Review of Chingaari (2006) by Dalia R — 21 Mar 2009

This is a very interesting movie and I enjoyed the journey, even though watched it in installments. It has a great story, told in a poetic tone and narrative. The movie stars with a powerful and mesmerizing scene of an old and majestic tree that has lived to see the social developments in a small rural town of north India. The tree starts narrating the story in perfect and melodious Hindi language.

This movie portrays the reality of religious institutions and individuals who too often take advantage of the most vulnerable and poor groups of society. The story involves a post man who arrives to this little town and ends up getting involved with the local brothel. The town, however, is manipulated by the priest who takes advantage of their illiteracy and need for a higher power. Disguised in Hindu devotion to Goddess Kali, the priest intimidates all people to maintain power. The whole town worships the Goddess, including one of the prostitutes of the brothel, whom has a small daughter and becomes emotionally involved with the postman. The priest realizes the situation, and decides to kill the postman, just before the latter and the prostitute were to get married; defying the social norms of caste, and a gendered approach to woman's role in society.

Without stealing more thunder from the plot if you want to see it, I can share that the climax of the movie involves a deeply emotional religious trance in which Goddess Kali kind of 'possesses' the prostitute and through her, is able to destroy evil and, within her gendered society, is able to emancipate from the brothel life saving her daughter.

I found Sushmita's acting a bit over the top. She is no doubt graceful and beautiful, but didn't manage to convince me all the way. I loved the pre-wedding scene of 'make me a wife' even though it couldn't be more gendered. The scenes are breathtaking, the music sweet and with a retro after taste. The execution is rather dramatic and violent, yes it gets really violent! But overall I felt it was a very interesting film journey into Indian cinema.