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Charulata [VHS]

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Supposedly inspired by Rabindranath Tagore's real life "friendship" with Kadambari Devi, his brother's wife, this is Satyajit Ray's best work . Whatever be the inspiration for the story, there can be no doubt that this is the closest you can get to a perfect film.

Ultimately its a story of trust, betrayal and loneliness set in the 19th century. The characters consist of Bhupati-- a crusty feudal lord, with liberal views and a fascination with England and all things English. He is distant,aloof and preoccupied with british politics and running his newspaper which like him, is dry and unpopular. But he loves his wife dearly though has trouble expressing his love. Charulata, his wife, is imaginative, young and lonely in a loving through unexpressive marriage. And in the midst of this life comes the Bohemian brother of Bhupati- Amol, a budding author of doubtful literary credentials who comes in like a storm and catches Charulata's imagination and heart. Also coming into the mix is Charulata's evil brother who is out to embezzle Bhupati's money. What follows is a story of how love brings out the best in people, how trust and betrayal walk hand in hand, and of relationships broken and hearts that never heal.

Satyajit Ray is in his elements as one unforgettable scene melts into another-- leaving behind words not spoken, looks of smouldering passion not exchanged and tears that well up in the eyes and yet vanish with a smile....

A masterpiece...a Picasso on film

What more can one say.....

Did Amol really fall in love with Charulata, his brother's wife? I do not think so, though I wouldn't debate on that, especially without having read the story ("NoshtoNir" - by Rabindranath Tagore, written originally in Bengali) on which the film is based. And a film, as a medium of expression, just like literature, can be subjected to varied interpretations. That is never its source of greatness; and I'm definitely not the first one to realise that 'Charulata', as a film, is one such creation. So what is it that makes it stand apart?

A film is like art in motion, a dynamic canvas trying to create impressions in your mind through the images and sounds that it presents frame-by-frame. And this film accomplishes that task to a superlative degree; right from the start where, over a few scenes, lucid camerawork and adroit focus capture Charu's boredom and solitude with alacrity. Near-flawless compositions with occasional sprinkling of eloquent imagery, dominate the whole film. Some of the most moving images are: 1) A singing Charulata going up and down on a swing, her feet intermittently touching the ground while a contemplative Amol lies at some distance on the ground. The camera covers this shot both from the front when we see only Charulata and also from the side when Amol dominates the frame with Charulata swinging in the background. It produces a dreamlike effect. This is the strongest metaphor of Charulata's yearning for Amol.

2) Charulata's recollection of her childhood which inspires her to write - a brilliant montage of diverse scenes, such as a river, dancing men, a village fair and fire crackers, juxtaposed over a big close up of her face.

3) The final freeze shot, symbolising the indelible fracture in Bhupati and Charulata's marriage.

Music plays a significant role and qualifies most of the scenes. Acting perhaps ceases to be of supreme importance in such a masterful work but the very fact of the film's quality is testimony to good acting, though Amol (Soumitra Chatterjee) appears slightly theatrical in a few scenes and Bhupati's mannerisms a little arcane in the context of contemporary Bengali civility (which is perhaps irrelevant).

Ray himself has talked of 'Charulata' as his most consummate work, and we can understand why. Here he successfully blends picture and music, with his usual fluent style of narration, to create a deft composition, which is both adroit and expressive - adroit in its adaptation of technique and expressive as a work of art.

Satyajit Ray was simply one of the greatest auteurs in the history of film. If you haven't had the privilege of seeing one of his creations, then by all means, please heed my advice. I was first introduced to Ray's work twenty years ago in a film class I took in college. I'm no maven in regards to his movies, having only seen five of them. However, what I can tell you is this, all five of those films were excellent. This one in particular is a gem and many critics believe it to be his magnum opus.

