Ahalya short film review
watch this short film and write a short review about the following items:
Ahalya
(1) Overall impression of the film
(2) Acting
(3) Cinematography
(4) Sound
(5) Plot & its reference to mythological Ahalya
Ahalya
(1) Overall impression of the film
(2) Acting
(3) Cinematography
(4) Sound
(5) Plot & its reference to mythological Ahalya
Ahalya was a thriller movie with a very good small and yet creative screenplay. it is very well depicted with modern Ahalya. Ahalya, a character depicted in Ramayana who was cursed by Gautama Maharishi for her infidelity to a stone. In mother script, Rishi curses Ahalya for her act, but in Soumitra Chatterjee's modern Ahalya, she teaches a lesson to one who violates the dignity of married women by deceiving them in form of their better half. But the real twist is that the role of Mr. Sadhu who voluntarily captures the seducing personalities. Also, the role played by Ahalya was only seduction and lusting in which almost everyone will fall off. Totally, this movie gives the prejudice of woman who almost seduces and makes everyone stone. I personally feel that the mistake was in the part of Ahalya in the mythological story. But in this modern Ahalya, it very well picturized of the effect of violance lust of a men towards other man's Wife.
ReplyDeleteM.Madhu Varshini
ReplyDelete2015310014
Apparel Technology
OVERALL IMPRESSION:
The movie is basically a revenge plot against the original story of ahalya in Ramanya. The moral drawn can be :-
1.To control your fascination and urge to try something out of the unknown.
2. The time has changed now as Women has equal importance now.She is not your slave.If outsider is wrong he should get punished but not your better half.
3.This also shows trust of his man in her wife. He trusts her so much that he knows how every man who visited their house got turned into doll without even knowing the story from her end.
4. Now a days,there exist no RAM who will come and turn ahalya back into human and so the punishment should be given to the one who is culprit.
ACTING:
All the actors have done a commendable job in the film, which has many close-up shots. Radhika Apte is convincing as the beautiful Ahalya. It seems a cakewalk for the old man character as he has maintained the air of mystery till the end, and fits into the role of the mischievous old husband.The policeman suits well for his bad character.
CINEMATOGRAPHY AND SOUND:
The motifs in the film have complemented the suspense splendidly. All the characters wear white outfits in the beginning of the film, and even the lamps and surroundings are in lighter shades, which is very new for a suspense-thriller. In the end, once the suspense is revealed, Ahalya and her husband are seen in black. A good play on the fair metaphor by the director.
PLOT AND REFERENCE TO MYTHOLOGICAL STORY:
Ahalya in the Hindu mythology, is the wife of Sage Gautama. She is said to be the most stunning, gorgeous and attractive woman created by Brahma during the period of 4th century BC. She was married to a much older husband, the sage Gautama.
Lord Indra, who was tempted by her beauty could not (wouldn't even dare to) approach her to ask her to be involved in a consummate relationship with him. So, he decides wickedly to go in disguise of sage Gautama (Husband of Ahalya) and sleep with Ahalya. This enrages sage Gautama and he turns Ahalya into a stone by cursing her for infidelity, little realizing that the fault lies entirely on Indra.Later, Lord Rama liberates her from the curse.
In the Basic story line of 'Ramayana' Ahalya gets trapped inside a stone for years, for a mistake which wasn't hers.
This time 'Indra' the dev-raj, (the inspector was rehtorical) gets punished for his wrong doings, and gets trapped inside a human figurine.
'Showing the contrast of our change in perception of crime against women".
Further more, the role of the old man is still blurry but I think it depicts that the Rishi (Gautama) in Ramayana who supports and praises his wife for his achievements, which is also a contrast to the what is in the 'Basic story line'.
"Probably targeting equality among man and women".
1) The short film was tempting at every moment, while the climax expressed the most acceptable logic of how mythological story of Ahalya should have ended.
ReplyDelete2) The policemen held his perfect stare in the face from the beginning; the artist was casual and Radhika Apte's acting was beyond my level of explanation, as everyone knows that at present she rules the hearts of Indian short film lovers and binge watchers.
3) The Cinematography was quite decent and probably didn't take up much work with that set.
4) As always, sound engineers tried to superimpose with cinematography and in this film they managed to catch up successfully.
5) The reference to the mythological Ahalya was facilitated by a stone impersonated as herself in the cursed form. The curse of the cursed stone in turn is shown to be facilitating the temptation inside men on other men's wife (similar to Indira) by providing her spouse's appearance and finally turning them into toys as an aftereffect. This film is trying to dictate the predicted thoughts
of Ahalya that only Indira should have been cursed for the action, not thy innocent self.
R.Gayathri
ReplyDeleteFOOD TECHNOLOGY
2015304009
1.The movie is a thriller. It makes us curious about the power of the stone. The movie tells more about the human nature .It sends a strong message that we should not use the power for wrong deeds. If the policeman was aware of the fact that he was using the power to get another man's wife he would not have turned into a statue. The way Gowtham Sadhu arouse the curiosity of the policeman was the best part about it.
2.I liked the acting of Radhika Apte who played the role of AHALYA. She was making sure that the policeman fell for the trap she laid. The person who played the role of Gowtam Sadhu was also very good. The acting of the policeman after getting trapped as a statue was awesome.
3.The cinematography was nice. The way he shot the scene where the policeman found out the reflection of him in the mirror was Gowtham Shadu ,after using the magic stone was the best part about it.
4.The background music was played in such a way that it maintained the suspense in the plot. It was perfect for the thriller movie. It aroused curiosity and maintained the mystery till the end.
5. In the ancient story Ahalya will be turned into a stone for infidelity by her husband Gautama. Indra falls in love with ahalya and uses magic to disguise himself as Gautama and deceives ahalya. But ahalya being innocent , gets punished by her husband which was not fair. But in this story the police who played the role of Indra who used the stone to disguise himself as the
Ahalya's husband Gowtham ,gets punished for using the power wrongly which I think is fair.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteAhalya is a 2015 Bengali short film directed by Sujoy Ghosh with Soumitra Chatterjee, Radhika Apte and Tota Roy Chowdhury playing the lead roles. The movie is basically a revenge plot against the original story of ahalya in Ramanya. The moral drawn can be :-
ReplyDeleteTo control your fascination and urge to try something out of the unknown.
Women play an important part in this world's creations.
Sex often lands you in trouble. (Unless it's with your partner)
The much-anticipated short film is an excellent watch because of the way it's been made, rather than the twist in the end.The film begins with the sound of a calling bell, and a policeman who is in search of a missing person enters the house of Goutam Sadhu, a famous artist, to question him.
The door is opened by the gorgeous Ahalya (Radhika Apte), who is initially mistaken by the policeman as the daughter of the artist, and then he is surprised to learn that she is in fact his wife. Ahalya and Indra are cursed by the sage for the former's infidelity. Ahalya is turned into a stone, only to thaw back into life after the touch of Lord Rama's feet. Sujoy has taken the mythical story and given a feminist twist to it in this fourteen-minute film. All the actors have done a commendable job in the film, which has many close-up shots. Radhika Apte is convincing as the beautiful Ahalya. Not only the policeman Indra Sen, even the viewers are not able to take their eyes off her. He has maintained the air of mystery till the end, and fits into the role of the mischievous old husband.A good play on the good/bad metaphor by the director.
Though it was an obvious twist, the film is a good watch for all the other elements it encapsulates.
Overall impression of the film:
ReplyDelete'Ahalya' is a tale of morality from house of Sujoy Ghosh.
Plot and its reference to mythological Ahalya:
Ahalya' in the Hindu mythology, is the wife of Sage Gautama. She is said to be the most stunning, gorgeous and attractive woman created by Brahma during the period of 4th century BC. She was married to a much older husband, the sage Gautama. Lord Indra, who was tempted by her beauty could not (wouldn't even dare to) approach her to ask her to be involved in a consummate relationship with him. So, he decides wickedly to go in disguise of sage Gautama (Husband of Ahalya) and sleep with Ahalya. This enrages sage Gautama and he turns Ahalya into a stone by cursing her for infidelity, little realizing that the fault lies entirely on Indra. We later read in the Sampoorna Ramayanam, that Lord Rama liberates her from the curse.
