Satyajit Ray

Untitled Document

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Untitled Document

Pratidwandi (The Adversary), 1970

Nowhere to go on a hot afternoon of May - Siddhartha takes shelter under a canopy in central Calcutta.

	Production: Nepal Dutta and Asim Dutta for Purnima Pictures
	Screenplay, Music and Direction: Satyajit Ray
	Based on a novel by Sunil Gangopadhyay
	Photography: Soumendu Roy, Purnendu Bose
	Art Direction: Bansi Chandragupta
	Editing: Dulal Dutta
	Sound: J.D. Irani, Durgadas Mitra
	Duration: 110 mins
	Date of release in India: 29th October, 1970. B&W
	Cast: Dhritiman Chatterjee (Siddhartha Chaudhuri), Indira Devi (Sarojini), Debraj Roy (Tunu), Krishna Bose (Sutapa), Kalyan Chatterjee (Shiben), Joyshree Roy (Keya), Sefali (Lotika), Soven Lahiri (Sanyal), Pisu Majumdar (Keya's father), Dhara Roy (Keya's aunt), Mamata Chatterjee (Sanyal's wife).

Awards

	President's Silver Medal, New Delhi, 1971
	President's Special Award , New Delhi, 1971
	President's Award for Best Direction, New Delhi, 1971

The Story

Siddartha, a medical student, feels he must discontinue his studies following the death of his father. He looks for a job and has to submit to a formal interview requiring that the candidate be examined by a committee on questions of general culture. He realizes that he lacks the all-important element of backing. Somewhat mentally disoriented, wandering in a Calcutta shocked by intense political upheaval and revolutionary violence, he ends by accepting a medical sales position, away from the city and the girl he loves.

Siddhartha fuming, as a medical student takes out coins from the funds collected for Red Cross.

Contributed by DKB and AKD

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