নীল আকাশের নীচে (১৯৫৯)

The film is based on a short story “চিনী ফেরিয়ালা (Chinese Vendor)” by Mahadevi Verma. Set in the background of the last days of British era in Calcutta(1930s), the film explores the lives of a number of characters including a Chinese immigrant Wang Lu (played by Kali Bandopadhay).

He is from a small village in China & was living there with his sister. But destiny brought him here in India in search of livelihood. While selling clothes he comes across a traditional Bengali house where he meets Basanti (played by Manju Dey). She is a supporter of non-violent mass movement against the British Government. She doesn’t use foreign made clothes but couldn’t refuse Wang Lu of buying the Chinese made table cloth.

Basanti & Wang Lu

Who would have imagined that in future (2013 currently), world market along with India would be flourished with Chinese made products?

Wang Lu expresses his gratitude by getting a warm welcome from Basanti where other houses were not so receptive. After that he keeps on coming to her house not to sell clothes but to get the warm appreciation that he doesn’t usually get from other people. Slowly he develops a feeling for her.

   

This lovely song (lyrics-Gauri Prasanna Mazumdar) sung by Hemanta Mukhopadhay is a question to the river about its origin & where is it flowing to. River has got a universal language of feelings. We try to understand each other’s sentiment but our language is not as simple as river. The song tells a lot about the inner emotion of Wang Lu, who wants to share something in a simple way of river. It is indeed true for every immigrant who wants to share their feelings with the people of different origin but we don’t always go with the flow.

With the declaration of Indian National Congress Party illegal by the British Government in 1932, Basanti was jailed for some years leaving behind a platonic relationship between her & Wang Lu. During that period, the Chinese Civil War was going on & due to the political turmoil in China, Wang Lu realized that he is needed there. But he is not ready to leave for his hometown without having a glimpse of her.

The Chinese Culture reflects through the background music of this film & tunes into the rhythm of Indian scales. Human emotions are also like the scales of music where a harmonious melody is required to understand each other.