Ray excells himself in this wonderfully sensitive rites-of-passage film. A group of friends in their twenties take a short vacation in the countryside together. After some confusion about their accommodation they find themselves staying near to two respectable young women of good family who stimulate their interest. Although the women appear not too interested at first, things change, and they all begin to spend time together. Each of the characters is profoundly different from the others, and it soon becomes clear that they have different goals - and perhaps needs - in life. That does not prevent an extraordinary sexual chemistry from developing which is all the more vivid for being understated and unspoken. The picnic scene where the girls suggest they all play a literary game is replete with poignantly repressed sexuality. As the film develops the four men begin to go their separate ways, but for the two women (and for one especially) the encounter with the men has stimulated feelings it is difficult to ignore. This is a film of extraordinary subtlety and depth. A classic of world cinema by one of the cinema's greatest directors, it deserves much greater recognition.
15 Reviews
Life Elusive Captured in Frames!
purnenduvianworld9 April 2012
Adapted form Sunil Ganguly's story, the film zooms in on the vagaries and vicissitudes of the then bourgeoisie and their disillusionment with their state of affairs. A motley quartet ventures into the woods of Palamau to spend some days in order to extricate themselves from the trammels of their ordered social and city life. Culled from the various strata in the middle class the four characters reflect completely different attitudes bound by a thread of friendship. 'Breaking the rules', they drop anchor at a government forest bungalow without the required permission, consequently browbeating, and finally bribing the chowkidar, putting his job at stake. They remain unshaven, exchange diatribes at a local arrack shop and indulge in a drunken twist causing problem to vehicles. Their behaviour with and indifference (frequently found among the bourgeois people) of the lower orders of the society and their suffering, quite often verging on brutality, may make them, for the time being, unlikeable; but their innocent and ignorant self-esteem doing them in at last draws back our sympathy once again. Ashim (as Soumitra Chatterji) loses his self-confidence finally after the memory game; Sanjoy (as Subhendu Chatterji) finds himself hollow as a man in front of a seductive Jaya; Hari himself mislays his wallet but beats the local boy Lakhai which rebounds on him at last; Shekhar (as Rabi Ghosh) is only the man who escapes much of the humiliation because of his hilarious nature.
Their unexpected spotting, one morning, of two ladies of their social stratum within the tribal village brings them back, somewhat, to their superficial selves and they try to meet them in person and try their own hands at flirting. Though a forging of relationships is on the way under the hammer-blows of a set of consecutive meetings between the opposite sexes, yet each of the conceited quartet is blown to bits as the women come up trumps. Each of the quartet is chastened in his own way near the end of the film, and the women, winners in the beginning, appear to be pale, gloomy and their voices plangent beneath their jocund exterior and mellifluous chatter and pithy elicitation.
Like in most of Ray's films, here also, the characters smile, but they find it rather painful to laugh. Though it is a matter of pity that a film of this momentousness received a lukewarm response form the native audience and critics when it was screened, yet it, then, was, and still is, a surefire narration of epic dimensions and the film's aura doesn't seem to dim even though it is watched over and over again. Unfortunately, they, who search for a single and simple theme in a film like this, will not be able to comprehend herein the interplay of various themes. Ray once said regretfully in a Sight & Sound interview, "The film is about so many things, that's the trouble. People want just one theme, which they can hold in their hands." He likened the structure of the film to a fugue, where disparate elements appear, develop interwoven, transformed pitted in a balanced way against each other.
Lastly, the memory game sequence in the forest is as much psychological as it is appealing. Ray's astute handling of the mise-en-scene surpasses every character study heretofore attempted. Aparna pulls out when only Aparna and Ashim are left in the fray. Sexual undercurrents and each one's mental preferences are reflected during the game. With the forest as the setting the visitors engage in a primitive game of dethroning the other with one's mental might. The mysterious forest exudes revelations of the highest order at once perceivable and profound to be taken into, absorbed and preserved for perennial use by the unfortunate and innocent souls, who often get consumed with the fire of self-esteem and self-satisfaction thereby closing doors to experience and knowledge that's omniscience in it's vastness and immanence.
