Film Review: Chitrangada

Although, the name of the film is derived from a mythological character. There is nothing related to mythology.This film is neither a remake of the dance drama staged by Rabindranath Tagore in a time period somewhere around 1892. The current  has stolen some vital concepts of Rabindranath Tagore's drama - Chitrangada and projected in the light of homosexuality.

Who was mythological Chitrangada?

Only child of the king of Manipur and heir to the throne. Inspite of being a girl child she was raised with all the skills required in a man. The decision of raising her as a man was totally a politically motivated decision taken by her father. When she met Arjun (one of the Pandavas'), she fell in love and wanted to be feminine enough to entice Arjun.Ultimately, they got married  on the condition that she and all her future heirs will stay back in Manipur to govern the people.

Who is the Chitrangada of Rituporno Ghosh's Chitrangada?

A 45+ aged stage director whose beard has become thick inspite of using hair remover for all these years. He is gay and has been in several relationships with other men and his latest addition to that legion of men is a drug addict-cum- drummer named "Rudro" (Rudro is seen throughout the film as taking drugs and doing little justice to his profession). Here, the 45+ aged film director is "Chitrangada" as he is trapped in the body of a man although he is female from inside.So, he pampers his gay drug addict, poverty stricken partner with gifts only to realize that Rudro is bi-sexual and has made another known female associate pregnant.

After hearing this news, the gay  theatre director comes to the conclusion for the first time (inspite of many previous relationships) that he can't let go off Rudro. He decides to undergo sex change operation to become a female and be finally accepted by Rudro. However, Rudro leaves for good.

Analysis-

How can a 45+ mature person (irrespective of Gay or straight), well established in his career and labelled as a perfectionist falls for a good for nothing lesser human creature in every aspect? I agree this can happen during college days or school days but here at this age. Sorry, Mr. Producer and Director, I differ.

Although he had several gay relationships before.Why did the gay theatre director decide to undergo sex change operation only after hearing the news that his boyfriend has made another woman pregnant? If he wanted sex change operation, he could have done that way before? Then, is it that he realized that gay relationships have no future and decided to settle down in life as a woman, which would be more acceptable as he realizes that his boyfriend has an inclination for good chicks too?

Apart from these aspects, the film appears blasphemous to use Rabindranath Tagore's song to show intimate gay scenes. Mr. Tagore would have died several times if he would have seen such a thing happen with his songs. There has been a lot of use of light and shadow but I didn't find it very useful enough in this context. If one cuts out the "Rabindra sangeets" nothing much is left of that film. The film has been unnecessarily lengthened by pauses in dialogues, unwarranted love scenes and recollections of the gay theatre director in the film. The producer/director managed the film with songs borrowed from Rabindranath Tagore. The film is  meant for a limited audience. Straight people won't be able to identify the sorrow of a gay 45+ year old bengali with their own. The inclusion of Tagore's songs makes the film difficult to understand because to understand Tagore you will need a bit of education too. The film was too long and too slow. It appeared that  sorrow of homosexual people,due to their sexual orientation, is the biggest problem on this Planet. The context in which Tagore's song is used, I found it objectionable.