The Japanese Wife (2010) [Film Review]

The Japanese Wife; or, Love in letters

This Indian film review will focus on a critically acclaimed, epistolary romantic film by Aparna Sen (Mr. and Mrs. Iyer) about the impossible love formed between two people from distant cultures.

Release Info 

Directed by: Aparna Sen Starring: Rahul Bose, Chigusa Takaku, Raima Sen

Language: Bengali, English, Japanese Movie Industry: Tollywood Runtime: 120 min

Plot

Meet Snehmoy Chatterjee (Rahul Bose), a math’s teacher in a remote Bengali village who decides to respond to an advertisement in a magazine and in this way gets in touch with a Japanese pen friend Miyage (Chigusa Takaku). Surprisingly, after extensively writing to each other and emotionally opening-up, the two resolve to exchange wedding vows through the letters, becoming “husband and wife”. Throughout the period of seventeen years this “letter marriage” between Snehmoy and Miayge, who have never seen each other, is put to extreme tests when unexpected problems hit the displaced couple.

Marriage at a distance

Aparna Sen took a huge risk with this particular movie, especially considering it’s highly improbable in real life main premise: a man and a woman, who have never met throughout their lives, form a lasting and faithful relationship through the letters. This sounds like an idea for a Jane Austen novel, not a proper movie; yet, the story strangely works on  screen. Maybe, the main thing responsible for the digestibility of The Japanese Wife is the way in which the main characters are presented. Snehmoy is not an Indian Mr Perfect from Bollywood, but a hardworking, poor teacher who lives with his aunt Maashi (Moushumi Chatterjee) and a widow Sandhya (Raima Sen). On the other hand, Miyage is also parent-less and quite poor (hence the two cannot afford to buy plane tickets), but she also suffers from cancer. Miyage’s illness is the binding point between her and Snehmoy, for when the teacher finds out about his wife’s illness, he goes on numerous pilgrimages to Calcutta in order to find a good oncologist who would be able to diagnose Miyage’s cancer without her actually being there… This kind of naive sacrifice is what makes Snehmoy a likeable character.

Interestingly, the issue of sexual purity is also brought up in the story. Whereas, Miyage leads a lonely existence in Japan, Snehmoy lives with the young and attractive Sandhya and her small son, both taken in by Snehmoy’s aunt. Paradoxically Sandhya seems to be a perfect match for Snehmoy, a real possibility to form a happy family, but nevertheless, our protagonist does not engage in any emotional or physical connection with the woman, remaining devoted only to Miyage.

The visual style of the movie is also worth mentioning. In contrast to such box-office hits as Eat Pray Love or The Best Marigold Hotel, India was not presented as a filthy third-rate country, but the beauty of its countryside was brought to the foreground. Snehmoy seems to live in a paradise in the middle of nowhere and so as Miayge (though we don’t get to see much of Japan from her perspective). Yet, while surrounded by wonderful nature (rivers, forests, green plains) the two platonic star-crossed lovers still live in extreme isolation from other people, seeking comfort only in writing to each other.

Recommendations

I recommend The Japanese Wife to everyone who likes a slow, yet charming study of human relations without any stereotypical romantic trash. Unlike Tollywood mainstream films, this movie grows on you and leaves you thinking: Can platonic love be really possible today? Definitely worth seeing.

Overall Score: 8/10