There was a time in India, where you could ask questions of subjects. They could be as small as the meaning of family, or big like the state of the nation. Occasionally they were even bigger, broader things. From the corruption at the heart of Government, the ills of excesses of industry and the problems in religion. Satyajit Ray’s DEVI took the latter one to task. India might have been less than 15 years old but it was the agency of a thousand year old practice, that left it bound to deeply uncomfortable modernity. Gender dynamics were at the core of DEVI. When Umaprasad (Soumitra Chatterjee) travels for studies, his father (Chhabi Biswas) has a dream. This leads to him believing that his daughter in law Doyamoyee (Sharmila Tagore) is the reincarnation of goddess Durga. He hails this as the truth and worships her like a goddess. As the whirlwind takes over though and Doyamoyee becomes the focus of much politicising, Umaprasad is unable to save her.

The problem in the west with its relationship with Indian cinema is two fold. Bollywood and Satyajit Ray. One is the broad base, popular art of the people. The other is Ray, who is often perceived as the greatest film maker of India. His connection to post war India is deep and complex. It embraces the countries evolution in to its modern reality. From COMPANY LIMITED which deals with business,  MAHANAGAR gender and CHARULATA sex and politics. Mr Bongo released the first and DEVI (subsequently this has been released by Criterion in a far better quality and content heavy.) DEVI remains his most difficult then and now, in India. MR BONGO release is a simplified, no frills version of this but the films power still resonant to the viewer.