A peep into the rich and famous

Kanchenjungha (Bengali, 1962)
Director: Satyajit Ray

Ray must have felt disappointed his revolutionary movie that was 10 to 15 years ahead of its time did not stir enough public interest that he would like to. It also had the honour of being his first colour film, and he wrote the screenplay for the first time.

Deviating from the usual storytelling, this story narrates real-time happenings of a patriarchal Bengali industrialist family during their holiday at Darjeeling, overlooking the peak of Kanchenjungha and the crisis that they go through. In essence, the story is told through the conversations that occur during their walk through the mist, the ever-changing sunshine, overcast sky and the desire to sneak a peek at the elusive second highest peak of Himalayas. The irony of it is that, at the end of the film, when the mist has cleared up, nobody seems interested as they have more significant issues to handle.

The film is bilingual (English/Bengali) in keeping with the educated rich who are grateful to the British who brought 'civilisation' to India. They savour the British (a Dr Campbell) who had the foresight to develop a place like Darjeeling for them to enjoy. The protagonist of the movie, an MBE recipient, also admires the active lifestyle of the elderly whites (unlike their Indian counterparts who seem sickly and fretful). Despite adorning the Western tunic and way of living to a certain extent, he is still plagued with traditional superstitions. As he was about to start his walk in one scene, after hearing a sneeze by a passerby (signified a bad omen), he delays his journey! Old habits die hard!

It is the last day of their holiday and Indranath is still unlikely to view the peak of Kanchenjungha due to mist. Indranath, a proprietor of 5 companies, is in Darjeeling with his wife, a brooding sad-faced lady who is concerned about the turn of events the family; his brother-in-law, a widower who is a keen bird watcher; his first daughter who is going through a crisis with her husband about her former boyfriend; and his young 20-year-old daughter whom Indranath is hoping will marry the suitor of his choice. 

Indranath is rather pleased with himself for choosing the path that he decided that made him big. His wife is worried that her younger daughter, Monisha, may make the same mistake that the elder one did - marrying someone to satisfy her father. The elder sister has a hard time deciding between her daughter, her unloving gambling but rich husband and her lovingly persistent ex-boyfriend. She later finds out that he was behaving the way he was because he had come to discover her infidelity. Through the series of walks, they managed to patch up.

Her father's suitor, Banerjee woo the confused Monisha. Simultaneously, she happened to be introduced to a poor man, Ashok, who seems more to her fancy. The internal turmoil is depicted with great facial expressions and acting by the actress who plays her role. Ashok, the young man who befriends Monisha, has his misconceptions and stereotyping of the rich.

A side character in the movie is Indranath's son who is more interested in wooing pretty girls, but no one seems to find it wrong. I suppose Ray is trying to show the inequality of social justices between sexes. The movie ends as Indranath realises that Monisha had rejected his choice and befriended the poor boy Ashok. He was earlier in the film introduced to him with a prospect of securing a job in his company! Suddenly, the clear view of the peak of Kanchenjungha does not interest him...