सूरज का सातवाँ घोड़ा (Suraj ka Satvan Ghoda)

Suraj ka Satvan Ghoda written by Dharamvir Bharati and filmed by Shyam Benegal. The film led me to the book. I saw it on DD long back as a 15 year old. My mind was not mature enough to grasp the heavy rendition of Hindi language, intelligent film making or the intellectual discussions and insights. But the exceptional story and the storytelling made a very big mark on my mind.

This has been one of the best films I have ever seen, says right here. Love and life of three different women, the weakling middle class society, intense presentation of the ordinary yet complex characters, each aspect is just brilliant. The conversations about the basi various story, their subjects, the protagonists, the women, love  and relationships, life's meaning and dimensions in the social and economic context take the storytelling to a philosophical level.

Previously I have discussed the book here, now about the film. Probably this film can launch a million discussions on subjects of family, society, rich-poor, zamindar, middle class  and working class conflicts, marriage, dowry, free spirit, man-woman privileges, daughters,  love and it's culmination into marriage. These discussion, debates or should I say conversations would be intellectual,  philosophical abd sometimes personal, emotional, social and behavioral sketches and renditions.  But there is so much to say and I think it would be good.

There  are so many characters which need to be unwrapped like the layers of an onion -  Jamuna, Tanna, Lily, Sati, Manik or Munna Bhaiya, Mahisar Das, Mahisar's keep, Tanna's sisters (fat one and crippled one), Tange wala Ramdhan, Kammo, Manik's friends, Sauteli Ma,  Badi Bhabhi, so many personalities, so many dimensions, some times at the centre of the story, sometime just another character.

This conversation will be long and insightful. For now I leave you with the painting that explains the story beautifully and completely thru a series of image. You can see this painting in the closing shot of the film. Look closely and carefully, this is what we are getting into.

Suraj ka Satvan Ghoda - Art