Burman numbers sung by famous playback singers like Kishore Kumar, R.D. The film stars Sharmila Tagore playing a prostitute with a heart of gold, with Rajesh Khanna in the role of a lonely businessman and Vinod Mehra as adult Nandu, the young child, who they both come to care for. The movie is about a school boy, who is ill-treated by his step mother, and becomes friends with a prostitute neighbour. The film portrays the decline of human values and relationships and contrasts it by presenting an illustrious example of a boy's innocent love for a neighbourhood courtesan. It is a remake of the Bengali film Nishi Padma (1970), directed by Arabinda Mukherjee, who wrote screenplay for both the films based on the Bengali short story Hinger Kochuri by Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay. Immortal Love) is a 1972 Indian romantic drama film directed by Shakti Samanta. It is a portrait of hope and optimism.Amar Prem ( transl. Overall, this is the kind of film that deserves a wide release (not just festivals) and deserves a watch, maybe even two. Their expressions, diction, delivery and body language all hit the spot and it is hard to believe that they (and Sneha Biswas) are not actually the people they play in the movie. But the director does a commendable job and the kids comply. It is notoriously difficult to direct child actors. They do an exceptional job and have been appreciated for their work on the film festival circuit. The background score, mostly conveyed by flute, is appropriate and gels well with the rural atmosphere.Ī word here about Nur Islam and Samiul Alam, who play the two boys. There are no jump cuts or quick reveals as is the norm even with offbeat films nowadays. The shots are never hurried, allowing the viewers’ attention to linger on what they are seeing. But he resists, and the result is all the better for it. For its theme, the director could have easily decided to shoot it in black and white. There are two critical dream sequences that only solidify the connection but are not exclusive to Ray.
The film, with its scenes of verdant fields, flowing rivers and lush landscapes captures the beauty of rural Bengal and evoke memories of Satyajit Ray that the director Manas Mukul Pal dismisses as incidental.
But they are too poor and unimportant to do anything about it. Both the brothers dream of pulao and alur dum, but this too, alas, leave them disappointed as they are not invited. An opportunity comes in the way of a local bonedi bari celebrating Janmashtami - where the entire village is supposed to be invited for a feast. With their father bed-ridden, they have to survive on muri (puffed rice) on the bad days and some saag and rice when they can scrounge some up.įood plays a big part in the movie, what with Chotu’s constant hankering for pulao - that he has never tasted. Their biggest scruple is that they will miss out on the mid-day meals all the other children will get at their school. Their first clue comes when their mother, portrayed brilliantly by Sneha Biswas, tells Gopal that he has to drop out of school so he can work at a local shop and earn a little money.īoth Gopal and Chotu are upset by this, but reluctantly take up the task. With their father incapacitated, only their mother understands the true gravity of their situation while the boys gallivant around the village, scurrying from paddy field to field barely comprehending their dire situation. The desperation is taken care of by the adults - the boys’ mother to be specific. It is a film about hope and the endless positivity that all children innately possess. It is an unabashed look into the life of a family that can barely even afford the clothes on their back, if that. Sahaj Paather Gappo is a story of optimism and innocence in the face of adversity.
The film follows the brothers and their mother as they come to terms with their desperate situation and tries to remain optimistic despite the hardships of their daily lives in rural Bengal. The carefree and innocent lives of two young brothers, Gopal and Chotu, are interrupted after their father, the sole breadwinner of the house, meets with an accident while driving his cycle van.