Charulata

Based upon the novel Nastanirh by Rabindranath Tagore, it stars Soumitra Chatterjee, Madhabi Mukherjee and Sailen Mukherjee. The film is considered one of the finest works of Ray and is often featured in the lists of the greatest films ever made.

Both the first and the last scenes are critically acclaimed. The first scene, with almost no dialogue, shows Charu’s loneliness and how she looks at the outside world through binoculars.

In the last scene when Charu and her husband are about to come closer and hold hands, the screen freezes. This has been described as a beautiful use of freeze frames in cinema.

The film revolves around Charulata (Madhabi Mukherjee), the intelligent and beautiful wife of Bhupati (Sailen Mukherjee). He edits and publishes a political newspaper.

Bhupati is an upper-class Bengali intellectual with a keen interest in politics and the freedom movement. Charu is interested in the arts, literature and poetry. Although Bhupati loves his wife, he has no time for her.

She has little to do in the house run by a fleet of servants. Sensing her boredom, Bhupati invites Charu’s elder brother Umapada and his wife Manda to live with them. Umapada helps in running the magazine and the printing press.

Manda, with her silly and crude ways, is no company for the sensitive, intelligent Charulata. Amal (Soumitra Chatterjee), Bhupati’s younger cousin, comes to visit. Bhupati asks him to encourage Charu’s cultural interests.

Amal is young and handsome, and he is in the same age group as Charu. He has literary ambitions and shares her interests in poetry. He provides her with much-needed intellectual companionship and attention.

An intimate and teasing friendship develops between Charulata and Amal.

There is a hint of rivalry when she publishes a short story on her own without his knowledge, following his publishing of a poem that she had forbidden him from getting published.

He realizes that Charulata is in love with him, but he is reluctant to reciprocate due to the guilt involved. Meanwhile, Charu’s brother and sister-in-law swindle Bhupati of his money and run away. It destroys Bhupati’s newspaper and the press.

The episode shatters Bhupati who admits his hurt to Amal. He tells Amal that now Amal is the only one he can trust. Amal is overcome with the guilt of betraying his cousin.

He is also uncomfortable with Charu’s higher intellect that he has helped nurture. He goes away unannounced, leaving behind a letter for Bhupati and forbids Charu to stop writing. Charu is heartbroken but hides her disappointment.

Bhupati accidentally enters her room and finds her crying over Amal. Bhupati realizes Charu’s feelings for Amal. He is broken, shocked and bewildered. He rushes out of the house and wanders aimlessly in his carriage.

On his return, Charu and Bhupati make a hesitant gesture to reach out, but their extended hands remain frozen in a tentative gesture.