Mahapurush

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Movie
Original title মহাপুরুষ
(Mahapurush)
Country of production India
original language Bengali
Publishing year 1965
length 68 minutes
Rod
Director Satyajit Ray
script Satyajit Ray
production RD Bansal
music Satyajit Ray
camera Soumendu Ray
cut Dulal Dutta
occupation

Mahapurush ( Bengali মহাপুরুষ Mahāpuruṣ ) is a 1965 Indian film by Satyajit Ray .

action

At a train station, the guru, worshiped by a crowd as "Birinchi Babaji", distributes his blessing. During the train ride the widower Gurupad and Birinchi Baba get to know each other. Birinchi Baba travels with his assistant and immediately impresses with a miracle - he "makes the sun rise". Gurupad is immediately captured by Birinchi Baba's charisma.

Change of scene. The young Satya storms into the room and tells his friends (somewhat older intellectuals) that his friend Bujhki - daughter of Gurupad - has become a disciple of a guru whom her father has brought into the house. He asks her to help him drive the man away. At first they make ironic fun of so-called "saints", then the friend Nibaran makes inquiries about Birinchi Baba from his childhood friend Professor Nani, the husband of sister Bujhki's.

In doing so, he experiences the philosophy of the false guru. Birinchi Baba lets his hands circle in opposite directions (symbolic of the past and future) with forefingers outstretched to symbolize his pseudo-philosophy. In his view, there is no present because "time does not stand still". Birinchi Baba herself is timeless and ageless. Shaking his head, Nibaran hears the stories circulated by Birinchi Baba - he was there when Kashi fell , knew Jesus personally, was already old when Gautama Buddha was born and finally taught Einstein himself the theory of relativity .

The friends finally go to see the play themselves and witness how Birinchi Baba spreads his stories from their previous lives among his already large, devout following of rich citizens. At 7 p.m. sharp he falls into a (feigned) rigidity and is carried away. In the meantime, Satya learns from Bujhki that she only puts a good face on the bad game and would rather have the saint out of the house quickly. A plan to evict the guru is forged.

Birinchi and his assistant think about new tricks in their room when Gurupad knocks on the door to inquire about their well-being. Afterwards it turns out that the house servant is also in on the act and receives 10% of the income from the disciples, as he can regulate the access to the house and the sessions of Birinchi Baba.

With a fake fire at the time of the simulated Samadhi Birinchi Baba, the charlatan is exposed and asked to disappear, never to be seen again. Birinchi Baba and his assistant approach a "new future" with confidence.

background

Mahapurush is based on the short story Birinchi Baba by Rajsekhar Bose . It is a satire of the guru cult that is widespread in India. The film was released on May 7, 1965 in conjunction with the medium-length film Kapurush .

Footnotes

  1. ^ His Career ( Memento of December 10, 2007 in the Internet Archive )

Web links