Agantuk (Stranger)

The thing about Bengali movies is that everyone has watched it, discussed and critiqued it. Bengali cinema is almost the stand in for intellectual cinema in the global world for India. Quiet unlike the Tamil or Malayalam cinema which are truly hidden gems which hardly anyone knows about even though they are as much (and sometimes even better) a critique on relationships and human nature as any of Satyajit Ray’s movies, albeit anyone outside the diaspora speaking the language hardly knows about them.

So, I accept the fact the reviewing a Bengali movie that too a Satyajit Ray is indeed bold on my part. Then also, if you google the film, you will find countless reviews and blogs about his movies.

In a way, my introduction to non-Bollywood movies was through the Bengali movies. Given the fact that my Alma-mater had the most prolific Bengali association who used to screen regular movies.

The fact that “Agantuk” is available on my newly acquired Amazon Prime subscription (and that too with subtitles), was just enough temptation for me to spend a hot Bangalore afternoon watching the movie. Who can say no to Satyajit Ray 😊

Agantuk or stranger is a movie which attempts to lay bare the innards of a human heart and mind. A couple living in Calcutta, receive a letter one day (yeah, remember the snail mail days, the movie was released in 1992) informing the woman that her uncle or mama (Mother’s brother) who had left home and disappeared 35 years ago, is in New Delhi, and wants to visit and stay with them for a week. The letter makes it abundantly clear that he knows it’s an imposition but given the tradition of “Athithi Devo Bhav” in India, would still be welcomed.

No one has seen or met Manmohan Mitra (Utpal Dutt) for past 35 years. Immediately you see the wife Anila Bose (Mamta Shankar), trying to recall every small detail about her long-lost uncle while the husband Sudhindra Bose (Deepankar Dey) is first suspicious of the stranger writing to them and then rues his lost weekend. While the kid Satyaki is excited that a great uncle is visiting.

Anila convinces Sudhindra to meet the uncle before deciding whether he is fake or real, even while she hides the valuable bronze figurines. Manmohan Mitra arrives at the designated hour. We see the obvious hesitation and unfamiliarity. While Satyaki immediately becomes friends with Manmohan Mitra, Nila isn’t quite sure. While she goes about the duties of a being a hostess, she doesn’t really address him as uncle.

The rest of the narrative is simple, where everyone tries to ascertain if the uncle is who he says he is.

And that’s where the simplicity ends. The various characters in the film come and go, and leave thread of human psyche behind. Nila’s actor friend, who is curious to know this stranger, almost like a specimen in a lab. Even though he tries to ascertain his superior knowledge initially, quickly drops the act when he realizes that not only Manmohan is a great intellectual but is also very perceptive. On the other hand, the lawyer (Sudhindra’s friend), who is supposed to be straight forward and knows about cases relating to impersonation, loses his cool when his world view doesn’t match that of Mitra’s. Unable to stand his ground, his only conclusion is that of mistrust and exploitation.

Sudhindra while he doesn’t fully trust Manmohan (he even checks his passport), does admit that he is very knowledgeable and well-traveled. Nila, on other hand is epitome of indecision. While she wants to trust, and find the warmth of familiarity in her only living relative, at the same time keeps on worrying about it not being so. Contradiction to this is Sital Sarkar, Manmohan’s old neighbour, who takes him at face value and finds it funny when Manmohan tries to show him his passport. You almost miss this narrative in the movie, it’s that subtle.

Satyaki, does what a child does best. Believes and bonds.

Agantuk or Manmohan Mitra, who is an exceptionally gifted mind, expert in anthropology, has travelled the world studying tribals, is a non-conformist in the truest sense. He disregards any conventional definition of civilization, religion, savagery, technological advancement and even God. The dichotomy of civilized and what gets termed as savage or barbaric in today’s world, what is considered important and what is truly important is the underlying theme of the narrative. Especially poignant in the way Manmohan leaves nothing important or his “entire inheritance” for Nila in the end. Also spelt out more fervently in his dialogue with Sen Gupta.

Especially hard hitting, for me was the story he told about the painting of a bison which in a way paved the path of his enlightenment.

Satyajit Ray is of course one of the best directors in the world and his grasp of his craft is unparalleled. The story does not drag anywhere and there are no loose ends (Nila, having established that Mitra is no crook, even replaces the bronze figurines). It’s refreshing because you hardly find this with directors these days.

Utpal Dutt is superb in his portrayal of an unconventional Mama. Familiar yet a stranger. Mamta Shankar's portrayal of indecisive niece, wanting to have faith but corrupted by her surrounding and her own thoughts, is par-excellence.

Where the movie fails for me though, is that it lacks depth. The characters and caricatures are all too obvious almost borderline clichéd. Of course, being a Ray has its own set of expectations.  Except for Manmohan Mitra and Nila, none of the characters leave an impact.

All said, the movie is riveting, and has a lightheartedness about it.

Do watch.