Their unexpected spotting, one morning, of two ladies of their social stratum within the tribal village brings them back, somewhat, to their superficial selves and they try to meet them in person and try their own hands at flirting. Though a forging of relationships is on the way under the hammer-blows of a set of consecutive meetings between the opposite sexes, yet each of the conceited quartet is blown to bits as the women come up trumps. Each of the quartet is chastened in his own way near the end of the film, and the women, winners in the beginning, appear to be pale, gloomy and their voices plangent beneath their jocund exterior and mellifluous chatter and pithy elicitation.
Like in most of Ray's films, here also, the characters smile, but they find it rather painful to laugh. Though it is a matter of pity that a film of this momentousness received a lukewarm response form the native audience and critics when it was screened, yet it, then, was, and still is, a surefire narration of epic dimensions and the film's aura doesn't seem to dim even though it is watched over and over again. Unfortunately, they, who search for a single and simple theme in a film like this, will not be able to comprehend herein the interplay of various themes. Ray once said regretfully in a Sight & Sound interview, "The film is about so many things, that's the trouble. People want just one theme, which they can hold in their hands." He likened the structure of the film to a fugue, where disparate elements appear, develop interwoven, transformed pitted in a balanced way against each other.
Lastly, the memory game sequence in the forest is as much psychological as it is appealing. Ray's astute handling of the mise-en-scene surpasses every character study heretofore attempted. Aparna pulls out when only Aparna and Ashim are left in the fray. Sexual undercurrents and each one's mental preferences are reflected during the game. With the forest as the setting the visitors engage in a primitive game of dethroning the other with one's mental might. The mysterious forest exudes revelations of the highest order at once perceivable and profound to be taken into, absorbed and preserved for perennial use by the unfortunate and innocent souls, who often get consumed with the fire of self-esteem and self-satisfaction thereby closing doors to experience and knowledge that's omniscience in it's vastness and immanence.
A movie where the urban middle class meets nature.
tanvir30117 December 2005
As a passionate movie buff, I have the highest regard for Ray's films. That has been reconfirmed after watching this subtly nuanced film from Ray. To the casual viewer, it might seem like the escapades of four middle class gentlemen when they go out of their constrictive surroundings into the wilderness and meet three women. However, a rigorous viewing will expose different layers, some surprising, and others not so surprising. With flawless and fluid direction, Ray tells a story of love lost, confidence regained, inhibitions of a conservative society blown away, overwhelming sadness, and the joy and freedom of coming close to nature. Even though it is quite an old film, it speaks of the human nature and its eternal characteristics so beautifully, that it does not seem dated at all- which is the mark of a classic. Highly recommended.
A lyrical masterpiece! (and a clarification of Simi Garewal's accent)
rbhattarai16 January 2007
"Aranyer Din Ratri" is an underrated lyrical masterpiece from the great Satyajit Ray. Its structure is one of the most musical of Ray's films, yet it remains one of the most scathing indictments of pompous urban men. A must see. The memory game sequence alone is worth the price of the film.
I feel compelled to respond to Ravenus, who writes: "Simi Garewal's hilariously accented Bengali makes her tribal character a hard act to digest." We must remember that Duli, the character Simi plays, is not a sophisticated woman from Calcutta, but a tribal woman from Palamau, which is 300 miles west of Calcutta. Her accent is perfect for the character.
I feel compelled to respond to Ravenus, who writes: "Simi Garewal's hilariously accented Bengali makes her tribal character a hard act to digest." We must remember that Duli, the character Simi plays, is not a sophisticated woman from Calcutta, but a tribal woman from Palamau, which is 300 miles west of Calcutta. Her accent is perfect for the character.
