Hazaar Chaurasi Ki Maa

Hazaar Chaurasi Ki Maa is directed by Govind Nihalani and is based on a seminal novel by the formidable Mahasweta Devi.In Hazaar Chaurasi Ki Maa, the Calcutta of the 1970s is captured when the air was alive with revolutionary fervour and Bengali youth reacted with anger against hypocrisies, injustices, betrayals and counter violence of the State. The film is a tribute to all those who gave their lives during the naxalite movement. The people who fought for fundamental human rights. Jaya Bachans, as the mother of Brati, a young revolutionary.I think this is her best performance ever.Anupam Kher, though in brief appearances portrays the elite class of Calcutta very accurately.The movie is a little slow but very accurate. A must see, especially for those who misunderstand the naxalite movement.

I did not come away thinking that the director wanted to preach Marxism (like some comments indicated), but told a story about some that strongly believed in it. He told the story of those that embrace a movement and by doing so, they have involved their entire family one way or other. The shadows of their sacrifices are long; character Nandini talks about it. The survivors deal with differently -- here the mother is running around her sons memories. She is reaching out to the places that he ever touched. This kind of intelligent film making, simple story lines, characters with depth are not everybody's cup of tea.

I'm not going to say I agree with the story premise but I loved the film, characterization. No actor went for a grandiose performance; dialogues were simple, no punch lines. Hence a very simple film. I would suggest people watch the DVD; the film does a wake some emotions in you.

Performances: What can I say? I have not seen one actor that performed better or worse. Every one lived in their roles, hence the credit goes to the Director. But, I just have to say this... I loved Jaya Bhaduri in Guddi, Uphar, Kora Kagaj ... the lady is natural. She never acts - Amitabh acts -- Jaya just lives in her roles (even in KKKG in few scenes that were not artificial).

->The movie appears to be slightly sympathetic to the Left-wing extremists(then known as the 'Naxalites'). Nevertheless, an outstanding one ! ->In a country like India where the truth dies a horrible and a silent death,such movies ought to add to the confusion of the 'stupid' common man but at the same time make him realize the extent of his ignorance. ->The best part of the movie is undoubtedly it's direction - a gist of the idealistic,dreaming,competent and willing but certainly with-wrong-basics youth of the 60-70's who were the core of the Naxalbari movement;the muscle flexing,brutality and cunning(well-inherited from the English)of the Government;the always-ignorant,hypocrite upper and middle class;the parasitic and infectious thug-clan in India and many more subtle aspects of a national peril manifest well in the movie. ->All actors have done their sweep well.Especially,Jaya Bhaduri(a rueful mother),Seema Biswas(a persevering lady of lower economic strata),Nandita Das(a dynamic,dreamer-turned-astute extremist) take most of the credit. ->The climax of the movie seems apparently off-track but is not - it relates to all the threads spawned in the first half of the movie.

This much acclaimed film is a narrate of Sujata Chatterji's (Jaya Bhaduri) discovery of her son's (Brati Chatterji played by Joy Sengupta) life. Made in the backdrop of the Naxalite uprising in Bengal's Naxalbari, the film mostly deals with Sujata's quest for understanding her deceased son's ideologies and outlook to life. Starting off with a mere corpse number '1084' (which lends the film its name), she establishes her son's true identity, despite the social barriers surrounding her.

What appealed to me the most was Sujata's character defined as a simple minded mother whose love for her son gave her the strength to not only discover his pursuit in life, but also, find meaning in her own. That apart, Govind Nihalani brings out a nice diagnosis of the varying ideologies of an entire generation - how a protected and almost shrouded environment can co-exist with an uprising that seeks to change the very foundation of society. The movie explodes at a point where Sujata questions this very oddity, thus marking a moment of change in her own life.

The film has some rather intense moments in Nandita Das's portrayal of the character Nandini . In almost a monologue, Nandini converses with Sujata where she not only brings to light a revolutionary and romantic episode of Brati's life but also rescues a mother dwelling amidst ignorance and compromises. A stark contrast to the dignified and contained Sujata, is Somu's mother (Seema Biswas) who despite her troubles, has has seen more meaning and truth in her motherhood.

The film has tremendous talent in its actors like Anupum Kher, Seema Biswas, Nandita Das, Joy Sengupta, Milind Gunaji and of course Jaya Bachhan making a comeback in 1998 after a long gap in her cinema career. On a slight con side, I think the cinematography on occasions could do better. Overall, a very good film to watch.

The film not only portrays the dark days in the history of Bengal when human rights were strangled under the boots of power, it also essays the journey of a middle aged lady that led her to discover her dignity as a human being and reassess her own goals in life as she delves deeper into the life and ideology of her deceased son.

A beautiful story of struggle, realization and hope.