The short film by Sujoy Ghosh which spans for 14 minutes is a take on the fault conceived by sage Gautama. It goes on to show that earlier, in the mythology, Ahalya was punished and cursed for no fault of hers though it is Indra who is at blameworthiness. In the short film, only the guilty, in this case, Indra(The police inspector whose name is also Indra) is the one who is punished and Ahalya is shown as someone who reveals to the masses about the innocence of the mythological Ahalya by co-conspiring with her older husband. The short film is a corrected allegory to the mythological one. It is a take on an improvisation of the older tale where the guilty was let loose and not punished.
Sound, Cinematography and Acting:
The background score sets the right mood and builds the anticipation and tension. The camera work is no less spectacular. The hand held movements especially create a nice supplement to the eerie setting.
This movie involved a brilliant cast. Radhika Apte (Ahalya) as the enchantress, the siren who draws you in is good. But the show stealers are Soumitra (Gautam Sadhu) and Tota Roy (Indra Sen-Police officer). The thespian deploys the right mix of friendliness and comfort while, Tota brings the nervous energy and the looming sense of peril.
Message:
Always in our society, the woman gets the blame for the mishaps and the man who was the real culprit to be blamed is let free. This film reverses the situation and brings the touch of justice with the man getting the punishment. Thus the film features gender equality and the consequences of improper usage of a Power!
ReplyDeleteThe much anticipated short film "Ahalya" by Sujoy Ghosh is an excellent watch because of the way its been made,rather than the twist in the end.The film which is produced by Royal Stag Barrel select large short films,Stars the legendary Soumitra chatterjee,Radhika Apte and Tota Roy Chowdhary.
Sujoy ghosh, who is known for his 2012 film Kahaani, has again come up with a script which has a spooky twist in the end.The film is a spin-off of the mythical story of Ahalya.In the Ramayana,Ahalya the most beautiful of Lord Brahma's creations, is a wife of a much older sage called Gautama.Lord Indra who is attracted to her beauty disguises himself as her husband and woos her. Ahalya and Indra are cursed by the sage for the former's infidelity.Ahalya is turned into a stone, only to thaw back into a life after the touch of lord Rama's feet. There are many versions of the story,but in all of them Ahalya is the one who is severly punished for the infidelity.
Sujoy has taken the mythical story and given a feminist twist to it in this 14 minutes film.The motifs in the film have complemented the suspense splendidly.All the characters wear white outfits in the beginning of the film and even the lamps and surroundings are in lighter shades.In the end, once the suspense is revealed, Ahalya and her husband are seen in black.A good play on the Good/ bad metaphor by the director.
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ReplyDeleteS. Iniya
ReplyDelete2015304015
Food Technology
1.Ahalya is a Bengali short film directed by Sujoy Ghosh. The twist of the plot is not understood till the last few minutes. The plot was simple yet creative.
2.The Ahalya character was very well played by Radhika Apte. The Gautam character was well played too. The antagonist role perfectly suited the Policeman Indra.
3.The angles are perfectly shot and framed sequentially in the best possible way. The portrayal of the scenes are perfect and absolutely brilliant.
4.The mild sound in the background makes the film more thrilling and makes us keep guessing for the possible plot stories.
5.The mythological Ahalya is the exact opposite of modern Ahalya wherein the former, the innocent was punished and in the latter, the guilty was accused. In the original tale of Ahalya, Indra was infatuated with Ahalya, the most beautiful of all women. She was married to the older sage Gautama. When Gautama was away, Indra took on his form and seduced Ahalya. When Gautama learned what had happened, he cursed both Indra and his wife. Ahalya was turned to stone. But in the modern Ahalya, Indra was turned into a stone. The story is simply an attempt to correct the mythological Ahalya. In this modern Ahalya, the guilty was punished.
Sujoy Ghosh can thank three key departments of his filmmaking team. Firstly, the music, the background score sets the right mood and builds the anticipation and tension. The camera work is no less spectacular. The hand held movements especially create a nice supplement to the eerie setting. And then comes the brilliant cast. Radhika Apte as the enchantress, the siren who draws you in is good. But the show stealers are Soumitra and Tota Roy. The thespian deploys the right mix of friendliness and comfort. While Tota brings the nervous energy and the looming sense of peril.
ReplyDeleteActress Radhika Apte has secured brownie points for her acting, hands down. Being a maharashtrian, she has made a Bengali character extremely believable. With her performance, she has proved that why she is considered the ultimate seductress of bollywood. Soumitra Chatterjee and Tota Roy Choudhury are considered legendary actors in the Bengali Movies Industry. They have displayed their finesse through their performances.
In the Basic story line of 'Ramayana' Ahalya gets trapped inside a stone for years, for a mistake which wasn't hers.This time 'Indra' the dev-raj, (the inspector was rehtorical) gets punished for his wrong doings, and gets trapped inside a human figurine.Sujaoy Ghosh’s Ahalya is the revenge and justice of modern Ahalya. Here she (Radhika Apte) is fooled and taken advantage by cop (in the guise of husband). But, instead of curse acting upon innocent Ahalya (as it happened in history), it acted upon the cop and the actual sinner gets punished turns into the stone.
AHALYA
ReplyDeleteHi ma’am… This is A. Muthahar Fazila from food tech……
Overall Impression of the film:
The film, Ahalya by Sujoy Ghosh is a modern adaption of the mythical story of Ahalya, but with a Feminist angle to it. The movie is a revenge plot against the original story of Ahalya in Ramayana.
Acting:
All the actors have done an excellent job in the film. Radhika Apte satisfies all the requirements to match with the beautiful Ahalya of Ramayana. Not only the policeman Indra Sen, even the viewer’s were not able to take their eyes off her. The role of the policeman Indra Sen, was appreciable, because he had a large part to play in the film. Generally, whenever we watch films, it’s not only the hero and heroine who get the name and fame, it’s also the villain. Likewise, the acting of Indra Sen was as expected as that of Lord Indra’s. As I don’t know much about the Ramayana, I was stunned to hear that Ahalya, the most beautiful of Lord Brahma's creations, is a wife of a much older sage called Gautama. When I was watching the movie, I also had an idea that Ahalya is the daughter of Goutam Sadhu, a famous artist. But I was proved false.
Cinematography:
The excellence of cinematography is proved right from the beginning of the movie- the way the movie starts with the ringing of the calling bell, then the walking style of Radhika Apte when she takes the policeman inside, the explanation given by Ahalya and Goutam Sadhu when the toys fall, the image of Goutam Sadhu on the mirror when the policeman looks at it, the unexpected cry of Indra Sen and finally the locked Indra Sen’s toy falling down when someone else enters the house. All these parts keep up the suspense till the end of the movie.
Sound:
The sound effects employed in this short film preserve the suspense and thrill till the end of 13th minute. The loud cry of Indra Sen from inside the toy was unpredictable, unexpected and was shocking. The sound effects had an everlasting impact on the viewer’s minds as we were not able to forget each and every character.
Plot and its reference to mythological Ahalya:
In Hindu mythology, Ahalya is the wife of the sage Gautama Maharishi. Created by the god Brahma as the most beautiful woman, Ahalya was married to the much older Gautama. Many Hindu scriptures say that she was seduced by Indra and cursed by her husband for infidelity. Ahalya is cursed to become a stone and regains her human form after she is brushed by Rama's foot, who liberated her from the curse. The plot is an excellent watch because of the way it is made, rather than the twist in the end. There are many versions of the story, but in all of them Ahalya is the one who is severely punished for the infidelity. Sujoy has taken the mythical story and given a feminist twist to it in this fourteen-minute film.
Niyas ahamed.M
Delete2015305512
Industrial Biotechnology
Ahalya' in the Hindu mythology, is the wife of Sage Gautama. She is said to be the most stunning, gorgeous and attractive woman created by Brahma during the period of 4th century BC. She was married to a much older husband, the sage Gautama.