Epiphany In The Forest
Chrysanthepop4 May 2010
-'Aranyer Din Ratri' opens with four Calcuttan friends on a hedonistic road trip to a forest. Each friend has a distinctive personalitry trait: Ashim (Soumitra Chatterjee) is successful, slightly dominating and slightly narcissistic, Sanjoy (Subhendu Chatterjee) is shy, conventional and neutral, Shekhar (Robi Ghosh) is the funny one, and Hari (Samit Bhanja) is rash and impulsive. While they almost forcefully settle down in the guest house much against the caretaker's request (as it will cost him his job) and observe the surrounding locales, they come across three different women: Aparna (Sharmila Tagore) an enigmatic confident and smart young lady, her widowed sister-in-law (Kaberi Bose) who is welcoming and cheerful and a tribal girl named Duli (Simi Garewal) who is ready to offer services in exchange of money. It is this encounter in the forest that leads to a development that will change the lives of Ashim, Sanjoy and Hari while Shekhar remains his own funny self. Ray proves again that less can be more if done properly. The lyrical story is told with sheer subtlety and profound depth. The sexual chemistry, the underlying themes such as class differentiation, poverty, loneliness and love are displayed with a skillful quietness. His fluid direction and the actors performances draws the viewer into this little forest of quiet enigma. It is no surprise that Ray has worked with the best actors and 'Aranyer Din Ratri' is no different in that respect. The two Chatterjees, Ghosh and Bhanja are superb. It really felt as though we were watching four close friends. Garewal provides some comic relief. She may be an unusual choice for Duli but she pulls it off quite well. Sharmila Tagore excellently downplays the part of Aparna. Ray's films have a timeless quality as they never feel outdated. Needless to say, the terrific 'Aranyer Din Ratri' is one such movie.
Brilliant chamber piece drama from the master
ravenus4 October 2005
Warning: Spoilers
ARANYER DIN RATRI Satyajit Ray
**MAY contain spoilers** (but it's not a mystery film so...)
ADR is a beautiful chamber piece from a director who does this sort of thing very well.
The opening sequence shows a motley quartet going on a holiday road trip to a forested area. They are friends, but each coming from a separate milieu and with a different temperament: Ashim (Soumitra Chatterjee, the lead in many of Ray's films), a suave and successful executive, is the unofficial leader. The neat and shy Sunjoy is a conventional pen-pusher tied to the mores of middle-class existence. Hari, a cricketer is short tempered and impulsive, while an unemployed Shekhar is the joker of the group. They halt en route at a vacant government guest house, where they intend to spend a few days. The film chronicles this interval, giving us an insight into the character of these men and the interaction they have with other people, often provoking them into reflection or change.
We get an insight into their personalities in the initial period of their holiday, their sense of needing to break convention to feel some freedom from their daily routine they bribe the caretaker to assign the guest room to them, refrain from shaving, launch drunken diatribes at the local arrack shop the hedonistic lifestyle in short. These scenes are presented with a wholly observant attitude, never persuading the audience to either like or dislike the characters.
Things take a big turn when they run into a couple of charming ladies living at a nearby bungalow. Invited by the surprisingly trustful and hospitable patriarch of the house, they meet the lovely enigmatic Aparna (Sharmila Tagore) and her cheerful but widowed sister-in-law Jaya. This part of the film is a beautiful study of the mental processes of male-female relationships in modern society: The rituals of socially acceptable cordial behavior mixed with the low-key sensuality and courtship that occurs at the outset of growing acquaintance with the opposite sex. Both Aparna and Jaya are warm-natured, confident and sophisticated women, and one well identifies with the sense of yearning mixed with hesitation that develops within the men when they interact with them. In the while Hari gets passionately involved with a young tribal woman, Duli (Simi Garewal, of all people).
The last phase of the film is when their interactions have proceeded just beyond the preliminary stage. Ashim learns enough about Aparna for him to regard her as more than one of the city women he meets at so many parties, and observes aspects of her nature that lead him to feel guilt for his superficial self-oriented thinking. Sunjoy who grows increasingly comfortable in the company of Jaya gets a jarring moment; and Hari's heated pursuit of Duli ends in a rude blow. But this is not to say that the film ends on a dark note not at all. Life for our characters goes on and who knows what the future will bring? ADR's main strength is the completely natural way it presents its characters and situations. We've seen courtship rituals and the associated comedy thousands of times on film a shipload of Bollywood films in the gaudily colored 60's and the 90's onward was devoted to increasingly bizarre and tasteless depictions of social romantic behavior. But you need to see a film like this to appreciate really how intricate and touchingly fragile the whole ritual can be, and how the anticipation of the man-woman relationship relates to and affects the existing behavior and thought process of the persons involved. It takes the deftness of touch of a Ray to show it to us in this light.
