“The Big City”, Review!

Director: Satyajit Ray
Starring: Anil Chatterjee, Madhabi Mukherjee, Jaya Bhaduri.

A woman takes over as the breadwinner in Satyajit Ray's feminist exploration of family power structures. His movie “The Big City” is pure expression, be it through his own dialogue of the 'Apu' trilogy or the lesser-known 'City' trilogy, reflecting the socio-political backdrop of 1970s India. "The Big City" was first released in 1963, but is back in theaters as part of a new BFI season dedicated to the filmmaker, who focuses on a woman's dreams against the harsh realities of a society she hopes will make her home. At the center of one of Ray's more quietly influential films is a deeply modern issue explored by writers such as Rabindranath Tagore in texts such as 'The Home and the World', which seek to decode the traditional values of Indian family structures.

Taking his hometown Kolkata as its backdrop, Ray's beautiful story follows the struggles of a family presented through the perspective of Aarti (Madhabi Mukherjee). Along with her dreams of finding a job in the outside world, she has to deal with the hardships of her husband, who works in a bank, as well as the growing pressures of her extended family living under one roof. Sensing the tension in the entire house, Aarti works safely as a saleswoman in a business that specializes in weaving machines.

Incidentally, the company's target market for such household items is wealthy single housewives, who have nothing better than knitting fashionable jumpers. Aarti's busy life and absolute attachment to class, such women are seduced by her presence, yet ultimately share the same love for the betterment of their family. Still, Aarti's transformation in her newfound freedom at work is sending waves of her own.

His partner Subrata (Anil Chatterjee) is a vulnerable man, aware of his position as the head of the family, yet dependent on his wife's efforts. At the heart of the film is Mukherjee, a brilliant actor who exudes compassion, honesty and passion in equal measure. Her flamboyant presence allows Ray's film to feel distinctly modern in placing women at the center of her existence.

At the heart of her growth as a woman, a colleague at work introduces Aarti to red lipstick and urges her to adopt it during door-to-door calls. Designed as a symbol of freedom, the make-up transcends Subrata Mitra's monochrome cinematography, a moment of pure flamboyance as Aarti evokes her true inner essence. Reflecting Ray's human touch, this scene is the most essential performance in the film, in which a woman discovers a new person in a place far from home.

Depicting a universal story of ambition, devotion and ultimately love, "Big City" brilliantly captures the small stresses of everyday life. Even today, it remains an adventure, beautifully portrayed as a way of shattering values without touching the ideas of gender equality. The sublime qualities of Mukherjee's performance cement Ray's hometown story as one of his best.