I am no big film critic like old timer Philip French or the current Baradwaj Rangan. Not as experienced .. neither in movie watching nor in writing reviews in the right way.
I am just a novice excited after watching specific movies and digi-scribbling what comes to my mind. Heres one such review of Mahanagar (The Big City). For a person like Ray who is like a blotting paper inside a Bril Ink bottle where the ink bottle is the film industry and the ink is cinema, Ray is the blotting paper...thoroughly soaked in cinema
Disclaimer: I do not understand a word of Bengali. I watched this movie with subtitles. But for Ray movies, for one who does not understand Bengali...still Ray gives you all required elements minus the beauty of knowing the language which adds the essential element of curry flavor to the cine-culinary creation to enjoy.
Who should watch Mahanagar:
1. Madhabi Mukerjee Fans (Must Must)
2. Ray Fans (Must)
3. Bengali movie fans (Must)
4. Patient movie lovers who have a flare for movies which reflect society at different phases.
5. Movie Buffs (Who like contemporary cinema and Women Centric movies (Movies which have women as the key aspect and not as a one off appearance for commercial elements)
6. Working Women
7. Men who support working women
My Review:
Based on the book Abataranika by Narendranath Mitra, The movie title is apt - 'Mahanagar' translates to 'The big city'. What happens at a particular period in the big city is portrayed vivdly. Characters portrayed are closest possible to reality and leaves your throat dry and heart beating melodramatically.
The main character of the movie, Arati leaves you thinking what would one have done in her situation as a working woman living with in laws who are still in the ages where they feel women of the house should not work and a husband who takes his own sweet time to change and a son who longs for her presence when she starts working. The blossom of a woman who stands for what she believes and stands by it and also from a introvert to a challenging individual is crafted well by the stalwart of Indian movie making. Scenes where she fears looking at the eyes of her husband initially to situations where she stares right into the eye of anybody who questions her belief up until the scene where she confronts her boss are classic cinema ingredients.
Subrata portrays all the ups and downs in the mind of a middle class husband who is torn apart between his career, parents, wife and 'what the society may say'. Himangshu portrays a success seeking India centered Boss in that time frame in India. Priyogopal's character makes you both sympathetic and also irritated as to why do some people never come out of their shell. Subtle elements of Bani (Jaya Bacchan), Edith (The Anglo Indian colleague) add garnishing to the main subject.
All said and done it is the characters Arati (immortalised by Madhabi) and Subrata (aptly portrayed by Anil Chatterjee) which steals the 2 horus 16 minutes 6 seconds Bangali classic film 35mm 14 reels released in 1963.
Scenes to watch out for:
1.Fear of Lipstick (Appears twice in the movie until it is thrown out of the window of Arati's house) - Expression and portrayal of fear / want
2. Subrata Spotting Arati with a cooling glass on the road from a chai shop - Expression
3.When the mother in law sits and fans Arati when she is the sole bread winner of the family when Subrata is jobless due to the bank lockout - reversal of fortune
4.The phone call of Subrata when he asks Arati just in time, not to submit her resignation - Thrilling moment
5.When the doctor departs after bringing home a sick Priyogopal and followed by a car in which Himangsu drops Arati back home late in the night after a successful sales pitch and Subrata stands in the dark protection of his house listening to the end of day conversation of his wife and her boss.
6. Subrata overhearing a conversation of his wife behind an open newspaper in a chai shop (Expressions)
7.The final joy of Arati when Subrata calls out that he believes they both will get a job to support the family
Wiki References:
Praise for Ray: Upon its delayed (1968) release in the United States, it drew praise from Roger Ebert, Pauline Kael and others. According to Ebert "The power of this extraordinary film seems to come in equal parts from the serene narrative style of director Satyajit Ray and the sensitive performances of the cast members." He described Mahanagar as "one of the most rewarding screen experiences of our time".
Madhabi Mukherjee : Watch Mahanagar to see what she contributed to Indian Cinema.
In the early 1960s, she was recruited by Satyajit Ray to portray the role of Arati in the 1963 film, Mahanagar (The Big City).
Recalling her meeting with Ray, Madhabi wrote:
“He read me the entire story, Mahanagar. I was stunned. This was the first woman-centered screenplay I had encountered. I was not going to play second fiddle to the main male character as in all plays and films I had acted in or was familiar with. (p.20)
Youtube Link (Without Subtitles)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6x0lbhLA2U
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