Stories by Rabindranath Tagore, Chokher Bali.
The Filminists review the adaptation of Rabindranath Tagore’s Chokher Bali by Anurag Basu. With a score of 12 (on a scale from -5 to 15), this classic tale, now available on Netflix, gets a nod from us.
This was a great adaptation by Anurag Basu of some very compelling women protagonists by Rabindranath Tagore. What was even more compelling is that although these stories are written about a century or more ago, they still feel contemporary in mores. The stories have women (and men) in a variety of complex roles with their own wants, needs and desires, pursuing them against not only difficult circumstances, but in spite of the questionable morality of those actions. These women are not good, or pure or evil for most part. They are simply trying to live their lives and making mistakes and the best of hard situations along the way.
With this background, I think Chokher Bali is a great introduction, and perhaps one of the best stories in the series. It deals with themes of the rights of widows, the sexual desire of a widow who cannot pursue another lover nor remarry, and while it is a story where there is infidelity, it would be improper to focus only on that.
Binodini, the educated, piano-playing, English-speaking protagonist is being set up to be married to Mahendra, a doctor in training. Mahendra, however, does not want to get married and Binodini ends up being passed over to Behari — Mahendra’s cousin — who refuses to be downstream to Mahendra’s hand-me-downs and finally to a poor bloke who has the misfortune of dying within six months of the wedding. Meanwhile, Mahendra falls in love with and ends up marrying the beautiful but simple Ashalata who he’d originally tried to hand off to Behari as well.
Thus having wreaked havoc in the lives of everyone who has the pleasure of coming into contact with him, Mahendra embarks on a life of passionate, wedded bliss. Binodini and Behari, in the meantime, meet and fall in love — but their feelings remain unexpressed and give way as a rage at having to lead a life of deprivation as a widow takes over Binodini. She plots her way into Mahendra’s family’s home and forges a bond with Ashalata, even nicknaming their friendship “Chokher Bali” — literally a grain of sand, but in the context of the story, a constant irritant.
In the presence of the very domestic-goddess Binodini, Mahendra grows exceedingly frustrated with his wife, suddenly very aware of Asha’s failings. His feelings towards Binodini grow stronger and they have an illicit affair which sweeps everyone, not least of which is Binodini herself, into a maelstrom of vengeance and deprivation.
Apparently (or perhaps apocryphally) Tagore regretted not writing a happier ending for Binodini, perhaps restricted by the mores of his time and thinking it was a step too far for a story already pushing boundaries.
Who are the heroes, who are the villains? Is Binodini a good person?
At first, it is easy to condemn Binodini’s actions. How could she undermine what was a genuine friendship with Asha for her ends? But the reality, which is easy to overlook, is that she was prevented by the social conventions of the time from remarrying. It was easier to get the intimacy and companionship that marriage ostensibly provided through an affair with a married man rather than simply finding an unattached person — Behari — who she had feelings for anyway. Although her motivations had their origins in anger towards Mahendra, it is hard not to sympathize with the situation she was in — all her pleasure in life taken away from her for no fault of hers — and her desire to exact a vengeance as well.
Why must we let Mahendra off the hook for his hand in the betrayal of Ashalata? At least he can still hope for forgiveness. After all — it is highly unlikely that Ashalata could leave Mahendra and simply remarry. Why shouldn’t Behari be held responsible for not having the strength of character to express his intention to marry a widowed Binodini. Early in the story, we see him hinting at his interest in Binodini to his aunt who laughs it off as modern ideas. Binodini had the weight of the expectation of celibacy as a widow, but Behari did not. The only real innocent in this story was Ashalata but is she any lesser or any better for her naiveté and for not being as well rounded or educated as any of the other characters?
And of course — all this must be framed in terms of marriage, it isn’t as if there existed any other option for adult companionship.
Chokher Bali is set in a time when romantic and sexual relationships between unmarried couples in India were considered immoral (as they very much still are today) and widows, in particular, were expected to live as outcasts. It is very likely that Ashalata herself would have found herself in a position like that of a widow had she walked away from a straying husband.
There is something to be said about the fact that this story was written when it was. It is a profound lesson that the contemporary notions of propriety can be profoundly immoral, and it is not only possible to know that these are immoral — but there exist people who point out this immorality far ahead of time. Chokher Bali is a strong reminder that “Because society works that way” is simply an insufficient reason to support something.
Score Card
Does the movie pass the Bechdel test? (5)
Yes. Even though most of the story revolves around the affairs of Binodini/Mahendra/Asha/Behari, Binodini and Asha do have a friendship in which Asha confides in Binodini. Rajalakshmi and Binodini also have at least one such conversation.
What percentage of speaking character roles are played by women? (4)
4 out of 6 characters.
Extra credit
Is there at least one female character with her own narrative arc that is not about supporting a man’s story? (1)
Yes. This is very much Binodini’s story and even as Ashalata supports this tale, you’re shown her evolution as a character.
Does the story show women in positions of power? (1)
The story is a conversation about the limited power Binodini is able to wield in the absence of any real one. There are mentions of women doctors and Binodini herself is highly trained in a time when that was a luxury.
Is homosexuality and queerness portrayed accurately and sensitively? (0)
There are no gay or queer characters.
Are female characters performing non-traditional gender stereotypes and roles? (1)
Yes. Binodini does not behave as a widow was expected to. Ashalatha does too, by removing herself from a situation where she felt abused.
Are male characters performing non-traditional gender stereotypes and roles? (0)
Well, Mahendra eschews marriage for a time, which I suppose breaks some stereotype of the time but nothing else.
ve scores
Are characters sexually objectified? (0)
No.
Does the movie encourage/condone stalking and abusive behavior? (0)
No
Are there damsels in distress that need to be rescued by male protagonists? (0)
No
Are characters shamed for their bodies/sexuality? (0)
No
Is queerness invalidated, tolerated, snubbed, or dismissed? (0)
It is absent
