WATER, 2005 - Directed by and Written by Deepa Mehta
Last night I ventured down to Brooklyn to see a movie at a local theatre. The theatre reminded me of the theatre in Ashtabula, Ohio off Route 20, next to the in door Gun Shop (er flea market). The only difference between this theatre and the one in Ashtabula is that this one was smaller, the seats were more comfortable and there was no smell of urine...this theatre also proported to sell the "best cup of coffeee in New York." Okay, well I guess this theater was nothing like the one in Ashtabula, but the memory was there nevertheless.
This movie takes place in the 1930s during the rise of independence from the British. It shows the restrictions placed on widows during this period as expressed by their religion. The story tells about a 7-year old girl who was married to a man who was quite old. He dies and as a widow you have one of three choices: burn with your husband (because all people are cremated), choose to live a life as a social outcast, or ask your husband's family to marry the younger brother. This story is the real life struggle that widows had to endure. From living among other widows, wearing only white, not permitted to eat fried foods, never to marry again, this was a moving story. This story of the little girl was only a small part of the actual story. As imdb.com says:
It is 1938, India is ruled by the British, and it is around this time that Mohandas K. Gandhi has arrived from Africa to begin his tryst with the British, as well as battle the traditions that bind the Hindus. Barely in her teens, Chuyia is married to much older and sickly male, who shortly after the marriage, passes away. Chuyia is returned unceremoniously to her parents' house, and from there she is taken to the holy city Banaras and left in the care of a wide assortment of widows. Chuyia believes that her mother will come to take her home. Here she meets the several elderly women, including the head, Madhumati; a quiet, confident woman named Shakuntala, and a gorgeous young woman named Kalyani. Chuyia does not know that according to Holy Hindu Scriptures she has been destined to live here for the rest of her life, for when a woman's husband dies', she has three options. One to marry her husband's younger brother; two to kill herself on his funeral pyre; three to live a life of celibacy, discipline, and solitude amongst her own kind. The fourth law which permits a widow to re-marry is not quite popular, and it is these laws and openly welcoming the lower castes that will pit Gandhiji amongst his very own people, apart from struggling with the British to leave India. Kalyani meets and falls in love with young Narayan, a follower of Mahatma Gandhi, who wants to marry her, despite of his mother's protests. But on the fateful day when ferrying her to his home, Kalyani recognizes the house, the very same house she had been forced to visit as a prostitute years ago with a man who is now Narayan's father. The question remains will Kalyani prefer living the life of a confined widow, or marry Narayan and live with his father under the same roof? And is Chuyia really destined to live the rest of her life as a widow?
This movie is in limited release here in New York. This is the last week to see the movie, but I am sure it can be found on DVD. The film is part of a 3-part series - Fire and Earth are the other parts. If you are in the mood for a moving movie that will make you realize how lucky we are, then I recommend this film.
Overall, I rate this film 4 out of 5 Chief Wahoos
For the Indian Music (I am addicted to the Indian channel on Sat. AM) I give the music 5 out of 5 Chief Wahoos
Last night I ventured down to Brooklyn to see a movie at a local theatre. The theatre reminded me of the theatre in Ashtabula, Ohio off Route 20, next to the in door Gun Shop (er flea market). The only difference between this theatre and the one in Ashtabula is that this one was smaller, the seats were more comfortable and there was no smell of urine...this theatre also proported to sell the "best cup of coffeee in New York." Okay, well I guess this theater was nothing like the one in Ashtabula, but the memory was there nevertheless.
This movie takes place in the 1930s during the rise of independence from the British. It shows the restrictions placed on widows during this period as expressed by their religion. The story tells about a 7-year old girl who was married to a man who was quite old. He dies and as a widow you have one of three choices: burn with your husband (because all people are cremated), choose to live a life as a social outcast, or ask your husband's family to marry the younger brother. This story is the real life struggle that widows had to endure. From living among other widows, wearing only white, not permitted to eat fried foods, never to marry again, this was a moving story. This story of the little girl was only a small part of the actual story. As imdb.com says:
It is 1938, India is ruled by the British, and it is around this time that Mohandas K. Gandhi has arrived from Africa to begin his tryst with the British, as well as battle the traditions that bind the Hindus. Barely in her teens, Chuyia is married to much older and sickly male, who shortly after the marriage, passes away. Chuyia is returned unceremoniously to her parents' house, and from there she is taken to the holy city Banaras and left in the care of a wide assortment of widows. Chuyia believes that her mother will come to take her home. Here she meets the several elderly women, including the head, Madhumati; a quiet, confident woman named Shakuntala, and a gorgeous young woman named Kalyani. Chuyia does not know that according to Holy Hindu Scriptures she has been destined to live here for the rest of her life, for when a woman's husband dies', she has three options. One to marry her husband's younger brother; two to kill herself on his funeral pyre; three to live a life of celibacy, discipline, and solitude amongst her own kind. The fourth law which permits a widow to re-marry is not quite popular, and it is these laws and openly welcoming the lower castes that will pit Gandhiji amongst his very own people, apart from struggling with the British to leave India. Kalyani meets and falls in love with young Narayan, a follower of Mahatma Gandhi, who wants to marry her, despite of his mother's protests. But on the fateful day when ferrying her to his home, Kalyani recognizes the house, the very same house she had been forced to visit as a prostitute years ago with a man who is now Narayan's father. The question remains will Kalyani prefer living the life of a confined widow, or marry Narayan and live with his father under the same roof? And is Chuyia really destined to live the rest of her life as a widow?
This movie is in limited release here in New York. This is the last week to see the movie, but I am sure it can be found on DVD. The film is part of a 3-part series - Fire and Earth are the other parts. If you are in the mood for a moving movie that will make you realize how lucky we are, then I recommend this film.
Overall, I rate this film 4 out of 5 Chief Wahoos
For the Indian Music (I am addicted to the Indian channel on Sat. AM) I give the music 5 out of 5 Chief Wahoos
2 comments:
There is something wonderfully wrong about using Chief Wahoo to rank an Indian movie.
I too am loving Indian music and dancing yes I am.
We used to have a channel that previewed Indian movies and TV shows. I would watch it all the time.
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