Lord Indra, who was tempted by her beauty could not (wouldn't even dare to) approach her to ask her to be involved in a consummate relationship with him. So, he decides wickedly to go in disguise of sage Gautama (Husband of Ahalya) and sleep with Ahalya. This enrages sage Gautama and he turns Ahalya into a stone by cursing her for infidelity, little realizing that the fault lies entirely on Indra. We later read in the Sampoorna Ramayanam, that Lord Rama liberates her from the curse.
The short film by Sujoy Ghosh which spans for 14 minutes is a take on the fault conceived by sage Gautama. It goes on to show that earlier, in the mythology, Ahalya was punished and cursed for no fault of hers though it is Indra who is at blameworthiness.
In the short film, only the guilty, in this case, Indra(The police inspector whose name is also Indra) is the one who is punished and Ahalya is shown as someone who reveals to the masses about the innocence of the mythological Ahalya by co-conspiring with her older husband.
The short film is a corrected allegory to the mythological one. It is a take on an improvisation of the older tale where the guilty was let loose and not punished.
Also, in my point of view, the ending of the short film could have been more understandable or rather straight-forward. Cause, there are generations of people who wouldn’t even know that such a mythological character existed. A clearer stance of the short film would have acclaimed a broader reach.
The movie AHALYA is modern version of ahalya's story, wife of Gautama rishi.Shreya Ghosh's Ahalya is the revenge and justice of modern Ahalya. This shows that level of thinking among humans has changed a lot over thousands of years.This movie depicts what would happen if the same ahalya story has taken place at this time.
ReplyDeleteThe cinematography was good and simple. since it is a thriller movie initially the director has made use of light backgrounds rather than dark.The light background is the one which could maintain the suspense and thrill till the end of the film.The way the mirror has reflected the image of gautam (ahalya's husband) instead of the policeman was a good attempt made by director.
The background music is the one which could express the directors thought. Even though story is important music and sound is the one which takes the message to audience.sound is also necessary to maintain the thrill and suspense.
Whatever be the story line but the actors are the one who is going to present the characters of story to the audience.so its is very important for the director to choose the apt person. Radhika apte who is well known for her acting has taken the movie ahalya to next level.And the policeman is also suited for his negative character.
In Ramayana Indira disguised as gautama rishi and seduced Ahalya who was unaware that he was not her husband.It was Indira who has committed the mistake, instead ahalya was punished by her husband.The rishi was not dare enough to punish Indira.
The person who has committed the mistake was not punished because he is not woman.so to provide justice to ahalya director decided to punish the policeman.And moreover there is no rama to save ahalya so director thought to save ahalya.
S.Gayathri
ReplyDelete2015305505,IBT
'AHALYA' is a Bengali thriller short film by Sujoy Ghosh which is an improvisation of the older tale (Ramayanam) where the guilty (Indra) was let loose and not punished.
Radhika Apte ( Ahalya) has proved that why she is considered the ultimate seductress of Bollywood. Soumitra Chatterjee ( Sadhu) and Tota Roy Choudhury (Indra sen) have displayed their elegance through their performance.
The background score builds the anticipation and tension. The camera work is no less spectacular.
In the Ramayana, when Indra comes to Ahalya dressed as his husband and makes love to her, Ahalya, even being innocent was punished by her husband, Rishi Gautam for infedility and was turned into stone. And here, Radhika Apte in the role of Ahalya tried to take revenge from any man who tries to take advantage of her by turning them into stone.
Keerthanaa N
ReplyDelete2015305509-IBT
This improvised short film depicts a modern way of punishing the accomplice or to be more specific it states who actually the culprit is.
The film is very much taken from the historical elements AHALYA from Ramayanam and the plot is also similar. Ahalya the wife of Sage Gautama is manipulated by Lord Indra and the when to the knowledge of Sage ,Ahalya is cursed by her husband to turn into a stone.
This modern AHALYA also depicts the same but here both the Sage(Gautam Sadhu) and Ahalya (Radhika Apte) knows who is to be punished.
Lord Indra(Indra Sen) is made to believe that he can resemble Gautam Sadhu when having a particular stone preserved by the Sadhu himself. Though it was not neceasary to actually try on Ahalya Indra sen tries his chance only to be turned into a stone.
The actors have really worked well and indeed the characters came out really well. The music was good enough to support the scenes.
A major applause go to the cinematography as all the scenes came out meaningful.
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ReplyDeleteThe short film by Sujoy Ghosh which spans for 14 minutes is a take on the fault conceived by sage Gautama. The short film is a corrected allegory to the mythological one. It is a take on an improvisation of the older tale where the guilty was let loose and not punished. In the short film, only the guilty, in this case, Indra(The police inspector whose name is also Indra) is the one who is punished and Ahalya is shown as someone who reveals to the masses about the innocence of the mythological Ahalya by co-conspiring with her older husband.
ReplyDelete1)OVERALL IMPRESSION
ReplyDeleteAdulteresses deserve no sympathy and since they have hearts of stone, will be turned into stone themselves and they have no forgivness.
2)ACTING
All the actors have done a commendable job in the film, which has many close-up shots. Radhika Apte is convincing as the beautiful Ahalya. Not only the policeman Indra Sen, even the viewers are not able to take their eyes off her. It seems a cakewalk for Soumitra Chatterjee(Ahalya's husband). He has maintained the air of mystery till the end, and fits into the role of the mischievous old husband.
3)CINEMATOGRAPHY
The cinematography of the film was very interesting and it kept the viewers in the edge of their seat by keeping them anticipated
4)SOUND
The background scoring in the film was used in such a way to maintain the suspense and crux of the plot and kept the viewers gobsmacked by the climax twist.
5)PLOT AND MYTHOLOGICAL REFERENCE
In the mythology, Ahalya was punished and cursed for no fault of hers though it is Indra who is at blameworthiness.
In the short film, Indra the police inspector is the one who is punished and Ahalya is shown as someone who reveals to the masses about the innocence of the mythological Ahalya by co-conspiring with her older husband.
The short film is a corrected allegory to the mythological one. It is a take on an improvisation of the older tale where the guilty was let loose and not punished.
Akshaya.N(2015310002)
Apparel Technology
The only full-length books or movies I enjoy are either documentaries or dramas. For the rest of them, I’d rather have them a short fiction or short movies. I was struck by an uncanny resemblance of the plot with a subplot from mythological epic, Ramayana – Ahalya, the story of a woman turned to stone.Here’s a crisp version of the story:
ReplyDeleteBrahma created Ahalya as the most beautiful, attractive and eternally young woman on the earth, and married her off to Maharishi Gautam, who was much older to her. Lord Indra being himself was smitten by her beauty and made sexual advances which she refused saying that she loves her husband and would not sleep with any man except him.
Indra then takes the guise of her husband and pays her a visit when Sage Gautam was off for his meditation. As luck would have it, the sage returns earlier than usual and catches them in the act. Shaken, Ahalya tries to explain herself but Gautam curses her to turn to stone (like a still object living on air with ordinary appearance whom no one would pay attention too) and lie there eternally as an example to womankind for infidelity penance.
This stone has magical powers. Whoever touches it can take any form he wants.”This was supposed to be a test of character. The husband permits the police officer to use the stone’s powers and take his guise while delivering his wife’s phone to her room. Indra Sen was surprised to find that he wasn’t lying and leaves. Right then, he lets lust get better of him and finds himself turned to stone.
Innocence, attractiveness, beauty are natural. Even lust is natural. Acting on it isn’t. And in this story, the record is set right. Only the guilty shall be punished.The men weren’t trapped in stone. They were trapped in their lust.
The film begins with the sound of a calling bell, and a policeman who is in search of a missing person enters the house of Goutam Sadhu, a famous artist, to question him.
2015305519
ReplyDeleteIBT
SHANMUGAPRIYA.S
There is no epiical sense of relating it to Ahalya of Ramayana. At best, it fulfils to some extent, the expectation of watching a beautiful heroin and a stint of romance with an element of confusing suspense . Devraj , the inspector had come for investigating a missing person case. He had no other intentions before coming here. These wife husband duo trapped him knowing very well the human weakness of solving unknown mysteries and woman. Perhaps husband was not in a position to satisfy her and to keep going with her.