Which brings me to the rare sour note in my experience of ADR: The 'transformation scene' of Jaya, the details of which I will not spill for the benefit of those that have not yet seen the film. I understand that Ray wanted to force some kind of a confrontation of the issue of Jaya being a widow and the social constraints upon her, but the way he has done it appears to me as very contrived and gauche, and a huge letdown given the immense easy-going charm of Kaberi Bose's performance up to that point.
On a slighter note, Simi Garewal's hilariously accented Bengali makes her tribal character a hard act to digest.
But on the whole ADR is a terrific movie of its type, leisurely but always focused, personal but never self-indulgent.
**MAY contain spoilers** (but it's not a mystery film so...)
ADR is a beautiful chamber piece from a director who does this sort of thing very well.
The opening sequence shows a motley quartet going on a holiday road trip to a forested area. They are friends, but each coming from a separate milieu and with a different temperament: Ashim (Soumitra Chatterjee, the lead in many of Ray's films), a suave and successful executive, is the unofficial leader. The neat and shy Sunjoy is a conventional pen-pusher tied to the mores of middle-class existence. Hari, a cricketer is short tempered and impulsive, while an unemployed Shekhar is the joker of the group. They halt en route at a vacant government guest house, where they intend to spend a few days. The film chronicles this interval, giving us an insight into the character of these men and the interaction they have with other people, often provoking them into reflection or change.
We get an insight into their personalities in the initial period of their holiday, their sense of needing to break convention to feel some freedom from their daily routine they bribe the caretaker to assign the guest room to them, refrain from shaving, launch drunken diatribes at the local arrack shop the hedonistic lifestyle in short. These scenes are presented with a wholly observant attitude, never persuading the audience to either like or dislike the characters.
Things take a big turn when they run into a couple of charming ladies living at a nearby bungalow. Invited by the surprisingly trustful and hospitable patriarch of the house, they meet the lovely enigmatic Aparna (Sharmila Tagore) and her cheerful but widowed sister-in-law Jaya. This part of the film is a beautiful study of the mental processes of male-female relationships in modern society: The rituals of socially acceptable cordial behavior mixed with the low-key sensuality and courtship that occurs at the outset of growing acquaintance with the opposite sex. Both Aparna and Jaya are warm-natured, confident and sophisticated women, and one well identifies with the sense of yearning mixed with hesitation that develops within the men when they interact with them. In the while Hari gets passionately involved with a young tribal woman, Duli (Simi Garewal, of all people).
The last phase of the film is when their interactions have proceeded just beyond the preliminary stage. Ashim learns enough about Aparna for him to regard her as more than one of the city women he meets at so many parties, and observes aspects of her nature that lead him to feel guilt for his superficial self-oriented thinking. Sunjoy who grows increasingly comfortable in the company of Jaya gets a jarring moment; and Hari's heated pursuit of Duli ends in a rude blow. But this is not to say that the film ends on a dark note not at all. Life for our characters goes on and who knows what the future will bring? ADR's main strength is the completely natural way it presents its characters and situations. We've seen courtship rituals and the associated comedy thousands of times on film a shipload of Bollywood films in the gaudily colored 60's and the 90's onward was devoted to increasingly bizarre and tasteless depictions of social romantic behavior. But you need to see a film like this to appreciate really how intricate and touchingly fragile the whole ritual can be, and how the anticipation of the man-woman relationship relates to and affects the existing behavior and thought process of the persons involved. It takes the deftness of touch of a Ray to show it to us in this light.
Which brings me to the rare sour note in my experience of ADR: The 'transformation scene' of Jaya, the details of which I will not spill for the benefit of those that have not yet seen the film. I understand that Ray wanted to force some kind of a confrontation of the issue of Jaya being a widow and the social constraints upon her, but the way he has done it appears to me as very contrived and gauche, and a huge letdown given the immense easy-going charm of Kaberi Bose's performance up to that point.
