Seemabaddha (1971) User Reviews

the discreet harm of the bourgeoisie

[jaibo · 8/10 · 17 December 2007]

Detailed, methodical, textured study of an aspiring member of the bourgeoisie. The protagonist, Shyamal, is a go-getting export manager at a British-owned fan manufacturer based in Calcutta. He has a new flat with all mod cons, a devoted wife and the chance of promotion to the board of directors. His intelligent sister-in-law comes to stay, and he shows his lifestyle off to her: horse racing, golf, clubs and soirées. A hitch comes up with an export order, and our man gets involved in some shady dealings involving stoking industrial unrest and a bomb at the factory, which badly injures a lowly night watchman, and it is apparent by the end of the film that, to gain the world, Shyamal has lost his soul.

The film is reminiscent of the grittier end of British social realist drama, and therefore a pleasurable contrast to the usual banalities of Bollywood. It shows Ray to be an incisive critic of the embourgeoisiement of Indian society. There is a poignant scene in which Shyamal's country bumpkin parents visit his flat and are ushered into a side-room as a drinks party plays out - they are an embarrassment in the shiny new India - but it is really the soul-rotting dehumanisation Shyamal is willing to be embroiled in which should embarrass. The sister-in-law is an intriguing symbolic figure, standing as she does for Shyamal's conscience and soul. Her ghostly disappearance, leaving him sat alone with the knowledge of his sin, is an eloquent and haunting final image.

Keeping up appearances

[paul2001sw-1 · 8/10 · 21 October 2008]

The budget may be low (an explosion is simulated, for example, merely by shaking the camera), but Satyajit Ray's film about climbing the corporate ladder in early 1970s India is a highly sophisticated piece of work. It takes place in a surprisingly modern, gleaming slice of Calcutta; but the environment in which the emerging Indian professional classes prosper still bears the residual echoes of the colonial era. The central character, played skillfully by Barun Chanda , is quiet and charming, and superficially ambiguous about the appearances his position requires him to maintain; a little too flirtatious, perhaps, especially with his sister-in-law (who plays the movie's moral conscience); but when it comes down to it, ruthless in his ambition: I found his mixed motivations wholly convincing. There are even echoes of 'Save the Tiger' in the plot, except whereas that film (from the same era) is about the decline of America, this one is set against the backdrop of a rising India. An interesting and farsighted film, 'Company Limited' catches a snapshot of a country in transition from the era of empire and Gandhi to that of today.

Seed of decay

[smrana9377-831-371630 · 7/10 · 17 December 2010]

This is Part 2 of the Calcutta trilogy. Stepping forward from the unemployed rebel of The Adversary, we have a view of the workaday life of a rising executive Shyamal Chatterjee in a British owned fan manufacturing company (Peter Fans) in Calcutta. He has climbed rapidly to become the sales manager and is eying a directorship.Their son is schooling in a boarding in Darjeeling. There seems hardly any cloud of discontent in their monotonously blissful routine of office politics and evenings spent at clubs and restaurants.A sister-in law (Tutul by name) visits from Patna and we see the routine of innocuous flirting. The sister is only mildly impressed by the prosperity and adroit social climbing of her brother-in-law.

We get a nostalgic and somewhat drab recap of that period when there were only two brands of cars made in India, fans were more ubiquitous and air conditioning a rarity, television were still a decade ahead, and the villainies were also on a humbler scale, even in Bollywood. The world population was half the current figure. The wheel of life ambulated at a more leisurely pace. The ceiling fan and bicycle are appropriate symbols of this fleeting era..

And then there is real big trouble when a costly consignment of fans meant for Iraq is found liable for rejection on account of faulty painting. Shyamal's future is in jeopardy because the sales agreement includes a heavy penalty clause for late delivery. He has come a long way from the clever student and humble schoolteacher that he was as he conspires with the personnel manager to brew up labor trouble culminating in a temporary lockout and an explosion in the factory which leaves the guard badly, but not fatally, wounded. So what if he had died, joke the conspirators complacently, so many die in Calcutta every day, and the company would have sent a wreath. Both achieve their coveted career advancements, thus cashing in on an adverse situation.

The movie ends as Tutul returns the watch lent to her by Shyamal.

Not a masterpiece but certainly a vignette and a memorable slice of real life. No character is wasted and Harindranath Chattopadhyaya, as the worldly wise wog director of the company is particularly amusing as he gives a trade-mark performance. Ray is incapable of dishonesty or exaggeration for the sake of popularity and he paints the era as drab as it was.

"Written by Shankar, another novelist with a deeper cut cult following"

[smkbsws · 9/10 · 16 September 2020]

This the the next one, but it tells a story of a very rich, successful young man and the credibility of his acts and decisions from the perspective of his sister in law, who believes him and admires too. Written by Shankar, another novelist with a deeper cut cult following, everything is undercurrent in this film. Extramarital affairs, lobbyism, corporate corruption, flirting and even communism. The recurring thing you will see here is the doubt of a suburban girl, who is empathetic about the underground naxalites, between good and bad about the corporate sectors in the then growing third world country. For the people who always needs a well known reference, a lot of scenes in this movie is like 'American Psycho'. And you will get a significant role of Ms. Shefali, just not a cameo.

Limits Stretched Already!

[avisheksahu99 · 10/10 · 6 August 2023]

Smart's a misnomer in offices of social wherewithal keeping records on paper for another day at heroism buttressed by inks on winks and dinks off kinks to keep the smarts smart in contexts declared historical for modernity beating in their cusps. The cusp of edges are depressions in vessels of hegemony challenged to survive in time like calendars do with companies and banks marketing raison détres of yore as choices hard chore brooked not with narratives parading as cultural artefacts peculiarly regional but with professional elan on dark schmooze keeping paperwork for distant fans air conditioning for the last man standing, deliberately, for lack of choices in any further professional manoeuvres at offices taken by those that call dibs on files and folders alien to smart cut trouser hems and locals to kitty parties without a regional licence in turn.