This film shows that how much our thinking have changed over the thousands of year after this incidence.
According to this my point of view,they convey that in our society the women always gets a blame for wrong doing and the men who was a real person to blame get free. In this video the situation changes and man gets punishment.
But in the retelling of the story in the film, the punishment is visited on the character based on Indra alone, while the woman is shown to be an accomplice in the seduction game
Portraying strong female protagonists is an art that only a few directors can create. A real example of that was given by Sujoy Ghosh in Kahaani (Vidya Balan) and the filmmaker is all set to recreate it in the woman centric ‘Ahalya’. The epic thriller short film, as the name suggests, is a blend of old mythological scriptures, with a modern twist.
ReplyDeleteAccording to folklore, ‘Ahalya’, one of the most beautiful woman created by Brahma was cursed by her husband and sage Gautama after he accuses of her having an illicit relationship with the king of gods Indra. While there are many interpretations to the story, Sujoy Ghosh has portrayed the character of ‘Ahalya’ played by Radhika Apte, as a sensuous beautiful woman with a mysterious element that keeps you hooked on to the trailer. Veteran actor Soumitra Chatterjee too plays a prominent role in this Bengali short film.
The film is a spin-off of the mythical story of Ahalya. In the Ramayana, Ahalya, the most beautiful of Lord Bramha's creations, is a wife of a much older sage called Gautama. Lord Indra, who is attracted to her beauty, disguises himself as her husband and woos her. Ahalya and Indra are cursed by the sage for the former's infidelity. Ahalya is turned into a stone, only to thaw back into life after the touch of Lord Rama's feet.
The film begins with the sound of a calling bell, and a policeman who is in search of a missing person enters the house of Goutam Sadhu, a famous artist, to question him.
Though it was an obvious twist, the film is a good watch for all the other elements it encapsulates. Even for the audience with no clue about the references, the film is gripping because of all the pinches it has.
Sujoy Ghosh took inspiration from the story of Ahalya, from Hindu mythology. According to the myth, Ahalya was the wife of sage Gautam Maharishi. Once, she was deceitfully seduced by Indra (the king of Gods), and later, cursed by her husband for infidelity. Sujoy Ghosh brilliantly gives a modern twist to this story. The film stars Radhika Apte, Tota Roy Chowdhury, and veteran actor Soumitra Chatterjee. Even though the film is just 14 minutes long, it is packed with all the essential elements of a perfect thriller.
ReplyDeleteThe film begins with Inspector Indra Sen investigating the case of a missing person. He visits the house of a famous and ageing artist, Goutam Sadhu, to inquire about the case. There he meets the beautiful yet mysterious wife of the artist, Ahalya. As the film proceeds, it unravels a gripping tale of deceit and seduction. The film is shot in broad daylight, but still it leaves you with an eerie feeling, and the twisted plot plays with your mind till the very end.
The film begins with the sound of a calling bell, and a policeman who is in search of a missing person enters the house of Goutam Sadhu, a famous artist, to question him.
This short film is driven by outstanding performances by all three actors. In most short films, the characters often feel underdeveloped or unbelievable. But Sujoy Ghosh has written and directed the characters in such a way, that they become real even in the short span of the film.
The short film Ahalya by Sujoy Ghosh is the much-anticipated short film. Ahalya is the first in this new venture. There is another unique ‘first.’ It spans just under 15 minutes of screening time with a complete story that has a beginning, a middle and an end. This is a challenge for both the director and his audience that is conditioned to sit back and watch a story film spanning two hours or more. The film begins with the sound of a calling bell, and a policeman who is in search of a missing person enters the house of Goutam Sadhu, a famous artist, to question him. the film is a spin-off of the mythical story of Ahalya. In the Ramayana, Ahalya, the most beautiful of Lord Bramha's creations, is a wife of a much older sage called Gautama. Lord Indra, who is attracted to her beauty, disguises himself as her husband and woos her. Ahalya and Indra are cursed by the sage for the former's infidelity. Ahalya is turned into a stone, only to thaw back into life after the touch of Lord Rama's feet.The film begins with the sound of a calling bell, and a policeman who is in search of a missing person enters the house of , a famous artist, to question him. The door is opened by the gorgeous Ahalya mistaken by the policeman as the daughter of the artist, and then he is surprised to learn that she is in fact his wife. The film is a spin-off of the mythical story of Ahalya. In the Ramayana, Ahalya, the most beautiful of Lord Bramha's creations, is a wife of a much older sage called Gautama. Lord Indra, who is attracted to her beauty, disguises himself as her husband and woos her. Ahalya and Indra are cursed by the sage for the former's infidelity. Ahalya is turned into a stone, only to thaw back into life after the touch of Lord Rama's feet. Finally the movie was very interesting to watch and is even thrilling and enrich eagerness of the viewer what is gonna happen next.
ReplyDelete1. The short film ahalya is one of the best short films I have watched in recent times. The film is an excellent watch because of the way it's been made, rather than the twist in the end.
ReplyDelete2. All the actors have fitted perfectly for their roles.They have displayed their finesse through their performances.
3. The Director has kept the audience guessing.You cannot predict the suspense till the very end. The background score and the VFX are as per the requirement of the script
4.The film is similar to the mythological story of Ahalya from Ramayana.In the original tale the young and beautiful Ahalya is seduced by Indra
and is cursed by much older husband sage Gautama to turn into a stone. But in the retelling of the story in the film, Indra alone is punished while the woman is shown to be an accomplice in the seduction game. Thus the film gives a feminist angle to the mythical story of ahalya.
1. The film is a modern adaptation of the mythical story of Ahalya, but with having a different perspective on women with a feminist angle to it. The 14 min short film kept every second interesting. In the beginning of the film, everything seemed so horrendous but at the end, the film ended with a great moral.
ReplyDelete2. The acting of Radhika Apte kept the movie more intriguing. The old man Gautama adeptly kept the suspense going. And the policeman was well suited for the villain. As a whole, the actors were brilliant.
3. The sequence of the scenes were on point. As it was a short film, every scene was perfectly fitted and nothing was out of blue or unwanted. The sound effects are always the plus point to every movie where it connects us a lot more along with the visuals. The sound engineers have really did an amazing job with making us connect with the thriller.
4. The film is a spin-off of the mythical story of Ahalya. In the Ramayana, Ahalya, the most beautiful of Lord Bramha's creations, is a wife of a much older sage called Gautama. Lord Indra, who is attracted to her beauty, disguises himself as her husband and woos her. Ahalya and Indra are cursed by the sage for the former's infidelity. Ahalya is turned into a stone, only to thaw back into life after the touch of Lord Rama's feet.
Ranjitha. K
ReplyDelete2015310020
Apparel technology
Ahalya' is a Bengali short film directed by Sujoy Ghosh with Soumitra Chatterjee,
Radhika Apte.... The film, which is produced by Royal Stag Barrel Select Large Short Films, stars the legendary Soumitra Chatterjee, Radhika Apte and Tota Roy Chowdhury. The film begins with the sound of a calling bell, and a policeman who is in search of a missing person enters the house of Goutam Sadhu, a famous artist, to question him. The door is opened by the gorgeous Ahalya (Radhika Apte), who is initially mistaken by the policeman as the daughter of the artist, and then he is surprised to learn that she is in fact his wife.The film is a spin-off of the mythical story of Ahalya. In the Ramayana, Ahalya, the most beautiful of Lord Bramha's creations, is a wife of a much older sage called Gautama. Lord Indra, who is attracted to her beauty, disguises himself as her husband and woos her. Ahalya and Indra are cursed by the sage for the former's infidelity. Ahalya is turned into a stone, only to thaw back into life after the touch of Lord Rama's feet.
