Charulata

There’s a lot to be impressed by. Visually, the shot of Charu coming up with the idea to write about her village is absolutely gorgeous and brilliantly edited. Thematically, the ideas are so rich and specific. I have read a few things about 19th century India but nothing that really stuck in my brain. But Ray gets across so much beyond the story that make me feel I understand the customs, concerns, and lifestyles of that specific place and time. When you can do that while also telling a simple yet wildly compelling story, as is done here, you’ve made a special film. The love triangle in itself is so well strung with such precision, just as Charu’s opening sewing scene. That scene foreshadows so perfectly how this story will be told. There are no villains here and no indication that the Charu/Apal romance was consummated or even discussed. But we are given the impression that things are happening off camera. The sense of time and ability for cinema to tell a story in its limited time without over-exposition is on display. Ray succeeds in creating a world where we’re shown exactly the right amount to feel connected to the central drama but we understand that we’re not seeing the entirety of the lives depicted. That’s how you tell a story.