Jana Aranya

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Jana Aranya (The Middleman)
Deepankar De
Lily Chakravarti
Gautam Chakravarti
Aparna Sen
Sudesna Das
Utpal Dutt
Rabi Ghosh
CinematographySoumendu Roy
Edited byDulal Dutta
Music bySatyajit Ray
Release date
  • 20 February 1976 (1976-02-20)
Running time
131 mins
CountryIndia
LanguageBengali

Jana Aranya is a

Mani Shankar Mukherjee. It is the last among Ray's Calcutta trilogy series, the previous two being, Pratidwandi (The Adversary, 1970) and Seemabaddha
(Company Limited, 1971).

Plot

The film portrays the economic difficulties faced by middle-class, educated, urban youth in 1970s India.

After achieving only moderate academic results and making numerous unsuccessful attempts to find a job, Somnath (Pradip Mukherjee), the central protagonist struggles in his daily life. One day while Somnath was walking down the lane in the crowded Burrabazar area of urban Kolkata, he slips over a banana peel, and coincidentally meets Bishuda(Utpal Dutt). He confesses to Bishuda about his unsuccessful attempts in getting a suitable job for himself. Bishuda advises him to start his own business. Somnath finally decides to start his own business as a middle-man—i.e. a self-employed salesman. He soon however finds himself involved in unethical behaviours, which is contrary to his upbringing. His friend Sukumar, having gone through similar ordeals but finally being unable to land a job, becomes a taxi-driver.

One day, Somnath finds that in order to land a big order, he must propitiate a client by supplying him with a prostitute. Despite his hesitation and after trying several brothels, Somnath, with the help of a more experienced operator, finds a girl for the purpose. However, she turns out to be his friend Sukumar's sister. Embarrassed and at a loss, Somnath offers her money and requests her to leave, but the girl refuses. Her purpose is to earn money, not beg, she tells him. Somnath delivers her to his client and lands the contract but is remorseful.

Cast

Reception and awards

The film is generally considered to be one of the darker and more cynical ones in Ray's filmography, even by Ray himself.

Times of India shared a similar view, calling the "film’s climax [...] an out and out shocker in which Somnath faces a startling dilemma of epic proportions, and just like Ray visualizes he fails to choose the right path, and he is now neither noble, nor a hero."[7] Vincent Canby of The New York Times gave the film a rave review writing "More than any other Ray film rye seen, “The Middleman” defines hopelessness." calling it "bleak and pessimistic".[8]

A negative review came from Elliott Stein of

Dickensian passages" and praised Rabi Ghosh's performance as the "“public relations” man who becomes the Brahmin's mentor in petty capitalism."[9]

The film has been nominated for and won the following awards since its release: Best Direction New Delhi, 1975; Best Film, Direction, Screenplay, Government of West Bengal, 1975 and Karlovy Vary Prize, 1976.[10]

Preservation

The Academy Film Archive preserved Jana Aranya in 1996.[11]

References

  1. ^ Chattopadhyay, Bhaskar (2 July 2017). "Jana Aranya: Satyajit Ray's most cynical, ruthless film resonates with today's world". Showsha. Firstpost. Archived from the original on 31 March 2018. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  2. ^ "The Middleman (Jana Aranya) (1975)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Archived from the original on 10 December 2017. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  3. The Chicago Reader. Archived
    from the original on 11 April 2018. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  4. ^ GA. "The Middleman". Time Out London. Time Out Group. Archived from the original on 12 October 2017. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  5. ^ Garchik, Leah; Writer, Chronicle Staff (6 October 1995). "FILM REVIEW -- MOVIE REVIEW / Innocence Tested in a Corrupt Calcutta". SFGate. Archived from the original on 16 June 2019. Retrieved 16 June 2019.
  6. ^ "Jana Aranya: Satyajit Ray's most cynical, ruthless film resonates with today's world". Firstpost. 2 July 2017. Archived from the original on 16 June 2019. Retrieved 16 June 2019.
  7. ^ "Controversial Bengali films on political issues". The Times of India. 19 February 2019. Archived from the original on 25 February 2021. Retrieved 16 June 2019.
  8. ^ "Satyajit Ray's 'The Middleman' Seen as His Most Sorrowful Work". The New York Times. 12 October 1976. Archived from the original on 4 May 2022. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
  9. ^ "Festivals: New York 1976". Film Comment. Archived from the original on 27 March 2019. Retrieved 16 June 2019.
  10. ^ "Jana Aranya (The Middleman)". SatyajitRay.org. Archived from the original on 30 September 2014. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  11. ^ "Preserved Projects". Academy Film Archive. Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on 15 August 2016. Retrieved 10 April 2018.

External links

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