Balachandar.S
ReplyDelete2015310003
Apparel Technology
Plot = It is a Bengali short film (with English subtitles) based on some incidents of Ramayana, where actress Radhika Apte is playing the title role, who is living in a mansion with her 78 years old husband, played by actor Soumitra Chatterjee. One day, Mr. Indra Sen – a local police inspector, played by actor Tota Roy Choudhury, enters Ahalya’s house for enquiring the whereabouts of a young model Arjun Roy, played by actor Ayushman Mitra, who is missing since past one month and was last seen entering Ahalya’s House. Since it is a suspense thriller, I cannot reveal much about the plot. You will have to watch the film for knowing further.
Opinion = It is regarded as the best suspense thriller produced in recent times. The movie is extremely popular online and has garnered 7 million views till date. The suspense of the film will give you goosebumps. But, before watching this movie, I would suggest you to read some material on behalf the confrontation of Lord Indra and Ahalya in Ramayana, which will help you in understanding the climax of the film.
Performances = Actress Radhika Apte has secured brownie points for her acting, hands down. Being a maharashtrian, she has made a Bengali character extremely believable. With her performance, she has proved that why she is considered the ultimate seductress of bollywood. Soumitra Chatterjee and Tota Roy Choudhury are considered legendary actors in the Bengali Movies Industry. They have displayed their finesse through their performances.
Direction & Other Technical Aspects = Director Sujoy Ghosh has kept the audience engrossed in the proceedings throughout. You cannot predict the suspense till the very end. The production design, background score and the VFX are as per the requirement of the script.
Gayathri.K
ReplyDelete2015310007
Apparel Technology
Watched Sujoy Ghosh’s ‘Ahalya’ based on the story of Brahma’s most beautiful creation Ahalya, who was gifted to Maharshi Gautama and later seduced by a disguised Indra. Eventually, she was cursed to turn in to stone to be liberated only after 64,000 years when Ram would touch that stone statue by his feet.
However, Ghosh’s interpretation is different. In his treatment, Indra (the visiting cop subconsciously laying eyes on Ahalya, wife of an artist named Sadhu) is turned in to a stone statue after he violates Ahalya.
Indra, the cop, is noticed by Sadhu, the artist, that he is watching his wife, Ahalya, and asks if she is not very beautiful. Later as the story moves forward, Sadhu tells the cop the story of Indra, the King of gods, who had a magical stone that if touched can turn the person in anyone he wishes to.
The twist is in the climax where, according to all the mythological texts, it is Ahalya who is cursed in to invisibility or losing her beauty as a skeleton or becoming a stone statue. The Brahma Puran, Padma Puran, Ramayan and multiple texts consider Ahalya as being violated by Indra as he comes disguised in form of her husband Gautam.
Some texts do say she willingly gave herself to Indra even after realising he was in disguise. Some texts say that he was not disguised at all and Ahalya desired to be loved by him as the ascetic Gautam wouldn’t satisfy her desires.
Anyway, she is either treated as an adulteress or a victim ‘raped’ by Indra. Indra is also cursed to loose his testicles (as he tries to run away in form of a cat) and grow a thousand vulvae on his body and receive half the sin of every rape committed in the universe.
Sujoy Ghosh does away with cursing Ahalya. It is Indra here, representing the male lust that is suppressed but gets fired up while seeing the beautiful Ahalya. The lust is not out in open. However, it is stoked with words and actions. Sadhu gives him a way to satiate it. Touching a mere stone, the cop wishes himself to become the husband of this young, beautiful girl.
While, in reality, he is just the cop. His mental projection of himself shows him that he is the husband. After a bit of struggle and convincing, he goes for Ahalya. Later on, he sits carved in stone on a table which has five other victims as well.
To me, it appears as a revenge towards Indra who was solely at fault in trying to seduce or rape the wife of a sage. The film depicts as if Ahalya and Gautam have reincarnated to avenge the wrongs inflicted upon them, especially Ahalya, by the powerful Indra who has many disguises, he can assume many forms.
Sujoy Ghosh turns the table. He shows a family, Gautam and Ahalya, (as Sadhu and Ahalya) knowing the disguised Indra (and the likes) would make his advances and are ready to curse him in to a statute. And, there is no hint of liberation for them.
AKSAYAA.B
ReplyDelete2015305002,IBT
According to my perspective.,this is really a good story that has a mythical logic. The director has a good knowledge to attract people. This story seem to be like a horror story but it was not like that. Tha actors in this movie are really good they had a naturalistic acting. They conveyed their expression to the audience in a better way. They are the pillars to the movie. The director can frame the story but the actors express them and make a flim. This only can't make the movie to be fulfilled. Cinematography and sound effects also makes the movie to be more effective. Sounds play a vital role in flim making. They make the situation more emotional and makes the audience to attract towards the situation. The costume that the actors wear also explains the character. This tells this person plays such a roll in the movie. All have equal importance. This movie has a mythical logic. There was a saint who has a beautiful wife. Her beauty attracted lord indra. Lord indra wanted avalathu . This made the saint to curse his wife and make her as a stone. Lord rama gives her the relief from the curse. The story goes on in such a way. Here in this movie ahalaya is represented ny radhika apte, lord indra's character is represented by the inspector and the saint is represented by the old man. The director has made good comparison of both the mythical story and the modern story. It had a good ending which I didn't expect. This was a good short flim.
Magesh Kumar:
ReplyDeleteThe film is yet another exploration of epic character (ahalya) of ramayana in sujoy Ghosh own thrilling way. It is a mysterious thriller of finding out how the missed people where turned down into a sealed doll .Be loyal to your partner , even if you see a very beautiful person and get a chance to be with her/him, control your senses and do not get immersed in the deep sea of lust , if you try to jump and swim across at the end you will be drowned and dead.Ahalya(radhika apte) had done her part so well, she is like a next door young girl who subtly flirts and makes everyone fall for her. Roy's character as the old artistic husband is appreciable .The way the movie had been taken is short and sweet , the falling of dolls when someone enters, ahalyas flirting, Roy's temptation of the police man to try the magic stone , the reflection of police as the old husband in the mirror, sealing alive in the doll, all the scenes are crafted well.The screaming of the live person sealed inside the doll is terrifying.In ramayana ahalya had been seduced by Indra and cursed by her husband Gautama(old sage) to turn into a stone. But in the retelling of the story in the film, the punishment is visited on the character based on Indra alone, while the woman is shown to be an accomplice in the seduction game.
1) Overall impression of the film:
ReplyDeleteThe short film "Ahalya" is definitely a thoughtful and more righteous adaptation to the mythological tale from Ramayana. The sterling work of Sujay Gosh shows how the accusation imposed on Ahalya for her infidelity was wrong and stands clearly as a tale of moral. The transition of 14 minute short film from frame to frame was very interesting and definitely kept its audience on the edge of their seats.
2) Acting :
The whole cast did justice to the film. Radhika Apte nailed it with her own ways of grace and boldness in the film as always. She managed to maintain the elements of surprise unrevealed throughout the movie. The other two roles who portrayed the Maharishi and Lord Indira also played their parts in an startling way.
3&4) Cinematography and sound:
The camera works weren't any-less spectacular. Especially the scenes where the policeman sees himself in the mirror and gets on his nerves were pictured in the best way possible. The sound effects kept the movie interesting and the right amount of tension needed packed in.
5) Plot and Mythological reference:
In the myth, the gorgeous and innocent Ahalya seduced by Lord Indira who takes the appearance of her husband Maharishi Gautama, is cursed to become a stone and suffer for the rest of her life. She after ages becomes free of curse by the touch of Lord Rama's feet. In the Mythological tale she suffers for the mistake of someone else's. Here in the movie, the guilty is punished and preaches moral to the audience in a hidden fashion. It gives a message that the victims shouldn't be accused rather the guilty should be punished.
Zakiya
Delete2015305028
The main purpose of making this short film according to me is to show the people mentailty ,way of thinking ,differences between those days and this generation. In original ahalya story ,ahalya (wife of sage gautama) is cursed by her husband for fidelity even though it was not her fault instead Indra (police man in movie)Seduced her . But here the short film is directed in the way to punish the accuest irrespective of the gender based scenario
Ahalya' in the Hindu mythology, is the wife of Sage Gautama. She is said to be the most stunning, gorgeous and attractive woman created by Brahma during the period of 4th century BC. She was married to a much older husband, the sage Gautama.
