Tapasya - 1976

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Tapasya - I was crying in buckets at one or two scenes (kind of uncontrollably). It was beautiful love story and as well as truly a Tapasya of one's life. Intellectually, it takes us to an emotional plane where all dogmas and Pragma's  fall apart as one woman and also a couple's story becomes avant-garde even if viewed in strictest traditions. This is in direct opposition to Geet Gata Chal and yet very similar...stressing on companionship.

Produced by Tarachand Barjayta, Directed by Anil Ganguly, Story by Ashapoorna Devi (bengali renowed  novelist and story-writer) and Screenplay by Anil Ganguly. I was barely 3 years old when this film was released.  It was dedicated for the cause of International Year of Women.

This is a story of woman, whose opportunity to get married to her love of her life, a doctor, a good samaritan, is thwarted by fate as she ends up raising her young sibs all by herself when her father dies. By the time she is done with all her familial responsibilities, she is already into twilight of her life as the woman where marriage adds no meaning, as she is sapped out, exhausted of being the householder, full of pain with realization that her dreams just add to her misery...and just wanting to Go Away Anywhere.  A true mental picture of her state of mind is drawn where she has the man waiting for her, asking her to come into his life now that she is free ultimately, all she can find within her to say is that she feels all barren about it...which is really true.  I was crying buckets here...but then next moment we see her beau's mother crying and simply entrusting her with house-keys and says I am tired and you need to take care of him and relieve me of this.  That brings out happy tears of the woman...as in she always wanted to go there...but she wanted that wavelength in others to understand...that everyone is in twilight waiting for the sunset...and the sudden hope that its still worth watching the sun-set together with all those like-minded tired souls.

Its again a story where the woman under circumstances gets glorified for her sacrifices, but she is happy and unhappy as well and she gets a meaning for her individual life as when finishes one journey successfully and embarks on another.  Here too the theme is marriage or the loss of that opportunity...but there is sacrifice and then the true meaning of companionship in one's life and what is loneliness and what is freedom and what is choice and what is opportunity and what is sacrifice. Its kind of more appealing that at that age, the woman is shown to be welcomed by the man's family to enter their lives and begin her journey afresh.  In those days, it was hypocritical of Indian Society to show a woman getting married when she is already past her 35th year. She would rather die a spinster rather than be married as pretty much she is useless as she cannot bear children and if that is not possible or if there were no step children to take care of, the woman has practically no right to enjoy her life with her spouse in truly fulfilling manner through sharing, companionship. This concept was more of a western concept then in 70's, whereas this in our present times is quite okay...like me and others marrying very late.

A beautiful film.  The rendition, the execution of the story is such that it doesn't hurt the traditional and modern audience much...though we can criticize on argument basis...how about a man who was not known to her and not waiting for her over the years...Just that ART has to be pervasive and not jolting. A thought that pervades our mind stays in our heart as we think on it. A jolt just subjects us a shock...which I call as Loud without aiming for resolution.

Other Specifics
Rakhee considered this movie her as her best performance and movie in her accomplishments. She had been always known to pick up movies with meaty roles.

All the supporting actors were excellent.

Songs - we have that Do Panchee Do Din Ke song......one of my fav songs.

Singers - Its Hemlata as usual for the female playback singer. She has been Rajshri Movies In-House Singer.

Story writer - Ashapoorna Devi, the Bengali writer and so we know why this story is that gripping. I remember reading an excerpt of her work, Pratham Pratishruti when in school. It was in the Hindi syllabus. Later, I watched Pratham Pratishruti on Doordarshan also. It was adapted in Hindi for televised Serial adaptation.