#110: The Big City
Part of the Top 150 Films series
The Big City narrates the story of a housewife, Arati, who disconcerts her traditionalist family by getting a job as a saleswoman. Shot on location in Calcutta, the film reflects contemporary realities of the urban middle-class, where women going to work are no longer merely driven by ideas of emancipation but an economic reality of the times. Though less canonised than the Apu trilogy — possibly because of its neorealist, rather than lyrical shooting style — The Big City deserves to be mentioned in the same company for its sheer humanism. There are no villains: Arati’s husband is ultimately supportive despite his initial patriarchal tendencies, and her boss, an unapologetic racist, comes across as a decent person who holds some screwed-up ideals. It’s Madhabi Mukherjee as Arati, however, that elevates the film to the highest heights. At once tender, combative, reticent and caring, hers is a performance for the ages.