Lord Indra, who was tempted by her beauty could not (wouldn't even dare to) approach her to ask her to be involved in a consummate relationship with him. So, he decides wickedly to go in disguise of sage Gautama (Husband of Ahalya). This enrages sage Gautama and he turns Ahalya into a stone by cursing her for infidelity, little realizing that the fault lies entirely on Indra.
The short film by Sujoy Ghosh which spans for 14 minutes is a take on the fault conceived by sage Gautama. It goes on to show that earlier, in the mythology, Ahalya was punished and cursed for no fault of hers though it is Indra who is at blameworthiness.
In the short film, only the guilty, in this case, Indra(The police inspector whose name is also Indra) is the one who is punished and Ahalya is shown as someone who reveals to the innocence of the mythological Ahalya by co-conspiring with her older husband.
The short film is a corrected allegory to the mythological one. It is a take on an improvisation of the older tale where the guilty was let loose and not punished.
G.Balamurugan
ReplyDelete2015301008
Ceramic technology
1) This is a captivating thriller written by sujay gosh. As of his all films like kahani it is written in a feminist perspective.According to me this short film has given justice to ahalya rather than punishing the innocent ahalya.
2) Radhika apte steals the show completely as a seductive woman .Manoj bajpayee carries the character in a subtle manner.Other characters have also done justice to their respective roles.
3 & 4) Cinematography was exceptional through the film.The art of creating a rectangle to create a three dimensional view has been used productively. Sound creates a kind of psychological effect.
5)The myth was innocent ahalya was seduced by lord indira. And his husband Gautama cursed her to become a stone for the rest of his life . Then lord Rama helps her to overcome the curse.
Ahalya based on a epic character played in Ramayana,In this short film each and every shot,character descriptions were literally teasing pshycic side of our brain and it is one of best 14 minutes physchological thriller film made so for, the two main leads played by Radhika Apte and Manoj Bajpai were showcase their matured level of acting.
ReplyDeleteK.PREETHA
ReplyDelete2015305016
DEPT : IBT
An epic thriller short film 'AHALYA' directed by Sujoy ghosh is a a good attempt in cinema to make a mark . All the actors have done a commendable job in the film which has many close-up shots . Rathika apte is convincing as the beautiful ahalya .The director has taken the mythical story and given a feminist twist to it in the fourteen-minute flim .
In ramayana ,ahalya the most beautiful wife of older sage called Gautama .Lord Indra who is attracted to her beauty disguise himself as her husband and woos her .Ahalya and indra are cursed by the sage for former's infidelity but in the short film only the guilty in this case Indra (police inspector) is the one who is punished and ahalya is shown as someone who reveals to the masses about the innocence of the mythological ahalya by co-conspiring with her older husband .
The plot was very creative and turning the tale upside down and borrowing motif from it to a new story . The motif in the film have complemented the suspence splendidly. All the character wear white outfits in the begining of the film and even the lamps and surrounding are in lighter shades that scores another perk to the film with suspence till the end and in the story , the record is set right only the guilty shall be punished .
1) The short film 'Ahalya' gives the message how dangerous 'lust' can be. Throughout the history, many wars were fought between kings ,competing for girls, as to who gets the girl. This reminds us, after all humans are animals. Hindu theology considers 'Arishadvarga' are the six enemies of the mind, which are: kama (lust), krodha (anger), lobha (greed), moha (attachment), mada (pride), and matsarya (jealousy); the negative characteristics of which prevent man from attaining moksha or salvation. The control over our minds distinguishes us from wild animals. Here, they have revealed the fact that even physically strong Policeman is not emotionally stable. The director unfurls the current condition of the society in a subtle way. A very disturbing aspect of the film was that the couple deliberately sets trap to the individual who rings the doorbell.
ReplyDelete2) Each role was very well-played. Emotions were expressed flawlessly. Radhika Apte sets in as the beautiful woman 'Ahalya'. Soumitra Chatterjee goes good with filling the place with suspicion and blank faces. Policeman played by the artist Roy perfectly blends the quality of a staunch man and a frail minded victim of himself.
3), 4) The cinematography was pretty good. They managed to extend the thrill all the way to the climax. The director has taken advantage of POV (Point-of-view) shots to give real feel to the viewers. The sound-effects helped to improve the tone of the film. The grave background music when they were talking and the sound of a racing heart when Roy was consumed by lust backed the film. The voice of the artists had the upper hand in many instances of the film.
5) The names of the characters were crucial to identify this movie's mythological reference. In Hindu mythology, 'Ahalya', the personification of beauty was the wife of old Rishi Gautama. Indra, the king of heavens desires a relationship with Ahalya. He seduced Ahalya by disguising as Gautama. Gautama cursed Ahalya to turn into a stone. The explains why the plot was revolving around the 'magic stone'. The twist in the plot was that the Men who hold an equal share in the dishonor should be punished. They are turned to stones, not 'Ahalya'. 'Indra' of Hindu mythology is comparable to 'Zeus' of Greek mythology, both known for their mischief. Myths has moral values and advises us not to repeat the mistakes Gods made.
Here in this movie the director says about the women's abuse. Which is happening now a day .. Both the actor and actress make the film more realistic which made me think that this should happen for every men who is misbehaving with women.
ReplyDeleteThe mythological tool used here is the MAGICAL STONE. The police men has a chance to do both good and bad but he choose the bad way so he cursed..
Here in this short film it just says DON'T MISBEHAVE WITH WOMEN.
B karthic
ReplyDelete2015305009
IBT
a modern retelling of a mythological tale with a feminist spin. The film tells the story of what happens when a police inspector, Indra Sen, visits the house of an aged artist, Goutam Sadhu, who is married to a much younger woman, Ahalya. In Hindu mythology, Ahalya is the stunning young wife of the much older sage Gautama Maharishi. Enamoured of her beauty, the god Indra comes in the disguise of her husband and seduces her. Learning his wife’s extra-marital affair with Indra (which was a rape according to certain mythological texts), the sage punishes her for infidelity and turns her into stone.
But in Ghosh’s Ahalya it’s someone else who is turned into a stone. That's where Ghosh makes a statement on our common understanding of extra-marital affairs and infidelity.
B karthic
ReplyDelete2015305009
IBT
a modern retelling of a mythological tale with a feminist spin. The film tells the story of what happens when a police inspector, Indra Sen, visits the house of an aged artist, Goutam Sadhu, who is married to a much younger woman, Ahalya. In Hindu mythology, Ahalya is the stunning young wife of the much older sage Gautama Maharishi. Enamoured of her beauty, the god Indra comes in the disguise of her husband and seduces her. Learning his wife’s extra-marital affair with Indra (which was a rape according to certain mythological texts), the sage punishes her for infidelity and turns her into stone.
But in Ghosh’s Ahalya it’s someone else who is turned into a stone. That's where Ghosh makes a statement on our common understanding of extra-marital affairs and infidelity.
Sriram. K
ReplyDelete2015304030
Food Technology
1. Ahalya is a very creative film. For a short film it was spellbinding.With commendable performances by all the three lead actors, Ahalya is a must watch.
2.The Short Film stars the legendary Soumitra Chatterjee, Radhika Apte and Tota Roy Chowdhury. It was a really good performance by all the actors. Radhika Apte is convincing as the beautiful Ahalya. It seems a cakewalk for Soumitra Chatterjee. He has maintained the air of mystery till the end, and fits into the role of the mischievous old husband perfectly. Toto Roy has also fitted perfectly in the role of the inspector.
3. Cinematography was pretty good. The background music was scored by Nabarun Bose. He has done an excellent job. The music helped to build tension and keep up the suspense of the film.
4.Ahalya in the Hindu mythology is the wife of Sage Gautama who was much older to her. Lord Indra, who was tempted by beauty decides wickedly to go in disguise of sage Gautama .This enrages sage Gautama and he turns Ahalya into a stone by cursing her.Ahalya was punished and cursed for no fault of hers though it is Indra who is at blameworthiness.In the short film, only the guilty is punished .It is a corrected allegory to the mythological one. It is a take on an improvisation of the older tale where the guilty was let loose and not punished.
