[2.5/4.0] (Dialog in Bengali, English subtitles)
This film is also known by the English title "The Big City".
In most ways, the Mazumdar family is a typical, traditional Indian family. Subrata (Anil Chatterjee) is the head of the family and the breadwinner, while his wife Arati (Madhabi Mukherjee) keeps everything in order at home. Besides their two children, Subrata's parents also live with them. That make quite a few people to support on a single income, and Subrata's job as a bank clerk does not always provide everything the extended family needs. Because they live in Calcutta, a large modern city, they have the option of getting a second income if Arati was to also join the workforce. This choice is too tempting, so that is what they decide.
The Mazumdars live in a place and time where it is becoming acceptable for women to work, but the idea does not sit well with everyone. Initially, only Subrata is in favor of Arati working because he know how badly the family needs the money. Subrata's father, Priyogopal (Haren Chatterjee), is especially opposed to Arati pursuing a career. The retired school headmaster thinks it is undignified for women to work, yet he hypocritically visits his successful students and begs favors from them.
Arati is initially unsure of the new world she has entered, and she must learn how to be a door-to-door sales representative. Her dedication and determination pay off as she becomes rather successful, and a favorite of her boss. The extra money she brings the family noticeably boosts their standard of living. The family members are more accepting of her career now that they have access to material comforts that they previously did without.
The story is set (and was filmed) in a time when it was still uncommon for women to work outside the home. The practice was just becoming acceptable in modern urban India. What may seem commonplace by the standards of today, was more exceptional at the time the film was made.
With this film, Satyajit Ray has crafted another good film. The story is engaging and the viewer gets closely involved in the story of the Mazumdar family. However, it does not reach the high standards set by many of his other works. The problem is not that the film is flawed in what it attempts, but rather it does not make much of a statement beyond the narrative. The plot tells a story in a single dimension, and does not contain much symbolism or allegory. It is an enjoyable film, but it is not engaging.
Recommended. This is a well-made and realistic film. However, it does not deliver much more than the surface level story, and as a result is not as profound as other Satyajit Ray works.
(c) 1999 Murali Krishnan The Art House Squatter http://ArtHouseSquatter.com
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