Kapurush
| Kapurush | |
|---|---|
 DVD cover for Kapurush | |
| Directed by | Satyajit Ray |
| Produced by | R. D. Bansal and Co. |
| Screenplay by | Satyajit Ray |
| Based on |
Janaiko Kapuruser Kahini by Premendra Mitra |
| Starring |
Soumitra Chatterjee Madhabi Mukherjee Haradhan Bandopadhyay |
| Music by | Satyajit Ray |
| Cinematography | Soumendu Roy |
| Edited by | Dulal Dutta |
Release dates | 7 May 1965 |
Running time | 74 min. |
| Country | India |
| Language | Bengali |
Kapurush (Bengali: কাপুরুষ) or in English, The Coward, is a 1965 film directed by Satyajit Ray.
Plot
Amitabha Roy (Soumitra Chatterjee) is a Calcutta-based scriptwriter who is driving around in the country to collect material for a film. His vehicle breaks down in a small town. A tea planter, Bimal Gupta (Haradhan Bandopadhyay), offers hospitality for the night. Amitabha is forced to accept the offer as he has no alternative.
At Gupta's house, he is introduced to his wife Karuna (Madhabi Mukherjee). Amitabha is shocked to find her to be the girl he once loved and had let down. Unaware of their past relationship, Gupta entertains Amitabha. He comes across as a simple man with none of the physical or intellectual charms of Roy.
Amitabha feels uneasy around Karuna and is unable to sleep. He asks for sleeping pills from Karuna, and manages to steal a few moments alone with Karuna. He conveys to her about his love and asks her to leave her husband. Karuna hides her own feelings. Unable to regain the old intimacy with her, he remembers his betrayal. It was the last time he saw her. Forced by her uncle who did not approve of the relationship and wanted to send her away, she came to him. Even though he was a poor student, she had made up her mind to accept his situation and confront her family's disapproval. He, however, proved to be a coward. Now that he is a successful man, Amitabha asks Karuna to leave her husband for him. Karuna, however, does or says little to encourage him.
The next morning, Amitabha decides to take the train instead of waiting for his vehicle to be repaired. He writes a note to Karuna, requesting her to meet him at the railway station if she still cared for him.
Amitabha waits for Karuna at the station. The climax is ambiguous as it is shown that Karuna does come, but just to take back the sleeping pills Amitabha had borrowed, which could either be Amitabha's hallucination as he wants her to come, or that Karuna has taken back the pills because she wants him to know that she wants to end her own life.
Cast
- Soumitra Chatterjee as Amitabha Roy
- Madhabi Mukherjee as Karuna
- Haradhan Bandopadhyay as Bimal Gupta
Preservation
The Academy Film Archive preserved Kapurush in 2005.[1]
References
- ↑ "Preserved Projects". Academy Film Archive.