"Charulata" (The Lonely Wife) is based on the short story "Nastanirh" (The Broken Nest) by Pulitzer Prize winner Rabindranath Tagore (whose work I have yet the pleasure of perusing). The story takes place in the late 19th century India and tells the tale of a lonely housewife Charu (short for Charulata), very reminiscent of Flaubert's Emma Bovary. Charu and her rather detached, older husband Bhupati live a quiet, well-to-do life. She is a very beautiful woman, with tons of money and all the time in the world to enjoy her passions - the arts, literature and poetry. Yet her workaholic husband seems to be more concerned with his job than his marriage. And alas, she is all alone, ailing from that distasteful disorder of ennui that seemingly plagues so many kept women.

However, the sun shines a bit brighter for our heroine when Bhupati's young, handsome cousin Amal arrives for a visit. Bhupati, who is far from a heartless man and feels sympathy for his wife's cheerless plight, encourages his cousin to befriend his wife as they both have so much in common (he loves poetry and the arts as well). Well, I won't go any further in relating the story line, but as most of you can guess...

I have read in several different articles that this was Ray's favorite film. That is quite a boast when you consider how many classic, award-winning films this man had been a part of. I just love this guy's directing! He was an artist who was able to evoke any emotion he wanted from his actors. There is typically not a whole lot of dialogue in his films, and he was definitely not one to use any effulgent effects, however I have never seen a director so adept in capturing the intimate feelings of his characters. Ergo, I would be remiss to not give kudos to the fine cast as well - Madhabi Mukherjee as Charlu, Soumitra Chatterjee as Amal, and Shailen Mukherjee as Bhupati. All three give standout performances, especially Madhabi as Charlu and it's no wonder why Ray loved having her as his lead actress for several other films.

There is no violence, foul language, nudity, crude humor, etc... in this 1964 classic. It's a charming story directed by one of the world's greatest story tellers - simple, yet stylish and sophisticated at the same time. I can't recommend it enough!

A filmmaker has so many choices to make. What is the pace of the action? How is the scene framed? What is the best sequence of events? How is character condensed into its essence in a few brief moments of imagery? What do you do to build conflict and resolution? Satyajit Ray's Charulata has much to teach about all these questions.

This film is about a highly privileged group of people living in the late 19th century in Calcutta, and a marriage where a beautiful young wife, Charulata, sits bored and alone for weeks on end while her brilliant and preoccupied husband, Bhupati, tends to his other wife: his political newspaper. Bhupati is sensitive enough to understand his wife's frustration and asks his more emotional and romantic brother, Amol, a writer of sentimental romances, to tend to his wife and help her to write. Finally we see Charulata happy, singing, playful, and tending to Amol, mending his clothes and inspiring him to continue writing. Her innocent flirtations catch her offguard as she becomes deeply attached to Amol. Amol also realizes that his emotions are leading him astray. After Bhupati is ruined when his brother in law, whom he trusted and loved, makes off with the newspaper's money, Amol decides to leave, not wanting to take away from Bhupati his "other" wife. Charulata is crushed by Amol's departure and inadvertently betrays her emotions to Bhupati. Bhupati is completely disillusioned by these reversals of trust and love. Their marriage is severed. The final freeze frame is of the couple reaching out to hold each other's hand and is captioned, "The Ruined Nest."

This rather operatic plot opens slowly and quietly, but it becomes clear that a master is behind the lens as scene after scene move naturally into one another and the framing and pace draw the viewer into the emotion and drama of the story. Satyajit Ray's poetic, artistic, and literary sensibility fully enfolds and engages the viewer, and one realizes that all the right choices have been made. This movie is a master work, but in today's American film culture of fast action, cheap sentiment, and explicit sex, few people will realize it.