On a slighter note, Simi Garewal's hilariously accented Bengali makes her tribal character a hard act to digest.
But on the whole ADR is a terrific movie of its type, leisurely but always focused, personal but never self-indulgent.
Four urban men go into a jungle retreat to have carnal fun with tribal women but by the end they receive more than just fun.
uprashanthnayak5 February 2014
Film opens with a shot of paddy fields while a man traveling with his pals in a car ,reads the following " Bengali people are as happy looking at seasons and nature, as they are at looking death in the face". Now I'm not very sure whether this statement is true, but I suspect that this kind of cultured stoicism aptly applies to the director of this movie - Satyajit Ray. Four friends - all young men from Calcutta- go into a forest and plan to stay in a rest house there, while aspiring to have sexual fun with tribal women who are presumed to be liberal in such matters. Of course, this sort of plot is not standard territory for the said director but even with this unlikely template, Ray directs his masterly rays of perspective to illumine the hinterlands and give larger wings to a fledgling premise.
Though it is not set in the city or even a village, the film is a composite shot of civilization in decline. But in Ray's world, there is always hope, a calm sense of being obliged to emerge from the ruins, and in A.D.R we also see a beautiful example of strong but tranquil feminism.
This latter aspect emerges in the form of Sharmila Tagore who registers a great performance in this movie. In Ghare Baire, Ray made Victor Banerjee essay a model man, and here he has Sharmila Tagore giving us a portrait of the model woman. Kohl-lined beautifully curving eyes, luxuriant hair coiffed into a bouffant, and a softly contoured figure clothed in sari ,all set off a face that can essay feminine mystique as smoothly as it can show child-like amusement. Aparna (Tagore), it is steadily revealed, is gifted intellectually, bears the weight of the past, nurtures a humane mind and yet sequesters all these facets beneath a regally controlled visage that can hint at displeasure as beautifully as it can sport a smile.
Technically too, this is an accomplished film with superior camera-work by Soumendu Roy. There is a famous static shot in which the lens stands just outside the car window and looks inside, through the car compartment, and past the other window into the background -4 visual planes hold four different people ,all sporting a range of interesting expressions and emotional dynamics. The other memorable sequence is the Memory Game wherein all the players are seated in a circle, and the lens flicks from one face to another as they play the game.
Starting with this script, countless other story-tellers might have produced a work of dissipated effect, but Satyajit Ray makes fine use of the novel by Sunil Gangopadhyay to present not just a sylvan jaunt enjoyed by four young men, but also an elegantly presented humanist tapestry. Some directors don't need the Midas touch, they possess something greater.
For full review and other cinema analysis you may visit http://www.upnworld.com/movie/view/id/6/title/Aranyer+Din+Ratri
Though it is not set in the city or even a village, the film is a composite shot of civilization in decline. But in Ray's world, there is always hope, a calm sense of being obliged to emerge from the ruins, and in A.D.R we also see a beautiful example of strong but tranquil feminism.
This latter aspect emerges in the form of Sharmila Tagore who registers a great performance in this movie. In Ghare Baire, Ray made Victor Banerjee essay a model man, and here he has Sharmila Tagore giving us a portrait of the model woman. Kohl-lined beautifully curving eyes, luxuriant hair coiffed into a bouffant, and a softly contoured figure clothed in sari ,all set off a face that can essay feminine mystique as smoothly as it can show child-like amusement. Aparna (Tagore), it is steadily revealed, is gifted intellectually, bears the weight of the past, nurtures a humane mind and yet sequesters all these facets beneath a regally controlled visage that can hint at displeasure as beautifully as it can sport a smile.
Technically too, this is an accomplished film with superior camera-work by Soumendu Roy. There is a famous static shot in which the lens stands just outside the car window and looks inside, through the car compartment, and past the other window into the background -4 visual planes hold four different people ,all sporting a range of interesting expressions and emotional dynamics. The other memorable sequence is the Memory Game wherein all the players are seated in a circle, and the lens flicks from one face to another as they play the game.
