Rabindranath Tagore (1961)
Director: Satyajit Ray; Writer: Satyajit Ray; Producer: Satyajit Ray, Films Division, Anil Choudhury; Cinematographer: Soumendu Roy; Editor: Dulal Dutta; Cast: Raya Chatterjee, Shovanial Gangopadhyay, Smaran Ghoshal, Purnendu Mukherjee, Kallol Bose, Subir Bose, Phani Nan, Norman Ellis
Duration: 00:53:39; Aspect Ratio: 1.333:1; Hue: 188.861; Saturation: 0.016; Lightness: 0.293; Volume: 0.270; Cuts per Minute: 11.519; Words per Minute: 70.062
Summary: Ray’s semi-documentary on his mentor commissioned for the centenary of Tagore’s birth. The extraordinarily diverse literary and visual output of Tagore, the Shantiniketan experiment and the Tagore family’s contributions to India’s freedom struggle are condensed into one hour, relying on a voice- over commentary that eschews historical analysis in favour of a fairly reverential approach. Ray includes some re-enactements of episodes in Tagore’s life together with images of paintings, photographs, documents, etc. The best moments are the reconstructed Balmiki Pratibha, and the song
Tobu mone rekho (‘Yet remember me’) in Tagore’s own voice.
Tagore's funeral procession, and Ray's tribute to him
Colonial history of Calcutta
History of the Tagore family
Dwarkanath Tagore's world and business interests
in thi sclon
Debendranath Tagore: story of his grandmother's funeral, his spiritual awakening, and engagement with Ram Mohan Roy
Rabindranath's birth and childhood education
Chind Rabindranath accompanies his father to the hills of North india, near Dalhousie
Rabindranath's first publications
First visit to England, incomplete education there, learning of Western music and opera, and its impact on his early theatre
Balmikipratibha, Bankim's access, and that of his elder brother, living in Sudder Street, Calcutta
Tagore's mystical 'awakening'
of the world
Marriage, takeover of the family estates near the Padma river, first access to the peasantry and fisherfolk. Early stories and songs inspired by this
Tagore's first major publications: Sonar Tori, and his first set of compilations
Founding of Shantiniketan, with money from copyright and his wife's wedding ornaments
Wife's death and other personal family tragedies
Partition of Bengal and the origins of Swadeshi
Tagore steps out of the Swadeshi movement, expresses criticism
Withdrawal from politics, rise to literary fame in India
Visit to England, publication of Gitanjali there, endorsement from Yeats and bestowal of Knighthood
Tagore's visit to Japan and the USA, and lectures on nationalism: and his denunciation of the 'Nation'
Vishwabharati founded within context of world peace. Rowlatt Act, Jallianwala Bagh, Tagore's return of Knighthood
Travels to many parts of the world, primarily to raise funds for the University, and friendships with major thinkers
Shantiniketan grows: new disciplines in visual arts and Oriental Studies
Final travels abroad, visit to Moscow
Tagore turns painter
Tagore's 70th birthday and the sponsors:Romain Rolland, Albert Einstein and Kostis Palamas, and J.C. Bose and Mahatma Gandhi
Tagore and Gandhi
Years in Shantiniketan, production of his most 'striking' and 'mature' works
Song: Tobu mone rekho (‘Yet remember me’)
Tagore's last year and final tribute by Ray: 'Tobu mone rekho'
World War II and the 'Crisis of Civilisation'
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