CHARULATA

India, 1964, 118 minutes, Black and white.
Madhaba Mukherhee.
Directed by Satyajit Ray.

This film is an early work by venerated Indian director Satyajit Ray who made classic films in the Bengali tradition and not the Bollywood tradition. Soon after this look at 19th century India, based on the writings of Rabindranath Tagore, Ray was to move to his Apu trilogy. Ray was to continue to explore Indian themes and history until the early 1990s and build up a body of work that put India in the realms of world cinema.

1. The reputation of Satyajit Ray? His perception of India? Communication of India to Indians, to the world? An appraisal of India in the 19th century? The work of Rabindranath Tagore?

2. Ray's work in the 60s? Pioneering in serious Indian cinema? The quality of his black and white photography, compositions, interiors, light and darkness, profiles, tableaux? The re-creation of period, decor, costumes, buildings, decorations? Editing and pace? The Indian score?

3. A film of insight? Appraisal? Compassion? The personal story in its social situation? Political situation? India in the 19th century? Britain?

4. The focus on Char? The opening? Her relationship with her husband, the meal and her husband, her boredom, cards, novels? Her relationship with the brother-in-law and his wife? The attraction to Affial? Sharing so much with him? The sequences in the garden? Poetry? How strongly delineated a character? In herself, as a woman, wife? A woman's place in 19th century society? in Calcutta? The publishing world? Romance, poetry. creativity? Her feelings and her unspoken regard for Amal, for her husband?

5. How well did the film communicate the change in her: poetry, love, the gift of the short story. the betrayal of its publication, the poem and technique? Her reaction to Amal?

6. The crisis and speculation about Amal? The financial disaster? Managing? The beach sequence and its dramatic and emotional implications? The letter from Amal and her weeping? Her husband's sense of betrayal? Her decision to face the future - and the hands reaching towards each other at the end?

7. The portrait of a wife, fidelity, fault and faultlessness, the reality of shared experience, the impact of passion?

8. The contrast with Bhupat! Dutt and his paper, his hard work, political background? His skill in managing? His optimism? Neglect of his wife? His setting people up? Politics, liberalism? Parties? Setting up his brother-in-law and his wife? As company for his wife? For management? Betrayal, debt? The collapse of his world? Amal, Amalls leaving? The beach sequence? His sense of final betrayal? The possibility of reconciliation?

9. Amal as a pleasant and indolent young poet, cheerful, creative? Playful, songs, compositions, stories? His self-preoccupation and the publication of the novel? His infatuation with Char? His not touring, leaving? The impact on the household?

10. Umapada and his wife? Wanting or not wanting to be part of the household and the politics of the paper? Tensions? The build-up to the financial plot? The embezzlement?

11. The background of Bengal, Indians and wealth. poverty? The world of Calcutta? The presence of the English? Relationship with London? Politics and culture? A time of peace in the Empire? Society and its hopes? Indian gentility? Upper class wealth?

12. The beauty of the film? its pace and insight? The atmosphere of the 19th. century? The universal plot - strongly embedded in its period yet available for a universal audience?