The title is a reference to the nightly flower Nishi Padma, Bengali words literally meaning "night-time lotus", both because the central character works as a prostitute and because she blossoms as a mother in the later stages of her life.
The story is good: 6/10. It talks about the many hardships Pushpa faces, such as from her husband who disowns her because she is childless, to her mother who succumbs to societal pressures and fails to support her, to a conniving person whom she looks up to as a fatherly figure but who forces her into prostitution, and to the guests at a boarding house who ill-treat her when she works there as a maid. She is redeemed by the complex relationship she develops with a kind-hearted but unhappily married businessman who frequents the brothel she is based out of and by the mother-son bonding she forges with a child who experiences neglect by his stepmother. In charting the tumultuous life story of Pushpa, the movie unveils the broader socioeconomic problems, albeit superficially, that beset women from the low-income stratum of that era.
The script and dialogues are good: 6/10. Although the subject matter is somber, it is played out in an engrossing fashion. Events unfold one after another naturally and do not appear contrived. There are just about enough subtle comedic performances neatly woven into the plot to provide some breathing space. The script allows room for all the major characters to flourish fully. The dialogues are crisp, reflecting reality, philosophical, engaging, and with literary value, and they will stand the test of time. The final portions of the movie though feels a bit rushed, and the transition of Pushpa the prostitute to Pushpa the maid is completely missing.
The camera work and visual effects are excellent: 7/10. There is none whatsoever to go gung-ho about the cinematography, but that is what precisely works for the movie. Shot in black and white and with simple and straightforward techniques, the movie is not a visual treat in the strictest sense of the term, but at the same time nothing sticks out like a sore thumb, so to speak. The camera captures the goings-on honestly and with as little distractions as possible and with no unnecessary embellishments. Editing, I must mention, though is a little rough around the edges, but it is nevertheless not by any means nagging.
The songs and sound effects are good: 6/10. Much like the video department, the sound department too does well with its job of propelling the movie forward. The songs are thought-provoking but are not overly laden with philosophical profundities. The background score is nonintrusive.
The universality of the themes dealt with in the movie and of the way they are presented will not be received well by all people across cultures, age groups, time periods, languages, and various other barriers. So, in this area, the movie is okay: 5/10.
Although the movie is engrossing for a one-time watching, because it has a gloomy storyline, because the narration is simple and linear, and because there is little suspense or entertainment, rewatchability of the movie is mediocre: 4/10.
The movie scores on decency as excellent: 7/10. Even when the story discusses bleak thematic elements such as domestic abuse, misogyny, prostitution, poverty, marital discord, child neglect, and childlessness, the movie is crafted with respectable dialogues and visuals.
Casting and acting are outstanding: 9/10. All of the actors fit the bill, except for maybe the one who plays Pushpa's son, who looks a tad too old, particularly in the last scenes when he is seen alongside the kind-hearted businessman in his old age. The actors who play the two most prominent characters, Pushpa and the businessman, have given their best performances possible. Due to the restrictive nature of the role, the Pushpa actor does not exhibit her full acting prowess. The businessman actor, on the other hand, is given a longer leash, and he displays a wide range of acting styles but all with immense restraint.
Makeup and customers are excellent: 7/10. They reflect the style of the place and time faithfully. Where they falter a little is when it comes to showing the characters in their old age.
Location and set are excellent: 7/10. The production gets them just right, be they the village locales and dwellings, the brothel area and the rooms, or the final boarding house. Location and set are created with the same care as the characters are. There however is some scope for improvement in terms of making them more realistic and engaging.
Overall, the movie is good and garners a rating of 6/10. Pros: Lead actors' acting, portrayal of various domestic and societal issues, and thought-provoking and respectable dialogues and lyrics. Cons: Casting of the actor who plays Pushpa's son, rushed up ending, and makeup.
The story is good: 6/10. It talks about the many hardships Pushpa faces, such as from her husband who disowns her because she is childless, to her mother who succumbs to societal pressures and fails to support her, to a conniving person whom she looks up to as a fatherly figure but who forces her into prostitution, and to the guests at a boarding house who ill-treat her when she works there as a maid. She is redeemed by the complex relationship she develops with a kind-hearted but unhappily married businessman who frequents the brothel she is based out of and by the mother-son bonding she forges with a child who experiences neglect by his stepmother. In charting the tumultuous life story of Pushpa, the movie unveils the broader socioeconomic problems, albeit superficially, that beset women from the low-income stratum of that era.
The script and dialogues are good: 6/10. Although the subject matter is somber, it is played out in an engrossing fashion. Events unfold one after another naturally and do not appear contrived. There are just about enough subtle comedic performances neatly woven into the plot to provide some breathing space. The script allows room for all the major characters to flourish fully. The dialogues are crisp, reflecting reality, philosophical, engaging, and with literary value, and they will stand the test of time. The final portions of the movie though feels a bit rushed, and the transition of Pushpa the prostitute to Pushpa the maid is completely missing.
The camera work and visual effects are excellent: 7/10. There is none whatsoever to go gung-ho about the cinematography, but that is what precisely works for the movie. Shot in black and white and with simple and straightforward techniques, the movie is not a visual treat in the strictest sense of the term, but at the same time nothing sticks out like a sore thumb, so to speak. The camera captures the goings-on honestly and with as little distractions as possible and with no unnecessary embellishments. Editing, I must mention, though is a little rough around the edges, but it is nevertheless not by any means nagging.
The songs and sound effects are good: 6/10. Much like the video department, the sound department too does well with its job of propelling the movie forward. The songs are thought-provoking but are not overly laden with philosophical profundities. The background score is nonintrusive.
The universality of the themes dealt with in the movie and of the way they are presented will not be received well by all people across cultures, age groups, time periods, languages, and various other barriers. So, in this area, the movie is okay: 5/10.
Although the movie is engrossing for a one-time watching, because it has a gloomy storyline, because the narration is simple and linear, and because there is little suspense or entertainment, rewatchability of the movie is mediocre: 4/10.
The movie scores on decency as excellent: 7/10. Even when the story discusses bleak thematic elements such as domestic abuse, misogyny, prostitution, poverty, marital discord, child neglect, and childlessness, the movie is crafted with respectable dialogues and visuals.
Casting and acting are outstanding: 9/10. All of the actors fit the bill, except for maybe the one who plays Pushpa's son, who looks a tad too old, particularly in the last scenes when he is seen alongside the kind-hearted businessman in his old age. The actors who play the two most prominent characters, Pushpa and the businessman, have given their best performances possible. Due to the restrictive nature of the role, the Pushpa actor does not exhibit her full acting prowess. The businessman actor, on the other hand, is given a longer leash, and he displays a wide range of acting styles but all with immense restraint.
Makeup and customers are excellent: 7/10. They reflect the style of the place and time faithfully. Where they falter a little is when it comes to showing the characters in their old age.
Location and set are excellent: 7/10. The production gets them just right, be they the village locales and dwellings, the brothel area and the rooms, or the final boarding house. Location and set are created with the same care as the characters are. There however is some scope for improvement in terms of making them more realistic and engaging.
Overall, the movie is good and garners a rating of 6/10. Pros: Lead actors' acting, portrayal of various domestic and societal issues, and thought-provoking and respectable dialogues and lyrics. Cons: Casting of the actor who plays Pushpa's son, rushed up ending, and makeup.
