The chess players

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Movie
German title The chess players
Original title शतरंज के खिलाड़ी
(Shatranj Ke Khilari)
Country of production India
original language Urdu , English
Publishing year 1977
length 113 minutes
Rod
Director Satyajit Ray
script Satyajit Ray
production Suresh Jindal
music Satyajit Ray
camera Soumendu Roy
cut Dulal Dutta
occupation

The Chess Players ( Hindi : शतरंज के खिलाड़ी , Śatrañj Ke Khilāṛi ) is an Indian feature film by Satyajit Ray from 1977. It was based on the short story of the same name by Premchand .

action

In 1856 in Lucknow , capital of the Kingdom of Avadh , the idlers Mirza and Mir, who lived on the wealth of their ancestors, meet daily to play chess . The Nawab of Avadh Wajid Ali Shah plays with dance, religion, beautiful women and poetry and has little concern for the government. General James Outram , the envoy of the Governor General Lord Dalhousie , has come to Lucknow with the intention of persuading the Nawab to give up administrative sovereignty over Avadh in favor of the East India Company .

A surprising visitor informs Mirza and Mir that there are rumors of a violent takeover of Avadh by the East India Company. He also explains to them that chess - game of kings and king of games - does not come from Persia but is of Indian origin and that the British way of playing differs from the Indian one.

General Outram informs Ali Naqi Khan, Prime Minister of Avadh, that the Governor General has decided to take over the kingdom because the Nawab has made no effort to improve administration despite warnings. When the prime minister brings him the bad news, he is enjoying a music and dance performance.

Mirza's wife feels neglected and calls her husband over on an excuse to keep him from gambling, but her seduction skills ultimately fail. The next day she steals the chess pieces, whereupon Mirza and Mir begin to play with tomatoes, limes, chillies and nuts as pieces. Furious at her faint, Mirza's wife throws the chess pieces back into the room. The chess players agree to play with me from the next day in order to be undisturbed.

The nawab complains to his ministers about their inaction, but is not willing to relinquish the throne himself. Outram fears the necessity of a violent takeover and thus the breach of the existing friendship treaty.

Unexpected for Mir's wife, Mirza and Mir turn up to play chess. When I met a nephew (her lover) with her in the bedroom, he was clueless and was deceived about the reason for his presence. He believes the story told him that the Nawab's army is on the lookout for able-bodied men and that his nephew is hiding here. Scared, Mirza and Mir decide to continue playing outside of town in a derelict mosque.

The Nawab faces the takeover of Avadh and disarms its army, which is too weak to defend itself. At a subsequent reception for General Outram, he refuses to sign the treaty presented to him, but leaves Avadh to the British.

Since Mir and Mirza can't find a mosque, they go to play in a nearby village. When Mirza loses the game, he reveals to Me the infidelity of his wife. Insulted, I pulls a pistol and, shocked by the news that the British are marching on Lucknow, he accidentally shoots Mirza. Ashamed, he resigns: If we can't get our women under control, how are we supposed to do it with the British. They are reconciled because they are indispensable for one another as playing partners.

background

This film was Satyajit Ray's most expensive production and his first non-Bengali film. It is strictly formal in its structure. Ray juxtaposes the game of chess, both on a small and large scale, and shows that players and pieces are interchangeable and that the British play by different rules than the Indians. Immediately after a historical introduction comes a dialogue between General Outram and Captain Weston that could hardly be more British. Ray shows his sense of subtle humor and his in-depth knowledge of the British psyche.

The film is multilingual; the Indian performers speak Urdu, the British speak English.

Bansi Chandragupta , who last worked with Ray at Pratidwandi, was responsible for the production .

Reviews

“A multi-faceted parable about India at the time of British imperialism, striving for historical authenticity at great expense; enriched with a lot of situational comedy and snappy swipes. "

- Lexicon of International Films

“With his 'chess players' the great Indian director Satyajit Ray once again proved his mastery: an ironic, often broken essay on British colonialism in India, the story of two indigenous bon vivants who indulge in idleness with nonchalant decadence until theirs world shaped by style and tradition collapses completely. "

- Hans-Christoph Blumenberg in March 1978 in Die Zeit

Award

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Hans-Christoph Blumenberg : Germany in autumn . In: Die Zeit , No. 11/1978