Mahanagar (1997)

Subrata Mazumdar (Anil Chatterjee) is struggling to support his extended family in the big city of Calcutta. He has a job as an accountant at a new bank, but he doesn't make enough to make ends meet. Going against the norm, his wife, Arati (Madhabi Mukherjee), decides that she must find a job. Condemned by her conservative father-in-law, she begins working as a door-to-door salesgirl, representing a line of knitting machines.

The better she does at her job, the happier and more confident she becomes. But this change makes her husband extremely unhappy. He finally insists that she resign her position. He'll find a part-time job instead. But just before she can do this, there is a run on Subrata's bank and it must close. Jobless, he has to live with the shame of having his wife support him. Like Charulata, this film eventually resolves itself on a more hopeful note than much of director Satyajit Ray's work.

Although made in 1963, this film has a surprisingly modern feel to it. The problems faced by the Mazumdar family in Calcutta do not seem too different from those faced by families in Cincinnati or Cairo today. Ray does a masterful job of visual storytelling, and the performances of the entire cast are both evocative and moving. Ray favorite Madhabi Mukherjee, who also appeared in Charauta, is simply amazing as she transforms herself from an obedient, spoiled wife to a confident, hardworking career woman. --Luanne Brown Amazon.com essential video

A woman's place is in the home .... and the workforce

If you have seen several of Satyajit Ray's films, you will recognize the repeated use of its actors. Here, the beautiful Madhabi Mukherjee appeared in Charaluta and Karapush. Although made in 1963, the time period is to reflect 1955. The setting is a tiny, cramped, dingy looking dwelling. Arati lives with her husband, Subrata, two kids, and her husband's elderly parents. Upon opening, we see that Subrata's father is in need of glasses and asks his son again when he can get them. The elderly father was an educator and begins to rely on his past students for benefits.

When money is tight, Arati presents the question to her husband about getting a job. He has strict values about women in the workplace, while the young son tells his sister that if she doesn't study she could be in the kitchen "just like mom". You also learn the values of the husband, who reiterates that a woman's place is in the home. But without argument, the husband is compliant, and helps her find a job, until he is threatened by her achievement and contribution.

What is inspirational about this movie is that here we have a woman who is a devoted homemaker, has NOT worked outside the home, performs well as a sales girl (door to door), boldly challenges her boss regarding treatment of a colleague; asks for a raise and gets it.

On the other hand, a man who has shallow values, ego bruised, long-time head of a household and isn't able to dutifully support his family evolves as the weaker of the two.

Excellent movie that may not be on DVD at this time. ....Rizzo April 14, 2008

timeless

Simply one of the best films ever made. A trail blazer even by today's standards. The themes of gender role conflict, classism and work ethics are all played out in the dreamily composed yet closed world that director Ray crafted. The last 3 minutes are real movie magic in the truest sense of the word: you cheer for a moral redemption rarely explored in life (much less on film). June 5, 2002

a great film

This film of Ray's is really one of my favorites. The wife of the main character decides to go to work to help support the family, and ultimately discovers new things about herself. She likes her new job and independence and having work gives her a different outlook about her own life and marriage, as well as the world. This is basically an upbeat movie, with a modern feel to it. As always, Ray's direction is impeccable and the cinematography is great. This is really a very enjoyable movie. June 3, 2002

"Worrying About Work Makes You Spineless"

In "Mahanagar" (Big City), a family copes with the changing mores and values of society. A wife, who has devoted herself to caring for her husband, child, and in-laws, takes a job outside the home to ease the economic burden her husband shoulders. As she becomes more successful at work, her husband must deal with the jealousy he feels.

Near the end of the film, a second theme is revealed. Despite the fact that the husband is now out of work, the wife quits her job to protest the unfair treatment of a coworker by her boss. Facing poverty, the husband nonetheless supports his wife's decision and praises her. "Worrying about work makes you spineless," he tells her. "You're not like that yet." He implies that many in the workforce have put their economic security ahead of their ideals and morals.

As in all of Ray's films, the themes are timeless. Although women in the workforce are well accepted today, we are still coping with ever-changing societal values. More importantly, the second theme forces us to question our own actions. Is a steady paycheck more important than taking a stand against injustice? If we keep silent about the unfair treatment or exploitation of another, aren't we a part of that exploitation?

In spite of the seriousness of these themes, the film is not heavy and moralizing. Long after the film has ended, what the viewer will remember is the devotion and love family members have for one another, and their willingness to cast their lots together, for better or for worse. January 24, 2000

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