If you ask what is the basic difference between Ray movie and any other good movie, you would get various answers. A movie critic might vouch for 'subtlety', a photographer might be awed with the frames, a musician would go with the background score, a storyteller might fall in love with the characters and a Bengali with 'everything'. For me, what stands out in Ray movie is 'Honesty' Be it the innocence of country life or the chaotic city life, Ray's portrayals of his characters and situations are so honest that you wouldn't feel for a second that you are in front of the screen and not in it. One thing I noticed in both the Ray movies I have seen in last 2 days ( Pather Panchali and Mahanagar), that he is not trying to tell us a story. But he just tries to paint the life of ordinary human beings, the first in a village and now this one in the big city of Kolkata (erstwhile Calcutta)
Mahanagar addresses the dilemmas faced by common man - progressiveness vs conservatism, opportunism vs ethics, practicality and social practices. A man is confused should he let himself depend on his wife's income ignoring parental criticisms or stick to hunger and poverty owing to his joblessness. A woman is confused whether she should raise voice against her benign boss who has helped her in her troubles but has been unfair to her friend. A retired teacher is jealous of his well-to-do students and faces the perplexity of asking them a favour.
Watching 'Mahanagar' is like reading a rich literature, which might not have a compelling story, but has a subtle lyrical description.
(Originally posted @ weirdo-on-movies.blogspot.com)
Mahanagar addresses the dilemmas faced by common man - progressiveness vs conservatism, opportunism vs ethics, practicality and social practices. A man is confused should he let himself depend on his wife's income ignoring parental criticisms or stick to hunger and poverty owing to his joblessness. A woman is confused whether she should raise voice against her benign boss who has helped her in her troubles but has been unfair to her friend. A retired teacher is jealous of his well-to-do students and faces the perplexity of asking them a favour.
Watching 'Mahanagar' is like reading a rich literature, which might not have a compelling story, but has a subtle lyrical description.
(Originally posted @ weirdo-on-movies.blogspot.com)