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Harano Sur is a famous Bengali movie from the Golden Age of Bengali cinema. It stars one of the favorite screen couples of that era, Uttam Kumar and Suchitra Sen, as Alok and Rama. But how does it hold up 60 years later?

In many ways, this movie is very progressive in its treatment of women. Rama, the main character, is a highly educated woman with a degree in medical psychiatry. She is a firm and outspoken advocate for the rights of her patients. In conversations with her father, it is clear that he respects her and supports her ambitions. He very reasonably worries about her when she chooses to work in Alok's house as a governess, but, importantly, he respects her decision to do so.

Alok himself is also respectful towards Rama. One of my favorite parts of the movie is when (pre-second accident) he affectionately calls her "Doctor-babu." "Babu" is a term used to show respect in Bengali, and is generally reserved for men. Its use in this context demonstrates that Alok respects her as a medical doctor and as a person. Then, when she begins to work in his house, he treats her with respect despite the fact that she is his employee. In fact, it is this respect which arouses Lata's suspicions.

At the same time, Rama faces many instances of overt sexism over the course of the film. The way she handles them indicates her strength of character. For example, at the beginning of the movie she is scolded for questioning another doctor's treatment plan. This scolding is not just because of her relative inexperience, but also (and more importantly) because she is a woman who has the audacity to contradict a male superior. When faced with the option to either shut up or quit, she opts for the latter. Never mind that she will be hard pressed to find another job that suits her skills so perfectly; she will not stay in a situation that she finds morally reprehensible.

I enjoyed this film as an example of early Bengali films that were not directed by Satyajit Ray. It was a nice story about a strong female character, even if the love story was a bit sudden. The acting and filming was also lovely, although Uttam Kumar could do with a bit less makeup.

The one thing that made this movie less enjoyable was the pacing. Harano Sur is 162 minutes long, and it feels like it. On the one hand, this pacing is OK: it was the style at that time, and it allows the characters to breathe and really show their emotions. But on the other hand, it makes the movie difficult to sit through. I had to finish it in several sittings.

In this biopic on Kadambari's life, director Suman Ghosh finally has the opportunity to explore the events leading up to her death. Using established facts and historical sources (especially Rabindranath's writings), he has created a tight narrative that hints at what may have been without sensationalizing the possibilities. The result is a beautiful glimpse of the occasionally satisfying, more often frustrating life of a woman married into the first family of Bengali society during the Bengali Renaissance.

One of the most important aspects of this film is its beautiful, historically accurate depiction of the upper-class Calcuttan society of the time. As the most influential family of the period, the Tagores were both typical of upper-class Bengali society and significantly different. The family was extremely wealthy and well educated; as part of the leisure classes, each member of the family could focus on their own interests. This is why the family produced so many talented people with an enormous variety of skills. The women of the household were not exempted from this; they were also highly educated and encouraged to engage with society in ways that was usually prohibited for other upper-class women. This is evident in the literary success of Rabindranath's elder sister Swarnakumari Devi (1855-1932), who was the first prominent female writer in the Bengali language; and in the activities of another of Rabindranath's sisters-in-law, Jnanadanandini Devi (1850-1941), challenging the practice of purdah and redesigning the style of dress worn by Bengali women (by adding a blouse and changing the drape to allow women to go out in public).

But at the same time, there is a stark contrast between many of the family's values and the way women were actually treated in the household. The most blatant example is the practice of child marriage. This practice of marrying a pre-pubescent child to a much older young man (usually late teens-early 20s) was a target of criticism at the time. Rabindranath even wrote in protest of this practice, while at the same time arranging for his two daughters to be married at a young age (the elder age 15 and the younger age 10). Kadambari's marriage at the age of 10 is yet another example of this family tradition.

Despite being raised in a relatively free environment and having access to education, it is clear that Kadambari was not free in many ways. Most significantly, Kadambari's place in the Tagore household meant that she was unable to satisfy many of her emotional needs.

One of the main themes of this movie is that women's emotional needs were generally not met by the upper-class Bengali culture of this period. The lonely Kadambari just wants a friend and companion, one that is her intellectual equal and whom she can engage with on a higher level. She cannot get this kind of attention from the servants (who seem to like her more than the other women of the family), or from her husband, who is so busy with his multitude of projects (from theater to starting a shipping company) that he has no time for her.

She can engage with Robi on this level. But he is always busy writing and becoming famous. And then the family arranges his marriage in order to separate them, because Kadambari's relationship with him is not considered appropriate.

So then she is left by herself.

In many ways, Kadambari is trapped in this house, this relationship, and this family. She is not having her need for friendship or companionship met, but she can't leave or do anything to alleviate her isolation. Her life becomes meaningless to her, and that, this movie asserts, is the reason she commits suicide.

"Kadambari" is a wonderful biopic about a complicated, lonely woman in mid-1800s Calcuttan society. Konkana Sen Sharma's acting powerfully conveys Kadambari's strength, fear, and emotional conflict, providing a sense of deeply felt humanity to the historical figure. The rest of the cast also performs admirably, conveying the normalcy of this impressively talented family. This film is an instant classic.

Recommended for anyone who is interested in learning more about Calcuttan society during the Bengali Renaissance, about women in Indian history, or about the Tagore family. Or anyone who likes a good biopic.