Manimaran V
ReplyDelete2015304021
Food tech
"Ahalya" , a short film that offers thrills and spills nearly equivalent of a regular feature film in just 14 minutes. And Sujoy Ghosh's Ahalya does just that. From the very first shot of the film, ringing a door bell, we feel that we are transported to the different world . And in new few minutes, we can find another taut thriller in rest of the movie.The big challenge with a mystery , thriller genre short film is not how to pack in thrills, but how to reach the veritable conclusion and this was done in a great way in this film.
This is the story of a cop named Indra looking for a missing person. His search brings him to the house of Sadhu , who is a renowned artist. At this place he found Ahalya. She appears amorously seductive and she's married to the Sadhu. And then there's the curious case of supernaturally moving dolls. The entire set up seems too fishy for a cop to resist and that's just what happens.
The music, the background score sets the right mood and builds the anticipation and tension. The camera work is no less spectacular. The hand held movements especially create a nice supplement to the eerie setting. And then comes the brilliant cast. Radhika Apte as the enchantress, the siren who draws you in is good. But the show stealers are Ahalya and Cop. The thespian deploys the right mix of friendliness and comfort. The character brings the nervous energy and the looming sense of peril.
Mythological Ahalya gets cursed by by her husband and turns into stone but in contrast Sujoy Ghosh's Ahalya won't get stoned but the wicked person of the plot the cop gets punished, which is the right thing. Everyone needs equality and men need to respect women.
Roll number:2015305024
ReplyDeleteName: Susma
The AHALYA is actually subplot in Ramayana , where Ahalya is beautiful wife of Maharishi Gautama Indra ( i guess you know who) was captivated by her beauty that he disguise himself as Gautama maharishi and tries to ahem ahem. Ahalya supposedly see through the trick but still cant resist him.When Gautama maharishi finds out he curses Ahalya of infidelity/stone( depends on legend you follow). Then Long story short see meets Lord Ram after penance ad gets rid of curse. All the actors have done a commendable job in the film, which has many close-up shots. Radhika Apte is convincing as the beautiful Ahalya. Not only the policeman Indra Sen, even the viewers are not able to take their eyes off her. It seems a cakewalk for Soumitra Chatterjee. He has maintained the air of mystery till the end, and fits into the role of the mischievous old husband.
The motifs in the film have complemented the suspense splendidly. All the characters wear white outfits in the beginning of the film, and even the lamps and surroundings are in lighter shades, which is very new for a suspense-thriller. In the end, once the suspense is revealed, Ahalya and her husband are seen in black. A good play on the good/bad metaphor by the director.
Though it was an obvious twist, the film is a good watch for all the other elements it encapsulates. Even for the audience with no clue about the references, the film is gripping because of all the pinches it has.
According to my view the moral of the story is:-
1. The time has changed now. Women has equal importance now. She is not your slave.If outsider is wrong he should get punished not your better half.
2.This also shows trust of his man in her wife. He trusts her so much that he knows how every man who visited their house got turned into mannequin without even knowing the story from her end.
3. As it is Kalyug and there is no RAM now who will come and turn ahalya back into human (may be old ahalya waited so long just to be touched by bhagwan shri ram in order to get moksh directly) so the punishment should be given to the one who is culprit.
The shortfilm "Ahalya" is twenty first century version of the mythological story of Ahalya in the epic Ramayana . The film is a thriller as it makes us wonder what is going to happen next in every frame . The actors who played the parts of Ahalya , her husband and the policeman were apt for their roles and their performances were excellent . The cinematography contributed to the thriller part of the story . The sequence of events and the plot was so well planned which made it a great shortfilm from a usual , well-known storyline. As it happens in the mythological story , Ahalya is married to a old man and happens to cheat with another man Indra , who looks like her husband due to the magic stone . Yet, in contrast , the policeman turns into stone instead of Ahalya .
ReplyDelete2015305013
IBT.
Vishalini
ReplyDeleteIBT
2015305523
1)Ahalya is a suspenser, furnishing a modernistic adaptation to the Ahalya mythology. The film drives the audience into the thriller mode at the very first few minutes by citing amalgamations of dubious scenarios.
2)The director has very fittingly picked the actors to animate the characters. The appealing and hypnotic beauty of the heroine, the cryptically smiling and speaking old man, the querying looks and fragile, tempted body language of the police man, are all an additional aura to his creation.
3)The cinematography is also an strong uphold for the movie. The lighting, the house, the camera movement significantly chaperoned to the unblemished and perfect conveyance of director's ideas and movie's temper.
4) The director's opinion and notion are very much to my admiration - To think right, just and to put forward the upright climax to the unjust Ahalya mythology. Women were denied almost every pleasure and rights. She was given no authority or independence even if she deserved it. The director has diffused equality and morality, that even the rules, constrains and chastisement are to be ubiquitously imposed. The beauty of this story is that the version of "Sadhu husband" - the old man is also aiding in this process, pillaring his wife. It, somewhere to me implies that the credence and moral support given by our father or a friend or probably the life partner, do play a significant role in a woman's liberation.
ReplyDeleteDIVYA. K
2015305006
IBT
* The movie "Ahalya", a Bengali short film, directed by Sujoy Ghosh is basically a revenge plot against the original story of ahalya in Ramanya. The moral drawn can be :-
1. To control your fascination and urge to try something out of the unknown.
2. Women play an important part in this world's creations.
3. Sex often lands you in trouble. (Unless it's with your partner)
* Radhika Apte as the enchantress, the siren who draws you in is good. But the show stealers are Soumitra and Tota Roy.
* The music, the background score sets the right mood and builds the anticipation and tension. The camera work is no less spectacular. The hand held movements especially create a nice supplement to the eerie setting
* Ahalya is definitely a thrill a second ride. It's on YouTube, so it doesn't cost any money to watch. Best part is, without spending too much time either, you’ll get introduced to a fantastic fable of Indra, Ahalya and her husband. Albeit with a contemporary and erotic twist.
NAME: Naveen S.
ReplyDeleteCLASS: IBT
ROLL NUMBER: 2015305015
The short film 'Ahalya' was surprisingly a very good film. It was surprising because, it delivered an extremely good story with morals, in a span of 15 minutes, while most full-fledged movies fail to do so. The film had this very mystical tone to it, right from the beginning. I feel this movie did a great job by allegorically linking it to Ramayan, while managing to subtly convey the morals, which are much required for today's world. Sujoy Gosh's Ahalya reflects the fruits of vices like infidelity and lust, which is the greatest takeaway message from the short film.
ACTING- Each of the cast members essayed their characters immaculately, especially Radhika Apte was very fitting and convincing as Ahalya. She really was an enchantress on screen! Soumitra Chatterjee and Tota Roy Choudary were no less in terms of character portrayal, and both fit right into the metaphorical roles of Sage Gautama and Lord Indra.
CINEMATOGRAPHY- The cinematography and screenplay were strong-points for the movie. The camera angles and lighting properly reflected the adulterous atmosphere, with Radhika's provocative costumes adding to the effect. The implicit scenes between Ahalya and Inspector, I would say, foreboded the climax to a certain extent.
SOUND- The background score, although easy-to-miss, added an element of suspense and mystery to the plot.
REFERENCE TO THE MYTHOLOGY- I have to commend the director for basing the story on an excerpt from the great epic Ramayan. The original story with the ideas like Ahalya's promiscuity, Indra's lust, and Sage Gautam's curse were all well connected to the plot of the film. Even while doing so, it managed to keep the modern audience invested in it for its entire span. The original story, which had Lord Ram liberating Ahalya from her curse was lacking. This, I feel, is the director's nuanced way of telling us that there won't be a such savior for us, if we end up committing such acts. So it is the responsibility of an individual to limit their actions within ethical boundaries.
