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Satyajit Ray’s Agantuk for Kupa Mondoks

Poster of Agantuk (The Stranger), 1991 designed by Satyajit RayAgantuk (The Stranger), 1991 directed by Satyajit Ray

I really enjoyed watching the movie.

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In a way, the film was reflective of the attitude of knowledge worship among Bengali middle class of his era. On one hand, there are people who use knowledge as a utility, a tool, and a social propellant; and on the other hand, we have the fascinating character played brilliantly by Uttpal Dutt who knows it all but is he is after the family Money, is what people around him wonder, but it seem so strange. What does he really want? Thoughts of the family member and by now the viewer: He truly is The Stranger

Satyajit Ray managed to weave an eclectic web of philosophical meanderings, discourse on culture, society et al into the story, stired it up like steaming sweet tea and then served it in a Bangla Adda teeming with characters who love talking.
And he managed to pull it off. Fascinating!

Mamata Shankar was great. The scene towards the end of the movie, when she dances with people from local tribe, is brought alive by her dancing. Smart me at first thought that the scene could have been edited a bit but then slowly with the rising drumbeats, the screen comes alive.
Makes you wanna sit in front of the screen like a Kupa Mondok

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For fans of Sukumar Ray, a Poem of Sukumar Ray translated by Satyajit Ray
Enjoy some Nonsense

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Image:
Poster of movie Agantuk designed by Satyajit Ray
Found it at an insightful page maintained by
Ray Film and Study Collection

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A version on this post appeared as a comment at PFC post about Agantuk by RK
and another appeared as a comment at another post of mine about India and Oscars
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Comments

  1. AnonymousJan 23, 2008, 10:05:00 PM

    Watched Joi Baba Felunath just a few weeks ago on Zee Studio but missed out on Ray’s Seemabaddha .
    I am planning to watch Ganashatru next. I have marked the corner of the shop where the VCD is lying, the corner right next to aerobic videos, but I have picked up the CD yet. I guess its cover was not flashy enough. Have to wait to see what Satyajit Ray has done with Henrik Ibsen.

    ReplyDelete

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