Shubho Muharat;or, How valuable is the last autograph?
This week’s review shall be a bit different for we’ll take a
look at a Bengali movie that is a free adaptation of one of Agatha
Christie’s(!) crime stories, entitled The Mirror Crack’d From Side to Side.
Release Info
Directed by: Rituparno Gosh Starring: Rakhee, Sharmila Tagore, Nandita Das
Language: Bengali English Title: The First Shoot Movie Industry: Tollywood Runtime: 157 min
Plot
The story centres on two movie actresses, Kakoli (Kalyani
Mandal) and Padmini (Sharmila Tagore) who establish a really strong and
intimate friendship over the course of their careers. Padmini is a retired NRI
(Non Indian Resident) who lives in the United States, but she returns to
Calcutta to help her husband in preparations for a new film in which Kakoli is
to be the leading heroine. During the Mahurat ceremony (held to celebrate the
start of making a film) somebody poisons Kakoli’s drink and the actress dies at
her home while giving an interview to a young journalist Milli (Nandita Das).
In spite of on-going police involvement, Milli’s aunt, Ranga Pishima (Rakhee),
becomes greatly interested in the case and starts her own investigation.
The pain in the neck that is adapting Christie’s work
Unlike some people out there, who memorised all the books
and saw all the adaptations, I am not a die-hard Agatha Christie fan, but I do
prefer her works over the ones of Arthur Conan Doyle (sorry Sherlock...). After
reading her books and also checking out such famous series as Poirot or Miss
Marple, I came to the conclusion that the key to a proper transposition of
Christie’s crime story to the screen lies in appropriate reflection of the
whole mood of the story, without necessarily strict reliance on the main plot
itself. What I mean is that Christie’s novels are not just “whodunits”, but
they are also, in a way, psychological dramas. In contrast to Conan Doyle where
we get of course the thrill of unravelling the mystery, in Christie we can
experience the game of shadows between the detective and the murderer; the
toxic relationship which the two fall into and finally end up revealing themselves
in the final confrontation. In the view of such a perspective on Christie’s
works, I dare to think that Shubho Muharat is one of the best adaptations, if
not indeed, the best one ever.
Indian Miss Marple
While watching this movie, I remember years ago seeing a TV adaptation
of this particular story with Joan McKenzie in the leading role and disliking
it. Back then, everything seemed a bit forced and pretentious, starting from
the screenplay and finishing on the acting. It’s no wonder that the show went
on hiatus for 4 years. With the progress of the series, Miss Marple transformed
herself from witty and charming into a bland, dull, and slightly annoying lady.
Needless to say, seeing Miss Marple in an “Indian take” is extremely
refreshing. Contrary to the literary progenitor, Ranga Pishima is not a
spinster, or at least claims not to be for she mentions having grown-up
children; moreover, she does not live alone but with her niece who is
constantly on the job and, on top of that, she loves watching movies on TV and
is a cat lover. Quite a distant image of the sharp-minded amateur detective,
isn’t it? Well, in fact, Ranga is not a detective at all. She uses her
abilities of exceptional memory, observance, and outstanding deduction in
every-day superficial matters like recovering a lost phone number, or catching
her niece smoking red-handed. She is a woman who feels good in the seclusion of
her own home, barely going out anywhere.
Strangely enough, such a diversity of traits actually works
well together. The Indian Miss Marple seems more compassionate, more relatable,
and more... ordinary in comparison to her literary original. Thus, it is much
more interesting seeing her putting together the pieces of a puzzle, struggling
to discover the truth, and finally facing the murderer in probably the most
touching and emotionally purifying confrontation ever!
Again, Indian Miss Marple is not a detective, she is like an
everyday mother, grandmother, aunt, or neighbour who does not seek the ultimate
justice on the wrongdoer, but instead, she employs her exceptional abilities
just for the fun of solving the problem and because there is a an opportunity
to do so. Therefore, in my book, Ranga Pishima outranks Miss Marple.
Backdrops
In terms of disadvantages, there is very little of them and
they do not ruin the reception of the film. However, some might feel put off by
several sub-plots interrelated with the main crime, like a hair-dresser
experiencing a twisted romance and trying to sabotage the murderer, or Milli
being emotionally torn between two men, a police officer and her fellow
photographer. Due to all that the movie lasts almost 160 min but it still feels
like just a two-hour story.
So what it is in the end? Whodunit or psychological
thriller?
I think that the movie is crafted so well that every viewer
can perceive it differently. Those unfamiliar with Christie can fully (and
naively) enjoy the main murder plot and those who are more perceptive, and can
guess who the murderer is, can divert their attention to the Indian context of
the story taking place in Calcutta, within the uninviting and demanding world
of the movie industry. Personally, I think of this movie as a sort of emotional
and sensual story, with a crime just in the background, focusing on such
universal issues as parental love, revenge, admiration, and solitude. In
addition, the supporting role of Sharmila Tagore cannot go unnoticed. Indian
Sophia Loren again shines on screen not only with her beauty, but also with
top-notch acting.
Recommendations
I would recommend this movie to anyone who likes crime
stories, Agatha Christie, or just wants to watch a rather peaceful story
without endless explosions of wild action or unexpected plot twists, but with a
huge catharsis in the end. All in all, it is a well written and brilliantly
acted motion picture. Gotta love Tollywood!
My personal score: 9/10
