When it came to the subject of cinema, in the ’60s and the ’70s, through a series of internationally acclaimed films, Satyajit Ray had secured India’s position in the world map a feat unmatched by anyone before him. And he had done so while working in the Bengali film industry. It is not surprising, then, that time and again, Ray had had to field the one question which everyone in Mumbai ended up asking him — when would he make a feature film in Hindi? From various books written on the subject, and from recently published letters, we get to know that the thought of making a Hindi film did cross Ray’s mind several times, but that he was taking his time, for three principal reasons i.e. his rather limited knowledge of the languages of Hindi and Urdu , the fact that for their livelihood his crew members in Bengal depended on his films, and because he hadn’t found a suitable subject yet. Eventually, he did find the subject though, in a short story written by Munshi Premchand. In 1977, supported by his old crew and a new team of translators, Ray took the big leap, and made his first Hindi feature film — Shatranj Ke Khilari (The Chess Players) which went on to become a landmark film in the history of Hindi cinema.

There are few films in Bollywood that have truly stood the test of time. And while there are many cult classics from each decade of cinema, there are only a handful of films that are timeless. Cine maestro Satyajit Ray’s first Hindi film, Shatranj Ke Khilari, released in 1977 falls in that category.

“The Chess Players” is set in Lucknow, India 1856. Two chess-obsessed noblemen, Mir and Mirza , meet everyday to indulge in their passion. In doing so they ignore, and are indifferent to the upheaval that surrounds them. At the same time, the King of Oudh, so wrapped up in his own creative pursuits, neglects his state duties. This results in an assertion of British rule and a demand that he abdicate.

The biggest asset of Shatranj Ke Khilari is its world-building. Watching the film, it is impossible to believe that it had been directed by someone who, by his own admission, had very limited working knowledge of Hindi and almost no knowledge of Urdu or Awadhi. And that’s just the dialogues. Shatranj transports us into a magical world of nawabs and nautch girls, of palaces and forts, of hookahs and Peshawari shawls, of cockfights and kite-flying contests, of kathak and thumris all with its beautiful cinematography, perfect art direction, immaculate lighting and hundreds of knick-knacks and props, most of which Ray had carefully handpicked by himself . The film itself is extremely riveting, denying viewers even the slightest opportunity to take their eyes off the screen. Every single frame of the film is like a painting, the colours deliberately muted, to make the picture reminiscent of a bygone era. There is a certain mellow feeling throughout the film, primarily brought on by the hues used. One gets a sense of tragedy looming large, even when the characters aren’t speaking or emoting. To add to these, of course, are some of the best performances ever assayed on screen in a Hindi film.

Sanjeev Kumar and Syed Jaffrey play the two noblemen whose love for chess knows no bounds not even the ones imposed by family. While Syed Jaffrey is the warm, jolly and courteous simpleton oblivious of the fact that his wife is having an affair behind his back, Sanjeev Kumar is the more aggressive of the two friends, both on and off the chessboard. Amjad Khan plays Wajid Ali Shah with great sensitivity, showing once again his stature as an actor. The Nawab of Awadh, thanks to his softer inclinations, literally gives up his crown without the British army having to shed a single drop of blood. On hearing that the British are coming to overthrow him, when his prime minister breaks down, Wajid Ali Shah remarks — ‘Only music and poetry can bring tears to a man’s eyes’. His long speech to his ministers upon hearing of Outram’s plans is the stuff of cinematic legend, fraught with a mix of angst and defiance, and of tragedy that he would no longer be able to indulge himself with the things that gave him the greatest pleasure.

Ray, gave us a film that rings true in all political climates and societies – whether feudalist or democratic. Shatranj Ke Khiladi keeps reminding us that in our daily petty politics, we miss the wood for the trees. The film, made during Indira Gandhi’s Emergency period, poses difficult political questions: Can the nobility indulge in the arts while there is a financial and political crisis in their kingdom? Can art and craft be redeeming factors when all else is lost? Should we feel sympathetic for the kohl-eyed Nawab losing his kingdom? And would that be nationalistic?

Ray’s historical drama offers a vision of a troubled India steeped in apathy. The film is implicitly political and Ray’s subtle use of chess as a metaphor parallels the cunning moves by the British to capture the King. While the two men play, their marriages disintegrate. These images are juxtaposed with those of the King who, while flying kites, has one of his poems skilfully dissected by General Outram , thus providing grounds for annexation.

All of Premchand’s stories have one thing in common — revealing the innermost, the ugliest, and the most interesting parts of human nature. Perhaps that is why Satyajit Ray was so taken by the story cause he does the same with his films. He expertly juxtaposes the noblemen struggling to play their game of chess in peace, with the game that the Governor General of British India plays with the Shah for his kingdom. There are no heroes or villains in the film. The story of either is not black and white, and the grey tones are shown in subtle yet perfectly dramatic light, matching the colour-schemes and the simple aesthetics of the cinematography. Shatranj Ke Khilari was Satyajit Ray’s most expensive film.

Satyajit Ray is not called one of the greatest filmmakers of the 20th century simply for beautiful films. His use of space and silences is so masterful that a viewer (even an impatient one in 2019) is hooked from the start, oblivious to the what might otherwise be considered “long, boring stretches of film”. His attention to detail right from the hand gestures and accents to the clothes and sets is remarkable and transports you to the era.

Premchand ends the story with Mirza and Meer killing each other with swords in a quarrel over the game. “These are the same heroes who, living, never shed a tear over the tragic fall of their sovereign; they are now happily dead, defending the honour of their chess vizier” – Premchand wrote in his story . In the film, this finish would have appeared melodramatic. Ray changed it and left it open-ended. According to him, “The idea of two friends killing each other was abandoned because I felt it might be taken to symbolise the end of decadence.” The game goes on.

One would imagine that in a film about chess, it would be difficult to believably portray the passage of time on screen. But in Ray’s able hands, such fears are brushed aside and what transpires on screen is indeed poetry in motion. Shatranj Ke Khilari is one of those rare films which make you realise, even without any background information whatsoever, that the makers must have made it with a lot of heart. Ray’s skillful tackling of the subject and his adaptation of Premchand’s short story into a full-fledged politico-historical film, an important commentary of the systematic atrocities of the British in India, is a tragic tale, one that will be lauded by generations to come.

As you fume and laugh over the stupidity and ignorance of the protagonists, Satyajit Ray and Premchand’s masterstroke sneaks up on you — that you, dear viewer, are also that chess player. So, absorbed in our daily lives that we barely look up to see the larger picture, be it the people governing us or the way we’re ruining the planet. But once again, we shrug it off and move on to the next round.

Indian National Media houses are worthless and useless. Bengal has witnessed probably the worst Cyclone (Amphan) in last 30-40 years. More than 5 lakhs people have been rendered homeless. Countless houses have been shattered in the coastal areas. Casualties have been reported as well. My City of Joy has become City of Disaster. There’s still no electricity, mobile network and water supply in many areas. It will at least take 4-5 days or more I have no idea to recover from this.
There is a part of India outside Delhi and Mumbai!
No national media really care about Assam Floods, Odisha Cyclones, Bengal Cyclone and many such disasters.
Why is it called National media then! Or don’t they consider East and Northeast India as a part of the country!
This is probably the only topic, where Ravish Kumar and Arnab Goswami are maintaining the same silence!

#PrayForBengal #IgnoredBengal #IgnoredEastIndia #BiasedMedia #PaidMedia #copied

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