# Charulata (1964)

### reviewed by
Murali Krishnan

    [3.5/4.0]

(Dialog in Bengali, English subtitles)

This film is also known by the English title "The Lonely Wife".

Ambition can be blinding. Bhupati Dutta (Shailen Mukherjee) is a wealthy man who pours all his efforts into running his political newspaper in colonial India of the 1870's. He is an intelligent, trusting, and gentle man, but the total immersion in his work has isolated him from his beloved wife, Charulata (Madhabi Mukherjee). Charulata loves Bhupati, so she does not attempt to pry him away from his newspaper. As a result, she endures a lonely existence in their large Calcutta house. When Bhupathi finds that his young cousin Amal (Soumitra Chatterjee) is floundering in his studies, Bhupathi invites him to join them, and perhaps help with the paper and gain some focus. Amal arrives (symbolically, along with a storm), and it is immediately apparent that the two men are very different. Bhupathi is serious and dismisses sentimental literature for the stolid political discussion of his paper. The mercurial Amal cannot be tied down with responsibility. Bhupathi asks Amal to pay Charulata the attention that he himself has been neglecting to give her, perhaps even encouraging her to write. Bhupathi is unaware of the potential danger of mixing a new dynamic into a strained relationship. Inevitably, Charulata will be drawn to the attention she craves.

Satyajit Ray takes this simple, straight-forward story and makes it a rich, complete film by interweaving many layers of symbolism. >From the initial scene, where we see the cloistered Charulata embroidering a handkerchief for her absentee husband and observing the outside world through viewing glasses, it is apparent that every component of the film is telling a story. When Charulata tellingly peers at Bhupati, who is pacing and lost in thought, that single action immediately gives a snapshot of their relationship with not a word spoken.

This story, by Rabindranath Tagore, is simple and familiar, but because of its many nuances, it becomes fresh and engaging. It is no surprise that Charulata becomes attached to Amal. What is engrossing is how the relationships are represented on multiple levels. Bhupati is not a bad person. His failing is that he is living in a sphere that cannot be shared with his wife. He feels that the only meaningful writings are the sober political opinions that he espouses in his newspaper, in English. Charulata is also educated, but does not have any interest in the serious writing of her husband. Her interests lay in Bengali literature, in emotional writing which is dismissed by Bhupati. When Amal writes a poetic story that he shares with Charulata, it is a deep meaningful gesture. It is an act of sharing and inclusion that the emotionally hungry Charulata is longing for.

Class plays an interesting role in the nature of the characters. Bhupati comes from a wealthy family, so he is free to spend his time in pursuit of his avocation. As a man of high standing, he is able to take a daring political stand and speak out on issues in Britain that affect colonial India. Charulata, on the other hand, is almost a prisoner. Although they live in a large comfortable house with a beautiful garden, it is her whole world because she never goes outside. It is actually very lonely for her and the only company she has is her younger, immature sister-in-law. All these factors escape Bhupati, and he is not aware that Charulata only needs a small piece of him. He is so self-absorbed that he does not even try to construct a world in which both he and his wife can live.

The story is neither sentimental nor cathartic. It simply attempts to put a relationship under a microscope to view it in full depth. The explored themes are universal.

Highly recommended. Satyajit Ray is a the height of his talent in crafting this film. It is a complex, multilayered story, but the presentation is kept simple and compelling.

    (c) 1999 Murali Krishnan
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