Eunoia suggests: Devi

Before technology took over and the Indian industry started producing films that could give Hollywood a run for their money in terms of cinematography, camera work, and boldness of content, there was a simpler time; a time when films were made in black and white and did not consist of any frills and fancies, but were known to be high on quality of content and emotional connection. Devi is one such film which deserves to be watched for its storyline, which is way ahead of its time, its conviction, and the poignant emotions that it depicts on-screen.

Devi, a Bengali movie set in 1860, is one of the many astounding works of Satyajit Ray, the legendary film-maker who gave us gems like Pather Panchali and The Apu trilogy. While Devi primarily focuses on the psyche of the protagonist, Doyamoyee, who is a young married woman, it also speaks about the society and its desperation to find the divine Almighty.

When Doyamoyee’s father-in-law, who is a great believer of Goddess Kali, gets a dream that his daughter-in-law is a reincarnation of the deity, he starts to believe it and puts her on a pedestal for the rest of the village to worship. After a certain incident which reinstates this faith, the whole village starts to flock to Doyamoyee as they believe that she is, in fact, a reincarnated form of God and holds the cures to all their problems. When Doyamoyee’s husband, who had been away in the city this whole time, returns to the village, he is appalled by his father’s irrational and absurd faith. To his disbelief, Doyamoyee also begins to believe in her spiritual reincarnation and doesn’t agree to go away to the city with him, since she feels that the villagers need her and she genuinely holds the power to help them solve their problems.

Devi portrayed on celluloid the extent to which religion influenced people’s lives.

Even though Devi is a black and white film, the stalwart film-maker has been successful in filling every inch of the screen with emotions, hard-hitting reality, and vulnerability. The cinematography of the film is extremely realistic and noteworthy despite being black and white. The vulnerable yet graceful performance by Sharmila Tagore, who was just a teenager during the making of the film, is applause-worthy. This film, while being way ahead of its time, also endorses strong opinions and portrays the essence of 19th century Bengal with accuracy. It is extremely impactful and left us with a sense of pride. We definitely recommend you to watch this film- and do not forget to find a print with subtitles for this Bengali masterpiece!

• By Devisha Narekuli