriage Drama/Romance
Language: Bengali
Country: India