The short film, on the whole, states a strong message and it has an appeal among the Indian audiences who hold their mythological values very close to their heart. Also as a personal side note, the ending of the short film could have been more understandable or rather straight-forward. This is because, there are generations of people who wouldn’t even know that such a mythological character existed. A clearer stance of the short film would have garnered a broader reach.
I never had a great opinion of short films. However, ever since my introduction to good ones like Ahalya and Kriti, I may have changed my mind.
ReplyDeleteHindu epics have always been brilliant when it comes to introducing a myriad of character from different walks of life. Even the smallest of characters have a profound message or impact. Taking the story of Ahalya (which many dismiss as a side-act) and twisting it in order to suit the current scenario is a smart piece of writing.I believe this movie is the directors response to the sudden in-surge of infidelity issues in India.
The onus is on every actor and actress to bring to life the character he or she portrays. In this movie, they have truly done justice to their responsibility. Radhika Apte , as usual, is flawless. Her body language , from the start, shows her trying to woo the policeman. Her every action, provoking the man to break his principles. The casting of Soumitra Chatterjee feels like an overkill . However, he executes his role with conviction. Tota Roy Chowdary was very convincing in his portrayal of a policeman, who is just not able to take his eyes off the accused’s wife. He and Radhika complement each other really well.
Cinematography wise, I never felt the movie pushing any technical boundaries. This can be excused as the script didn’t require flashy effects or brilliant camera work.
The background score was good. But, I don’t think this is the kind of movie where u try to analyse the technical aspects of moviemaking. This was an all-out artist centric flick, which depends on the cast pulling off their characters well.
Lord Indra hoodwinked a woman into sleeping with him, and the woman was punished. Here, in this movie, the hero tries to hoodwink a woman into sleeping with him and he gets get punished. It’s a major correction in moral , which I believe was a long time coming. The fact that women are not men’s property must be throughly emphasized.
Overall , its certainly worth spending 15 mins of your day to watch this flick as it does deliver quite the kicker towards the end.
The acting and cinematography made the film good. Even though there weren’t many audio effects, it did not affect the film. Also, they did not spoil the movie by adding unnecessary effects (found in old Tamil or Hindi movies).
ReplyDeleteThe plot of the short film is the other possibility of the old story of a sage’s wife, who turns into a stone because she was cheated by Indra, the king of the Devas. Indra cheated Ahalya, the wife of a sage , pretending to be that sage. When the sage came to know this, he cursed both Indra and his wife. However, it is not justifiable to curse his wife because she did not do all that knowingly. But the fact that she too was cursed is unacceptable and this short film tries to project an alternative to that story – Indra turns into a stone (here a sculpture).
Not just one Indra, but many men who aren’t loyal to their partners or who do not have a control of their senses are transformed into sculptures by Ahalya. Maybe there will be a sequel where they will get their normal life back when a man like Ram lifts them from the ground whenever they fall from the shelf !
I loved the movie. The message which is also a sarcasm on the epic Ramayana was very creatively portrayed. The aura of mystery was well maintained. The sequence followed in the movie was very clever- the depiction of the falling dolls and the continuous emphasis on them in the script early in the movie, and closing the movie with a glimpse of what would have happened behind the scenes.
ReplyDeleteAll the three actors did a great job. The nature of each character was different from the actual ahalya story in Ramayana. Radhika apte who plays the role of Ahalya in the movie is a young, beautiful woman married to an aged man.She is shown as a woman who loves her husband but at the same time as a flirty character contradictory to the devoted Ahalya in Ramayana. The character who plays the part of Gautam sadhu( Ahalya's husband ), unlike the one in the epic, is a calm person. Indira, the police inspector who comes to Ahalya's residence inquiring about a missing case is taken by her beauty and youthfulness. In the epic Lord Indira attracted by Ahalya purosefully takes the form of rishi Gautama to exploit Ahalya. However in the film, Indira takes Gautam's form by Gautam's own provocation but later succumbs to his feelings of lust for Ahalya. The feeling of lust which made him use Gautam's offer( offer to understand the truth) is precisely what traps him inside the doll. This we would have clearly noticed is the biggest deviation from the storyline of the epic. In the epic- Ahalya, for no mistake of hers, is turned into a stone by her angry husband while the perpetrator Indira walks free.
The film shows the injustice that Ahalya( from Ramayana) had to face. It also mocks at the reaction of her husband, rishi Gautama.
While it might take a lot of actors and production work to make a full-fledged movie based on Indian classical literature in today's world, I say that "Ahalya" is not one of that kind. Based on the spin-off of the mythical story of "Ahalya" from the Indian epic Ramayana, this 14-minute long short film is shot by Sujoy Ghosh which stars Radhika Apte, Tota Roy Chowdhury along with the legendary Soumitra Chatterjee.
ReplyDeleteI would say that this short film is an excellent watch because of the way it has been made to deliver a strong message to the parochial mindset of today's society. Anyone who had known about the myth of "Ahalya" would have anticipated how the short film will end within a few minutes into the short film. Later one would find it with an eerie twist in the end portrayed with a feminist angle added to it.
In the Ramayana, Ahalya is the wife of a much older sage called Gautama Maharishi who prioritized penance over sex. Lord Indra, captivated by her beauty, disguises himself as her husband to seduce her. The sage cursed both of them for the former's infidelity. In the end, he is turned Ahalya into stone, only to brought back into life after the touch of Lord Rama's feet.
In this modern day take on Ahalya, Radhika Apte plays the titular role as the gorgeous Ahalya alongside with Soumitra Chatterjee as Goutam Sadhu, and Tota Roy Chowdhury as Indra Sen. All the actors deserve an applause for their exemplary performances. Here, Radhika oozes much sex appeal with provocative clothing and behaviour. At first, Tota Roy' Indra Sen seemed to be an honest cop, who had come to investigate about a missing male model, until Radhika Apte' Ahalya bewitched him and tried to woo her by taking the Goutam's disguise. Despite providing a sly of sexual innuendos regarding his love life with Ahalya, Soumitra plays his character flawlessly which is supportive of Ahalya for her decisions. Unlike in the original story, instead of being accused of infidelity, it acted upon the Indra Sen to be trapped in a figurine by Ahalya and Goutama.
Regarding the cinematography, most sections of the short film rely on close-up shots of the characters with occasional long shots to capture the beauty of the Ahalya's apartment notably for Goutam Sadhu's artworks. The background score is light and lively with a gradual crescendo at the end.
In the end, this short film is a good watch as it encapsulates all the necessary elements captivate one's mind and think about Ahalya's actions over and over again. Though I did not even know about the reference, the film was gripping because of all the pinches it has. With a strong message, "Ahalya" has an appeal amongst the Indian audiences who hold their mythological values very close to their heart which attempts to prick a needle into one's belief and steer things in the right direction.
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ReplyDeleteHARIPRIYA S,IBT.
The film is a spin-off of the mythical story of Ahalya. In the Ramayana, Ahalya, the most beautiful of Lord Bramha's creations, is a wife of a much older sage called Gautama. Lord Indra, who is attracted to her beauty, disguises himself as her husband and woos her. Ahalya and Indra are cursed by the sage for the former's infidelity. Ahalya is turned into a stone, only to thaw back into life after the touch of Lord Rama's feet.All the actors have done a commendable job in the film, which has many close-up shots. Radhika Apte is convincing as the beautiful Ahalya. Not only the policeman Indra Sen, even the viewers are not able to take their eyes off her. It seems a cakewalk for Soumitra Chatterjee. He has maintained the air of mystery till the end, and fits into the role of the mischievous old husband. The motifs in the film have complemented the suspense splendidly. All the characters wear white outfits in the beginning of the film, and even the lamps and surroundings are in lighter shades, which is very new for a suspense-thriller. In the end, once the suspense is revealed, Ahalya and her husband are seen in black. A good play on the good/bad metaphor by the director.
Though it was an obvious twist, the film is a good watch for all the other elements it encapsulates. Even for the audience with no clue about the references, the film is gripping because of all the pinches it has.
ReplyDeletevery nice.. keep going going to to post this type of blogs. Latest Short Film #PopcornMovies