Starting with this script, countless other story-tellers might have produced a work of dissipated effect, but Satyajit Ray makes fine use of the novel by Sunil Gangopadhyay to present not just a sylvan jaunt enjoyed by four young men, but also an elegantly presented humanist tapestry. Some directors don't need the Midas touch, they possess something greater.
For full review and other cinema analysis you may visit http://www.upnworld.com/movie/view/id/6/title/Aranyer+Din+Ratri
Believe me when I'm saying; it was hilarious!
biswanathdas8610 November 2011
Warning: Spoilers
Aranyer Din Ratri; this remind me the first tour I have with my friends. And believe me when I'm saying; it was hilarious! That's the spirit and effect beholds one after watching this movie. The film was made in an era where the 3-4 friends geared up for a bumpy fun-ride weren't invented. Thought it blended the freshness of youth and the complex relative relations between them and their surroundings. Here Ray masterfully achieved the characterizations, as there are several to notice (or even follow). Ashim, the main male of this story rapidly changes his reactions as the story rolls. On the other hand Shekhar (played by Rabi Ghosh) is the only caste for the uniqueness and some comic relief; His character represents the rapidly decreasing moral thoughts as the environment changed. The treatment for this kind of story needs a constant vigilance, and Ray did it. Finally the spot they hung up to - Palamou, was a treat for the eyes, as well as the key element. Originality of these characters only burst out into the wild. Here I want to quote Ashim: 'Rag koris na; Kolkata r baire ele lokeder boyas ta kome jay' (Don't mind; people feel younger when they goes out from Kolkata)... It's really a top notch, yet under praised!!! 9 out of 10.
Underrated Ray Classic
sammy-s-801-77096925 July 2020
Probably one of the most underrated works of Satyajit Ray....this is a beautiful take on life of few middle urban class people as they go on a vacation.......There's so much depth in every characters and sequences that is handled with so much immense realism......The Memory gane scene alone is enough to make this film into the top tier......
Holiday spree by average bengali men
g_aparna15 November 2005
Warning: Spoilers
Aranya Din-Ratri (the days & nights spent in remote forest area) Story of 4 bengali males shown beautifully by Director Mr. Satyajit Ray ! 4 friends take a break 3 of them are average looking & tall and one is short and below average to look at. They do not make proper arrangements just barge into a Goernment Guest House and bribe the caretaker to let them in by giving him some money. The poor care taker has an ailing wife so since he could not go out to buy stuff for them, the porter boy agrees to buy & carry food stuff for them.
A typical life style of average common men (looser men rather) is shown here how they just crib about having to butter the boss and please him by attending late night parties, boozing and spending time with cheap rich girls with artificial expressions and revealing outfits.
One the friends was ditched lately by an educated girl (played by Aparna Sen) who was fashion conscious (wore wigs to look more seducing) as well as very intelligent & observant who had the sense to smell tricky / foolish people from a distance. She had written a 5 paged letter to her boyfriend who in return could barely write half a page showing that he was not very sound as far as 'literacy in romanticism' was concerned. This the girl understood and washed her hands off the idiot ! (very well done I would say) the fact that her decision was absolutely right is seen later as the movie proceeds when the same fellow indulges in intercourse with a 'dirty, smelly, ugly looking maid servant category, drunkard woman he meets in the forest remote area !!He does IT with her on open ground in the forest on the thorny weeds !! so utterly frustrated and sex starved - just anyone would do for such men therefore his girlfriend definitely made the right decision to ditch him.A looser man in all respect.
Second fellow was a bit intellectual and adventurous , well read in the game of "remembering names' he said Shakespeare and Sharmila Tagore a lady he meets there, says Cleopatra in fact each one took the name of the historical/ literary figure he / she either hero worships/identifies or admires in one way or the other. He meets this quiet & attractive lady and gets drawn towards her she had a traumatic childhood the reason of her quietitude Mother had died of fire in front of her and elder brother had committed suicide !Another looser who knows it all but cannot do anything about it.
