The Adversary (Pratidwandi) (Siddharta and the City)

The Adversary (Pratidwandi) (Siddharta and the City) (1972)

  • 100% of critics liked it
    (6 reviews)

  • 85% of users liked it
    (148 ratings)

The Adversary stars Dhritiman Chatterjee as an Indian university student. Upon the death of his father, Chatterjee is compelled to drop out of school and support his family by taking a series of "grunt" jobs. Surrounded for the first time in his life by the squalor and poverty of Calcutta, the… More

Unrated, 1 hr. 40 min.
Directed By
Satyajit Ray
Genres
Art House & International, Drama
On DVD
Nov 20, 2007

Critic Reviews

  • Vincent Canby, New York Times

    The Adversary moves so quietly, with such seeming politeness to jaded film senses, that it takes a while to realize that for all its somberness it's a particularly moving comedy.

  • Don Druker, Chicago Reader

    Ray's incredible warmth and superbly understated visual style can charm even those (like me) who don't find his films particularly compelling.

  • Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

    Beautifully observed political film of disenfranchisement.

  • , TV Guide's Movie Guide

    An often powerful story from Satyajit Ray.

  • , Film4

    Once you get to grips with the frustration and determination of the film's hero, the points Ray is making about society become increasingly accessible. It's a major piece of work.

Read all 6 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

  • Emily B


    The first film in Ray's Calcutta Trilogy, about a young trying to cope in a city with Political unrest. This is an overlooked classic by Ray, and one of my favourite's of his so far. The techniques used such as negative images, jump cuts and some brilliant dream sequences… More

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