Ray has not spared any effort in mocking the lucknavi shan-o-shauqat in this movie. The upper class, both the royalty and the newly-rich, have slipped into celebrating art and culture at the expense of everything else. There is widespread loss of manhood - unsatisfied wife, cheating wife, accepting defeat without any protest. Luxury has enfeebled the mind and the chess players choose the pretentious way of displaying their intellect at chess rather than solving their real life problems.
Performances by all the characters are impeccable. Shabana has been underutilized. Ray has done a great job at recreating that period of history. The pace of the movie is slow, but I guess that is in synch with the lifestyle of those days.
Performances by all the characters are impeccable. Shabana has been underutilized. Ray has done a great job at recreating that period of history. The pace of the movie is slow, but I guess that is in synch with the lifestyle of those days.