An interesting story but the pacing seemed quite slow.

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 14 June 2011]

This story is about an unusual man. Despite living in the impoverished city of Calcutta, he is amazingly rich by Indian standards. Shyamalendu (Barun Chanda) is a manager at a fan factory--and he's clearly being groomed to become a member of the board of directors. His entire life is his job and getting on the board. So, even though he has a great apartment and a loving and beautiful wife, his one love is his work. Just how seriously screwed up his sense of priorities are becomes all too apparent later in the film.

Into his life comes change in the form of his sister-in-law. She comes to visit and she seems a bit put off by the banality of their life--though she is neither nasty about it nor was an unwelcome guest. And, slowly, you can see that Shyamalendu begins to develop some feelings for her and wants her respect and acceptance. No, the story does NOT become tawdry--there is no affair here. But, when he makes a VERY unscrupulous decision to help him out of a scrape at work (thus preserving his chances at advancement), she seems to understand what he's done.

This is the third film Satyajit Ray film I've seen in the last couple weeks--and it's probably my least favorite of the three. But, considering how wonderful the other two were, this is not necessarily a bad thing. After all, "Company Limited" is quite original and compelling....even if the pace seems, at times, glacially slow. I think much of this is exacerbated by the stark quality of the film---without music, very low-key acting as well as a low-key script.

Well worth seeing--just not a Ray masterpiece. Also, while it does not detract from the film, despite being made in the 1970s it was in black & white. I have no idea if this is because Indian films still were being made this way or if Ray deliberately chose this.

Satyajit Ray shows the fatal world of corporate business where the alternate meaning of success is self desolation.

[SAMTHEBESTEST · 7/10 · 17 April 2021]

Seemabaddha / Company Limited (1971) : Brief Review -

Satyajit Ray shows the fatal world of corporate business where the alternate meaning of success is self desolation. Seemabaddha is brilliant take on politics and propoganda run by business minded tycoons who care about nothing but their own benefit. Satyajit Ray uses a common man with high ambitions to showcase the change appeared in humans because of corporate race. The best part I liked is that he doesn't use highly greedy character like we assume, rather he makes protagonist look like a normal guy who wants get promoted for his own hard work and dedication. The films deal with the rapid modernization of Calcutta, rising corporate culture and greed, and the futility of the rat race which is worth watching even for today's era. In early 70s it must have created a rage as the nation was struggling to make everything simple for Middle class people. Seemabaddha is about Shyamal Chatterji, a hard-working and genius employee who wants to become a director of the company he works for. His general ambitious turns into obsession and then how things changes for him is all you get to see here. Barun Chanda in lead role is simply amazing. He had couple of fumbles which can be overlooked, otherwise he's just flawless rest of the time. Sharmila Tagore plays a girl who doesn't have much to say but her expressions says a lot. In supporting roles, Paromita, Harindranath and others are comfortably good. Well, Seemabaddha isn't that perfect, it definitely has couple of issues like Shyamal & Tutul's bonding and screenwriter wasting some potential scenes. Nevertheless, Satyajit Ray still makes a solid drama in his own club. Overall, it's Very Nice. Unlike other Satyajit Ray movies this one isn't Classic but very close to it.

RATING - 7/10*

By - #samthebestest.

Look into Corporate India of 60's and 70's

[princebansal1982 · 4/10 · 18 May 2011]

While thematically Seemabaddha is similar to Jana Aranya, the dramatic element comes only near the end of the film. Instead it plays more like a slice of life film.

I have seen a lot of bollywood movies, they have never been able to give me insight into India as Satyajit Ray's movies have. That is why Seemabaddha was a revelation for me, mostly how little some things have changed.

Seemabaddha begins with visit of Tutul who is sister-in-law of Shyamalendu Chatterjee, movie's protagonist who is a sales manager in a big firm. From then on it mostly shows their daily lives as seen through eyes of Tutul, who is quite critical of her brother-in-law and liked him more when he was teaching. Tutul represent the traditional middle class India, while Shyamlendu is part of upwardly mobile young India. It is about the conflict in both their values. Of course like in most of Ray's movies everything is very subtle, and viewers have to come to their own conclusions.

While it lacks the dramatic elements of most of his high other movies I still loved this movie as it showed me a picture of India I had not seen before.

Good movie but not a masterpiece

[crappydoo · 5/10 · 26 February 2008]

This is a good movie, but not one of Ray's best. The acting is pretty good by the main leads and it has a good story; however it loses something in the execution. The direction does not involve the audience and keeps them at a distance.

Its the story of the rapid rise of an educated and street smart person, up the corporate ladder of a successful Britain-based multinational company; and his experience in that position. This is juxtaposed with his personal life. The film concentrates most of its running time with the character's family.

The movie starts with a prologue which provides us with an information overload and forces us to pay attention from the very first minute. This information is essential as the entire movie revolves around it. However the story does not lose anything if people are unable to grasp all the information thrown at them within the first 5 minutes. The story flows smoothly however a key element in the story is not made clear which makes the ending seem pretty melodramatic which it isn't and had this element been conveyed properly, the end would make complete sense. Nevertheless, the Angel DVD's summary of the film clarifies this aspect which is unfortunate and shows a lack of direction from Ray.

This movie should be considered as supplementary to the other and much better Ray films: Jana Aranya (The Middleman) and Mahanagar (The Big City) which also deal with the corporate world and its effect on people's personal lives.

In the end the movie does not leave us very impressed, but hard core Ray fans will watch it anyways. Five stars for a good story, cinematography and the acting.