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Ganashatru (An Enemy of the People), 1989 Production: National Film Development Corporation of India Screenplay, Music and Direction: Satyajit Ray Based on the play, An Enemy of the People, by Henrik Ibsen Photography: Barun Raha Art Direction: Ashoke Bose Editing: Dulal Dutta Sound: Sujit Sarkar Duration: 100 mins Date of release in India: 19th January, 1990. Colour The Editor’s room : The doctor’s article condemning the temple-water as the source of jaundice rampant in the town is to be published in the newspaper. Nevertheless, disapproving its publication, the bearded Chairman of the municipality turns his head away from the doctor and the editor.  The Family : The doctor with his family waiting anxiously for the opening of the meeting where he hopes to deliver his lecture on the source of jaundice.     The Story   This film is an adaptation of the play by Henrik Ibsen. The action occurs in Chandipur, Bengal . Dr. Gupta, a general practitioner, is personally convinced that the holy water of the temple is the source of the epidemic that is rampant in the region. Cast: Soumitra Chatterjee (Dr Ashok Gupta), Ruma Guha Thakurta (Maya, his wife), Mamata Shankar (Indrani, his daughter), Dhritiman Chatterjee (Nishith), Dipankar Dey (Haridas Bagchi), Subhendu Chatterjee (Biresh), Manoj Mitra (Adhir), Bhisma Guha Thakurta (Ranen Haldar), Rajaram Yagnik (Bhargava), Satya Banerjee (Manmatha), Gobinda Mukherjee (Chandan).     The daughter planning with her would-be husband to organize a meeting where the doctor will caution the townspeople about jaundice.        The Sabotage : Chairman of the municipality sabotaging the meeting by accusing the doctor of interfering in the affairs of local Hindu people, since the doctor himself never visits the temple.   He warns his brother Nisith,the chairman of the municipality , who refuses to close the temple in order to repair the water mains. Bhargava, the businessman who had the temple built, backs Nisith. Dr. Gupta wants to write an article in order to alert the populace to the dangers of contamination. Fearing adverse public opinion, the editor rejects it. The doctor organizes a meeting, which is sabotaged. He is decreed a heretic and a public enemy.Yet, he decides to stay in the same town,as he finds the young students are with him.   Contributed by DKB and AKD Back Top

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