Benarsi
India
Shown in 1963
CREDITS
- dir
-
Arup Guhathakurta
- prod
-
Ruma Guhathakurta
- scr
-
Arup Guhathakurta
- cam
-
Dinen Gupta
- cast
-
Ruma Guhathakurta, Soumitra Chatterjee, Anup Kumar Das, Sk. Mumtaz Ahamed
-
COMMENTS
Ruma Guhathakurta in person.
Starting in the Calcutta of almost 20 years ago, Benarsi tells the story of an idealistic young draftsman who one day sees the haunting face of a beautiful, mysteriously familiar woman who is obviously a prostitute. He discovers that the person he thought he recognized is actually Shona, the girl to whom he was once betrothed when both were youngsters in their native village. When he confronts her with the truth, she says she wants to leave her dissolute environment. The two decide to marry and to make a fresh start in a new town. But there is always the nagging anxiety about the past catching up with Shona since she was a very well-known, much sought-after courtesan who could be recognized by thousands. Despite blameless behavior as a young matron and Shona’s kindliness to those in their new community, the life she thought had been escaped continues to pursue her. After several years her identity is suddenly revealed. Public humiliation follows. But the husband and wife refuse to be defeated and leave together to seek another start. The beautiful Indian actress Ruma Guhathakurta has the title role. Soumitra Chatterjee portrays her faithful husband.
FACTOID #33
French New Wave actress Jeanne Moreau’s 1974 Festival tribute, called “a veritable orgy” for her fans by the Examiner’s Stanley Eichelbaum, included screenings of four films (The Lovers, Jules and Jim, Bay of Angels and Diary of a Chambermaid), an onstage interview with Moreau and an additional two hours of clips. Running nine to 11 hours (depending on the source), the tribute was the longest recorded at the Festival.
