Such an amazing film! My first Satyajit Ray film. Also happy birthday to him! Although I finished this on the 3rd of May, technically I started on the second of May. I actually love this film, it was so cool to see the Kingdom of Awadh be portrayed on screen with it's Shia Muslim influence. As a Shia Muslim, it was very nice to see small details and get representation that you barely see at all. Like from the matam during majalis to the alams to the Shia way of prayer to the khakeshefa. Honestly all of it was cool AF! Also I loved the exploration of Indian Muslim culture. It's so beautiful from the mujre performances to the fashion. This film is a commentary on the final days of the Kingdom of Awadh, as a foreign power seeks to take over, obviously the British. It also signifies the decay of the old nobility in the era before the annexation of Awadh. But truly a cool film about the critique over the people who ceded Hindustan to the foreigners. There's the scene when Wajid Ali Shah just gave up his crown and kingship so easily and it's so nuanced. Also speaking of the stuff before I truly admire that Satyajit Ray truly did his research unlike a lot of other directors who do not put in the true and real identity of these cultures. The sets were amazing and felt lived in, even the fashion too. Obviously the cast is amazing with a multitude of legends in Indian cinema and international cinema as well from Sanjeev Kumar who truly shines in this film, to Saeed Jeffrey, to Shabana Azmi who is so iconic to Farida Jalal and Amjad Khan who gives such an understated performance. Also not to mention Richard Attenborough who gave a great performance of the British general James Outram. This was such a good film, also a more light hearted version of a crucial time period in Indian history but I definitely need to see more of Ray's work!
Such an amazing film! My first Satyajit Ray film. Also happy birthday to him! Although I finished this on the 3rd of May, technically I started on the second of May. I actually love this film, it was so cool to see the Kingdom of Awadh be portrayed on screen with it's Shia Muslim influence. As a Shia Muslim, it was very nice to see small details and get representation that you barely see at all. Like from the matam during majalis to the alams to the Shia way of prayer to the khakeshefa. Honestly all of it was cool AF! Also I loved the exploration of Indian Muslim culture. It's so beautiful from the mujre performances to the fashion. This film is a commentary on the final days of the Kingdom of Awadh, as a foreign power seeks to take over, obviously the British. It also signifies the decay of the old nobility in the era before the annexation of Awadh. But truly a cool film about the critique over the people who ceded Hindustan to the foreigners. There's the scene when Wajid Ali Shah just gave up his crown and kingship so easily and it's so nuanced. Also speaking of the stuff before I truly admire that Satyajit Ray truly did his research unlike a lot of other directors who do not put in the true and real identity of these cultures. The sets were amazing and felt lived in, even the fashion too. Obviously the cast is amazing with a multitude of legends in Indian cinema and international cinema as well from Sanjeev Kumar who truly shines in this film, to Saeed Jeffrey, to Shabana Azmi who is so iconic to Farida Jalal and Amjad Khan who gives such an understated performance. Also not to mention Richard Attenborough who gave a great performance of the British general James Outram. This was such a good film, also a more light hearted version of a crucial time period in Indian history but I definitely need to see more of Ray's work!