Third fellow was decent playing it safe kinds the widowed sister-in-law of sharmila tries to seduce him (missing her husband I guess) had said Rabindranath Tagore in the game of 'Remembering names' by the way. A decent man who could change if he wanted to looser or winner depended on him.
Fourth fellow happy go lucky the fact that he was ugly & short was taken very lightly by him had no attitude problems couldn't have any in fact compensating on his below average looks so he turned comical and made things appear funny. A very common Bengali man category since the average height of Bengali men is around 5'5" and also Bengali men are dark and not very good looking so they make fun of everything and anything and spend time making merry with or without any reason.
A typical life style of average common men (looser men rather) is shown here how they just crib about having to butter the boss and please him by attending late night parties, boozing and spending time with cheap rich girls with artificial expressions and revealing outfits.
One the friends was ditched lately by an educated girl (played by Aparna Sen) who was fashion conscious (wore wigs to look more seducing) as well as very intelligent & observant who had the sense to smell tricky / foolish people from a distance. She had written a 5 paged letter to her boyfriend who in return could barely write half a page showing that he was not very sound as far as 'literacy in romanticism' was concerned. This the girl understood and washed her hands off the idiot ! (very well done I would say) the fact that her decision was absolutely right is seen later as the movie proceeds when the same fellow indulges in intercourse with a 'dirty, smelly, ugly looking maid servant category, drunkard woman he meets in the forest remote area !!He does IT with her on open ground in the forest on the thorny weeds !! so utterly frustrated and sex starved - just anyone would do for such men therefore his girlfriend definitely made the right decision to ditch him.A looser man in all respect.
Second fellow was a bit intellectual and adventurous , well read in the game of "remembering names' he said Shakespeare and Sharmila Tagore a lady he meets there, says Cleopatra in fact each one took the name of the historical/ literary figure he / she either hero worships/identifies or admires in one way or the other. He meets this quiet & attractive lady and gets drawn towards her she had a traumatic childhood the reason of her quietitude Mother had died of fire in front of her and elder brother had committed suicide !Another looser who knows it all but cannot do anything about it.
Third fellow was decent playing it safe kinds the widowed sister-in-law of sharmila tries to seduce him (missing her husband I guess) had said Rabindranath Tagore in the game of 'Remembering names' by the way. A decent man who could change if he wanted to looser or winner depended on him.
Fourth fellow happy go lucky the fact that he was ugly & short was taken very lightly by him had no attitude problems couldn't have any in fact compensating on his below average looks so he turned comical and made things appear funny. A very common Bengali man category since the average height of Bengali men is around 5'5" and also Bengali men are dark and not very good looking so they make fun of everything and anything and spend time making merry with or without any reason.
A Carnivalesque style emphatic sojourn of four friends far away from civilization that teaches them civilised manners.
SAMTHEBESTEST18 April 2021
Aranyer Din Ratri / Days and Nights in the Forest (1970) :
Brief Review -
A Carnivalesque style emphatic sojourn of four friends far away from civilization that teaches them civilised manners. I think i have said almost everything about the film with that previous sentence only and if you still have curiosity to know more then please continue reading this review and see if it helps. Let's begin with the story. A group of Calcutta city slickers, including the well-off Asim (Soumitra Chatterjee), the meek Sanjoy (Subhendu Chatterjee) and the brutish Hari (Samit Bhanja), head out for a weekend in the wilderness. They grab a bunglow to stay by bribing the watchman and starts getting along with the situations according to their comfort. Soon, they meet unknown people (mostly females to create Love angle) which gives thier trip some importance and thought-provoking push. There is nothing much in the writing as extraordinary, it's quite an ordinary writing with simple philosophies of daily life but the execution is really something. This film was one of the earliest films to employ the literary technique of the carnivalesque format in Indian cinema and that's the biggest usp of the film or should i say the only usp. A little bit of aggression in the climax portion would have lifted the film much higher for sure. Anyways, it has got performances to make it to merit list. Soumitra Chatterjee Subhendu Chatterjee, Shamit Bhanja, Rabi Ghosh, Kaberi Bose, Aparna Sen, Sharmila Tagore and Simi Garewal have put up solid performances. The screenplay is engaging with light moments and has that humour of regular life to keep away the dark tone and extreme intensity. However, it gets intense for some time in the climax but that's fine and for valid reasons too. Ray's skilful direction makes this one a worth watch but it's nowhere near to his top classics.
