Archive of films Chokher Bali, A Passion Play / Chokher Bali
India
2003, 145 min
Section:
Another View
Year: 2004
The young widow Binodini enters a rich Calcutta family where she meets the thoughtless Mahendra, his naïve wife Ashalata, and the family friend Behari. She refuses to accept a widow’s traditional lot, thus setting off a dangerous game. The film, which takes place in Bengal in 1902-05, is the second adaptation of the Rabindranath Tagore novel.
Synopsis
Soon after her wedding, the charming Binodini is widowed. She comes from the countryside to Calcutta as the companion of Mrs. Rajakshmi, and there meets the rich woman’s son, Mahendra, who was originally intended as her husband. Now, however, the thoughtless young man is married to the naïve Ashalata, who quickly befriends the young widow. Mahendra’s prudent and politically involved friend from childhood and medical school, Behari, enters this play of emotion and passion. Binodini doesn’t want to come to terms with the widow’s lot, a bitter life spent in seclusion. She longs for freedom just like people from Bengal long for independence. The film takes place between 1902 and 1905 and focuses on the blighted atmosphere of the time. Though it relies on effective visual representation to convey its themes, the action is heavily dependent on the spoken word, both in the numerous dialogues and the frequent quotations from letters or poetry. The film features Indian star Aishwarya Rai, who portrays the somewhat mysterious leading lady. Her nickname, Sand in the Eye, gives the film its title.
About the director
Rituparno Ghosh (b. 1961, Calcutta) studied economics but was always drawn to film and literature. Possibly under the influence of his father – a documentary filmmaker – he finally decided to pursue the cinema. He began in advertising where he worked for ten years as copywriter and director of commercials and short films. Over the course of twelve years he made ten features in which he focused chiefly on female leads and family problems. His work has already been shown twice in Karlovy Vary: in 1998 Crossfire (Dahan, 1997) was shown in competition, and in 2000 The Lady of the House (Bariwali, 1999) in the section Another View. He made his debut in 1992 with The Diamond Ring (Hirer Angti), which was followed by 19th April (Unishe April, 1994), Malaise (Asukh, 1999), Utsab (2000), The First Monsoon Day (Titli, 2002), Shubho Mahurat (2003), Chokher Bali: A Passion Play (2003) and Raincoat (2004). Chokher Bali is the second adaptation, following a film made in 1938, of the love story of the same name first published in 1903 by Nobel Prize winner Rabindranath Tagore.
Contacts
Shree Venkatesh Films
, 700 069, Calcutta
India
Tel: +91 33 224 802 67
Fax: +91 33 221 011 24
E-mail: [email protected]
www: www.venkateshfilms.com
Venus Records and Tapes Pvt. Ltd.
Shiv Sagar, Corner of A.B.Nair Road, Opp. Chand Society, Juhu, 400 049, Mumbai
India
E-mail: [email protected]
About the film
Color, 35 mm
| Section: | Another View |
|---|---|
| Director: | Rituparno Ghosh |
| Screenplay: | Rituparno Ghosh based on a novel by Rabindranath Tagore |
| Dir. of Photography: | Aveek Mukherjee |
| Music: | Debojyoti Misra |
| Editor: | Arghyakamal Mitra |
| Producer: | Shrikant Mohta, Mahendra Soni |
| Production: | Shree Venkatesh Films |
| Cast: | Aishwarya Rai, Prosenjit Chatterjee, Tota Raychaudhuri, Raima Sen, Lily Chakrabarti |
| Contact: | Shree Venkatesh Films, Venus Records and Tapes Pvt. Ltd. |
| www: | www.chokherbali.com |
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