For the love of

 I suppose, the title of this blog summarises "Apur Sansar" the best. This movie, the last of the Apu trilogy, was released on May 1, 1959. A six decades old film, its romance would never wither nor wilt. Hence this tribute on May 2, Ray's birth anniversary.

The film is a lyrical ode to love. Love takes various forms in the film. It is Apu's, now a twenty something Apurbo, love for his dream, to be an author. He had to sacrifice his degree to grinding poverty; but nothing can take away his creativity, however much the contexts corrode it. He is radical, full of idealism, and yet no difficulty seems to take away his joie de vivre.

Later in the film, love is going to assume the avatar of the filial bond. The film hence ends with one of the most iconic images in the Ray oeuvre, Apu and his much misunderstood son forever together. The image signifies the return of the love for life which had vanished in Apu's tragedy stricken forays to nowhere, and in his small son's little life, much ignored, as the motherless child is a burden to all, including his father who holds him responsible for the loss of his beloved wife.

The film, however, is a great tribute to romantic love because it encases a very sensitive love story. Aparna enters Apu's life almost accidentally. Yet their togetherness is one of the greatest love stories ever depicted on the celluloid. In the post "bhige hoth tere" version of physicality with its "mere sath raat guzar" invite, such lyrical depiction of romance may sound unreal.

 It is genuine beyond truth though. Well, the film does not burst with any grand declarations of love nor are there any cheesy intimate scenes. Yet the togetherness is unmistakable. One of the most poetic depictions of their deep devotion is the cigarette lighting scene. Cutely it shows how deep love is affectionate acceptance as well. Hence Apu's distraught wanderings after losing her are heart-rendingly real. It is as if he loses the very purpose of living. 

In other words, just as lyrical is Ray's depiction of Apu's childhood, so is his sensitive exploration of his youth. The feel comes alive because of Ray's perfect casting as well. Soumitra Chatterjee lives the role, while Sharmila Tagore, as in "Devi", and sans her "star" 'acting', seems to be born for the role.

Obviously though, it being a Ray film, the other facets of film making, especially the cinematography and background music, both adding a dreamy quality to this tribute to love, are superb as usual. Ray uses contrasting locations brilliantly. Sure, the film may not have the complexity of a "Charulata" or a "Mahanagar", or many of Ray's later films. Why, "Aparajito" is a more "well-made" film.  But just as "Meghe Dhaka Tara" pulsates with life, and hence touches the spectator even more than Ritvik Ghatak's other, more critique-ing films, "Apur Sansar" continues to rule the heart and the soul of every Ray enthusiast. Long would live this simple but genuine story of deep love!

Pratima@ Says Helen Keller, "All that we love deeply becomes a part of us". Inalienably! 

And, oh,yes, the inter-semiotic translation is yet another story central to Ray's film world. Would need very many blogs to explore such a labour of love!