The meaning of life?

Shakha Prosakha (Branches of the Tree, Bengali; 1990)
Story, Screenplay, Direction: Satyajit Ray

This is one of Ray's swan song. It is a layered tale questioning the meaning of life, intergenerational priorities and the pressure of growing up to live up to peoples' expectations.

Ananda Majumdar is a 70-year-old retired industrialist who raised the rank and files from a worker to the position of partner in a big company, honoured by the town for his philanthropy work. He is highly respected by the community, and his biography had just been written.

He is a widower with 4 sons. He lives with his senile father of 90 years old and his second son with had a head injury during his university days and had to discontinue his studies. The second son, Proshanto (Soumitra Chatterjee in his subdued supportive role, in most of Ray's movies he is the leading actor), is living in his own world oblivious of the surroundings, talking only occasionally, somewhat coherently, sometimes abusively and spending most of his time in solitude and listening music.

Ananda is afflicted with myocardial infarction during a ceremony honouring his 70th birthday. Reluctantly, the three working sons, come home to roost to fulfil filial piety. 

The eldest, Probodh, is doing well in life. The third, Probir, is also doing well but is a chronic smoker and a gambler. The fourth son, Protap, is single was employed in a high post for 10 years till recently, as the family later found out.

The main crux of the story is how the three siblings, 2 wives and Probodh's young son mingle with each other. The two topics of conversation include the 90-year-old grandfather wasted present meaningless life which is childlike and is clueless about his surroundings. He needs constant supervision, feeding and dressing. They also lament the misfortune that had struck Proshanto, who was the brightest of them all.

Senior had always believed in 2 principles in life - Work is life, and earning money should be honest. Probodh and Probir had an argument on their respective lives where their earned money is nothing but healthy; Probodh who under-declared his earnings to evade tax to enjoy a comfortable life and Probir who gambled excessively at the races. The brothers discover that Protap had given up his well paying as he could not stomach the corruption that was that his superiors were indulged in.

He had now joined a theatre group and thinks he would do just well. He had found a girl and matrimony was in the pipeline. At least some of them agree that life in the present day was different than that of their father's time. Corruption and unhealthy money were inevitable.

After a week of fellowship and with the father improving, health-wise, the three brothers and the entourage leaves back home.

The grandson wishes the grandfather farewell and inadvertently mentioned to him that his father and uncle were acquiring unhealthy money, leaving Ananda quite devastated. The entourage leaves, leaving the three people whose lives are no longer in the rat race as the others to rough it out in the old house in their own world!