Charulata (1964)

100% of critics liked it
(11 reviews)
91% of users liked it
(739 ratings)

This film by Satyajit Ray, India's most renowned filmmaker, tells the story of Charu (Madhabi Mukherjee), a woman in late 19th-century Calcutta. She is neglected by her busy husband, Bhupati (Shailen Mukherjee), a politically active newspaper publisher. When Bhupati's younger cousin Amal (Soumitra… More This film by Satyajit Ray, India's most renowned filmmaker, tells the story of Charu (Madhabi Mukherjee), a woman in late 19th-century Calcutta. She is neglected by her busy husband, Bhupati (Shailen Mukherjee), a politically active newspaper publisher. When Bhupati's younger cousin Amal (Soumitra Chatterjee), a sensitive, intellectual student on break from the university, comes for an extended visit, Charu enjoys Amal's company, and the two while away the hours in conversation. But as their relationship grows closer, Charu falls in love with Amal. The film, based on a popular Indian novel, marks a significant point in Ray's career, as it bears the influence of Western film on his directorial style. Shown at the 1965 Berlin Film Festival, the film was curiously and inexplicably rejected by the committee at the Cannes Film Festival. ~ Jonathan E. Laxamana, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 57 min.
Directed By: Satyajit Ray
Written By: Satyajit Ray, Rabindranath Tagore
Genres: Drama, Romance, Art House & International

In Theaters: Jan 1, 1964 Limited
On DVD: Feb 6, 2007
Studio: Amanda Films Ltd

Critic Reviews

Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader
You shouldn't miss this.
Variety Staff, Variety
Possibly more relaxed and leisurely than most Satyajit Ray films, Charulata nevertheless has a graciousness and dignity which impart an added sincerity to the simple, yet thoroughly acceptable story.
Howard Thompson, New York Times
To put it baldly, as the Ray camera could never do, the picture is an artistic masterpiece, impeccably performed, but diluted in impact and power by a stately, inchworm pace that accentuates a plot as old and familiar as the hills.
Tom Milne, Time Out
Certainly one of Ray's best films, with a superb music score of his own composition.
John A. Nesbit, Old School Reviews
Subtitles become irrelevant during these times since the real content comes from the juxtapositions, the body postures, the side glances, and the facial expressions
Jay Antani, Slant Magazine
A singularly accomplished song to love, idealism, heartbreak and disillusionment.
Luanne Brown, Hometownsource.com
Outstanding! One of my favorite films done by this master.
, Film4
Comparable to a film by Eric Rohmer or a play by Anton Chekov, Charulata is the work of one of cinema's great humanists with no small cinematic skill to boot.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
The film is so deeply evocative.
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
Arguably [Ray's] greatest achievement.

Read all 10 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Walter M

[font=Century Gothic]In "Charulata," it is 1879 and Bhupati(Shailen Mukherjee) feels sorry for his beautiful wife, Charulata(Madhabi Mukherjee), since he is so busy publishing his newspaper that he has very little time to spend with her. Fearing that she is lonely, he… More
[font=Century Gothic]In "Charulata," it is 1879 and Bhupati(Shailen Mukherjee) feels sorry for his beautiful wife, Charulata(Madhabi Mukherjee), since he is so busy publishing his newspaper that he has very little time to spend with her. Fearing that she is lonely, he summons his carefree brother, Amal(Soumitra Chatterjee), a poet who dreams of traveling to England. That is not the only reason as he also offers him a job and starts to think about possible marriages for him.[/font] [font=Century Gothic][/font] [font=Century Gothic]"Charulata" is a resonant and understated soap opera with political overtones set in colonial India. Bhupati is an anglophile who publishes his newspaper, The Sentinel, in English, while wearing European clothing. He believes in democracy and freedom of the press in criticizing the colonial government. One presumes that he will get a very rude awakening one day when he discovers that the rule of law is not applied equally to everyone in India. So, you could see the beginnings of nationalism here in the recently united subcontinent.[/font]
Tom S

In-laws. Gotta watch out for 'em. They'll get ya.

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Charulata (1964)

Critic Reviews

Featured Audience Ratings

Walter M

Tom S

Cast

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