RATING - 7/10*
By - #samthebestest.
A Carnivalesque style emphatic sojourn of four friends far away from civilization that teaches them civilised manners. I think i have said almost everything about the film with that previous sentence only and if you still have curiosity to know more then please continue reading this review and see if it helps. Let's begin with the story. A group of Calcutta city slickers, including the well-off Asim (Soumitra Chatterjee), the meek Sanjoy (Subhendu Chatterjee) and the brutish Hari (Samit Bhanja), head out for a weekend in the wilderness. They grab a bunglow to stay by bribing the watchman and starts getting along with the situations according to their comfort. Soon, they meet unknown people (mostly females to create Love angle) which gives thier trip some importance and thought-provoking push. There is nothing much in the writing as extraordinary, it's quite an ordinary writing with simple philosophies of daily life but the execution is really something. This film was one of the earliest films to employ the literary technique of the carnivalesque format in Indian cinema and that's the biggest usp of the film or should i say the only usp. A little bit of aggression in the climax portion would have lifted the film much higher for sure. Anyways, it has got performances to make it to merit list. Soumitra Chatterjee Subhendu Chatterjee, Shamit Bhanja, Rabi Ghosh, Kaberi Bose, Aparna Sen, Sharmila Tagore and Simi Garewal have put up solid performances. The screenplay is engaging with light moments and has that humour of regular life to keep away the dark tone and extreme intensity. However, it gets intense for some time in the climax but that's fine and for valid reasons too. Ray's skilful direction makes this one a worth watch but it's nowhere near to his top classics.
RATING - 7/10*
By - #samthebestest.
Splendid! Splendid!
arnolddrong15 July 2021
"friends going to a vacation to disconnect from daily life"
smkbsws16 September 2020
Story is about friends going to a vacation to disconnect from daily life for a while. The writer, Sunil Gangopadhyay, is one of the best novelists of Bengal who wrote beautifully about youth and thus this film too. There are scenes of them drinking which has been served as a reference for drunk scenes for decades. Also, the memory game scene breaks the classical expositions in film and a source of many pop quizzes, memes and minimalistic posters. At least 2 post-millennial film I can remember directly inspired by this - Goutam Ghose's 'Abar Aranye', a sequel and Anjan Dutt's 'Chalo Let's Go', a remake?!. Again, like all his films, Rabi Ghosh steals a lot of scenes. And again, lot of sexy women.
Nature
moviegossip-639361 November 2021
We always loved our friends. When we wish to do anything we go to our friends. Friends like a shelter. Whenever we need help friends to come over to us. Any kind of help if we need to kill someone they help us.if we fall in love mostly help us, friends. They play a vital role in our life.
This movie is typically a Roy film. Sunil babu writes this novel and outstanding idea come over to film by Roy. This plot comes over four friends. Based on forest and four friends go together and they enjoy the forest life. WE all try to do government jobs. Our fours heroes are not different. They do a job in Kolkata and when they have any kind of vacation they go to the near jungle. The story begins in a jungle and there have a lot of stories. And they find two girls who have also come on vacation.
This movie is smashing. If we talk about Roy he is awesome in his direction. Sarmilla thakur look like a queen. What a beauty!
This movie is typically a Roy film. Sunil babu writes this novel and outstanding idea come over to film by Roy. This plot comes over four friends. Based on forest and four friends go together and they enjoy the forest life. WE all try to do government jobs. Our fours heroes are not different. They do a job in Kolkata and when they have any kind of vacation they go to the near jungle. The story begins in a jungle and there have a lot of stories. And they find two girls who have also come on vacation.
This movie is smashing. If we talk about Roy he is awesome in his direction. Sarmilla thakur look like a queen. What a beauty!
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
