Sep 08, 2007 03:21 PM
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Chokher Bali("Sand in the Eye") is a novel
written by Nobel Laureate and acclaimed Bengali author and poet Rabindranath Tagore.The Bengali film based
on this novel was made by Rituparno Ghosh
in 2003 and starred Prasenjit as Mahendra, Aishwarya Rai as Binodiniand **Raima Sen
as Ashalata**. Chokher Bali is a strong film that illustrates several issues
like relationships and temptations, Bengali society and their strong
philosophies. The background of the story is set up against the backdrop of
political resistance during the freedom struggle.
Binodini is
a beautiful, young, educated and liberated woman who becomes a widow within a
year of her marriage. She comes with Rajlakshmi to stay at their house. There
she comes across Mahendra(Rajlakshmi’s son) and Behari(adopted son). Binodini
knows that both of them had earlier refused to marry her. It seems Binodini is
deprived of sexual intimacy as she tries to seduce Mahendra. On the other hand
Behari is completely magnetized by her splendid beauty. Binodini also forms a
strong bond with Ashalata(Mahendra’s wife). Ashalata and Binodini refer to
each other as Bali. *Binodini
refuses to bow down before her sexual desire. Affair between Mahendra &
Binodini does not stay a secret for long & Binodini is forced to leave the
house. In despair, Binodini asks Behari to marry her but Behari refuses. Binodini
decides to return to her country home where she decides to renounce Mahendra.
Later on when Behari comes to Kashi with the news of Rajlakshmi’s death, he
asks Binodini to marry her. On the wedding day, Binodini is no where to be
found. She leaves a note for Ashalata saying that freedom is the final reality,
the place where one belongs, the only thing that one can call one’s own.
Character
of Binodini’s is depicted as of a widow who refuses to accept society’s rules
for a widow & blames society for her pitiful state of existence. Aishwarya, as the manipulativeBinodini is bold and rebellious. But
because of her so picture perfect image she is not able to live up to
Binodini’s strong ideologies. Raima Sen beautifully portrays Ashalata’s innocent & naive
character & skillfully expresses her low self esteem, pains and
tribulations. Prosinjeet Chatterji **is convincing as the spoilt Mahendra
who is driven by a passionate lust for life. Tota Raychaudhuri asBehari **though
doesn’t have a major role but is apt and precise as Mahendra's childhood friend
and confidant.
Chokher Bali
with Aishwarya Rai featuring for the first time in a Bengali movie shows
radical change in the social scenario of women in Bengal.
The movie’s cinematography is beautiful & the background score suits to the
tone of the film. However the dubbing is not up to the mark & would have
been more appreciative if it would have been remade in Hindi by some aesthetic
director. Chokher Bali, a classic in itself is for the ones interested in
passionate, liberated & meaningful cinema. Unlike run-of- the- mill,
commercial Bollywood movies it appeals to a niche audience.
Like Tagore in
his novel, Rituparno has also left the movie with an open ending. Unlike many
other females at that time in the society she is educated & well versed
with English. Therefore she is open about her thoughts & doesn’t mind using
her ‘sexuality’ as her voice to liberate herself from the conventional society.
Being a widow Binodini always desires to be respected in the society with
dignity. Mahendra, the lusty married man cannot give her the status in the
society but she has a chance in Behari. The end of the movie surprises the
viewers as Binodini refuses to marry Behari. Binodini’s relation with Mahendra
is of lust whereas she starts loving Behari. Binodini’s conscience doesn’t
allow her to have the same physical relation as she had with Mahendra. Binodini
is confused about her thoughts & she doesn’t want people to raise eyebrows
over her marriage. Binodini disappears in the end so that Behari can live with
respect & dignity in the society.
