The film, based on Rabindranath Tagore’s novel “Home and the World”, tells about the problem of choosing between a familiar, familiar and safe existence within the family and a “big” world full of unexpected, sometimes dangerous and difficult situations. In this case, we are talking about entering the world of an Indian woman (at the beginning of the 20th century, traditionally engaged in home). Both the novel and the film reveal the theme of the trials that any inexperienced soul must overcome in order to learn to make the right choice. The fear of the “big” world by the main character, Bimala, is caused by her lack of experience in social and social life; she will come to the right conclusion late when events have already taken a tragic turn.
In addition to the dramatic story about the choice of the main character, R. Tagore (in the film – Satyajit Rey) raises the problems of society, which became the background on which the relationship between his wife, husband and family friend develops. The novel describes the activities of the nationalist party Swadeshi Movement, which really existed in the early 20th century in India. Tagore shows how dangerous nationalist sentiments and false patriotism can be, leading to uprisings, riots and, as a result, deaths.
In essence, Bimala chooses between the calm, rational, peaceful life represented by her husband, the rich landowner Nikhil, and the world of passions, desires, great and yet unrealistic plans in the face of the leader of the patriotic movement Sandeep. Vulnerable Bimala makes not only inexperience in front of the outside world, but also the desire to be attractive, desirable, significant; her own dormant desires force her to get closer to Sandeep, meticulously convincing to believe in the exceptional importance of her person for the movement “Svadeshi”, and therefore for the homeland of India.
8 out of 10