It is incredibly difficult to review any film by Satyavit Ray because he is an artist without peer...director, screen writer, composer. Unlike so many Hollywood films, Ray's films seem real, not contrived and stike at the core of our feelings. "Charulata" is one of Ray's most beautifully realized films. It reflects the life of a wife, "Charulata", who lives like a caged bird in a traditional Bengali upper class home. Reflecting this, the film is mostly confined to a few rooms and garden of the home with glimpses of the outer world. Yet, despite the confined spaces, the film depicts a universal human condition. The conflict of love and duty is spelled out here in such a subtle manner that you can watch the film many times and still find more to appreciate. Be sure to see it!

Another tale of twisted love, but better yet, the realization of one's responsibility towards his "fellow brother" is outlined. Charulata is indescribable. I could watch this movie numerous times, especially the scenes portrayed in the garden where Charulata sways on the swing, while her brother-in-law writes....magnificent!!!!

One of the finest filmmakers ever, Ray never disappoints and Charulata is one of his best.

A husband who loves his wife, but as in one scene where he strolls past her twice while reading his paper, he literally 'overlooks' her and her very fine qualities. A man whose interests take precedence over his duties and responsibilities, he asks a relation to spend time with is bored and lonely wife.

He asks another relation to oversee his newspaper's business affairs so he can have more time for doing what he prefers doing, writing for the paper and sharing it with like minded friends.

Not wanting to give the story away, I'll just say that like all of Ray's films this one is perfectly told through more than just narrative, but also in the use of his superb cinematography and his sensitive portrayal of the people involved.

Just as he discovers the real worth of his wife, the husband learns that the consequences of letting others care for what he loves best, are costlier than he had imagined.

I admire S.Ray's films enormously and find this movie one of his finest. His ability to evoke a mood brings the viewer into the story and the hearts of the characters. The performances, especially Madhabi Mukherjee's, are also outstanding. This is not, though, a movie for people who like fast paced action.

If you often visit films of Satyajit Ray, you will recognize many of his actors. The women in Ray's films are generally beautiful, while the men are with memorable character in their face. The lead actress in Charulata was also in his Mahanagar (The Big City). And now she plays the beautiful Charu, ignored and lonely wife, who falls deeply for her assigned mentor, who is her brother-in-law.

What's unique about this love story is that there isn't the usual acknowledgement, no mutual confirmation of love, neither the display of affection. It's rather one-sided and it is the actress who skillfully must convey to the viewer those feelings. It is subtle but yet romantic.

Set in 19th century, and released in 1964, Charula (Lonely Wife) lives behind the walls of a grand luxurious place, viewing the outside world through her opera glasses, connecting only with servants, and her husband runs a political newspaper. He doesn't have much time for Charu, and in order to bring out her writing talent, he asks his brother to mentor her.

Charulata was filmed entirely on set, with great detail to the period and details began with the Victorian bed. A tedious process was the hanging of printed wallpaper pattern onto plywood. Satyajit Ray was a remarkable man, a short story writer, graphic designer, and a composer. His graphic design and musical composition talents were evident. Music, lyrics and writing play a major role in this film. The author referenced several times by Charu, Bankim, unknown to most in our world, was a prominent novelist of that era.

This is a lengthy film, at times slow moving, but the depth is the relationship of love without infidelity. This is said to be Satyajit Ray's favorite work. Satyajit is a remarkable man. Rizzo

Excellent Ray films: Try The Stranger and a wonderful black and white Jalsaghar - The Music Room (1958)

Till I saw Jalsaghar, this was my favourite Ray movie. I have read the book (the translation). This is a film version that does not destroy the book. It is perfect in its storytelling, acting, visually, the music...all of it. Madhabi Mukherjee fits the role like a glove and so do the rest of the cast. I think Amal is infatuated with Charu but Charu's involvement is of course greater. Charu is highly intelligent and has a certain sensibility - on the other hand she would perhaps have been content with some attention from her husband and a child. So it is like a combination of circumstances that make Charu so emotionally dependent on Amal that it eventually destroys her as a person and irrevocably damages her relationship with her husband. I think the tale is really timeless even if women today have more freedom than Charu could ever imagine. The heart betrays us in the same way no matter what times we live in.