Two hours into the psyche of the finest Indian film-maker can be very refreshing. As he takes his pot-shots at a double-standard-society through his sarcastic, but witty lines. Where a guest is "welcomed" subject to terms and conditions.He goes ahead to suggest, whether Urbanization has actually helped the human-race !!! Infact, this "always-look-good" society has paid so much heed to the "orthodox-mannerisms" that we have lost that simplicity, which used to be a desirable trait once upon a time.
Satyajit Ray, with his last offering "Agantuk" captivates the viewer with genuine ambiguity when an uninvited guest announces his arrival into his "supposed-niece's" house. The basic plot is a cracker of a idea, but the execution had to be tricky. How do u take the narrative forward, without avoiding the principal characters turning into mock-detectives ?!! More importantly...how do you end it, and still keep the ambiguity intact ?? And just when i have mentally-dissected this film do i realize that i've just begun to discover the work of a genius-story teller.
My favourite thing about this movie is that it has long intellectual conversations. Many infact. Some may find it difficult to deal with, as Utpal Dutt (Protagonist) goes to great lengths to make his point to the "Society-puppets". One of my favourite instances in the film is where the protagonist (shockingly !!) defends CANNIBALS. But he later clarifies that it goes without saying that what Cannibals do is barbaric, but then why isn't the same said about the airline-pilots who by the press of a button wipe out the roots of an entire city ?! Sophisticated, is it ?! Listening to this are the characters and the audience in total awe... !! Another favourite moment in the film is when the protagonist sees his "supposed-niece" joining some tribal dancers for a dance. Seeing this he says to her husband (sarcastically), "Before this, I had a doubt whether she really was my niece or not !!! But seeing this...i must accept she is MY niece, afterall !!"
The Actors are all top-notch. Utpal Dutt, as the protagonist gives us perfect poise in his expressions. Awes us by his incredibly Encyclopedic-knowledge (Which is obviously SATYAJIT RAY speaking to us through his characters) about other languages, countries and the indian society overall. Dipankar Dey is the ever-suspecting husband, but he optimizes it with middle-class-nobility. Mamata Shankar, is my favourite character in the film because she's in a constant-dilemma whether she should bow to her Uncle's-charm OR her Husband's-skepticism. Which quite often makes her teary-eyed in the movie. Rabi Ghosh and Dhritiman Chatterjee, leave lasting impressions as a consequence of those beautifully-written conversations.
This is one movie to be watched, so as to arrest the ideals of an "aware human being". Who, using his precise yet humourous tone wanted people to understand the shift that the society has undergone, and how the "orthodox-mannerism" have turned into an obligation. The simplicity has gone missing somewhere........
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