Watch Ashani Sanket

Ashani Sanket is a Bengali film from 1973 that tells the harrowing story of the people of East Bengal (now Bangladesh) during the Great Bengal Famine of 1943. The film, directed by Satyajit Ray and starring Soumitra Chatterjee, Bobita, and Sandhya Roy, is a searing indictment of British colonial rule in India, as well as a powerful examination of human resilience and the horrors of war and famine.

The film's plot revolves around a young couple, Gangacharan (played by Soumitra Chatterjee) and Ananga (played by Bobita), who live in a village in East Bengal. Gangacharan is a schoolteacher who earns a modest salary, while Ananga is a homemaker who takes care of their son, Gobinda. Their lives are upended when a severe drought hits the region, leading to widespread crop failure and food shortages. As food becomes scarcer and prices skyrocket, Gangacharan and Ananga struggle to keep their family fed and healthy.

The film's themes are woven around the struggles of the ordinary people who face immense hardship as they grapple with the famine. Gangacharan's journey from a high-caste school teacher to a starving refugee is a heartbreaking story of a man who once enjoyed respect in society, but now is reduced to begging for food. the film captures the horrors and desperation of a people caught in the midst of a massive humanitarian crisis.

Throughout the film, Gangacharan tries to do whatever he can to provide for his family, but as the situation worsens, he finds himself increasingly helpless. His pride is wounded when he is forced to beg for food and reduce his status to that of a beggar. He watches as his tribe turns on themselves, with people turning a blind eye to the suffering of others and resorting to cannibalism out of desperation. He sees the British colonial government make no effort to help the people in East Bengal and buys off the produce of the region to supply their own food needs.

The film's narrative doesn't solely focus on the experiences of Gangacharan and Ananga, but instead depicts the famine's impact on the entire community. The villagers' lives are defined by the famine, and their struggles to survive and help one another is at the forefront of the story. They're reduced to eating anything that's available, including rats, snakes, and even corpses, which are shown in the most realistic manner possible. The film also portrays the desperation that drives people to take risks in search of food and the price they pay, as they are exploited by profiteers and sometimes even exchanged for sex and food.

At its core, Ashani Sanket is a story of humanity's resilience in the face of incredible adversity. It highlights how people, despite undergoing the worst of the situation, are determined to live and survive. Gangacharan and Ananga, and the community, sadly had to pay a high cost to survive as fear manipulates and disguises people's true identities. The film's understated beauty and realism that Satyajit Ray imbued with his excellent storytelling and stark cinematography make it a powerful story that is both moving and difficult to watch.

Overall, Ashani Sanket is a must-watch for anyone interested in Indian or Bengali cinema or wants to know more about India's pre-partition days. It is an impactful reminder of the brutal realities of famine and the dire consequences of neglecting citizens in times of crisis. Satyajit Ray created a masterpiece that remains relevant today and offers a valuable lesson on the need for humanity and compassion in times of hardship.

Ashani Sanket is a 1973 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 37 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 8.0.